By W.T. WIMPY HIROTO
“You’ve helped me understand my daddy (better),” the young lady replied in answer to a question that ended with the word “why?”
Every once in a while stuff happens. When it’s complimentary and unexpected, the sun shines bright and stars sparkle. Something like that. Difficult to describe but easy to get used to, for sure.
First off, an explanation: Every lady, in mine eyes, is “young”; anyone from *forty to say, um, *seventy. In the above conversation, the Sansei lady was explaining how her father never (not seldom) talked about his childhood years; “[He’s] not as old as you,” she didn’t have to point out. Meaning too young to have vivid memories of camp life, but still impacted by The War’s aftermath. Which would mean she was about, what, *fifty-something? [*I sometimes spell out numbers. When citing age, say 40, 50 and 70 for example. I believe it looks younger when spelled out. CR2S is dedicated to make you feel better, especially if you’re old.]
She (tried to) explain how (some of) my adventures and observations give her some insight into her *daddy’s thought processes. Apparently reticent and on the quiet side, he never offers opinion or conviction.” But kept emphasizing she was not complaining or criticizing. I pointed out the strong and quiet are preferable to loudmouths. She agreed, but still. [*Why is it Sansei (and other females) always seem to refer to fathers as “Daddy”?]
Anyway, she really wasn’t exactly patting me on the back. More like having a comparative figure when “Daddy” might be in a certain mood: Melancholy, nostalgic, upset. “And yes, maybe romantic too,” she added. In an attempt to add a degree of levity, I told her she was fortunate not having a wastrel father who smoked (and inhaled), drank and gambled. I guess you might say she didn’t demur. Nor give hint of what he did. [On reflection, she never once mentioned her mother, either.]
Sitting here rehashing the conversation, I guess maybe CR2S can at times shed light on inner feelings. Ruminations are not always about the antics of “O,” embarrassing experiences at DMV, or a love of bacon and strawberries. If CR2S is capable of giving readers some sense of direction or help, so be it. If not, we only spend ten minutes or so together a week anyway, so it’s not like you’re wasting real precious time, right? [Helpful Hint #8a: Multi-tasking includes reading while on the potty.]
= * =
The King wears no clothes. Long Live the King! LeBron James has conquered the world as no other, before or since. Even if NBA means Nothing But Angst to most, the return of a basketball player to his hometown rocked the nation as if a 9.0 earthquake. I mean, geez, only in America. There is no need to rehash the particulars. It’s a simple matter of the best basketball player in the world returning to his childhood roots. But memorable in the classy manner it was handled this time around, even making a rejected Miami feel honored. Last week CR2S proposed a way Laker Kobe Bryant could gain instant hero status by simply being unselfish. Now no matter what happens, he will never reach the regal heights of LeBron; or MJ, Jerry, Larry, Dr. J, Magic, or even Shaq. Just as T Woods will never come close to the adoration of Jack, Arnie, Gary or Lee.
In yet another feel-good story, an Oklahoma farmer accidentally drops his cell phone into a storage silo. The grain travels down the Mississippi River to the Panama Canal, across the Pacific to eventually reach a farm in Kashima, Japan. The nine-month sojourn ends when the farmer calls faraway OK to report finding the lost instrument in his feed bin – and would return it! [Why stories of this nature warm the cockles of mine aorta, I don’t hafta tellya: Only the Japanese!]
One way to get a rise out of CR2S is to challenge. Once (in Japan) I sprained an ankle hitting a guy in the nose. That’s because I had to jump up to hit him, losing my balance when landing on the ground. Why such a sorry recall? I really don’t know. [My thought processes (and dreams) are running kinda rampant, lately.] Anyway, an anonymous reprobate calls CR2S a hypocrite, an a..h… and a (Nisei) Benedict Arnold! Why? Primarily because I fail to endorse a Japanese American candidate. I mean, wow! First off, why should anyone care what I do or don’t do? That I prefer showering and never take a bath; capitalize the “N” in Nisei while always spelling “white” and “black” in lower case; and contrary to earlier inclinations, CR2S plans to stick around for a while. SS! (Suffer, Sir!)
= * =
Keiro Senior HealthCare is now in escrow.
—
W.T. Wimpy Hiroto can be reached at williamhiroto@att.net Opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.