Dear Takao,

I confess, I love you, and I am going to miss you passionately. I have possibly one of the best runs of my life yesterday morning . . . the sun was shining, and I was climbing "mountains" left and right and emerging from the thick foliage on the mist-shrouded summits like Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now, except with only a partially wild, jungle-induced crazy look in my irises. I raced a bunch of high school boys up mountain #2 (they wasted me) and at the bottom of mountain #3 asked for directions to Takao Station using some newly acquired language : Takao eki wa dochi desu ka, an attempt at communication that elicited smiles and friendly responses from the guys on bikes who helped me out. Oh. It was a fabulous morning. Takao, I'm glad that at the very least we have these memories to share. It's like Rod Stewart always said (in his adaptation of Barry Manilow lyrics*), "[Takao], you came and you gave without taking," and I will forever thank you for such kindnesses. Sigh.

~Eliz

*Thanks parents and Angie for your vigilance.