Passings

Around this time each year the General Council of the Department of the Alpes-Maritimes organizes free concerts for its people. Last night we went to one of them which was held in a little village about a half-hour drive from Nice. The last time I had attended such a concert was two years ago. The same band had played in that concert. But there had still been Michel, accordionist and band leader, and Christian, singer. Then, Michel passed away last year at the age of 60 and Christian at 68 last month. Last night's concert, which had been originally programmed by Christian, became a sad occasion to pay homage to him. My wife knew both well, in particular, Michel, who played his accordion for my welcome party when I arrived in Nice. But I can't say I knew them as well as she.

I wonder if it's because of my age but it seems I hear, much more often than before, of deaths of people such as film stars, musicians, Japanese or non-Japanese, that were intimately connected with my youth. I think the others must have the same feeling as I have. There was an Japanese film actor who has died recently. I didn't think he was a good actor. I didn't like his voice which was too throaty. But he was an exceedingly handsome man with a tough yakuza glare. I remember having bought similar kinds of clothes that he wore in his films to try to look like him. How foolish I was! Then, a greater part of my youth was spent and lost like this. Now it's as if I had outlived it completely. I wonder what will come next...