Cosmopolitan (02/00)

Bitter Sweet Memory:

The request of the month: How is Goro kun doing in this very cold winter? Valentine's Day is almost here. You will receive lots of chocolate. Please write about your Valentine's memory. (From Sanae, 22 years old)

Two nights ago, our family got a video recorder for the first time. We were supposed to get the video recorder before last summer to record all of the Los Angeles Olympic. However, we waited for the latest one which finally came out now. Our apartment has 11th floor. I was able to see the snow covered city from my room. Seeing the snow covered city had happened only three or four time in my 10 years old memory. It looked very refreshing. Tomorrow is February 14th, Valentine's Day. I guess this is the special day for girls. They were whispering to each other in the corner of classroom during the break time. Of course, the girl, (we liked each other) was in the circle of whispering girls. Usually, I could keep my porker face but my heart was pounding.

Next day, the day after the snowy night, the snow covered road was frozen. I was sliding the street like ice-skating on the way to the school. I was hurrying to the school with full of expectations. Finally, the last class was over and it was time to clean our classroom. It was our turn to clean the classroom. This was the great opportunity for her and I to be alone. I was really proud of being able to receive the chocolate. I was even laughing at two other guys in our cleaning group who didn't receive any chocolate from the girls. Normally, I don't like wiping the floor, but today, I was diligently cleaning my classroom like polishing some crystal glasses using silk clothes. I was almost hypersensitive to react when I saw her opening her school bag. I could see a gift with a pink bow. Great! Then, suddenly, the guy, who had a quite cynical character, called me, "Hey, Goro, let's girls do the cleaning and we should go out and play since we won't receive the chocolate anyway. He he he..."

Everything stopped right there. At that time, there was an un-written rule among kids that boys have to give a priority to the boys' things. If I followed the girls' things, I would be bullied for at least three years. I know a guy who ended up being bullied for a long time. It was very hard to leave the classroom but I went with the guys to play a very boring snowball fight. (Oh, broken heart)

This was my bittersweet first Valentine's memory. It has been over ten years since then. While there are many technological evolutions, such as VHS, DVD, digital cameras and even pet-shaped robots, I wonder if Valentine's Day ever had any evolutions. Well, nowadays, Valentine's Day is away from its original meaning of a day to confess love, but becoming just a festival. No, there wasn't word like "ceremonial chocolate" when I was a kid. It had more pure meaning which once a year we could be a little bit like grown-ups. It was a special day.

Now, I am famous for disliking sweet stuff. It is rare for me to have chocolate. May be for Valentine's Day, I should remember my bittersweet memory and share a dessert with someone who I have a dinner.

Goro this month (a little talk with Goro):

Finally, the year 2000 began. How did Mr. Inagaki spend his new millennium? First, he bought the millennium Champaign at Harajuku. He chose the bottle because of its cute label. We are very curious with whom Mr. Inagaki raised the glass of Champaign. He spent his New Year vacation traveling with his family. This is the annual event. He took his parents and his sister's family (of course with his nephew, too.) to Hawaii. Remembering from the last year's "Goro this month", the distention this year was selected to make his parents happy. He began his 2000 by doing a nice thing to his parents.