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mou_ikkaiThe essay collection that came out in 2020 includes 3 intermissions that were not published in the magazine serialization. The following is the summary of the first one.
The 1st short story in the collection is about a couple travelling to France to celebrate their 50th anniversary. It's sort of a compromise - their son offered to fulfill this long-time dream if the father, a taxi driver and a big car enthusiast, agrees to retire.
The lady, Chiyoko, and her husband Tetsuji argue about whether they should've rented a convertible, but it's really just some genuine old-married-couple banter. There's fresh, herbal smell in the air, everything is very peaceful.
(their car is Triumph Spitfire MK-1)
The last stop was supposed to be Notre Dame. However, their daughter-in-law phones them, panicked, and tells them the news about the fire, so the couple decides to explore a little off-route. They take a stroll to a nearby bridge.
There are sculptures of lions, and locks with love declarations there. Chiyoko spots one in Japanese - "ai-te-ru", with "shi" missing. Tetsuji, surprising her, jogs back to the car to fetch a permanent marker.
He hesitates though - "shi" sounds too ominous. Then Chiyoko comes up wih "ga-ma-shi", and the phrase now reads: "ai ga mashiteru", "Love grows bigger".
The 1st short story in the collection is about a couple travelling to France to celebrate their 50th anniversary. It's sort of a compromise - their son offered to fulfill this long-time dream if the father, a taxi driver and a big car enthusiast, agrees to retire.
The lady, Chiyoko, and her husband Tetsuji argue about whether they should've rented a convertible, but it's really just some genuine old-married-couple banter. There's fresh, herbal smell in the air, everything is very peaceful.
(their car is Triumph Spitfire MK-1)
The last stop was supposed to be Notre Dame. However, their daughter-in-law phones them, panicked, and tells them the news about the fire, so the couple decides to explore a little off-route. They take a stroll to a nearby bridge.
There are sculptures of lions, and locks with love declarations there. Chiyoko spots one in Japanese - "ai-te-ru", with "shi" missing. Tetsuji, surprising her, jogs back to the car to fetch a permanent marker.
He hesitates though - "shi" sounds too ominous. Then Chiyoko comes up wih "ga-ma-shi", and the phrase now reads: "ai ga mashiteru", "Love grows bigger".
