The Old Man and the Sea

One of the things that is so intoxicating about travelling is the range of people you meet while on the (road/rails/aeroplane/camel). I met an intriguing fellow a few weeks back while embarking upon a very unsettling ferry journey from Keelung, Taiwan to Naha, Okinawa, Japan.

Though I failed to jot it down to memory, I know the man's name was, well I have forgotten. What I DO remember was that his first and last name were both first names, something like Fred James. He was a grizzled survivor of a WWII stint in the Pacific Theatre and long-term resident of Okinawa, where 70% of all US Forces Japan are stationed.

He had taken the boat down to Keelung to visit a friend of his for a few hours. A good friend, I'd bet if he was willing to try a 14-hour each way jaunt on the choppy Pacific in order to facilitate a meet and greet. He said he was 81 and soon returning back to the US mainland, after a few flights to nearby US military outposts Guam, Saipan and Hawaii on the way home.

Crunching the basic numbers in my head, it made sense to ask him about his wartime experience, as I was keen to learn how he had seen Okinawa change from a wholly scarred hallowed battlefield and into a major tourist and commerce center. Frank told me about some of his friends back in Wooster, Mass, where he grew up. One friend of his died in the fierce battle for the Solomon Islands. That guy's brother was killed in the European side of the war, though I don't think I heard exactly where. Sadly, the boy's mom was beside herself getting a Saving Private Ryan-esque pair of "We regret to inform you..."

As frail as Frank was, it was clear he was wasting no time seeing the world and staying in touch with the people he's known since retiring in the 70s. He has a million stories to tell, a wicked temper still easily provoked (almost Tourettesish) and clearly plans on living another decade for good measure. The Western Mass accent is as strong as ever, refreshing to hear after I had spent 10 days trying to discern the 10 words of Chinese I knew.