Suddenly it hit me where we were! Temple 10. The last temple with Yahiro San.
I suggested we sit down and have something to eat - truth is I just needed to sit down. The pesky fruit flies I had swatted away last night just returned as the dreaded fighter planes and were looking for somewhere to land.
The past two days had been arduous but bearable because of my wonderful companions. I had been told many times already about the torturous mountain climb from temple 11 to temple 12 and I was quietly freaking because I truly didn't know how to read the Japanese maps (I had been incredulous there were no maps available in English). I had tried to participate a few times and given up, trying to keep my hyperventilating goldfish routine discretely to myself.
So, I was scared at the thought of being by myself finally but I didn't want Yahiro San to see how worried I was. As if that lot weren't enough, my period was about to kick into full 'stream' ahead.
As we were eating, I asked Yahiro San where his train station was. I was completely disoriented but we had crossed some lines earlier in the day so I knew we couldn't be far away. He said he would catch the train at the next station from where he had planned to so he could walk a little further with me toward temple 11.
Even though it was only a small purchase of time, I felt like I had been given another year to live.
I then asked if he would do me a favour and write me some signs in Japanese that I could hold up if I needed to.
I got him to write:
"I'm lost - could you show me the way to the next temple please?"
and
"Could you please take my bag to the next temple and leave it at the office?"
then
"My name is E, this is my bag that I will pick up as soon as I arrive - thank you for looking after it until then".
Insurance Policy My shoulders weren't as sore as the day before but my hips felt badly bruised where the strap around my waist went and my toes had periods of numbness. My hip bones ached on and off too but overall I felt quite chipper, however, after reaching temple 11, the walk to the train station was interminable and felt like it kept getting further away the closer we got. Even Yahiro San admitted to feeling exhausted.
When we finally did get there, Yahiro San checked his times and we had half an hour to spare, so, wanting to make the most of our last 30 minutes together, he offered to buy me a coffee.
Refried perculated coffee and three day old cake never tasted so divine!
Feeling a little melancholy and nostalgic already, I asked if I could write something on his stick then took out my calligraphy pen.
Of all the sayings I had created over the years, ironically all I could think of was a fridge magnet an old friend Brent gave me for my birthday years ago...
"Do the thing you think you cannot do" (Eleanor Roosevelt).
I had in mind the next part of the trail he would do in the future, from temples 11 to 12 - the part I was anxious about doing the next day. On hindsight I realised I was writing to my own subconscious.While I was writing, Yahiro San rang the Roadside Hotel that Claire San had booked me into and arranged for them to pick me up.
There were some things I would never forget and the freezeframe of him standing at the entrance to the station, waving goodbye to me proudly holding The Stick was one of them. With tears wedged out of my tight throat, I waved desperately until I couldn't see him anymore...
Yahiro San - The Free Spirit
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