Morning Drop-Off

[written by Ryan]

Each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Roo and I ride our bicycle to his school in the morning. The routine is the same - - I ask whether we should take the short-cut or the long-cut. Roo pauses and ponders introspectively for a moment, concluding we should take the medium-cut. The medium cut entails the largest downhill and is his most frequent choice. He commented that since he is now six he can keep his eyes open the whole time down the hill. The subsequent climb helps to keep me in shape as well. Roo does prefer to mix it up occasionally with the long-cut, which entails more precise maneuvering on my part so as to avoid hitting weary salarymen, nicely dressed women in high heels and aloof teenagers in school uniforms (most frequently tie and sport coat). We ditch the bike about 100 meters from the school, which becomes the starting line for our morning race to the front door of the school. He gives me a 30 meter head start (I get to carry his backpack along with my briefcase) and the race frequently ends in either a tie or a last minute surge to victory by Roo. Various teachers, waiting outside for other kids to get dropped off by parents with cars, frequently serve as the photo finish judges. Roo always has post-race commentary for anyone who will listen.

It may seem funny to you but the daily routine of the school drop-off will likely be one of my best memories of living in Japan. He and I get to enjoy 10 minutes together, just him and me (he chatters for the entire ride covering many unrelated subjects that I am nonetheless happy to hear about). I like seeing the teachers and it helps me to feel connected to a part of his life that I don’t get to see that much of. I’m enjoying every minute of the experience because he will switch schools next year and our routine will have to change.