88歳おじいちゃんの渡米記🇺🇸第一日目②「空港VIP、夢大空へ」

そうして、アメリカ旅行は普段着でいいといわれたが、娘は勿論アメリカ事情を知る由もなく、それでは私が恥ずかしい、と何くれとなく新調してくれる。又小遣銭位は持たなくては、と思い金策しようとしたところ、それもすでに菅生に渡してあるといわれ、嬉しいやら申し訳ないやらでソッと涙をふく。

I had been told that casual clothing was fine for a trip to America, but my daughter, not knowing what the country was like and thinking I might be ashamed of my clothes, had a new suit made for me. Then, when I started thinking of ways to save money, figuring I'd need some pocket change, I was told it had already been given to my son to hold for me, and secretly, I wiped a tear from my eye. I was so happy and grateful.

やがて日を重ねて期日は迫る２月１９日発であるが、体調を整えるため１７日に伊豆の家を発ち菅生へ。修善寺から伊豆箱根東海道線、小田急線と乗り継いで生田下車。チイさん（史子の母）が迎えに来てくれ、尚友人が車で来られて送ってくれる。その日と翌日１８日は、ゆっくり体を休め、まだ見ぬアメリカの話で持ち切り。

At last, the days went by, and the 19th of February was just around the corner. On the 17th, I left my home in Izu to go to the Sugao's and rest up for the trip. I boarded the Izu-Hakone Tokaido line at Shuzenji, then transferred to the Odakyu line and got off at Ikuta. Chii-san (Ayako's mother) was there to meet me. Her friend gave us a ride to the Sugao's home. That day and the next, I took it easy, and we talked about nothing but America, a country I had never seen.

いよいよ１９日の朝を迎える。朝からソワソワして小学生の遠足を思い出す。８時起床、９時頃朝食をとり、昼食を終えて菅生の家を出る。これですでに８０％達成である。小田急にて新宿へ。ここで見送りのチイさんと別れ、成田エキスプレスの客となる。それから成田へ直通だが、これも前もってチイさんが手配してあって、新宿まで見送って貰った事は感謝に堪えない。５時半頃近く成田空港到着。一行は景史、純子と私の三名である。

Finally, it was the morning of the 19th. I felt fidgety all day, and it reminded me of the school trips I went on in elementary school. I woke up at 8:00, ate breakfast around nine, and we left the Sugaos' home after lunch. 80% there. Took the Odakyu line to Shinjuku. Here we said goodbye to Chii-san and boarded the Narita Express. From there, we went directly to Narita. I cannot possibly thank Chii-san enough for arranging it all and coming out to Shinjuku to see us off. At about 5:30, we arrived at Narita Airport. There were three people in our party--Terufumi, Junko, and I.

ここで出国手続きやら保険手続きやら面倒くさい手続きがあるが、菅生父娘は初体験でないので、何のためらいもなく事を運ぶ。その間アメリカン航空の女子職員二人が、私に付ききりで面倒をみてくれる。 何だか有名人の旅立ちの感がする。長蛇の列をなしても私を並ばせない。やがて列が動き出す。例外の私に付き添った二人の女子職員、スイスイと真っ先に機内に案内してくれた。「お元気で」「行ってらっしゃい」の温かい言葉を背に、機上の人となる。アメリカン航空は、 何でこんな田舎爺さんに親切なんだろう、と疑問に思いながらも、感謝の気持ちで一杯だった。しかし、帰国してからこの事を話すと、菅生のチイさんが、ノースウエスト航空に勤めている史子の親友に「年寄りが乗るからよろしくお願いします」と頼んだので、航空会社では異例の処置をとってくれた事を知る。又感無量であった。チイさんの行き届いた好意に感謝してやまない。

Then we had to go through all sorts of annoying procedures--immigration, insurance, etc.--but since the Sugaos, father and daughter, had been through it all before, everything went along smoothly. And two ladies from American Airlines had been assigned to take care of me. I felt like a celebrity. Even though there was a long line, I didn't have to wait. Finally, the line started moving. The ladies whisked me to the head of the line and then escorted me to the gate. "Have a nice trip!" I heard them call out behind me as I boarded the plane. "Why on earth would American Airlines be so kind to a backwoods geezer like me?" I wondered, full of gratitude. But later I found out that Chii-san had spoken to a close friend of Ayako's working at Northwest Airlines, telling her that an old fellow would be flying and asking her to have someone look out for me. So the airline gave me special treatment, and once again I was tremendously moved. I will always be grateful to Chii-san for her thoughtful kindness.

English translation by Paul Atkins
英語のリスニングの練習をしたい方は、是非動画もご覧ください。

#祖父 #おじいちゃん #アメリカ #渡米
#夢 #夢継ぎ #夢代人 #アメリカンドリーム
#英語 #アメリカ英語 #バイリンガル