Kenji-San

It was a memorable day in Japan, a rather joyous day amongst dark spells. I spoke to my parents + had good lunch & dinner + met Kenji-san + had to decent stint in office. Highlight of the day was meeting our ex ONC WTEC engineer Kenji Shibatani. I met Kenji-san today at Ajantha (an elitist indian restaurant), I always wonder Indian restaurant in japan caters to japanese and not indians. It was really wonderful to meet Kenji-san, he is really nice & had welcomed me warmly to japan. We met at HP Ichigaya office ( imagine he travelled almost an hour just to meet me, I am extremely honoured kenji-san.) , since he had come there for the first time I took him to an indian restaurant. We talked about life, HP & Indians/Japanese stuff.

I ordered a naan & dal for him, it was spicy(not for indians) and I guess he had it just to please me, he was sweating for the amount of spice in that. We talked about life, like he goes for hiking with his wife (he had been highest mountain in south-east asia in malaysia circa 2000). He showed a photo of that & a recent photo of his sisters daughter. I explained him the indian custom of having naming ceremonies.

Later came the gift giving ceremony, I heaped praises on him that how much ONC indians valued him. It was no dikhava, all true feedback received from people in ONC. He also reciprocated that we are doing a wonderful job. I gave him the gift of peacock engraved on a wooden plank. He said he felt honoured, to receive gift from me. He apologized that he doesnt have any gift (In japanese custom people exchange gifts generally).
This meeting was really important, i saw his face radiate with enormous joy.. japanese are such wonderfully expressive people. I got a feel good feeling for the first time in japan, that i had done something good ... felt it was worth coming here. I noticed one good thing in me, i had become more nicer .... well mannered after staying just one week in japan.

The feeling lasted only till i came back to office, work resumed & everything was forgotten. This world has neither place nor importance for such feelings.