Sullivan House | サリバン邸

When we pronounce "v" sounds, I really have to pay close attentions every time – Venti, adVance, Very, Vary, Vowel, Verb, etc. Otherwise, it becomes same as "b" sounds as a typical person who grew up with Japanese. The main topic is not about pronouciation here, but I don't and will probably never see a difference between "rose" and "rhodes" sound. Speaking a different language from own mother tongue does need to have good ears to listen and an ability to mimic sounds of the language, that I don't possess.

I am getting so vague with counting years and time. When did I visit the Sullivan house first time? The place used to be an apartment one of my friends who happened to be very influent to my life. The place gave me an opportunity to reconnect with people from my home country. It was exciting to meet those people who enjoy their lives in a foreign country. I had spent great time with them although I knew that they were in Canada temporarily. My fear of losing people whom I became familiar with disappeared at the time. All was for simple fun time – laughing at nonsense talk between us. One of my friends is still living in the Sullivan house, but the place has become a different unfamiliar place. Of course, it changes depending on who lives there. When my friend leaves from the house, the place will become totally foreign to me and I will probably not visit the house anymore.

The Sullivan house was a place like a train terminal station – people spend time there to wait for catching a train to go to their destinations. I am, on the other hand, like a station attendant. I will be here and look at travellers.

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英語の中の「V」の音、発音がほんとに難しい。気をつけていないと全然通じないときが多々あります。「Vowel」なんてヤバい言葉の一つで「V」を「B」で発音してしまうと「Bowel」になってしまい、「母音」という意味を伝えたくても「腸」という意味になってしまいます。日本語では同音に聞こえても違う言語だと全くの異音、言葉ってほんと面白いもんだと思います。本題は言葉の発音とは全く関係ないのですが、題の「sulliVan」の「V」よりこういう段落でスタートした次第です。

もう何年前なのか、サリバン邸に初めてお邪魔したのはいつの日だったか。そこには昔僕にいろんな事を教えてくれた友人が住んでいて、日本から来ていた人とも交流できる場所でした。そういう人たちと交流することは、カナダに一時的に住んでいる事や帰って離れて行ってしまうという恐怖も忘れさせるくらい楽しい思い出になっています。数々のバカ話、何を喋ったか覚えてないけれど、楽しい時間を過ごせたのは確かです。まだ違う友人が１人住んでいて
時々お邪魔しますが、その場所はあの頃とはもうすっかり変わってしまって、その友達が離れるともうサリバン邸に行く機会は全くなくなるだろうなと考えます。

サリバン邸ってなんだか駅みたいで、人はサリバン邸で時間を過ごし次の目的地への列車を待っているみたいな。僕は１つの場所でとどまるその駅の駅員さんみたいな感じなんだろうか。通過して行く人を眺めながら、自分の生活を送って行く。でも、それはそれでいいと思う。この駅から旅立った人がまた戻って来れるのだから。