Suddenly it's getting warm here and spring is around the corner. Cherry trees in my neighborhood is blooming almost 30% now. But this means my pollen allergy is also getting activated. Yesterday I had a very important interview but I was suffering not only by a rarely worn suit and tie but also pollen. My eyes got wet with tear and nose was almost running. I stopped my runny nose only with my will power--at least during the interview, but I should really think about having an interview in this season. Next Wednesday I will have another interview at 9:30am, but since it's a bit early I'll be fine, I hope. (My allergy won't be kicked in until later morning--usually.) I should bring a handkerchief with me.
そうそう、ジェイソンから嬉しいお返事を頂いていたのですっかり忘れていましたが、先週火曜日、中学時代の友達から突然会社に電話がかかってきた。先方も仕事の関係でニューヨークに赴任したとか。それにしても、意地悪だったのが、電話の第一声が「ＯＸ会社の▲ＯＸですが、覚えてますか？」ってあんた、会社名言われたってわかるわけないでしょう？13年以上、交流がなかったわけだし。豆鉄砲を食らったハトのように、面食らった僕は「えー、どちらでお会いしましたっけ？」と寝ぼけた返事。そしたら「中学校です」。そう言われても、頭が即、切り替わらなくって、しばらく昔の記憶のかけらを暗闇の奥底でかき集めるかのように思い出して、ようやく彼の13年前の顔を思い出すことが出来たのでした。
Since I got a nice response from Jason, I had completely forgotten that I got a surprise call from my school friend last Tuesday. We went to the same junior high school. He was sent to NY by his company, he said. But he was a bit mean at first. When I picked a call, he said, "This is XYZ of ABC Corp., do you remember me?" I was stunned by the call. Of course, I didn't recall him. So I asked him, "Where did we meet?" Then, he replied that we met in a junior high school. Still it took me a while to gather pieces of my memory berried deep in my brain drawer.
彼はまだニューヨークに知人がいないらしく、過去の旧友の名前をインターネットで検索しまくりで、アメリカ在住の人を探し回ったらしい。あともう一人、英語が得意だった日本人女性がアメリカ人と結婚してこっちに住んでるらしいなんていう情報も聞いて、突然、そんな旧友たちの近況を知らされたのでした。それにしても、このご時勢、インターネット一つでそんなに人の素性・現状がわかるもんなんだねぇー。しかも、氏名だけで。だけど、氏が田中とか佐藤とかだと難しいだろうね。インターネット世界で匿名性を保つには、そういうジェネリックな氏に生まれないといけないご時勢のようです。彼とは、春に再会を果たす約束をして電話を切りました。
He doesn't have friends in the NY area, so he started searching his old friends on the Internet. He told me one of our mutual friends from school is married with an American guy and living in the US. She was good at English in school, so there's no wonder. At any rate, I was really surprised to see that you can find out almost anybody's whereabouts on the Internet. Yet, if your last name is Tanaka or Sato, it'd be difficult to be tracked down by only your name. In other words, if you want to maintain your anonymity on the Internet, you should be born with one of those generic names! I promised to meet him either in my town or his in this spring.
昨晩は、ブライアンと数年ぶりにゲイバーにくり出してみました。昔通ったバーで、客層も少し変わって中年が増えてたような。でも花粉症が悪化して、お酒の見ながら鼻水ダラダラ。
Last night, I went out to a local gay bar with Brian. It's been a few years since last. (It's true. Trust me!) Clientèles of the bar seemed to have changed over the last few years with more older folks and ethnically diverse demography. But my nose was really runny by that time. I was constantly blowing my nose as drinking my cocktail . . . how sexy was it?
ブライアンに、中学時代からの友達から突然電話があったこと、そして4月、ニューヨークへまた行くことになりそうということを話したら、彼も仕事で4月に2週間、ニューヨーク勤務するとか。しかも、ニューヨークに一度も来たことがないという田舎のお母さんを呼んで観光もするらしい。僕の訪問時期と重なりそうなので、Mさんとジェームスも誘って6人で食事にでも行くかも。でも、中学時代の旧友、ゲイ友のブライアンとジェームス、それにブライアン・ママとMさん・・・超濃い～。どんな会話していいかわかんないっすよね。全員集結は考え直した方がいいかもね。
I told Brian that this week I got a sudden phone call from my school friend and that I might be visiting NY again. Then Brian said he will be in NY for two weeks in April for work. In addition, he will invite his mother who has never been to the Big Apple and tour around together. It seems like a perfect timing for my visit there, so we talked about arranging our trips and getting together there if possible. I'm thinking about going to NYC with M-san (my Japanese female friend) and James again. Does this mean my Japanese school friend, my gay friends Brian and James, Brian's mom, M-san, and I get together?! This picture doesn't look beautiful and damn serious to me. I even can't imagine what kind of conversation is appropriate for all of us. Probably I should have a second thought about this plan. I should meet them separately.
今晩は、Mさんと二人で演劇を見てきます。数年前、オスカーを取ったAmerican BeautyやテレビドラマSix Feet Underの脚本を書いたAlan Ballによる脚本のALL THAT I WILL EVER BE。
Tonight I am going out to see a stage play called ALL THAT I WILL EVER BE. Alan Ball, who wrote American Beauty and Six Feet Under, wrote the script.
ストーリーは、ロスでハスラー業を営む中東系のOmarと、彼に恋してしまうDwightの愛と葛藤のお話。
The plot is about Omar, who is a Middle Eastern hustler in L.A., and Dwight who falls in love with him. It's about their love and hate struggle.
左がOmarで右がDwight/ Left-Omar, Right-Dwight
左がDwightで右がOmar/ Left-Dwight, Right-Omar
かなりのヌードシーンがあるらしくて、嫁入り前のMさんが耐えられるか不安・・・。もちろん、僕は見慣れてるので大丈夫どえーっす！
I heard there are many scenes where actors get naked. I'm not sure if M-san, who is 'yomeiri mae' (before getting married), can stand them . . . Of course, I can stand them 'cos I'm used to seeing them!
観客も多分99％がこちら組でしょう。
I bet 99% of audiences are from my team.
