こんにちはEigemannです。
(English below)
ルームシェアを始めてから、Joseとはスケートや他の用事で車で遠出する機会が増えた。スケートでは一度、インディアナポリスのインドアスケートパークに行った。自分は初めてミニランプに挑戦したんだけど、結局ドロップインできるようになるまでその日は何度もやり続けた。けど、二人とも長時間ミニランプをやりすぎて、帰りにはひどい頭痛に悩まされることに。ずっとブランコに乗っているようなものだから、三半規管がやられたんだと思う。
また別の日、Joseが実家に私物を取りに行くからついてくるかと誘われたので、一緒に行くことにした。実家がどこにあるか知らなかったけど、インディアナ州とケンタッキー州の境に近い街で、結構な距離があった。途中でハンバーガー屋に寄って休憩したんだが、Joseがハンバーガーを軽いスナック感覚で食べてるのを見て感心した。自分はあまり食べない方だったけど、Joseの影響でいつの間にか自分も結構食べるようになった。
Joseの実家に着くと、郊外にある大きな家で、立派な白い犬が出迎えてくれた。すごく人懐っこい犬で、自分も嬉しくなった。Joseが「ああ、やっぱりな」って言うので理由を聞くと、「Sydneyはなぜかアジア人には懐くんだ。白人には吠えまくるんだけど。」確かに、その後に来た郵便配達員がメチャ吠えられてた。なんでアジア人だけ区別できるんだろうって不思議に思ったけど、体臭か何かでわかるのかな？家の中でもずっとついて回ってきて、本当に気に入られていた。犬を飼ったことがなかったから、Sydneyとの時間がJoseの家を訪れる楽しみの一つになった。
Joseのお母さんとJayも迎えてくれた。Joseのお母さんは日本で言うところの肝っ玉かあさんという雰囲気で非常にハキハキと話した。自分のことを「なんかフィリピンの男っぽいわよ」とか冗談まじりに言ってた。これは実際当たらずも遠からずで、留学始めてから会う日本人、中国人、韓国人達に「最初はタイ人かフィリピン人かと思った」と頻繁に言われてた。典型的な日本人顔ではないのだ。家は先祖代々日本人なんだけど。そんなお母さんの冗談を聞いて、JoseとJayは「全然違うよ。彼は典型的な日本人にしか見えない」と言ってた。やっぱり当事者の人達からするとそうは見えないんだと安心した。
夕飯にお呼ばれされた。実は期待していた。フィリピン料理に詳しなかったが、米が食べれるのが分かっていたからだ。寮のカフェテリアの米は不味くて食べれたものではなかった。炊飯器で炊いたご飯に飢えていた。米が美味しいのはもちろん、初めて食べるフィリピン料理も美味しかった。コーンビーフとポテトを混ぜたものとか豚の角煮のようなものも、肉料理多めな気がしたが、味は美味かった。アジアの食べ物なので口に合わないはずがなかった。足元にはSidneyがウロウロしていた。こっそり食べさせてあげてた。
食後はリビングでまったりしているとJose達のお爺さんがやってきた。「日本から来た日本人留学生です」と自己紹介した。そうするとお爺さんは昔話を話始めた。お爺さんは英語が流暢ではなかったが大体の内容はこうだったと思う。お爺さんは昔フィリピンの島に住んでいたがある日、日本人達がボートでやってきた。日本人達はお爺さんの家に住み始めた。お爺さん達は魚を釣っていたが、「そのやり方ではうまく採れない」と日本人たちが釣り方を教えてくれた。その日本人達は格段に釣りが上手かった。という話だった。それは単に日本軍の軍人達がお爺さんの家を接収して食事用の魚取ってただけの話なのでは？とも思ったが、お爺さんの口調から苦々しい思いは感じ取られなかった。また何故自分にこの話をしてくれたのかもわからなかったが、その後に他のAsian Americanの人の家に行ってもやはりご老人が”日本人が来た！”と昔の戦争中の話をしにやってきた。彼らなりに伝えたいものがあったのだろうと理解した。
食事は美味いし、懐いてくる犬はいるしJoseの家の滞在は居心地が良すぎた。後ろ髪引かれる思いで出発しBloomingtonに戻った。
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After I started sharing a room with Jose, we began taking more road trips together, whether for skating or other errands. One time, we went to an indoor skate park in Indianapolis. It was my first time trying out a mini ramp. I kept at it the whole day until I could finally drop in, but both of us ended up with terrible headaches on the way back. It was like being on a swing for too long; I guess our inner ears got messed up from all the spinning and turning.
On another day, Jose invited me to join him on a trip to his parents' house to pick up some of his things. I didn't know where his parents lived, but it turned out to be in a town near the Indiana-Kentucky border, which was quite a drive. We stopped at a burger joint on the way, and I was impressed by how Jose ate burgers like they were a light snack. I wasn't a big eater, but I ended up eating a humberger on the way, too.
When we arrived at Jose's house, it was a large home in the suburbs, and a big white dog greeted us at the door. The dog was very friendly, and I was delighted. Jose said, “Ah, I knew it,” and when I asked him what he meant, he explained, “Sydney always likes Asian people. He barks like crazy at white folks.” Sure enough, when the mailman came, Sydney barked like mad. I wondered how the dog could tell the difference—maybe it was the smell? The dog followed me around the house, and I felt like I had made a new friend. I'd never had a dog before, but Sydney became one of the reasons I looked forward to visiting Jose's house.
Jose’s mom and his brother Jay also welcomed me warmly. Jose’s mom had a strong, no-nonsense personality, like a stereotypical "big-hearted mom" in Japan, and she spoke with a lot of energy. She even joked, “You kind of look like a Filipino guy.” It wasn’t far from the truth—since I started studying abroad, many Japanese, Chinese, and Korean people I met said the same thing: “At first, I thought you were Thai or Filipino.” I don't have a typical Japanese face, even though my family has been Japanese for generations. When Jose’s mom made that joke, Jose and Jay both chimed in, “No way, he looks like a typical Japanese guy!” It reassured me to know that’s how I appeared to them.
I was invited to stay for dinner, and honestly, I was looking forward to it. I didn’t know much about Filipino food, but I knew there would be rice. The cafeteria rice at the dorm was so bad I could hardly eat it, and I’d been craving properly cooked rice. Sure enough, the rice was delicious, and the Filipino food I had for the first time was great too. There was a dish with corned beef and potatoes, something like braised pork belly, and plenty of meat dishes. It was all very tasty. Since it was Asian food, it naturally suited my palate. Meanwhile, Sydney was wandering around at our feet, and I secretly fed him a little bit.
After dinner, we relaxed in the living room, and Jose's grandfather came in. I introduced myself as a Japanese exchange student, and the grandfather started telling me a story. His English wasn’t perfect, but I think I got the gist of it. He said that when he lived on a small island in the Philippines, some Japanese people arrived by boat one day. They ended up staying at his house. He and his family used to fish, but the Japanese people told them, "You’re doing it wrong," and taught them how to fish better. The Japanese were much better at catching fish. I figured it was probably just Japanese soldiers taking over his house and catching fish for their meals, but the grandfather didn’t seem to hold any bitterness in his tone. I wasn’t sure why he told me this story, but later, when I visited other Asian American families, their elders also came out to share their wartime memories whenever they found out I was Japanese. I realized they must have had something they wanted to communicate, in their own way.
The food was great, the dog was friendly, and Jose’s house was just too comfortable. I left feeling a bit sad to leave, but we headed back to Bloomington.
To be contiued.
