Roger and Me!!


Talk about a blast from the past.
Last time I saw Roger was 10 years
ago in Tokyo when I sold him an
unused part of a plane ticket.

Last night we got together at
Tengu in Kichijoji, and talked
about many long forgotten thangs!
Forgot what a guzen (coincident)
laden relationship we had that year.

First time we met was on a boat
trip from Canton (Guangzhou) to
Yangshou on the Li River. We were
all full of pus and racing all over
China for the next few months trying
to be the first "haole" dudes to enter
Chinese cities as they opened up
to the outside world after decades
of being closed. Dali and Silk Road
cities such as Turphan and Kashgar!!
Hoot hoot hoot.

Lost track of each other, but
about 5 months later, was sitting
in Ramon's Fast Food in Manila,
and there be ole Roger. Wow, I thought!!
Spent a couple of days together,
and went our separate ways once again.

Then about 2 months later, was
lost in the most confusing Tokyo
station, Ikebukuro, and durned
if it hain't big Roger again. Killer!!
I mean there's only about a
jillion people over here in
Asia, and just wonder
why I keep on running
into this Auckland, NZ boy.



So, last night, we sat at Tengu and talked
story for a few hours. Seems Roger
met this cool Japanese filly (Harumi) in NZ, and
after about 2 months they were living together
on Roger's farm, then a year later, BANG,
they are married.
Sounded like a fun NZ marriage.
They rented a double-decker bus,
piled in 50 of their good buddies
and relatives, got married in a garden,
and just space cruised around in the bus
having too much fun.

They are in Japan now because Harumi's parents
said they had to have a proper Japanese wedding
down in Fukushima prefecture.
Pictures were hilarious.
Traditional Japanese wedding reception
with sky-scaper plastic wedding cake, speeches,
karaoke singing, lighting candles,
and bride changing from kimono
to white wedding dress.

Now, Roger is a big feller, about 192cm (6'4"),
and there were not many tuxedo's big enough
to fit him out there in the Japanese KaunTree-side.
Only one they could find was this really tacky
gold-lame tux that looked like a Spanish matador outfit.
So, hilarious to see large Roger in his
outlandish garb in this situation.

Honeymoon? According to Roger:
2 months Thailand, 4 months India,
6 months Australia, then Europe, then who knows.
Harumi's family is freaking out.
Their sweet daughter marries this foreign giant,
who then sold his house and farm in New Zealand,
and thinks that he has
"nowhere to go and forever to get there".

Well Roger, I bid you hasta la sayo-adieu-nara,
til we meet again, which we definitely will,
seeing how we seem to be karmically linked.
We laughed how this was the first time
we actually called each other and planned to meet,
instead of just letting fate take its course.

Mr. Huggsie, Michael (not Moore) McShane
The artist currently known as Prince. Hee hee.

PS. I love Tengu, a cheap, noisy drinking
and eating establishment (izakaya)
with jillions of little dishes that everyone shares.
I tend to go in fanatic phases,
such as the phase where I was trying to go to
every hot spring in Western USA and Canada.
When I first arrived in Japan and discovered the Tengu chain,
I got a burning desire to go to every Tengu in town,
and went to 15 or so, I guess,
but that mission from Buddha petered out
after about 6 months.
But still love going there when the urge strikes.
Wonder why I like Tengu so much?
Maybe because the mountain goblin Tengu
has a big ole nose like me.

--
This is Michael McShane (nickname: Huggs) in Tokyo. Thank you.
From Kentucky, Oregon, and New Mexico.
Often visits West Virgina and Hawaii.
michael@tky.hp.com

B.A.C.K.