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Our first Japan school visit! We were picked up by our host Billie Dysinger at the train station and hauled immediately to the “Chicken Shack” where two long tables of school staff and their families surprised us with the full-meal-deal dinner Japanese style. We sat in the partially open-air restaurant on pillows, cooked our own food, laughed, told stories, and watched the kids feed fish and try outdo each other with their special talents. My son’s arm-behind-his-head trick was a hit. He was happily out of my reach at the other table, and I was grateful to ignore the temptation to squelch Cirque du Kaj.

The M. C. Perry Elementary staff went above and beyond to make our stay exceed any expectations we could have had. From treats in our room, to a lovely buffet luncheon and later reception, and gifts, tour guides, and a team of teachers to solve any technology issue that might arise (and they did). Kaj wanted to move in and stay there forever.

Some day if we’re chatting in person, I might tell you more, but for now, I’m sworn to secrecy.

That’s what writers do, right? We string along the readers, keep them turning the page.