東京オリンピックの聖火リレーが多賀を通るというので、絵馬通りは警察や役場の人が大勢出て規制線をはったり、トランシーバーでやりとりしたり、物々しい感じ。４時に多賀大社前駅を出発して役場までの約８００メートルを六人が聖火をリレーするのですから走者にはあっという間です。ボストンでは毎年ボストンマラソンを沿道で見ていましたが、それとはずいぶん趣きが違います。応援しようと表に立っているとさっきまでは関係者しかいなかったのにいつの間にか見物の人が増えていました。皆さん、手に日の丸の旗を持っているのでどこでもらったかと聞くと誰かが配っていたそうな。私も欲しいと思うも配っている人は見当たらず、手ブラも寂しいと祝日に掲げる国旗を出して応援。大目立ちのオバサン姿に我ながら苦笑するもそれほど恥ずかしいと思わなくなったこの心臓は何なんでしょう。聖火は無事目の前を通過していきましたが、どこの誰が走っているのか役場の人に聞いても分からなかったは残念でした。
Since Tokyo Olympic-torch relay was expected on the street in front of my cafe, many police men and people from town hall were taking elaborate security measures in preparation for the runners. They said that the first runner would start at Taga-taisha station at 4 p.m.and relay the torch with six people to Taga town hall in about 800 meters (0.5 miles). It must be very short for the runners. I used to watch the Boston Marathon on the roadside every year when I was in Boston, but this event was very different from it. I was standing in front of the cafe to cheer for the runners. The number of spectators increased in less than an hour and many of them were holding small Japanese flags. Since I couldn't find the person who was distributing the flag, I brought a Japanese flag from my house which was much bigger. I thought it stood out from a distance and must have been a little embarrassing but I didn't mind much. What a stalwart heart! The torch runner passed in front of me with a big smile, but it was regrettable that I couldn't get information about the runner even though I asked the person from town hall.
