Endings

10 weeks ago I wrote a list of 10 things to do before I left Japan. I didn't actually have a 10th, but decided to make it 'Meet a yakuza'.

This is the story of how I fulfilled the 10th item on the list, and where it went bad.


Had you going for a sec, no?

I finished up in Japan but I don't want to write anything crass like, 'Every ending is a new beginning', because every ending is shit. I told friends I'd be back to visit, back in 2 or 3 years to stay longer, back for this or that, but really who knows what'll happen. More likely, I'll return to England and fly off on a completely different trajectory to the one plotted in Japan, like an errant firework.

Near the end I had to remind myself why I had written that list of 10 things, and it was purely for closure, so I could walk away with no second thoughts. As it turned out, a big trip to the States immediately after Japan has ensured that, as well as a few goodbyes that went as well as they could be expected to have gone.

Last Friday I said goodbye to many on my ex-frisbee team Iku.

Saturday was goodbye to Mika, Masumi and Sachie at the Sumida River fireworks show.

Sunday I went for dinner with my Yama-G-Shi home-dog Sean and Monday night was one last one with The Faculty, Juri and Ian, in my crib, Nakameguro. After that, I spent four hours at Ran's apartment talking until I had to run to pack to catch an early train to catch a 5.30 bus to the airport.

And here I am now in America.