Cosmopolitan (01/00)

Looking into the sky...

The question: I have been enjoying watching your weekly TV drama "Kiken na Kankei"(The dangerous relationship) Especially, the scene of Takao, played by Goro kun, looking into the sky is very impressive. It is a very beautiful scene. But, I wonder why Takao always looks up the sky. I would like to know its meaning. (From Hiroe)

I hurried into the reserved seat of the theater, which was already dark, through the heavy door. As soon as I sit down, I was greeted by a middle-aged man sitting next to me. He mysteriously said, "Welcome". "Welcome"!?...I thought he was the theater manager. I moved my face close to him in the semi-darkness. To my surprise, it was Mr. Naoto Takenaka, who is a character actor appearing to TV dramas and movies with his very deep and high impact acting. This happened when I went to see the play "Sea Gull" by Czechoff. I didn't know him well until I met him. However, he was joking with me and I was seriously answering to his jokes (?). He said, "Mr. Inagaki, did you see the sky today? It was very beautiful."

Speaking of the sky, did I see the sky today? I wonder. I was asking this question and remembering the location for the TV drama "Kiken na Kankei". The scene of Takao looking up the sky represents that he was the only person in this drama who was mentally able to afford to look up the sky. Without my awareness, the expression of sky has changed in last three months since mid September, when the location started. It was just like the story had lots of changes. The September sky still had the air of summer which had humid heavy air; yet, it had many expressions which changed very quickly. The sky I am looking now has the clear white cold sun in far away. The seasons go around and my year was also passing with the movie, the stage play, the live concerts, and the drama. It was like a full course French dinner. Each work had a meaning and each work was enjoyable. After the each work, I even enjoyed lingering until the next work. It was the great course of works. (Well, I guess this implies that eating in hurry is just but for digestion.) In the broader sense, the sky over me was shinning in clear blue in the year 1999. However, I think that the impression of the sky reflects upon the mental condition of the person who looks up the sky. Speaking of which, a friend of mine made this very interesting statement, "When I have to decide about something, I always look up the sky. If the sky over me is wide and clear, it is the sign that I don't have any doubt in my mind and the things will lead me to success." Any sky can't see unless there is the sunrise. I hope the year 2000 will have the sunrise without any problem.

Goro this month (a little talk with Goro):

This is his rare day off. Mr. Inagaki went to the sale of famous designer brand and bought lots of things. Mr. Kusanagi went with him and there were only few thousand yen difference between what he bought and what Mr. Inagaki bought. "I am surprised by the small differences," said Mr. Inagaki. He had a lunch with Mr. Kimura who was on the way back from a dentist. Umm. SMAP as a team getting along really well. But, Mr. Inagaki was regretting about buying too many things by saying, "Ah, I bought too many things. I will never buy the winter clothes again." He was saying this over and over during our meeting. It same as us women regretting about our over spending. We should by attention to Mr. Inagaki's new wardrobes this winter.