Reunion with John 9V1VV

It has been 8 years since I met John 9V1VV at our home last time. It was also early summer. A bit earlier in summer, maybe. As I have written about it else where, I have brought him to a rehearsal of the orchestra where I was playing cello. We were practicing Nr2 symphony of Brahms. There was a cozy breeze blowing at the hall then. Whenever I meet or think of John, I could not forget that scene together with this refreshing music suggestive of early summer. It is what I was impressed by his personality as well.

I arrived at a downtown named Ochanomizu about half an hour before the promised time. Looking around books at a book store there, it was close to that time of promise. At the exit of the JR station, a tall guy was seen from fairly far away. It was John, with the same composed outlook, standing there with smile. We shook hands exchanging the words of greetings. His wife, Emelyn, and son, Jake, were there as well. 

We headed to a Japanese restaurant I looked up with the internet. It was the place of the medical university which I graduated from and, supposedly, well known to me. John asked if it had been why I had chosen this place for meeting. Yes, it was. But it has been 40+ years ago since I wandered around there carrying my cello. 

His wife working as an accountant at an American company in Singapore is a genuine Singaporean. Her parents were from Hainan. A cute and sharp person with charming smile. His 2nd son, Jaye, has recently finished his compulsory service in the army there and has started his study in mechanical engineering at a university. A handsome but a bit shy boy. He seemed to manage this trip. When I asked how they were going to the next destination, Atsu's home, tomorrow, he opened a note book, where he had recorded how to go there with beautiful hand writing and let me know that. What a joy it must be for them to travel together! I could not help feeling jealous at them 

John looked quite the same as before. An intelligent and calm person. I asked him about the environmental noise which had prevented him from operating radio for the past months. He told me Jake had helped him to put up the antenna higher at his apartment roof top, which drastically diminished that noise level. He sounded to feel disgusted at the rubber stamp style QSOs he had been forced to do with the Eastern Europeans. He, even with a bit sarcastic smile, told me he had heard me working with those in the rubber stamps John happily told me he would join the FOC meeting in UK on Oct. Even though he has become an associate member of the club some time ago, he seemed to get actively in touch with the other members.  .         

Next year, Emelyn is planning to retire from her job. Soon, they are going to purchase a house in a countryside in UK. They will spend half of a year there while coming back to Singapore in the rest of a year. There seem to be the pension/insurance issue if they live in UK. I hoped everything would go well for them. He should take an exam of ham and start with the novice call with a prefix of 2E. We might hear proficient bug keying of a novice class call in UK soon. It should be John on the key. He told me he had spent young days to find himself in such as Israel, Middle Easts or India. Long time in Singapore. Nevertheless, he would be settled down his mother country soon. It made me smile a bit.

In a context of talks, I told them I had believed John was a man of wisedom. Both his wife and son were laughing at me. I still, however, believe that. He has a diverse interests in things, from his profession to music and literature in addition to ham radio. His point of view is always agreeable to me. For example, he seemed to be against the BREXIT. I know it would only leave impoverishment of the people, especilly, those approved BREXIT. I would ask what he thought brought about the right wing swing regarding BREXIT. Maybe, in the next QSO on CW where I could be a bit more free in expressing my idea. I always feel sympathetic to his tendency toward liberalism in his point of view. I have felt that sympathy since I knew him first. Yes, it seems to me the breeze early in summer is symbolizing his personality. At least in my mind.

On a bridge in Ochanomizu. The building behind is a part of the campus of the school I graduated from.