Letter from his High School Teacher (2000.06.18)
Scripted from “A Letter from His Teacher” (34:45) in the 2000 Inasayama Outdoor Concert DVD
“10th Anniversary Fukuyamateki-saiten Fukuyamagnum Inasayama”
FM: Next is a letter from a teacher who had been taking care of me all through those 3 years:
Fukuyama Masaharu and Me
Fukuyama is a rash and reckless student! Only shortly after he started school, he’d got into a fight with the Boys’ Cheerleading Team Captain! When I went to stop them, I asked how it all started, and was told they had problem on cleaning up!*1 Was that really it, I wonder.*2
He’s the type of student who’d want to do things immediately, once they make up their mind.
“I don’t want to study anymore!”
“I want to play music.”
“I want to make it big in Tokyo!”
(FM: Did I really say that?)
He’d been saying that since his first year in High School! Of course, as his class teacher, I tried to stop him. But I did secretly go to see his band in action once. The quality of his performance aside, I could feel his passion for music just by watching him there, singing and playing his guitar. I realized then, that he was serious when he came to me about dropping out etc.
Normally, he’s a fun and popular student. To take it further, you could call him a “lady-killer”. (laugh) He was obviously not interested in learning English, but joined the English club only because the consultant teacher was pretty like Ishino Mako!
(FM: True, that’s right.)
And because he was like that, his High School results in those 3 years were typically low-flying throughout.
Furthermore, and it’s not a good thing to talk about……there were 3 occasions when he was disciplined to stay at home and not permitted back to school (laugh). I think he had to have his hair shaved once (as punishment) as well. He’s probably the only student for whom I had to make numerous home visits during their three years. (laugh)
Ah yes! When I heard he was going to be in a movie, about 10 years ago, I went to watch it first thing on opening day. That’s right, the movie “Hon no 5g”. And when I saw what an expert in computers he was supposed to be in the movie, I can still remember I laughed out loud thinking “that’s not him at all!” But on the other hand, I was very happy to see that he seemed to have found use of the computer skills and knowledge that I had once taught him.
Finally, I want to tell Fukuyama-kun that I’ve been listening to your FM radio show a lot lately. You’ve haven’t changed a bit from your High School days, you’re as talkative as ever and that’s made me think of our past times. (laugh) Now, don’t get carried away (with your success) and please keep moving forward with humility.
P.S. On a personal note, Sensei has decided to get married again on Oct 8 this year (2000). My partner is my student Kouko-san. She’s 35 this year and is also a teacher. I’ll be coming to Inasayama today with my fiancé Kouko and my daughter Miyuki, I want to see how much you’ve grown. I’ve seen you in concert when you were in High School and I’m sure your passion for music, which I felt at that time, will remain unchanged to this day.
Ganbare!*3 Fukuyama!
~ The End ~
*1. In Japan, students had to clean up their classrooms and corridors.
*2. It was this incident I guess - Tokyo Tower Chapter 1 Part 1
*3. Ganbare = Go do your thing! Go for it! You can do it! Good Luck!
Translated from the Chinese version in Fukuyama Honne Article 8490
This English translation was first posted on MashaPlus [dot] Info Forums. (Registration required to enter.)
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