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A Traveler Eternal


In the small pub named "School" in Shinjyuku
A cozy haunt for the poor but passionate artists like poets, painters, actors, musicians, etc.
I enjoyed drinking there often up until about 10 years ago
Occasionally I met a guy called Jack there
He was a rather small Jewish fellow with curly black hair
About the age just around mine, maybe slightly older

He used to amuse himself with the cross-word from an English newspaper whilst drinking alone
When sometimes he talked with me, he answered in odd humorous jokes
When he got drunken and exited
He took various sized harmonicas from his pockets and played
His play was definitely at a professional level
He played mainly jazz, but also folk, rock or even classics with ease depending his frame of mind

<Still vividly I remember I was deeply impressed by the blues he
played around midnight just before the pub closed>

About the time I became to seldom visit there
Due to changing my work
I heard that he was playing with a Dixieland jazz band on stage in
A pizza pie restaurant and that their performance was recorded and released

Shortly after that, I heard from his close friend that he had passed away
But, I did not ask too many details as to how his funeral had been done or where he had been buried, etc.

However,
My memory now recalls that
He was definitely the type of persons
Who live their lives freely with no regret

<He disappeared
With a calm but ever lasting deep impression on me>