photo by Martine Cotton - frangipani.info/blog/

GOODBYE MY FRIEND,..

This update is particularly for Zowie!

FRIDAY - So it's our last night in Tokyo before we fly back home to Australia tomorrow evening. I had my last of the filming schedule to film today and it was timed beautifully in with SMACKGIRL. I headed to Suidobashi station area earlier in the afternoon so I could film the "easter eggs" for the DVD and to shop for some last minute MMA goodies. I spent WAY too much time (hours actually!) in the shops blowing the last of my Yen and headed to FITNESS last to pick up the Imanari instructional DVD for Zowie and Zviggy before crossing the bridge to go see the SMACKGIRL show at Korakuen Hall.

I walk into Fitness with my missus (who is the worst person at blowing money on the last day of a trip...BAD influence she is!) and this guy in a beanie hiding what could only be huge messed up ears walks in behind us. Now almost any day you can walk into Fitness and some pro will be working the till. Last trip it was Hironaka Kuniyoshi, this trip I notice Eiji Mitsuoka punching the numbers.

Now I came into Fitness, running late for SMACKGIRL, with an agender. That agender was to purchase 2 dvds. The Best Of Contenders and Demolition (2003 and onwards) for me and the said Imanari dvd for Z & Z. I pick them both up, hum and ha over getting the Rumina Collection as well, and notice that the beanie wearing cat is eyeing me off. I think it's just a gaijin in a kakutogi shop thing and leave thinking nothing of it.

With missus in tow,..we both race to catch SMACKGIRL. We both enjoyed it alot and it was again a who's who of Japanese pro's in the house again. Josh Barnett, sporting 2 MASSIVE black eyes, Megumi Fujii, Abe Ani, Shinya Aoki (God I love that cat!) and more. It was during a match I noticed Shinya Aoki and that said beanie wearing guy cornering one of the girls. After the match,..he sat in the row opposite us and I kept thinking,..what's with this cat?

Anyway,..cutting it short,..I just got home (to Australia) and was unpacking my seriously sweet hord of MMA swag and looked at the back of the Imanari dvd and notice a picture of him and Shinya Aoki on the back. Then it hit me like a tone of bricks!!...the beanie guy WAS Imanari and he was watching me purchase HIS instructional!! That's why he was all weird around me in Fitness and at SMACKGIRL! I can't believe I noticed him NOW,..at home!

Thought you'd like that story Zowie. And it's true!

To Be Continued,..

- Juggs