[sumo] Dinner with Barbara and Asashoryu

[Dr. Scott Kahn]

It was obvious that Asashoryu has a deep appreciation for her early 
support of his career, and is loyal to his friends.  I'm in the cancer 
research field, and while many top scientists that I know are quite 
humble as well, there are those who sadly forget.  It is so nice to know 
from that evening and from your posts and those of other s that 
Asashoryu gets it, even at his relatively young age.  He is truly, to me 
and others on this list, a worthy representative and embassador of sumo 
as Yokozuna.  Perhaps moreso than many of those who have preceeded him.  
It was my impression, by how he holds himself, and by some of his 
comments that he fully respects the Yokozuna rank, the core of what it 
means, and what it entails.  We aren't privy to the reasons behind 
certain moments on the dohyo, that is for the tabloids to explain to us 
and to define the Yokozuna for us based on their supreme 
interpretations, isn't it?!

As for Barbara, I fully share the posted sentiments.  Now, if we can 
only collectively encourage her to meet with a book publisher, as 
someone else suggested, and get her story of the world of sumo out 
there.  I think she could author a tremendous book, and if she had the 
support of Asashoryu and others, it could provide an insight that would 
be interesting from a sumo fan's point of view, and that of the casual 
reader.  Not to mention her library of photos.  Maybe she could title 
it, "MY VIEW FROM THE DOHYO", or something equally provocative...  I 
think that would get Mrs. Uchidate even more envious.

Most of the conversation at dinner was in Japanese, with some English, 
and a little Mongolian, but laughter is universal.  I was very much in a 
respectful observer mode.  Had I not had so much sake in such a short 
time, I would have remembered the Mongolian word for "cheers"...

Sukubidubidu

Emmett Wayne wrote:

>All I can say is WOW!  I never got to meet the Yokozuna, but I must echo
>your sentiments about Barbara.  She is a queen in my book.  She took a
>relative sumo rookie and showed him every nook and cranny of the Kokugikan,
>along with what to do and not do in each space.  I was amazed that she
>seemed to know EVERYONE in the place.  I am forever thankful to her for the
>experience.
>
>Emmett 
>Torideyama
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sumo-bounces at webtrek.com [mailto:sumo-bounces at webtrek.com] On Behalf
>Of smk1 at columbia.edu
>Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2007 7:55 PM
>To: Sumo Mailing List
>Subject: [sumo] Dinner with Barbara and Asashoryu
>
>I wanted to share with the mailing list a wonderful experience that
>I had last Thursday evening.  During the past year, I met Barbara
>Ann Klein through this mailing list, and she has become a great
>friend.  In fact, last year, Barbara brought a picture of Daughter
>of Sukubidubidu to Japan and presented the picture to none other
>than Daughter of Sukubidubidu's adopted rikishi, Gagamaru.
>
>http://sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_9/galleries/bak/bak_12.htm
>
>Barbara and I occasionally get together every so often to share sumo
>and other experiences, and on Thursday, we were in the midst of a
>long planned dinner, when Barbara's cell rang with none other than
>Asashoryu asking to meet for dinner.  I accompanied Barbara to a
>sushi restaurant in Midtown, up a flight of stairs to a private
>room, where the Yokozuna himself, along with his brother, and a few
>other individuals were waiting.  The Yokozuna greeted Barbara with
>the warmth of a very close friend, and was most welcoming to me. 
>He was so much fun, making sure that Barbara and I were well taken
>care of, kind, and humorous, especially when he and Barbara were
>joking around together.  He did enter into one wrestling match
>during dinner, an thumb wrestling bout that he won.  Asashoryu was
>in every way a gentleman, a sweetheart, full of youthful
>enthusiasm, and just a pleasant person to have met.  I'm thankful
>to Barbara for letting me share in this experience, and meeting
>Asashoryu in this kind of setting, I guess as opposed to meeting
>him as an opponent on the dohyo...  Impressions left on the dohyo,
>and print articles are not necessarily the stuff from which
>individuals are made.  Oh, and at the end, Asashoryu addressed me
>as "Sensei" and saw me off with a warm handshake as though I were a
>close friend like Barbara.  I have to thank the list and all of you
>who have kept it alive over the years for allowing me to meet
>Barbara, and of course to publicly thank Barbara for this cherished
>opportunity to meet the Yokozuna.
>
>Sukubidubidu
>
>PS. No, this isn't an 'April 1' posting...
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