Return to Sasebo

One of the reunions I was looking forward to was meeting up with my old neighbor, Ryoko. She took such great care of me while I lived right behind her, and her love for me hadn't stopped. When I walked into home, now laden with two grandchildren, I saw a picture of Jackie and I on her mantle. It was one I hadn't seen before; taken the last night I saw Ryoko, when Jackie and I took her to a Mexican restaurant. It made me sigh slightly, although thanks to Julie being there, I kept my composure. She wanted to chat for the whole day, but I have to say sadly, I really wasn't in the mood.

A shot of my old house in Sasebo: another family moved in and they've really let the place go.

I kind of felt sorry for Ryoko because she still wasn't married (divorced from her husband years ago) and only had her grandchildren and ungrateful sons to keep her company. She had a daughter-in-law now, and I felt some pity for her because she was married to one of Ryoko thankless sons. All the boys were living at home now, and none seem interested in their mother or what was important to her. It was making me sad because I realized that she paid so much attention to me because her own children didn't. This made me feel more obligated to talk with her, which, in turn, made me NOT want to talk with her. Obligation makes me uncomfortable.

When the time came to leave Sasebo and head home, I was tired out and glad to be moving on. I didn't exactly shut a door to my past, or answer any questions; nor was I able to close out that chapter of my life concerning Jackie, but I was able to remember why I found this place so special. It's the people and the simple way they live. I also realize that the only way you can ever enjoy anything is to let it go. I treasure Sasebo so much more now than I would have had I stayed there all this time. This is an important lesson.


Julie on a street corner by the shopping arcade.