A Mid Summer Rhapsody

I was running to Taipei Fine Arts Museum in an exquisite summer kimono and a matching silk umbrella. It was not for a movie because there were no cameraman, no director. The street was almost void at this morning hour. I roamed under the shadow of maple trees like a swift-footed marathon runner with my household Japanese style slippers on Chung-shan North Road.

Panting into the lobby of the Museum, I became the focal point. Fortunately I was not the last member to arrive and I needed not to apologize. As the person in charge of this extracurricular activity, I should have arrived earlier. I did get up early, but I shouldn't have clicked "Letter from Iwo Jima" on my desktop, Clint Eastwood's Japanese version of "Flags of our Fathers". I finished the movie and I had a perfect mindset for our weekly PHP* reading gathering.

I've planned to wear the purple kimono for a week. Immediate Past President Kanai Rikuko of Kyoto Toastmasters Club gave me two beautiful summer kimono when she came to Taipei to attend Legacy's 10th anniversary party and D67 Spring Convention in April. We passed the Taipei Fine Arts Museum on our way to Grand Hotel for dinner the day she arrived. So I thought it would be great if I could wrap myself with her gift as a piece of Fine Arts in Taipei to show my heartfelt appreciation to her kindness.

The Cosmos Reading gathering took place at the cafeteria of the Museum Thursday morning, the 14th of June. We read three articles of PHP monthly May issue. I joined Cosmos three years ago. We meet every other Thursday morning at Taipei City Library. Cosmos belongs to PHP group founded by Matsushita Konosuke. On May the 3rd this year, I helped charter Sakura reading group, the second reading group of PHP magazine in Taiwan.

After reading gathering, we had a scrumptious lunch at Taipei Story House Cafe. Before the meal was served, I walked around the verandah of the Tudor-style architecture built in the early 20th century. Many big and red wax apples smiled at me on a big tree in the backyard. After lunch, my prayer was answered when the saleslady at the souvenir shop granted me the permission to savor the fresh wax apples displayed on a ceramic plate. It was a fruitful day. I felt light-hearted strolling back home, humming a mid summer rhapsody in my kimono on the main road in Taipei during the Japanese colonial period.

*PHP is acronym of Peace and Happiness through Prosperity. I proposed Toastmaster Magazine reading gathering early this year from the idea of PHP monthly reading group. Sherry