Sunday, January 14, 2007

Yamanokami

Today was the new year party for our little village here in the mountains outside Tokyo. I was slightly lubricated on returning home, so it was either a sketch of my fellow inmates, or something from life. These were some of the gentlemen sitting around me during the proceedings. Generally a happy bunch with varied careers. The drink of choice was a kind of moonshine mixed with hot water and a pickled plum for visual and taste appeal. Sake and beer also on the table. I have found that my body ignores all sorts of nerve messages on the following day if I imbibe sake. The moonshine mix is fine the next day, but on the day of consumption can lead to unseemly behaviour for an ambassador such as myself, so I stick with beer for the duration. There were some intimations that the little chap second from left had passed away, but he was OK, just contemplating the infinite. These doos used to be more lively, but most of the major consumers have now passed on for obvious reasons. Surprisingly, none of the more dramatic incidents like driving or walking iinto the river resulted in fatal casualties, they all held out for the less glamorous slow decline in the hospital. This get together is also a kind of thanks giving for a safe year and a prayer for kind treatment from the mountain deities in the coming one.
Pencil on cartridge 20x15cm