January 17, 2002

日本語もあるよ！

First Time Adventure

Wao! It's already January 17th! Sorry but I did not make column for 2 months again. I had a 9 days off during New Years Holiday. I could not have enough time with my family for a while but I spent prenty of time with my family during this holiday season. The most surprising thing was Daimu, my son's growth as so fast.

I wrote a little bit of story in the other page as MY LIVE SCHEDULE but I made Daimu had some kind of adventure. It was over 4 hours cycling.

Daimu loves bicycle since he became 2 years old. Even if he still has to attach supporting wheeles on rear, now he can run uphills and use breaks properly on downhills. Therefore I decided go out cycling together with my bycycle to no matter wherer we can go. We brought soccer ball without fial. It was first time for Daimu to do cycling with me so he was so excited and smoothly started to run. I was wondering like, "Well, he seems so fine. Let's go to somewhere different further" and I decided to accross the National Road Route 16 and Tomioka Hachiman Shrine for new years pray. To get there, it would be approximately 4 to 5 km i.e., 3 miles. On the way to the shrine, there were large park, McDonalds and etc. I explained my idea to Daimu and he definitely said, "Yes, Yes! Let's go!".

First, we stopped by small convenient store to get some brunch as "Cream-Pancake" 1 piece each for us and his favorite milk and some snacks called "Koala's March". Now let's go! On the tough uphill, he got off the bicycle and walked and went across the route 16th and took first break. He loves break and easily says, "Let's have a break, dad!" so often. But right after he counts number 22, he quickly re-starts wolking always. I don't know why "22" but when he watched soccer game on TV, he liked some player who had number 22 on his back. Since then he loves the number 22. That's the probably the reason why. After some cycling, we arrived at some wide open park and started soccer practice. He could not kick the ball strongly at all yet but he controled the ball very well. We had "Cream-Pancake" already and he got hungry again therefore I told him to go to McDonalds. He had Chicken Mac Nuggets and had fun on the sloaps there and re-started cycling to the shrine. It'S already over 2 hours since we left home. When we finally arrived at the shrine, he did remembered there when we came there 1 year ago by car so that he got off the bicycle quickly and ran the stairs very fast. Daimu and I made Japanese bell ring and completed First Year Pray together. We got a small fortune telling slip so called "OMIKUJI" and said "Very Best of Luck This Year!". He was so excited and told me to bring it home to show mom. I felt as if we made some kind of big successful task and said, "Yeah! We made it, Daimu!"

Then we left the shrine and decided to stop by kindagarden which Daimu would start this coming spring and on the way back home. There were play ground and we played soccer again and had some snacks, i.e., Koala's March. He loves control the ball by bicycle and surprisingly enough he really does good. After a while, he started saying, "Dad. Mom would be worrying about us. Let's go home". Compared with on the way to the shrine, the way back home was mostly uphills. Daimu started to saying, "Da, let's have a break!" much more often than ever. When we came to the half way point back home, he tired so much and could not even move at all. But there were 2 bicycles therefore I could not let him ride on my back because nobody could bring his bicycle back home. What to do!? "Hey, big boy, Daimu! Let's go buddy!". He re-started bicycling after me for a while! Finally he could not ride or walk at all, I figured out miracle idea for my son. I put his small bicycle in front of steering handle and put him on the back seat! I could not ride bicycle straight forward on the road and felt as if I was drunk and riding bicycle but came back home safely at last. Right after came into my mouse, Daimu was runnign to Rieko and said, "Mom, I did it! Here is souvenir for you!" and handed the "OMIKUJI" over to Rieko. He and I went to hot bath, got warm enough and he came back as very active my little "Big Boy".

When did I have first time adventure? Even though I asked myself somehow, I could not tell "when" clearly. But I could tell that I did not do cycling for such a long distance when I was just 3 years old. All I remember was walking around the small hills on the back of my parents house together with my elder brother. But even it was so close to our home, it was absolutely un-known world for me. I was just trying to follow my brother and walked on the forest covered by prenty of leaves. I do remember the feeling that it sounded crispy and felt like stomping on the sponge. How did my little son feel that day? Would he remember the day's big adventure? I believe that he's got strong spirit but how did it affect him actually? I could not stop thinking so many things.

He is playing family computer today and will start playing with real computer soon. I wish he would find my website someday by accident, read today's column somehow and he would smile peacefully.