Return to Work

February 18th

The morning seemed to be quietly waiting for me to wake up.
The light of dawn overflowing, fine beads of moisture on window pane expanded slightly
Round and anticipating good morning.
I can return to work.

11:45 I heard Naoko wiggle the key
The filming crew came along
"You better have a meal before going to work."
I took a bite and two.  I didn't have an appetite.
My hands were shaking.  Is it the sign of my illness advancing?
I am returning to work finally.  Give me a break.

MAMA came.
I am going to work in a wheelchair for the first time.
This is the break and this is the stopper.
Everybody was new to a wheelchair.

We were getting closer to the office.
The street I used to commute to the office on a bus.  Familiar shops and stores.
We got off the taxi, and took an elevator directly to my office.

Hugs, hand shakes.  Smiles on familiar faces.
I will never forget today.  The day of gratitude.
Thank you all
Thank you, work.
Conversations in Japanese and English mixed.

I switched om Mac to greet the familiar
snow leopard
Nice to see you again,  Mac.

Making copies.
Go to the printer to get paper.
Using the shredder.
Using a pen.
Reaching for the phone.

It was not the same.
I couldn't do easily what I used to do.
I could manage to do in slow motion.
If I could manage to do, I could manage to work.
What I could, I would try to do by myself.

Colleagues came to greet me at my desk.
I joked as usual.
I can be myself here.
We are so close.
I love to work here.

The sunset tinted the air orange and announced closing time.
A day in my life.  My work.
I left for home.

Cheers.

It's 2:25 AM
Naoko, Maho, MAMA should be dreaming by now.
Thank you all for helping me to go to work today.

The track is leading to the future
Round, large, and uninterrupted.

Poem by Maria Franki

Edited and translated by J. Ujiie

©2011