Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 101-110
Chapter: Not Tainted but Precious – June 14, 2008“Mother,” I addressed her while Chiro sat next to me, lending me moral support, “Chiro and I know the truth.”Perplexed, she narrowed…
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 91-100
Chapter: Exclusively Yours – May 27, 2008On the wall of Master Eto’s new store hung a picture of a girl I knew well. Standing at a kitchen workstation, dressed in a…
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 81-90
Chapter: An Answer Out of the Blue – March 2008 A simple picture. That was all it took. The morning after Master Eto had received the photo Master Watari had snapped…
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 71-80
Chapter: Frustration – December 18, 2007“Ugh!” I tossed the ball of nerikiri onto the mat. “I just can’t get the consistency right here.” I’d been practicing making the dough for the…
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 61-70
Chapter: On the First Train Out of Here – December 4, 2007I had an ultimate destination in mind. And if I took the right train, I could reach the first…
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 51-60
Chapter: An Uncommon Boldness – December 3, 2007He was lying in the hammock in the midst of our garden, looking so very tempting. I had promised myself I was going to…
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 42-50
Chapter 42: A Rare Constellation Recharted – October 12, 2007After we’d spent an hour sitting around Master Eto’s dining room table discussing all things tea ceremonial, the good master offered…
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 34-41
Chapter 34: The Test of a Master – July 13, 2007“I can’t return to him until I’ve perfected at least three of the elements in my piece,” I moaned as…
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 26-33
Chapter 26: Heartbroken – May 24 – 31, 2007 He was going to live. My blue heron would fly again. I kept rehearsing those words, reminding myself of what was important. …
Protected: The Long Goodbye: Sojiro’s Story – Chapters 18-25
Chapter 18: The Heart of the Matter – May 24, 2007I didn’t want to return to Sojiro’s room. I didn’t want to face him. How could I after what Akira…