A Warm Welcome and the Habu

Last night after returning home from a walk and eating a quick dinner (rice and steak…rice cookers are the bomb) I had just settled in for an evening of entertainment with Captain Winters and the rest of E-Z company (I miss our BOB sessions, Joel), when I heard a knock at my door (which is really a sliding window). Upon opening it I found a wonderful man whom I had met sweaty and red, running the school track the previous day. Tetsu-san was there with his daughter, Izumi, who is a physician off on maternity leave and, through her translation, invited me to his house. I paused my show, slipped on my shoes and headed out the door. His house is a short three minute walk from my house and is just across the street from the school where I work. I saw him as I passed his house as I was on my way home for lunch and yelled a “konnichiwa.” When we arrived at his place, there was a multitude gathered in his yard, seated at an extendo-version of a picnic table. I say ‘multitude’ because in a town of 470, 15 or so people assembled in any one place is a crowd. Everyone seemed really happy I had come, each bowing their heads like fishing bobbers in turbulent water and uttering polite greetings. (Speaking of polite utterances, when a person walks into or out of any kind of store, one or more employees loudly articulate some kind of politeness to which no response is the correct one. This is so different for me, where, when someone seems to greet me or say something directed at me, I feel some obligation to respond. In these situations, I just look at the clerk, likely with a clueless expression, no knowing what to do. It usually takes me a few moments to recover from my stupor and move on. Baka gai-jin.) The people in Tonaki are so warm and friendly. I sat on one end of the table where all the men were sitting, close to my host and his best friend. They are in their late 50s/early 60s and telling me that I’m their new Tonaki son. Tetsu-san keeps repeating this phrase in Japanese and touching his chest with both hands and then spreading them rapidly apart like he’s getting ready to fly away. After again utilizing Isumi-san’s translation services, I find that he is telling me that his heart is happy. Man, do I feel honoured! The obasans continue to bring me various dishes of fish, vegetables, fruit, noodles, and tempura, telling me that they’re worried that I won’t get anything to eat because I have to cook for myself. I keep trying to tell them that I’m full and have just finished a complete dinner at my house before coming, but my host indicates that I should move what’s already in my stomach aside to make room. The elderly gentleman sitting next to me is a farmer and has brought me some maroon coloured fruit cut like and quite resembling beets. He tells me that he has ‘made’ this edible cube and that it is called dragon fruit. I had never had this fruit before. It has a mild flavour and a light melon consistency.

Before I head home after a superb evening of much smiling, laughter and eating, Tetsuaki-san (Tetsu) gestures that I should walk down the middle of the street, being careful not to walk on either side because of the habu. The habu, I am discovering, is this deadly poisonous snake that inhabits the island. There have been walkways paved and boardwalks built leading up into the mountains on this island so that people will actually venture out. There is a real fear here that the snake will attack people as they walk near any tall grass. This is disappointing to me, one who has begun to love hiking and exploring. I wonder how prevalent this creature really is… More pictures on this subject to come.