小説 【真珠湾】第１話 ~Lost in Seven Years~ Chapter 1

　　「成田新東京国際空港へようこそ」出口の自動ドアが開いて、外に足を踏み出す直前に、アナウンスの声がながれた。７年の時が過ぎ、日本は変わったのか。いや、僕は変わったのか。外へ出ると、暖かい夜が広がっていた。遠い記憶のどこかで確かに覚えのある、心地良い日本の春だった。目の前を、見覚えのある大きなオレンジのロゴがすっと通り過ぎて行く“リムジンバス”。僕は、本当に、また日本に来たのだと実感した。

　“Welcome to Narita International Airport” the announce was called right before I stepped out as an automatic door opened. 7 years had passed. The time may have changed Japan or me. Outside, there was a warm night waiting for me. In my deep memory I could certainly remember a night of Japan in Spring as such comfort. A familiar orange-logo "Limousine Bus" passed before me, which made it clear that I came to Japan again.

　　赤坂のホテルまで行くリムジンバスに乗り込んだ。
「〇〇お気をつけください」と運転手が僕に言う。
「ありがとう」
　何に気をつけろと言われたのかは聞き取れなかったが、「お気をつけください」は、相手を思いやる表現だということをとっさに思い出した僕は、「ありがとう」と言った。僕の発音もまあまあ悪くなかったとは思う。
　　バスの中は空いていて、スーツを着たビジネスマンや、何人かの観光客が乗り合わせていた。僕は、中ほどの席に腰を下ろし、通路側の座席に荷物を置いて窓の外を眺めた。車体がわずかに振動して、バスの出発を知らせていた。いきなり荷物を引っ手繰られる事も無いんだと僕は気づいて、荷物を軽く押さえていた右手を膝に戻した。そう、言葉に出来ない静かな安心が日本にはあるんだ。

　　I got on one of the buses with the orange logo that would take me to a hotel located in Akasaka the central Tokyo.
“＊＊＊Okio tsuke kudasai”the driver said.
“Arigato”I said. My Japanese was O.K pronunciation, I thought, recognizing his saying “please watch” to show care with politeness. But I couldn't’ understand what he said I should watch out.
　　The bus was not crowded and had only some business men in suit and a few tourists on board. I sat in the window seat located in the middle of the bus placing my luggage in the aisle seat next me, and I looked out of the window. The bus throbbed a little informing the passengers that it was about to leave. I saw my left hand grabbing my baggage. Realizing that just because I was a tourist, I wouldn't need to worry about robbery all the time, I rest my hand on my lap. I enjoyed a sense of safety quietly laid in Japan.

　　夜の高速道路が、窓の外を流れていく。民家はほとんど無く山間が続く。新東京国際空港とは言うけれど、都心に着くのは、うまく行けばあと2時間、8時半位だろうか。僕はロスの友人たちの顔を思い浮かべ、渋滞を嘆く皆に、ほとんど駐車場と化す東京の渋滞を見せたらどんな顔をするだろうと、一人で想像して楽しんだ。今晩何を食べるか、東京に着くまでの間ワクワクするテーマだ。天ぷら、刺身、寿司、しゃぶしゃぶ、鉄板焼き。僕たちアメリカ人が自分の国で知りえる日本食と言ったら、せいぜいこれくらいだ。フレンチやイタリアンより日本の食は深いと僕は思う。実際、７年前僕がまだ20才で日本へ来た時、本当に驚いた。当時、僕は3ヶ月近く日本に滞在し、食べ物の素材その物の質が高いということを知った。日本の野菜は、トマトやキュウリその１つ１つの味が濃い。ああ、本当に腹が減ってきた。

　　Outside of the window a freeway looked as if it were running through the night. The bus was in the mountain area where there were only a few houses. The new international airport of Tokyo was actually not in Tokyo. It would take about 2 hours to reach the central Tokyo around 8:30 pm only if the traffic would be smooth. I imagined and found amusing to see how my friends in Los Angeles who always complained about traffic jam, would react to the parking-lot-like jam on the freeways surrounding Tokyo.
　　Well, for the meanwhile the main topic I was excited to think about should be what I was going to have for dinner tonight. Tempra, Sashimi, Sushi, Shabu shabu, and Teppan-yaki were at best the Japanese dishes that we, Americans could get to have but I thought Japanese cuisine was much deeper than French or Italian foods. In fact, when I first came to Japan 7 years ago at age of 20, I was really surprised about this. Back then, I stayed in Tokyo for nearly 3 months during which I came to understand the quality of ingredients was high. Pick a tomato, a cucumber or any vegetables gathered in Japan, each of which speaks its taste and flavor. My goodness, I got really hungry now.

　　家族や友人、特に恋人のジョアナは、なぜ日本に行くのか、と僕に何度も尋ねた。「今の都東京と昔の都京都をもう一度見たくて」なんて、もっともらしく答えたけど、ジョアナは納得していない様子だった。
「クリス、なぜ今じゃなきゃ駄目なのかって聞いてるのよ」
　楽しみの1つであった事は本当だけど、真剣に尋ねるジョアナを怒らせてしまいそうだったから「日本食が恋しくて」とは言わなかった。
　　ふと、トマトと野菜のスープを思い出した。アキが時々作ってくれた、鶏ガラベースに塩とコショウで、何でこんなに美味しくなるんだろうと不思議なくらいの極上スープ。僕がアキと出会ったのは８年前。僕より３つ年上のアキは、日本から来ている留学生だった。僕たちは恋に落ちた。今彼女は30才。今頃この空の下のどこかで、自分の家族においしい夕食を作っているのだろうか。幸せであって欲しい、そう心からそう思った。
　　僕は、７年前の自分に再会するために日本へ来たんだ。自分の国に居ても、償いは果たせなかったから。

　　My family, friends, and especially my girl friend Joanna would ask me not once or twice about why I was traveling to Japan.
　 “Well, just would like to see the present capital, Tokyo and the past capital, 　　　　Kyoto”
　　I sounded plausible, I thought, but Joanna didn't really buy it.
　 “I am asking why it has to be now, Chris”
　　Well, I didn't say “ I miss Japanese food”although it was true in part. But I knew it would have made Joanna upset if I said that since she was seriously questioning my visiting to Japan.
　　Tomato and vegetable soup flashed across my mind. The one Aki used to cook for me sometimes. It was based on chicken broth and water. Aki seasoned it only with salt and pepper, and added some Sake. Every time she made it I felt she was using some magic to complete an extra best soup with only a few condiments. It was 8 years ago when I met Aki who was an international student from Japan. We fell in love and she became my 3-year-older girlfriend. Well, now she should be 30. I wonder if she was cooking beautiful dinner for her family at this very moment somewhere in the sky I too, was under. I sincerely wished Aki all the happiness from my heart.
　　I came to Japan to meet what I was 7 years ago because I had not been able to make compensation for the loss while being in my home country.



Today's Special　　~Tomato&Vegetable Soup~

―Recipe―
トマトと野菜のスープ　
材料（2人前）

完熟トマト４つ　かぶ３つ　玉ねぎ１つ　人参１本　にんにく１かけ
ほうれん草３株　鶏ガラスープ４００cc　水４００cc
塩、コショウ、酒５０cc

作り方
①鶏ガラスープと水を鍋に入れて、四つ切りにしたかぶを茹でておく。
②玉ねぎをみじん切りにする。人参は斜めに薄く切り、玉ねぎと一緒にフライパンでゆっくり炒める。
酒を入れ、アルコールを飛ばしてから、皿にあける。
③ニンニクをみじん切りにする。トマトを２cm角程度に切って、フライパンで一緒に炒める。
塩とコショウを多めにいれ、酒を入れて、５分煮詰める。
５cm幅にほうれん草を切り、フライパンに入れ、更に１分煮詰める。
②と③を①に入れ、味を見て、薄ければ塩とコショウで調整。弱火で２０分ほど煮込んで出来上がり！


小説【真珠湾】第２話へ

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