“I left on July 8, eighty whole days ago,” said Shūsai the Master, back in
his Setagaya house upon his release from St. Luke’s. “I’ve been away all
through the summer and on into the fall.”
He strolled a few blocks that day, his longest venture forth in two
months. His legs were weak from the months in bed. Two weeks after he
left the hospital he was able, with considerable effort, to sit on his heels in
the formal manner.
“I’ve been trained to the proper way for fifty years now. Actually I’ve
found it easier to sit on my heels than to sit cross-legged. But after all that
time in bed I couldn’t manage any more. At meals I would cross my legs
under the tablecloth. No, it wasn’t really that I sat cross-legged. I’d throw
these skinny legs of mine out in front of me. I’d never done that before in
my life. I’ll have to get used to long bouts of sitting on my heels or I won’t
be able to go on with the game. I’ve been working on it as best I can, but I
have to admit I still have trouble.”
The season had come for horse racing, of which he was so fond. He had
to be careful of his heart, but finally he could contain himself no longer.
“I thought up a good excuse. I said I had to give my legs a trial, and went
out to the Fuchu track. Somehow I’m happier when I’m at the races. I felt
better about my game. But I was exhausted when I got home. I suppose the
core isn’t very solid any more. I went again and could see no reason at all
why I shouldn’t be playing. I decided today that we could begin on the
eighteenth.”
These remarks were taken down for publication by Kurosaki, a reporter
for the Nichinichi. The “today” was November 9. Play would thus be
resumed some three months after the last Hakoné session, August 14. Since
