Sunday, September 27, Part 2

As darkness appeared on Sunday evening, I recalled that it was Yom Kippur. I felt really disappointed because I knew I wouldn't be doing much, if anything, to observe the holiday. I didn't have time to go to the Kol Nidre service on Sunday evening because I had homework to finish for school the following day. I couldn't miss school because I have three classes on Monday, and that would be a lot of missed lessons. Also, since I knew I'd be going to class, I didn't think I should fast, because I wouldn't have enough energy to complete my lessons. I wish that there were a way to fit the observance of such a meaningful holiday into my life.

When I arrived at the dinner table on Sunday evening there was an elaborate spread of sashimi (raw fish) and other ingredients, such as egg and cucumber, spread across the table along with a huge bamboo bowl full of rice. Okaasan explained that since it was Ryosuke's last dinner at home before returning to college for the winter semester, she asked him what he wanted as a special going away dinner, and he requested temakizushi, or hand-rolled sushi. We all enjoyed rolling the rice and sashimi into small seaweed squares and eating the various ingredients. After dinner I did some homework and drank some tea with Okaasan and Yoko. The tea was so delicious, I felt as though I'd never drank such superbly flavored green tea before in my life. I also stayed up late talking with Ryosuke last night, since it was the last night he'd be at home for the next few months. He told me about how he considers it a hassle to move from school to home and from home to school. But I know he's looking forward to meeting his college friends again.