Itoi Elementary School       October 5, 1999

I eat lunch after a speech.  MY speech that I didn�ft know I was giving until the moment they handed me a microphone in the cafeteria filled with the population of the entire school.  It was typical Japanese fare, both the speech and the lunch.  Jessica and I talk quietly with 200 pair of eyes on us.  It was lucky for us that these people were blocking the view or it would have been 300 pair of eyes gawking at our ability to use chopsticks.  We eat and I watch older children helping the younger ones, practically feeding some of them as they gape at us.  Afterward, they clear the tables and clean and sweep, and then somebody drops a plate. 
One plate.
It obviously doesn�ft happen very often because there is an immediate frenzy like carp over bits of waffle, there is much shrieking and finger wagging at the clumsy one.
Then as soon as it began, it was over and the children had it all taken care of without injury or malice.  Incredible.
I walk to the staff room.  Two little girls whisper hello to my back, giggling.
I turn and see two beautiful smiles.
I take a seat next to a 50-year-old man with graying hair, completely engrossed in the comic book he is reading.  Two more teachers enter, deep in conversation, and never miss a word as they stand there and brush their teeth.
We go to the music room, and the children applaud me.  I am here to teach them how to sing a song in English.  It just so happens that it is one of my favorites, Edelweiss.  I wish that I knew enough of their language to explain that this song holds so much significance for me.  How fitting I should teach them this particular song, after it being a favorite of Mama Partee`s and of MeeMaw`s also, and after SkyRyders!!!  Suddenly I feel like I have a lot of energy.  I write words on the board.  I dance around the podium.  We say things like ``ay-dull-Viiiiice``, and things like ``sma-land``, ``clee-nand``, and ``blue manned``.  They actually laugh at ``blassa mav``, and continue laughing as we growl like tigers before practicing words like greet and grow, and then rev like racecars and say foReveRRR.  All of a sudden, it sounds like a different song.  It sounds like they are singing English!!!  The teachers are amazed!  I feel like a hero, but how can I explain that the kids are just such good students because of their teaching?
Afterward, they beg for a song.  And so I sing one.  And then they cheer.
Then in unison, I get a ``THANK YOU VERY MUCH!``

Just wanted to share those images with you�cLynley