Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Keigo Yamada on the pronoun-existence

I get many letters from Japan, and this one is my favorite. I am quoting it exactly as it reads - on festive paper, in different ink colors, with many words highlighted for emphasis.

Dearest Wonderful Thomas,
Hello. How are you?
My name is Keigo Yamada. I'm twenty-two years old University student boy, living in Tokyo, Japan. This is my first letter to you.

I saw you in "Back To The Future." It was a wonderful movie which remains in the heart of people who have a better opinion of themselves and can discover their existence anew by who goes the future and the past back and forth. And depiction of "Biff" of you had released conspicuous color particularly in the world of the future, or the past world. Was depiction of "Biff" of you the pronoun-existence of this movie! It was the character which exists and cannot hate charm truly.
And the place which never makes the role 'a symbol of evil' thinks that it is a wonderful place of your performance power.
Although this movie was exhibited and remarkable years passed, your role of "Biff" is immortality eternally. You showed off the importance of many villain characters which continue behind on this movie.
In the meantime, I'd really appreciate it if you should send me your sign card. This becomes the highest for me. I have enclosed a self-addressed envelope and U.S. stamps.
Please take care of yourself and do your best from now on.

I wish you happy.

Best Wisher,
Keigo Yamada

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

man.
the day that letter came in the mail was a great day.

-emily

Mazie said...

keigo yamada changed my life.
ever since that letter came, i have begun every letter i write with "dearest wonderful ______".
it's true.
thank you, keigo yamada.
i wish you happy.

Wendy aka Cheeky said...

I just love this.

Anonymous said...

Hey Tom,
Just found the blog. While you've been on the beach, I've been watching "Freaks and Geeks" on DVD...a show, I'm sorry to say, I missed the first time around.

What's amazing is that the quality of the episodes doesn't fluctuate - they were all hilarious. The characters were real, and the stories were down to earth. Great stuff. Too bad it didn't last longer.

Anyway, been a fan of yours for a while.

Anonymous said...

Guys be nice.. someone is obviously studying English hard.. He or she is thinking in Japanese and probably using a dictionary so it comes out all weird.

:O

Tom Wilson said...

I don't mean to denigrate Keiko at all. I think it's wonderful and entertaining, and when I was in Japan plenty of people were laughing at me - and I laughed with them, conscious of our differences, and celebrating them with grace and good humor.

I wish you happy.

Anonymous said...

I was just gonna single it out mi amigo thomas, but you and the amazing mazie beat me to it...

"I wish you happy"

if that isn't a joyfully simple study in eloquence I don't know what is...

Jacob Glidewell said...

Amen! I love this letter, and I think Tom, Mazie and billy of the tall jasmine k are right: Keigo Yamada rocks!
Hey Keigo: If the dearest wonderful Thomas has become the highest for you, that's cool! Writing fan letters are hard enough when they're in your own language, I couldn't imagine trying to translate my thoughts into another. Rock on!
And Tom, you never fail to amaze me in your simplistic honesty. Coming from another large man, I must agree with you, Tom Wilson ... good blog.