Futobaru: Football

I was fixing myself a cup of instant coffee at work. I poured in some milk that I had not finished from my school lunch a few days prior in an attempt to make the Japanese version of my favorite drink somewhat pleasant. Back home where there is good coffee, I almost always drink it black.

As I stirred the liquid, hoping that I had achieved the proper ratio of hot water, coffee powder, and milk, another teacher entered the small pantry-like space. We had only talked once before when he asked me where I was from. It was in August before classes had begun. I told him that I was from America. He said that he spoke Russian. I told him that my mother's side of the family was from Russia. He asked where. I told him I did not know exactly, and then, I assumed, he wrote me off as stupid.

We smiled and said good morning to each other. I rinsed my spoon off and smiled again, signifying that I had finished preparing my drink and was heading back to my desk. He then began to speak, and the words that poured from his mouth were not wasteful or annoying. They were poignant and purposeful. He brought up a topic that I ached to talk about. He asked me how the Pittsburgh Steelers were doing.

Fifteen minutes or so later, after our football talk came to a close, Ms. Katanaga came running into the staff room looking for me because I had not shown up for class.
There is a first time for everything.