The first sip was a really shocking experience for me. How sweet! And what’s the smell?
My housemate expressed this drink as “poultice-juice”.
“Did you drink it in Okinawa?” I asked.
“Yes, in Okinawa, I did.” My housemate replied. “When I ate at fast-food restaurants, I would often order it with hamburgers.”
“Some people like it, others don’t. As for me, I didn’t like it before, but now I’m pleased to drink it.” She drank the sweet, sparkling juice directly from the can.
Drinking A&W, we talked about what to do next year.
My housemate said that she wanted to meet and talk with lots of people.
“I will visit some exhibitions next year. There are exhibitions of photographers who I respect.”
She works as a photographer, too. We frequently talk each other about work. I always learn a lot from my housemate who is always cheerful, energetic and has a sense of humor.
We also talked about our school lives.
“At math class, I spoke to my teacher, ‘あのさあ’ by mistake. I never meant to say such a rude thing. Just wanted to ask a question. Other students laughed at me, but the teacher didn’t. He asked me as calm as usual to tell the question. He wasn’t angry at all, just tried to hear me.”
“Your episode is やさしい.” My housemate said with a smile. “It was usual for me to speak to my teachers, ‘あのさあ’. There was no politeness toward teachers.”
“Really?”
“Except for one teacher, I’d had the worst teachers throughout my school life.” She said. “Your students are happy to have a teacher like you.”
“Thanks, but I’m not such a good one. I have to make more efforts to be better.”
I was surprised at my housemate’s word because all the teachers in my school life were good teachers. I asked my housemate about the only good teacher she’d ever had.
“She’s far from kinds of good teachers… well, she’s rather like a Yankee. When teaching, she told us what was really helpful to live. For example, how to unlock padlocks, what rooms for girls to live alone safely…”
“How does unlocking padlocks help you?”
“There are bad people who abuse unlocking skills. So, my teacher told us to think how to protect ourselves from invaders by learning their way.”
“I see.” I started to respect the teacher though I’ve never seen even her face.
“She taught at my junior high. Since I graduated, we’d had no chance to meet. But, when I was in the third grade at high school, I happened to see her. My teacher remembered me, too!” She smiled. I wished I had had her class together with my housemate.
“How do you unlock padlocks? Tell me!”
“Unfortunately, I forgot,” said my housemate.
That’s a pity!
What can I teach my students for them to live? Is English really necessary for their dairy lives? I don’t think so. No longer necessary to learn English words. In the present day, Google translation helps us when we have trouble in foreign languages. What do I want to tell my students through English class?
I’ll keep thinking next year. I hope to give my students as helpful lessons as how to unlock padlocks.
“Will you drink it one more time if you get it later?” When I drained the rest of my cup, my housemate asked.
“Umm… To tell the truth, it’s too sweet for me. I don’t want to drink it everyday.”
My housemate laughed.
“See how much sugar it contains.”
48 grams per can. It was read on the label of the can. Poultice-juice is fun to drink, but it must be bad for health. I will be pleased to drink it once again, though. A&W contains not only too much sugar but now also memories of the close, friendly chat with my housemate.