Egg omelet roll

And a full day it was. 

The pool was a jumble of very happy boys for a while, until a scraped knee scab suddenly peeled and stung and stopped the fun. But the hot sun was about ready to broil us all anyway, so maybe it was just as well. 

The bath house owner from just around the corner brings food for the volunteers sometimes. He is starting to pray. "A Korean young man finished his bath and left, and then came back just to tell me 'God is on your side. He's for you.' Made me happy to hear that. Ya know, I ain't been the prayin' kind, and I don't understand God much, but what that kid said, I know that's right."

I will be leaving Iwaki City on August 31. I'm letting people know now, especially the gentle ones. One of our "backstage crew" who organizes the relief supplies cried. We both knew that only a few of those tears belong to me. Most were for all the other good-byes when she lost her town so suddenly. 

Even those of us who moved away from a town we loved can't understand what it's like to suddenly evacuate after the nuclear incident. The frustration of the town still existing, but being inaccessible. A British volunteer and I listened to her story for a good long while. We may not fully understand. But we can listen. 

One evacuation center has nine people left. One is a little granny (What am I saying little for? They don't make big grannys here.), with scotch tape on her eyelids to pull them open. Don't know why she hasn't had an operation to shorten her eyelids. Maybe money, or maybe health. But scotch tape granny is always the first to start a conversation. Mostly about the food we brought. She's the reason that stewed fish is on the menu. She ordered it last week. 

Several of the volunteers ate with her. Even the little boy who was running around pestering everyone during the meal loves her. He gladly went to fetch some bottled water from the fridge for Granny's guests. 

Yes, she has an apartment to go to. The gas hookup was today, and the little boy's family is helping her clean the place to move her in. 

We wanted to hear more, but she swatted the topic away and got back to the current event. "My have you ever tasted such lovely fish? Oh the chicken is so tender. This egg is spectacular. Kin-chan sure cooks a good meal. You ever forget to cook me some of this egg omelet roll, Kin-chan, I won't eat a bite of your food, you hear me? This fish goes so well with the rice. How good of you to make it and eat it with me."

She then proceeded to set the menu for next time. Eggplant is in season now. She wants it sautéed and finished off with a miso sauce. Oh, and make some mabo tofu, that should be easy enough. The salad, don't do raw vegetables. And macaroni doesn't taste good. Potato salad is what she wants. And egg omelet roll. Don't forget that. 

It'll be five months tomorrow since the big earthquake. She and a hundred thousand others have not been able to control what happens around them. Even the choice of what to eat. 

You know what? Kin-chan will have that meal ready for her next week. Her apartment won't be ready yet. No, he won't forget the eggs. He was chuckling about the menu all the way home. 

Yep. Good day.