A Visit Home

[der meister 2,903]

               It's the third day since Toronto Legion defenseman Ryuji Sakamoto and I arrived in Tokyo, and the third consecutive day we have visited that same strange little coffee and curry shop, Leblanc. The owner, Sojiro, better known as Boss, is an excellent conversationalist, though he is careful to not express his personal opinions too strongly, lest he scare away customers. Not that there are very many customers. I've come to learn that Leblanc served as something of a hangout spot for Sakamoto and his cohorts when they were all in high school, as one of those friends, a young man I've met before named Ren Amamiya, actually used to live in the attic above the shop. While I'm uncertain just how comfortable that would actually be, I'd imagine that at least it was a relatively quiet place to stay, and the rich smells wafting up from the kitchen wouldn't hurt, either.

 

               Sakamoto is sitting at a booth with Amamiya, young Miss Ann Takamaki, and a quiet, serious young woman who formally introduced herself as Makoto Niijima, a law student and former class president at their high school. Niijima's presence does little to dampen Sakamoto's exuberance, which is frankly refreshing given last week's black mood. Takamaki made sure to greet me as well, charming enough to warm even this old man's blood.

 

               "Believe it or not, Boss," I say, addressing the proprietor, "I've actually heard very little from Ryuji about his time growing up here, other than the fact that he was a bit of a loner, a pariah, until Amamiya transferred to his school and brought a bunch of kids together. What was Ryuji like back then?"

 

               Sojiro laughs and adjusts his glasses, but doesn't immediately speak. "Ren's a good kid," he begins, glancing over at the silent, bespectacled young man. "Had a bad reputation, went through juvenile court and ended up here. Still can't quite figure out why I took him in, but I'm glad I did. Ryuji was Ren's first friend here in Tokyo. Real hothead, kind of like how I expected Ren to be, but with a good heart. I heard some stories from my daughter, Futaba, about Ryuji, about his tough and sometimes stupid exterior, but also his willingness to do anything for a friend, even put himself in harm’s way.”

 

               I nod, the description fully aligning with my own assessments and observations of Sakamoto, both on and off the ice. This is a player who has over 700 blocked shots in four seasons, a stat that would be physically impossible without that commitment and willingness to put himself in harm’s way for the benefit of others. But beyond that, he’s just a good kid. Angry, yes, and sometimes infuriating, but in the end, Ryuji Sakamoto is someone who genuinely cares about the wellbeing of others, especially people less fortunate than himself. He knows how absurd it is that he is now a millionaire from playing a kid’s game that he picked up on a whim, and I’ve never seen him abuse his wealth or fame. I think, once he begins to settle into his new life and continue to mature, that he will be one of those players who dedicates a lot of their time to visiting children’s hospitals, or signing autographs to raise money for charity. For now, though, I see a young man enjoying time with his friends, forgetting about the world outside the door to Leblanc, the strange little shop tucked in an alleyway in a suburb of Tokyo.