by verbiage55
You sure know how to ring the changes on "Japanese mystique." So poignant! You didn't help my Japanese fever go away. It's worse now! Thank you.
CODA:
For all who made it to the end of this series, I want to add that it is a true story written in tribute. After many years with no word, I learned recently from a third party that Mineko had died. Although Mineko made me swear to silence about our love "affair", I felt compelled to break that promise now that she had passed. I am convinced she would have appreciated that she had such a profound impact on me and that I felt (and feel) that strongly about her. I shed a tear and raised a glass of whisky to her when I learned she was gone. Thank you for reading this and feeling my catharsis in these words.