A great reunion

プラハで4年前にお世話になった奏多師匠との再会について。
ひさびさだというのに、私の師匠はちょうどかつてないほどに体調を崩されておられました。なぜこのタイミング⁉︎と驚きますが、仕方のないこと。

なんとか起きられるくらいに回復された師匠に会いに、懐かしい駅へ。
とんとん拍子にバスに乗って、師匠の住むマンションへ。
砂場で遊んでいた師匠の子供達と奥さんのエヴァちゃんが私に気付いてくれました。
まだほんの小さい頃に会ったちびっ子たちには、私の記憶は無いんだろうなーと思いつつ、きちんと挨拶をしてお家に案内してくれる姿に感動。

It's showing the way to his house.

もうずっとここに居たいと思うような子供部屋で、2人の大切なものを次々に見せてくれました。
私のお土産は絵本と、マッチ箱サイズの紙で作るノアの箱舟だったのですが、2人が一生懸命作ってくれている様子がかわいらしかったです。
お兄ちゃんの方は、自分の書いた絵を見せてくれます。一ページづつ、めくってくれました。
とっても上手。私がスケッチブックなら、嬉しくって踊っちゃうくらい上手。
アーティストのご両親を持って、チェコや日本の自然たっぷりの中で遊んでいると、こうなるのかしら？それとも才能ってこういうことなのでしょうか？
妹ちゃんは、ピアノの腕前を披露してくれました。

奏多さんもエヴァちゃんも、相変わらずの仲良しぶりで、私はなんとも幸せな気持ちになりました。
あんみつを出して下さって、その後夕食もご馳走になりました。
その日は何となく風邪をひきそうな感じで身体が疲れていましたが、師匠が生姜湯の包みをひとつ下さってありがたかったです。
ご自身の体調も優れないというのに…。
私はその夜と、翌朝にもちょうど自分で持ってきていた生姜湯を一杯づつ頂いて、元気になりました。

マリオネットの完成前に、もう一度師匠宅を訪れました。
子供達に折り紙の骸骨の作り方を教えると、あっという間に覚えてしまって、どんどん作るので驚きました。
おまけに上手。
妹ちゃんは、私に絵を描いてくれていました。彼女の大好きな、『アナと雪の女王』のエルサの絵。嬉しかったです。折れないように、大切に持って帰りました。

すっかり体調が良くなったと思われる奏多さんが、テキパキと作ってくださったのはトンカツ。お野菜たっぷりの副菜も美味しくて、もりもりと頂きました。
デザートはエヴァちゃんのお母様お手製の、プラムのクネドリーキ。チェコのお団子菓子です。

眠る前の子供たちがハグをしに来てくれて、おやすみを言うのがつらかったです。
もっと一緒に遊びたかった。

師匠のところに来ると、家族っていいなと思います。
我が家も仲良し一家ですが、この一家もやさしい光で包まれている感じがします。
4年前と変わらず私を迎えてくれて、まるで私が3人目の子供のように、必要なものはあるかとかあれこれと聞いてくれたり、寒そうだからとスープを出してくれたり、本当にお世話になりました。

人のあたたかさに触れるチェコの旅でした。

švestkové knedlík

About meeting my other marionette teacher Sota who looked after me a lot four years ago in Prague.

It's been a long time since our last meeting, but Sota was very sick. Why now?? Well, he couldn't help it.

When he recovered little, at least he could be out of bed, I went to the good old station where I used to get on and off.
I could catch a bus as soon as I came out of metro station, and headed to his apartment.
His kids and his wife Eva were playing in a sandpit and found me walking down to them.
I was thinking that the little ones wouldn't remember me as they were so little when we met last time, but they greeted me politely and showed me the way to the apartment. I was very moved by them.

The little ones showed their precious treasures one after another in their room where you wish you'd stay forever.
My present was a Japanese picture book and a matchbox theatre which you can make an arc of Noah. It was lovely to see the two little kids were trying hard to make an arc with tiny paper parts.
A big brother showed me his sketchbook. Every single page he flicked for me.
He was incredibly good at drawing. If I was his sketchbook, I'd start dancing for joy.
I wonder if you have artists parents and play around all day in woods of Czech and Japan, you'll be like this? Or is it just a gift?
His little sister played the piano for me.

Both Sota and Eva were great together and they made me.
Sota served me a little bowl of anmitsu (Japanese dessert: red peas, agar-agar cubes, azuki bean jam, and fruits with molasses) and we had dinner together.

I was feeling a little tired like a beginning of a cold, but Sota gave me a sachet of sweet ginger drink powder and it was so nice of him.
It was him who needed it the most...
I also brought one sachet from Japan, so I had one in the evening and anther in the next morning, then I felt better.

Before my marionette was finished, I visited Sota's place once again.
When I taught how to make origami skeleton to his kids, they learnt it in no time and started making a lot.
And also they were excellent.
A little sister gave me her drawing. It was Elsa from Frozen which she likes a lot. It made me really happy. I took a great care of the drawing so it doesn't bend inside of my suitcase while I was taking it back home.

Sota was finally recovered and he briskly worked in his kitchen and cooked me tonkatsu, breaded pork cutlet. A side dish with lots of vegetable was also nice. I ate heartily.
Eva served me švestkové knedlíky, a Czech plum dumpling which was made by her mom.

When kids came to me to give me a hug to say good-night, I felt so sad.
I wish I could have stayed longer and played with them more.

Every time I visit Sota's place, I think how great to have a family.
My family is good, and this family too is filled with warm and tender light.
They welcomed me warmly just like they did four years ago, and they had me as if I was their third child to look after. They kept asking me if I needed anything, and they brought me a bowl of soup because I looked cold....thank you so much. You truly made me fell like I was at home.

I kept meeting kind and warm people while I was in Czech.