Dear Sugitani Akihito sensei,
It has been nearly a month since we said goodbye, but I can relive virtually every moment of our timetogether in my hometown as if it were yesterday. With no concern for age or physical frailties¹, youcrossed land and sea to come to this out-of-the-way spot and engage in literary conversations withme and with local fans of literature; we were deeply moved. On the second morning of the year, youfavoured us with a presentation in the county guesthouse auditorium² that you called ‘Literature andLife’. With your permission, we would like to publish a transcription of the taped lecture in the localpublication Frog Calls, so as to make available to those who were unable to attend in person achance to appreciate and learn from your use of language.
On the morning of the first day of the year I accompanied you on a visit to my aunt, an obstetricianfor more than fifty years, and though she spoke³ too quickly in her accented Chinese for you to graspeverything she said, I am sure she left a deep impression on you. In your talk the next morning youcited her often in support of your views of literature. You said you came away with an image of adoctor racing⁴ across a frozen river on a bicycle; another of her with a medical kit⁵ slung⁶ over herback and an open umbrella in one hand, trouser cuffs⁷ rolled up, as she forces her way through amass⁸ of croaking⁹ frogs; yet another of a doctor laughing joyfully¹⁰ as she holds a newborn infant in herhands, her sleeves spattered with blood; and finally one of a doctor with a care-laden face, acigarette

分享到：