突然、酒屋さんから到来ものが届きました。日本酒一升瓶２本とワイン１本。「お見舞い」と書いてあります。ええ～っ？！私が風邪ひいてるから？それだけで？でも送り主は知らないはず。それにしても酒豪でもない私にこれだけのお酒を下さるなんて....。
カフェが終わって、出ない声を絞り出すように頑張って電話してお宅に行ってみると、高齢のおばさまが「屋根修理の陣中見舞い」とおっしゃいます。それでも呑み込めないでいると、「ココラヘンでは職人さんに振る舞い酒をするのが昔からの常識なんや」とおばさま。「でも１０時や１２時になると、さぁーとどこかへ消えて休んでいらっしゃるようですが」と私。「それなら、親方さんに『普段何もできませんが、これ頂き物ですがどうぞ』と言って渡せばええ」「職人さんは２，３人のようですから１本だけでいいですね」というと、「１本は非常識、２本渡さんとあかん」と言われました。ワインは私が寝る前にチビリチビリやればいいとのこと。
屋根の修理代だけでも頭が痛いのに今時振る舞い酒などしているところがあるのかなあ....と正直思っていますが、とりあえず明日は言われた通り２本に渡そうと思います。
Owner of a liquor shop in town delivered some gifts to me. Two 1.8 liter Japanese Sake bottles and one wine bottle. It says "Omimai (Present for encouragement)" on the wrapping. I wondered if it came because I am having a cold? But the sender doesn't know about it. These are too many liquors for me, as I am not a heavy drinker.
After closing the cafe, I called the sender, putting so much effort into making my voice. She is living near my house and I visited her. An old lady living alone said to me that it was for the workers who are now fixing my roof. People in this area have been sending liquor if someone is fixing the house. She continued that I can just give the bottles to the head of workers to show my thanks. She also gave me a bottle of wine. I guess all these gifts were in return for my small meal for her made up of leftovers when I made boxed dinner upon the request from customers. I am not putting any effort into doing this, but she just appreciates it.
Getting back to the topic of the gift for the workers, I think it must be too much because I need to pay a lot for repairing the roof, but anyhow, I will just follow as this old lady suggested.
