Ferris Wheel on Fire

日常と非日常のはざまを描きたいと思いました。その一つの試みとして、日本語ではなく、英語で表現することによって日本人である私たちとの距離をとることで違和感を醸し出すことをねらいました。

　 I went to a Korean restaurant with some of my friends. When the waiter came and served a hot pot dish, he fumbled the pot and poured the soup onto my trousers. I was daunted and said "Hey, what are you doing? Be careful! " The waiter said , "My apologies!" and went away. The same waiter came and served another hot pot dish. Then he poured the soup onto my trousers again! I got steamed up and yelled, "Bring the manager here!"

The one who came was not a manager, but the owner of the restaurant. The owner was a lady seemingly at her 30's or early 40's. She was thin and looked to be quiet but have a backbone. She said, "I'm very sorry about the trouble that one of our waiters gave you. I'd like to compensate it in some way. Could you please come with me?" I felt much interested in her offer and I followed her. She was a fast walker. She walked so fast that it was not easy to catch her up.

The restaurant was in a modern and luxurious shopping mall. The distance between her and me became larger and larger. But she was still barely in my sight. I saw her going into an entrance, so I was hurried there. But a few moments after she entered, security guards tighten the rope to block the entrance. I was dumbfounded and stood at the place still some distance from the entrance. After a while I found out why it happened. I saw a Ferris Wheel on the next building was on fire. It was on fire and still rotated. It was rotating with orange fire around the outer circle of the gigantic wheel. I sighed and gave up to chase her. At the moment, someone patted my shoulder. It was the owner. When did she come back? How did she find me? I was wondering. Then she said, "Let's go." in a friendly manner. It made me much relieved.

お読みいただきありがとうございました。