Ito-sensei has an exquisite sense of cunning when it comes to match-making. This week she introduced me to the third of her daughters, Ayako, who has just returned from a year abroad in Thailand as part of her university studies. (I've already met the lovely Tomoko and the eldest daughter- whose name escapes me).
Ito sensei called me over to chat at lunch and I gingerly obliged, combeeny wanton ramen cup in tow. And she knew EXACTLY what she was doing. This gentle, by-the-by chat was the softening up. Moments after lunch lunch she told me her daughter was at school, well fancy that and why don't you come downstairs and meet her? So down we went, but not before I'd thrown on a cardigan, she'd thrown back her head, and laughed, and asked 'Ready?! Are you ready?' as if I were about to meet the prime minister and not her daughter. Introductions done, (ascertaining that our ages match, and names) we sat and chatted. Then Ito-sensei just...disappeared. For half an hour.
Last year Ito-sensei presented me with a piece of apple pie, wrapped in cellophane but within bearing evidence of a protracted journey from her house to my desk. Like it was just leftovers before it became a mini gift. It was a really nice gesture and I was touched, thinking it from Ito-sensei herself. Oh no. I scrutinised the post-it note she'd attached to it: 'To Guy Happy Birthday From Tomoko'. The message was crowned with two winged hearts and looked suspiciously like the hand of Ito-sensei herself. She smiled at me for the rest of that day.
But now Ito-sensei has retired and along with Special K and Shoji, she is another person I'm going to miss at Nanachu. Friday I went down to the nurse's office to say goodbye and with a graceful haste she scribbled out her telephone number and told me to visit her- and her family- any time.
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