Every year in December the school holds a year end party, called the Bonenkai. It literally means “forget the year party”. After school I went home to relax for a few hours before going into Akashi to meet Mr. Hayashi, Mr. Komuri, and Mr. Kimura. We went to a nearby izakaya for a little “front-loading”.
Mr. Hayashi was skipping the party but he wanted to hang out with us a little. We ordered the big beers – mugs the size of our heads. Mr. Komuri ordered a bunch of food and we talked, ate, and drank for almost an hour. One of the employees recognized Mr. Hayashi – he was a student from a few years back. Mr. Hayashi did a great job of talking to him and asking him lots of questions, but later told us that he didn’t remember the student at all. It did pay off, though, and the kid bought us a round of beers.
Mr. Hayashi loves to talk about his erectile dysfunction and as usual we talked about it tonight. He is taking some mysterious medicine – he paid some witch doctor almost $900 for three months worth of potency pills. Supposedly it helps with the synaptic connections between his spinal cord and his, well, you know.
We rolled out of there just a little late, and Mr. Hayashi paid for the whole thing. He then went off to Sannomiya to meet up with some friends. He doesn’t like going to the year-end party – it’s not really his scene.
The rest of us went on to Nishi-Akashi station and then made a short walk to the Castle Hotel. We got in there a little late for the speech – that’s too bad. They started serving food and the drinking began. After that it’s a bit of a blur, but I’ve got these pictures in my camera. Everyone was having lots of fun.
I remember winning a prize in bingo – but it was some kind of strange stuffed animal. I think it was called an “odor dog”. I left it on the table “accidentally” when I left. Mr. Maeda was drinking water and whiskey with me, and the vice principal told me I “drink like a horse”. At one point I left to use the restroom and Mr. Kimura was curled up on a chair outside the banquet hall.
Mr. Komuri and I took off after the fun ended there and went to Donkey in Akashi. The darts started flying and at one point we had every single person in the bar playing one giant game of baseball. I was a little off my game due to all the alcohol, but it was still lots of fun. They are a great group over there.
I managed to catch the last train to Higashi-Futami, and I made an ill-advised stop at the convenience store for some “I’m drunk and I want some snacks” snacks. I think I got fried chicken and some bread stuffed with ground beef and cheese.
Now’s the time to forget the last year and focus on the next one. Just as soon as the hangover and heartburn passes.
