A Double Delight After the Loneliness

Today’s a day off; at twilight, while ambling along on a stroll, I tried walking my old commute route from middle-school days.

The back-street scenery had changed quite a bit from back then, so the happy memories of commuting while horsing around with friends had faded, and I was a little let down—but entering an alley, what brought me to a stop was the chop-chop-chop of a cutting board and the waft of curry rice.

Though the era names change—Showa, Heisei, Reiwa—

that this sound and this smell don’t change somehow warms my heart; it’s a moment when I feel glad I came to my old commute route.

I got hungry.

Tonight I was seized with an overwhelming craving for curry.

After that, curry wouldn’t leave my head, and when I got home and opened the front door—a waft of curry.

Bingo—my house was having curry too.