Nori called today. He's getting married!!
We met in New Orleans. He was studying English, I was starting my masters program, missing Japan and longing to grasp hold of anything or anybody that could bring a bit of my three years in Japan back to me.
And I met Nori. And a couple other very close friends as well, but Nori was special.
His dream was to become a famous photographer in New York. I vouched for him to Immigration so that he could obtain the necessary visa to find work, get an employer sponsor and start the wheels turning so that he could begin to pursue his dream.
And he did. He had his own freelance photography office based out of Manhattan and was doing model shoots, advertising shoots for Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren and other famous people. I, feeling almost like the proud mother, watched and relished in his successes.
He will now leave this dream-come-true and return to Japan; not to him hometown 古里 but instead to Tokyo. Neither he nor I like Tokyo very much. But Japan is his home, and will be where his new life will begin at the side of his new partner!
It has been ten years. We were lovers for a very short time, fulfilling a basic need we both had but is the only with whom I still maintain a strong friendship. He even photographed my wedding, in black and white; his photos were better than the photographer we hired. His folio of our wedding won him first prize in a photography school contest.
I told him today of my separation. That was incredibly hard for me to do for various reasons, the first being that he is just a week away from being married in Tokyo. The second, as he was not only in attendance at my wedding but photographed it beautifully and even caught the garter that was tossed from the balcony of the Columns Hotel.
But I did it. And I am glad I did, because one of my greatest fears regarding this new phase of my life is the possibility of disappointing others--especially those who witnessed my wedding vows.
I wish him all the happiness in the world, and thank him from the bottom of my heart for picking up the phone to share his lovely news with me!
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Congratulations to Nori.
ResponderEliminarWhat a neat story Mama. And a really good ending for him.
Aw! How sweet!! I'm happy for him. I wish him all the best! And I imagine it was difficult for him to hear of your separation but at the same time, he should be happy to hear you sounding so grounded and strong. That even though it didn't work out, that you more than just survived. I hope he takes that with him into his marriage.
ResponderEliminarGreat story!!
Z, it is a wonderful ending. Like a package with a ribbon tied on it.
ResponderEliminarT, I told him that he could do better. Plus, he is just a bit older than I am and ready now for this step--and hopefully for the right reasons!
I was hoping to find his website to link to his work, but he's taken everything down and is getting ready to GO!
Be well, both.
What a wonderful story. It is the American dream that my students in Prague so wanted to believe. Will he do photography in Japan too?
ResponderEliminarT is spot on. I am sure that it was hard news for him to hear but that, in the end, he will see how strong you are and know how hard you have worked.
Telling people about your divorce can be really hard. But the more you talk about it and share, the more real it becomes, and the more okay with it you'll be. Hooray for long friendships, especially with old lovers. I have a great friend like that, and we still talk regularly. (She just remarried)
ResponderEliminarCongratulations to Noi, and how wonderful that you have been able to maintain a friendship.
ResponderEliminar