Tetsu and I had a "different" Christmas Eve day. It was a holiday in Japan (not because it was Christmas Eve) and Tetsu had the day off and there was no school. In the evening our church had a Christmas Eve service and Y-kun (remember Y-kun? I write about him so much he is practically part of our family.) wanted to come to the candle service. But what with his grandfather in the hospital he wasn't sure if he could come.
"If your grandmother will bring you over to my house when she has time then you can go with me. I'll take you home afterwards."
Y-kun was very excited about that. What time can he come over? Can he come over in the morning?
In the morning? Well... I have things to do on the 24th. Tetsu was going to be home.
"If you come over that early, then expect to do chores around the house."
"I'll do chores! I can help!"
So it was arranged that Y-kun would come over at sometime on 24th. Maybe before lunchtime?
Yesterday morning at 7:30 am I get a phone call.
"What time can I come over? Can I come over now?"
"Hello. Good morning. Who ARE you? (I really knew who it was...) I'm fine thank you."
"This is Y. What time can I come over? Can I come over now?" (Y-kun can be very focused.)
Tetsu looked at me in alarm and suggested that 9:00 was a better time. 9:00 am on the dot, Y-kun arrived bearing gifts of rice and radishes.
Y-kun was true to his word and did chores. LOTS of chores. He and Tetsu raked and cleaned up the yard and then even started in cleaning the street gutter (our neighborhood job this month). No complaints from Y-kun and he ran errands back and forth from where he and Tetsu were working.
"Teacher! Tetsu-san wants something to drink! He wants cola! With ice! We are working hard. I want cola with ice too!"
Tetsu had to explain to a few neighbors that we had a new son visiting us that day... Maybe grandson is more age appropriate.
And the biggest breakthrough was that Choco accepted Y-kun too!
Choco and Y-kun have had a between bars relationship. Choco barks at Y-kun through her cage bars. But Y-kun fearlessly (with Tetsu in near proximity) encroached on Choco's kennel territory and...
"Now no biting..."
"Teacher look! Choco and I are friends!"
Well, will you look at that! Y-kun's patience paid off. Choco just needed a boy to play with her. Y-kun made her one happy dog and later Y-kun took Choco for a walk (with me tailing behind.)
Let's see. We went out to lunch at an all-you-can-eat place and Y-kun ate so much Tetsu was afraid he'd be sick on the way home.
Tetsu napped on the sofa while I quilted and Y-kun did a bit of pot-holder making (I'd bought a kit in the States this summer.)
Before the church candle service in the evening Tetsu and Y-kun and I followed the Japanese custom of having a Christmas cake.
"Great kid, that Y-kun" (Tetsu's comment.) "He sure eats a lot."
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