[sumo] Fwd: Katrina Watts on Akebono

[Jeffrey Anderson]

My wife, two kids, and I were supposed to be at that chanko night at
Kirishima's Chanko in May 2001, but a looooong-time friend in Tokyo told us
after we had committed to the dinner that she had put together a party of
many of our old friends. Well, there was no way that I could tell her no -
(would she ever lose face!) so unfortunately we had to pull out of the
dinner. It was on a Saturday night right after that day's bouts ended. I
waited for a few minutes by the restaurant entrance to see who I could meet
and got the pleasure of meeting my online friend Barbara Ann Klein
(Babanoshuzan at the time).

Anyway, 23 years later, my wife, kids, and I still regret not being rude to
our close friend and telling her thanks, but no thanks, when she had
already planned everything. And 23 years later, Barbara Ann and I are still
friends.

Gaijingai
Jeffrey Anderson

On Fri, Apr 12, 2024 at 3:13 AM Dale Carlson <drc at oz.net> wrote:

> At 08:54 PM 4/11/2024, Barbara Ann Klein wrote:
>
> Thank you so much, Barbara, for posting this. And thank you, Katrina for
> your memories of Akebono. I was just
> a fan. You were his friend. My deepest condolences to you, and to his
> family.
>
> One of the high points of my life was a dinner at Kirishima's chanko
> restaurant with both of you, Doreen Simmons,
> and a group of Swedish sumo fans. I sat across from Doreen. By the end of
> the evening, she was a bit tipsy,
> and sang (sort of under her breath) "Have You Never Been Mellow", the old
> Olivia Newton John song. She still
> had her lovely chorister's voice. She got to the bottom of the stairs
> after leaving and realized she'd forgotten her
> shoes. Slightly less tipsy, I'd noticed that, carried them down with me,
> and handed them to her :)  Seems so long
> ago. I miss her. Both of you as well. I hope you're doing well.
>
> OK, I'll stop babbling now. This has been like a most welcome visit to the
> "old" sumo mailing list.
>
> Dale
>
> A fine retrospective on Akebono In  Australia TV’s  interview with
> Katrina
>
>
> https://youtu.be/wYbOsKLBPlc?si=5woUDLDJ5UmWr9Iv
>
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-- 
Best regards,
Jeffrey Anderson

For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these:
It might have been.
- John Greenleaf Whittier
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