人間70の坂を越えてくれば、お互いにいつなんどき消息が途絶えることは、この暗夜行路での自明のこととして受け入れていくしかない。
しかしつい先日、正月の会で元気そうにしていた友人が、新聞の訃報欄からのしらせで、突然姿を隠すというのにはさすがに慄かざるを得ない。
実感の湧かないまま、しばらくぶりのネクタイを締めて会場に向かう。
わが家周辺に暮らしている高校同期の友人たち５人で１台のクルマに同乗して葬儀場に向かう。
高校同期なので、そういう凶事への参列だけれど、クルマの中では軽口・冗談が飛び交って、時空が一瞬にして半世紀以上回帰していってしまう。友人を葬送するのには、しかしこういう人間関係こそがふさわしいと思っている自分たちがいる。
会葬後、誰言うともなく勝手に自主開催の直会の席に10人以上が参集した。
わたしはあんまり酒は飲まない方なのですが、あれこれの北海道の地酒を利き酒しているうちに、友人たちとの人生時間の深みに、まどろみ、心がたゆとうてしまっていた。
このようにして人間は淡々と鬼籍に入っていくのかという不動の事実を前に、酒を酌み交わす。
酒のさかなの話題は各人の深刻な「病気自慢大会」。
医者になった友人からあれこれの情報を受け取って、それぞれが頓悟していく。
これからもまた、ひとりふたりと戦線を離脱していくのだろう。ひとごとではない。
しかし、そういうフラットな情報交換の場があることが、異境に旅立っていくときにもわずかだけれど、心の拠り所になって行くものかも知れない。ありがたいことだと思える。
合掌。
English version⬇
[Sudden death of a high school classmate, farewell.
From adolescence to the end of life. We have been talking to each other in our own language in the whirlpool of our respective dark nights. At a direct meeting, they poured local sake together, using their illnesses as the perfect accompaniment. The story of the disease is a good one to share with others.
As we pass the age of 70, we have no choice but to accept the fact that we may disappear from each other's lives at any moment as a self-evident fact of life in this dark night.
However, I was horrified to learn that just the other day, a friend of mine, who seemed to be in good health at a New Year's party, suddenly disappeared from sight, as reported in the obituary column of a newspaper.
Without any sense of realization, I put on my tie for the first time in a while and headed for the venue.
Five of my high school classmates who live near our house share a car and drive to the funeral home together.
Since we were high school classmates, we were attending such an event, but in the car, light talk and jokes were exchanged, and time and space were instantly transported back more than half a century. We think that this kind of relationship is the most appropriate way to send off a friend.
After the funeral, more than 10 people gathered at the reception, which was held on our own initiative without anyone's notice.
I am not much of a drinker, but as I tasted a variety of Hokkaido's local sake, I was mellowed by the depth of the time I spent with my friends, and my mind drifted off into a state of relaxation.
We were drinking sake in the face of the immovable fact that this is how people are becoming demons in a quiet manner.
The topic of conversation was each person's serious "illness bragging contest.
Each of them received information from a friend who had become a doctor, and each of them came to a realization that he or she would have to fight again with each other.
One by one, they will probably leave the front lines of battle in the future.
However, the existence of such a place for flat exchange of information may be a source of emotional support, even if only for a short time, when they leave for other lands. I am grateful for that.
With my best regards.