Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Awards ceremony

Another long drawn out story.

A few weeks ago the elementary school principal let me know that the school had submitted my name to the prefecture for a volunteer award.  Now this is very odd... because I am not a volunteer... Anymore.  I USED to be a volunteer that is true, but now I am a salary-receiving crosswalk guard.

"No matter," said the principal, "You volunteered at the crosswalk for 7 years and you should have been awarded before.  So our school submitted your name and you will receive an award on November 6th at the prefecture building."

"...but I'm not a volunteer..." I kept mumbling.

Anyway, the principal handed me some IMPORTANT papers with the date and time and map of the place for the awards ceremony.  And I had to let my Tuesday ladies' class know that I couldn't teach on November 6th because I needed to be at the ceremony...

This past weekend I got to wondering where I'd put all those IMPORTANT papers.  And dang-it-all, if I couldn't find the things.

"Oh my gosh.  I don't know where I'm supposed to go or the exact time....  I don't even know WHAT the name of this ceremony is!!!  What'll I do?!"

What I'll do is call my friend, Kaoru-san who is in my Tuesday ladies' class.

"Kaoru-san.  Do you remember when I'm supposed to go to that awards ceremony?  And where it is being held?  And what the ceremony is all about and what it is called?"

Does that sound dumb or what?!  I've lost a few brain cells here.  I can't find my IMPORTANT papers, I don't know when, where or why I'm supposed to be at a ceremony.  It's a good thing Kaoru-san keeps track of me...


"Don't worry.  I know where you're supposed to go.  I'll go with you and I'll stay during the ceremony."


(Even Tetsu didn't offer to do that for me!)


Today, Kaoru-san hand led me to the prefecture building, figured out where I was supposed to go, attended the ceremony with me and stayed through the speeches and a discussion hour.  She even became my personal photographer!!


Kaoru-san VOLUNTEERED more time for me than any volunteering I do these days! You can see I'd be quite lost without Kaoru-san.  Someone needs to give her an award.

Thank you Kaoru-san.

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