I am Ojiki

Ojiki, in Italy they call them Vecchio Consiglieri. An old counselor, a title of respect for a mafiosi that survived a life of HELL and is semi-retired. He advises new goons on the facts of life and acts as a grandfather sort of figure.

The Yakuza now call me that.

They went as far as proposing a honorary Ojiki tittle thus I can use a couple of drivers, slaves at anytime and have a monthly pension. As for other non-Yakuzas with this title, I only know one that died of old age that had had this honour. I can also get a pension of 2 million per year till I croak, courtesy of the syndicate in Kobe.

" I'll think about it " is the answer I give them EVERY year for the past four years.

In life you never know and IF I become a vegetable the young goons will come in handy to pull the plug; no way I will submit to the indignities of have to get my arse wiped or fed with a tube. My elder daughter agreed to pull the plug or be my KAISHAKU like she said. Yakkies do come handy.

Last week in Toyosu, I went to the yearly TORITATEYA no BONNENKAI at the " library ". It's a big warehouse not far from Kachidoki bridge days. 7 or 8 rows of long tables, goodies galore with number tags on them. Rolexes, Dunhill gold lighters and lots more were auctioned fast before the Buffet started, later leading to 2010 hottest TORITATEYA tales of " heroism, wit and horror" and finally Nationalistic, old fashion DO-ENKA songs from Kitajima Saburo etc. Young aspiring Toritteya guys and girls served us and took empty trays etc. away to bring in new goodies like lobster, crab and meat etc....

I wondered why I joined them two decades ago. Nice, weird tribe and they, apart from a few, never got thrown in the slammer; the Shysters too were there. The ones that use the law to break and make tons of money too. Suddenly Ishimaru and the DaiGashira from Sumiyoshi Rengo stood up and saluted me, my lack of greed, wiseness and a lot more crap I never knew I had and called everybody to salute the BUDO KIBA OJIKI for showing them new simple ways of Toritateya and non physical but mental pressure blah , blah , blah... 1oo and so rascals shouted KAMPAI and I thought I was gonna be offed afterwards. " So be it " I was relieved in a way.

Four hours later thew party was over, some even bought Italian sports cars and more luxury items in the auction. Somebody suggested a bout of Hanafuda, I bid my goodbyes and see yous around my pocket full of MEISHI with family crests on them. The MC in charge, Tomari, called me and put a fat envelope on my hand. 3 million yen and a couple of open go return tickets first class to Europe by JAL. Knowing them I didn't say a thing apart from ARIGATOU and exited.

The word OJIKI is what it means: an old, respected semi-retired, honorable Yakuza. I will put the Kanji name besides mineo. Not many Japs know the meaning anyway.