No.2 Dropping in and Going around
I arrived at the ferry terminal of Sakaiminato before sunset. The ferry departing here sails to Donghae, Korea and Vladivostok, Russia. There used to be the other passenger ships from Yokohama, Niigata, and Toyama, Japan to some Russian cities, but now we can only take this ferry and the small ferry connecting Wakkanai, Japan to Sakhalin, Russia during summer. The grater part of overseas lines for passengers going to Korea, China and Taiwan have been abolished. Except for luxury liners, It is only for the people who have a lot of free time to take the trouble to take the ferry, in spite of the fact that we can take LCC for cheap price nowadays. When I was talking with my friends about my journey, I often told them the reason I would take ferry “There is a dream on the sea…”, such an obscure answer. That’s because there is no special reason.
Although I could come here in a short time by taking plane, I had been dropping in various places in Japan to meet my friends. From Niigata, via Tokyo, Kawasaki, Kyoto, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Matsue, to here Sakaiminato. They are my colleague at previous job, friends who have got along with since I moved to Tokyo, classmate during studying in the Philippines, friends who used to belong to the same club in university, and a couple I met during on my trip. I haven’t seen some of them for years, but they willingly welcomed me. I have hardly thought these are last farewell, but there are less chances to meet our friends as we get older. I might not meet with them again especially for who lives far away from me if there are no special reasons. When we were having a good time with alcohol drinks, I was a bit sentimental because I felt as if I was playing back my life.
One of them is going to get married, the others have their family with their child, are going abroad to get a chance for their business and struggle to achieve their goals in their jobs or communities. They are living in the present for their future. Contrary to them, I’m turning into a side road looking unclear destination. All of them said to me “You did make a big decision!”, but it is probably not crucial for my life. It is also ideal that we will be working until the retirement age and spending peaceful life. I wonder that what’s important for our life is to live hard as I can convince myself that the decision is not wrong.
As the sailing time was coming, many passengers have come to the deck and looked the Japan sea being gradually painted red. All I heard was tones of Korean and Russian. We didn't know each other, but I was feeling a sense of unity. This ferry has sailed for Donghae at the scheduled time 7PM. Someone who I don’t know is waving to someone who I don’t know. I did it too like them in my mind. See you someday, hopefully.
