About two and a half years ago I was sitting in Toronto jobless when my old high school buddy Hugh suggested I sign up for the JET program. He was halfway through his first year in Hirosaki at the time and regaled me with tales of big money for little or no work. When I expressed my concern about moving to a small city like Hirosaki he assured me that there were plenty of McDonald's restaurants and lots of things to see and do. Well there certainly were all those things in Hirosaki, but as you all know my placement didn't exactly go as I had expected.


So once I arrived in Noheji, Hugh's apartment became my defacto weekend home in Hirosaki. I soon became very familiar with Hugh's dirty guest futon, his much treasured Xbox and his local network of gaijin friends. Hugh reluctantly took on the job as my Hirosaki social planner, which saved me from having to find ways to socialize with my nearby Nambu neighbours. As a result I've met all sorts of great people, had more good times both sober and not than I can remember, and wound up extending my stay in Japan for two more years than I first intended. Though you are now gone, thankfully Kate (who incidentaly took the above photo of our touching last moment together) has been kind enough to take over many of your duties. Though I'll certainly miss your stiring renditions of "Mmmmm bop" I'm not too worried of disappearing into social isolation within the scallop scented bowels of Noheji.


Anyway, sorry I didn't make it out to your dramatic bus departure yesterday, but your last three going away parties were already more torture than my fragile heart could take. See you in the welfare line next August!