01 Soul food

文字数 3,558文字

 "I dislike Christians," I always thought in Japan. My parents are Japanese, and my mother is a Christian. Now death is approaching her, serious illness is debilitating her. I have not belonged to any religion so far, rather I can say that I avoid religion, but――
 My name is 三池基和(Motokazu Miike).

   ***

 That day, I was in the restaurant to eat " あんかけスパ(Ankake spaghetti)" with him, but right after I ordered, I regretted being there. Because, I may have a hunch, that he will give that letter to me in the not far future.
 The restaurant was in the basement of a building near the station.
 For me who grew up in this town - 沼津市(Numazu City) located at the base of the 伊豆半島(Izu peninsula), that restaurant is one of nostalgic places. However, now the amber lighting and the chair of fake leather looked faded compared to those in my memory.
 The man and I were on a four-seater table. There were four or five similar tables on the floor, and there were small counters on the other side. A shelf was built on the wall behind the counter. On the shelves were old-fashioned picturesque dishes, clocks with decorations, folk crafts like travel souvenirs. And those items were illuminated with a cheesy light of an outdated stand light.
 I thought that "time is stopped in this space", but after a moment, I reconsidered that "Because they are fading, time is accumulating".

 "Ankake spaghetti is famous as a local gourmet in 名古屋(Nagoya), isn’t it? On the other hand, it has been in Numazu City for a long time."
 He spoke to me a story that was not important. I think he hesitates to get into the subject, or he may be conscious that I am an employee of a car maker in Nagoya.
 It was only the second time for me that I met him. Why then did I eat lunch with him that day? The reason is that my sister 瑠都(Rutsu) asked him, "Please be a counselor for my brother.".
 That word of her was annoying to me.

 I am 50 years old already. Rutsu is 6 years younger than me, and he is a former classmate of Rutsu. That is, he is younger than me and less attractive. What is it that I talk to him about?
 I did not put it on the face, but I was unpleasant.

 His name is 野々辺公助(Kousuke Nonobe). He told me he is a small printing company in Numazu, where he is in a sales position. People in sales positions are usually good at smiling, but his smile is awkward.
 As it was Sunday, he was wearing a polo shirt and a chino pants instead of a suit, His polo shirt did not have a logo mark, I presumed that the wedding ring that shines on his left hand is not of a famous brand.
 I thought, he is not worthy to be my counselor.
 Therefore,
"Nagoya's Ankake spaghetti is delicious, but it is a bit different from that of Numazu. My soul food is Numazu's Ankake spaghetti, definitely"
 I also avoided the subject and responded to his question which was not important.

 My mother was a patient with a terminal cancer, and I and Rutsu had different opinions about treatment. In what kind of environment our mother should spend the day before she dies, our opinion was also different in this respect.
 My mother was not 80 years old yet. I thought, she should fight cancer, should receive the best treatment. Rutsu insisted that our mother should choose the way she wishes.

 At that time, we still believed that If we could think, discuss and agree for our mother, we can find ways that convince everyone, such a method surely exists in this world.
 What a stupid idea it was.
(Continue to 02)
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