人生の途中の100円缶コーヒー $1 canned coffee/an extraordinary encounter in life

名古屋の繁華街・栄の地下鉄・改札をでて、雑踏をあるいていた・・

突然何か動物の気配を感じ「ハット」した
　前方に18年前に遭遇した「彼」が地下街の交差点に
　腰かけて雑踏を見やっていた　　
　髪は肩をゆうに超え、埃をかぶったような銀髪
　身なりは18年前にみた「彼」のものだった
　ただ、横顔から見た彼の眼光だけは以前にもまして鋭く
猛禽類が獲物を狙っているがごとく光っていた
（そう、俳優でいえばAnthony Quinnのイメージ）

彼を初めて見かけたのは18年以上も前の夏だった
街中の自販機の前で釣銭を探している場面に遭遇した
彼は路上生活者だった


僕は衝動的に100円缶コーヒーを自販機から買い彼に
差し出していた　彼は僕の目をしばらく無言で見据え
何も言わずに「受け取り」踵を返し立ち去った

当時の「彼」はまるで連獅子が舞台の花道を行くがごとし
の迫力だった　衣服はやぶれ、ズボンの裾は歩道を引きずり
でも身なりなど関係なく、どこか威厳めいたなにかをまとっていた
あれから18年　その間も時折「彼」を街でみかけていた

地下街の雑踏に座る「彼」はやや縮んでみえた
しかし相変わらず他に媚びる様子もなく、堂々としていた

一体どうやったら都会の厳しい四季を18年間も生き抜くことが
できるのだろうか・・？　彼を見かけるたび「感動」をもらい
驚いている・・・

僕も「ガン」を患い8年　しかし、彼の18年を思うと
比較すらできないね～
人生の途中の「100円缶コーヒー」で逆にもらった勇気でした・・・




$1 canned coffee・・an extraordinary encounter in life

One summer day afternoon in Nagoya city, I saw a man searching for
some change at a vending machine.
Without knowing it, I bought a $1 canned coffee from the vending machine
And put out my hand in front of him with the coffee
He stared at me into my eyes for one instant moment but accepted the canned coffee bluntly
without a word, turned around and walked away.　Yes,he was a homeless man.
That was 18 years ago.

Then I saw him today wondering in the city, locked his eyes straight ahead
His long and silver hair has grown way past his shoulder.
His shirt and pants are torn and faded in gray under the summer heat
He was looking straight with merciless eyes like that of a predator
ready to hunt on his prey. Somehow he had a Roman looks with high nose
And his way of walking posture- leaning a bit forward- is like that of Kabuki Rennjishi play,
(a string of lions)　dancing with dignity thru the main passage on stage

I can’t imagine the harsh and severe life he is going thru in the city for 18 years
without a bed to sleep in and without a prepared table food
Every　time I see this man on the street, I am deeply touched and admire his strength of life.

Or I could be wrong. And I hope I’m right.
Every time as he turns around the corner of that park ahead,
He is greeted by a 30ft long black limousine with a dressed chauffeur opening its rear seat door.
And then he changes into his formal wear and the chauffeur takes him to some top-floor
restaurant for dinner.
You never know.
I really hope this is what’s happening behind that corner.

What I did 18years ago with a $1 canned coffee still leaves me with a pleasure of
deepest impression and courage 18years later.

I got cancer 8 years ago, but this is nothing to compare with
his difficult life in the city for 18 years.