Stories.
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Over the past several months, since I began self-publishing some of my short stories, I’ve received some encouraging responses from both long time friends and new-to-letsjapan.wordpress.com (former) strangers. Some have commented at the end of the stories, some of my “Facebook Friends” have written complimentary things through that conduit and a few people have just sent nice emails. Thank you. Currently, several more stories are “in the works”. I plan on beginning to post those over coming weeks. And still more are “in development”, as they say. Stay tuned.
Anyway, I thought I’d pause and run through the list (see atop this Front Page) and give a line or two synopsis of each story, for those who either haven’t even thought to check them out, or for anyone who wants to know what they’re all about before diving into any of them.
Along the Sea of Japan
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Estuko,my short epic. A love triangle/quadrangle that plays out over the course of a year, from rural Japan to Deep South America, and eventually reverberates though almost two decades. Obligation: a conversation between me and a Japanese Teacher-of-English about the word “Obligation” (or, “Duty”), its use on a nationally broadcast radio program the night before, and how an otherwise culturally pitch-perfect American expat mortified listeners throughout Japan (or made them die laughing, whichever may be the case). Sparkle of Your China (actually, this story’s named “Delegation”, but I like linking via “Sparkle of Your China”) — A small group of “local delegates” from Alabama learn some of the business, cultural and political ropes over the course of several days in Northern China. Canadians Do Kobe, wherein my Cunuck friend, Lois, and one of her friends from “back home” enjoy Kobe. The story ends with a couple of twists, and pretty much fails to answer the question: “How do you apologize to someone for something you dare not discuss with or admit to them?” If that sounds confusing, just read it and you’ll understand. India Brain Gametells of my serial misadventures in an attempt to meet a prominent neuroscientist on behalf of a client. From masala chai on the side of the road, to armed guards, to botched translations (entirely my fault, of course, as I’m on their “home turf”), to Hindware.
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In the small town of Iwai-cho, an hour or so outside of Kyoto.
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A Night in Kyoto— I and someone I used to know savor a low-key night on the town. We eat, drink, argue, laugh and love against the backdrop of beautiful and ever-quirky Kyoto. Enlightenment, wherein I’m invited to meditate with several of “the guys” at my neighborhood Temple.
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Please feel free to stop by my Photo Galleries, too, also accessible by just clicking the gallery link atop this page. As a an invitation and for your information, I should also mention that if you go to the bottom of this page you’ll see where you can click a tab for “Older Entries”, which go back to this previous autumn, summer and late spring of ’09, when I started-up this whole thing. Enjoy.
Kinosaki Onsen. Autumn 2001.
どうぞごゆっくり . . .
LetsJapan 
I so enjoy your photos.
Thank you, Lois. I’m sure you recognize Kinosaki and the landscape along the Sea of Japan (日本海) . . .
Happy New Year to you, too.
Last night it hit about 16F here in Birmingham. Somewhat Canada-like, I imagine.
All kind things,
R