A few days ago, I received a package from Japan that I presumed contained the tape recording of the radio interview I did a couple of weeks back. I wasn’t in any particular hurry to check its contents because I don’t have a cassette player to listen to the tape, and even if I did, I still wouldn’t listen to it (I happen to think that I turn into a deranged, blithering idiot whenever a microphone is pointed in front of me).
Anyway, during a tidying session this evening I decided there was no harm in opening the package, since I could then consign the tape to a dark drawer well out of the way. As I unwrapped it, I noticed that it was far too large for just a tape; there was another carefully wrapped box inside. This was an unexpected development, and I was very interested to find out what was inside.
It turned out to be a minature folding screen of Japanese artwork; I don’t think it cost a huge amount but I was inordinately pleased about the whole thing, that someone had bothered sending this little present along with the tape. I never get anything from the other interviews I do, apart from the tape (if that), so for the last half an hour I’ve been going around with a smile on my face. These random acts of kindness always make life more interesting.
mssv 