Mao Asada and I Staring at Each Other

 

 Mao Asada was one of the best figure skaters. She lived in Nagoya City, where I also lived.

During the second half of 2000’s, my gym closed down. I had to visit many places to find a new gym where I could work out.

One day, in a gym, a trainer walked me around to show their facilities. She unnaturally stopped at a spot and looked at a woman who was working out using a machine. That woman was Mao Asada.

The trainer didn’t say anything but silently suggested, “If you join our gym, you can work out with Mao Asada.”

However, during those years, I didn’t watch TV, so I didn’t know who she was. I just thought, “Who is she? She looks familiar.”

Moreover, since I worked as a teacher that time, I needed to memorize many names and faces of young students. I thought, “She must be one of my students. I am sure she knows about me. I’ll just wait till she remembers me.”

How rude of me! I stared at the famous world-class athlete, thinking, “You have to remember about me. I must be your teacher.”

She looked back at me, and we stared at each other for a while. Of course, she did not remember me because she was not my student. When she looked away from me, I thought, “What a rude student! She just ignored a teacher. I really have to remember her.”

However, I couldn’t remember her. We left the spot after. Later, the trainer said she was Mao Asada, but I didn’t know who she was then.

From 2012 onwards, I have been watching TV again. Now I am well-informed about Mao Asada. I am embarrassed for what I did.

I might have missed a great opportunity to become Mao Asada’s friend. For her, I might just be one of the few Japanese people who didn’t know her.

This year, she announced her retirement. I hope she is enjoying her new life now.

 

Picture by designer_ery