Practiced the piano in the morning for both my private lesson tomorrow and another choir's repertoire where I'm joining as a pianist, then made a ham and veggie sandwich for lunch.
On Monday afternoons, I'm a pianist for another choir where my friend is a director. The choir is holding a ten-year-anniversary concert in June so they are working very hard on that. Last week they decided which earrings to wear, this week the board members brought several blouse candidates. This will be their first formal recital so they want to wear same outfits for the occasion. Personally, I don't like all choir members wearing some uniform for a concert but this is so popular here in Japan especially among lady's choirs. For example, if a choir's concert has four stages, they might wear four different outfits, like a fashion show! Amazing!
Anyway, we had a good rehearsal.
Today's main topic came after this.
After the rehearsal, I said good-bye to them and went out to the street alone. When I was crossing at the crosswalk, I saw two elderly women had the same trouble. The street was not only for cars but also for trams. So it was bumpy due to the tram rails. The two ladies had difficulty to put their walk-assistance push pulley forward, they were stuck then the light was going to turn red. I naturally approached first one of them and helped her cross the street, then went to another lady.
Two ladies said thank-you to me with smile and I thought it was the end of the story but was not!
Then the first woman asked me where is the subway station and she wanted to go to Senri station by it. Actually I was quite surprised to hear that because the woman seemed so weak. She could barely walk even with the push pulley. Her back was bent over. Even the sound of her breath was weak. I anyway told her the direction to the station but very worried about if she could get there by herself. Currently a big construction is going on around the station so the sidewalk to there was so bumpy also and I didn't know if she could get the elevator or the escalator to the subway station underground.
So when I realized I was saying to her, "OK I'll go with you! I'm not in hurry. I have time!"
Then our journey to the station started. Usually, if I'm alone it should be only 10-minute walk but this time it took us more than half an hour to get there. I put my left hand on her pulley to make it stable on the bumpy street. She had to stop every two minutes or so to recover her breath. Then after 10 minutes she couldn't recover just by stopping so I offered a suggestion that we could sit down on a metal pole beside the street which protected the roadside trees. Then after drinking some water and had a rest, we again started to walk. Till we got to the station, we became good friends as you can imagine, my friends!
We enjoyed chatting while sitting down and walking. She apologized me again and again that she troubled me. Then I said it was OK with me! Our conversation went like this!
She: You must be in a hurry!. I'm so sorry to trouble you!
I: Never mind! I have time. That's OK.
She: I used to live here 50 years ago. This neighborhood changed a lot!
I: I used to go to a college just closed to here. I know it's been changed a lot!
She: Why you are so kind to me? You really are very kind. I don't know how to express my greatefulness to you!
I: You know, I was raised up by elderly people till I got 10 years old so I love talking with senior people. I'm enjoying now!
She: Where are you from?
I: I'm from Higashiosaka city.
She: Oh so far away! (it was in Osaka city where I met her)
I: Not at all, just 30 minute train ride! Listen I also direct a senior choir in my community. I love music. Today I'm on my way home from another choir rehearsal.
She: Oh really? I love music, too! what you sang today?
I: We sang what called red and white flower song. Do you know? (I sang it to her)
She: My favorite music is the Requiem by Faure! (here, I was quite surprised that she is such a classic music lover!)
I: Oh, I love the Faure's Requiem so much, too! I sang it before (then I sang "Requiem eternam" to her) and also I once played the organ part for the music!
She: I was wondering that you must be a good singer because even your speaking voice is like singing bird! My another favorite is Bach!!
I: wow!!! I love Bach, too! I've sung several Cantatas and also John Passion!
She: You are very nice, thank you so much!
I: Never mind! I enjoyed chatting with you. And listen we are all the same. I also am going to be helped by others when I get older. So everything is going around. You just accept my help and I'll get another help by another person, right?
She: right! Thank you! I'm sure something good is going to happen to you!
I: That's very nice to hear! I'll be so happy if something good happens to me! That'd be because of you! Thank you in advance!
Then we got to the station finally and said good bye.
I didn't introduce myself and she didn't either but I have a feeling that we would see each other again! It was a wonderful meeting and that made me smile all evening!
Tomorrow will be my piano lesson day. Go for it!
Good night from Osaka, Japan!
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