When my wife puts her mind to something, watch out, brother. After spending a few days last November following leads and trying to track down Tom Cruise who was shooting part of “The Last Samurai” in Kyoto, Yoshiko and her best friend since elementary school Michiyo made plans to do it again this year for the movie’s premiere. I heard some of their telephone conversations as they considered likely locations to encounter Tom. I was having a good time snickering at their teenybopper enthusiasm while Yoshiko was getting serious, sort of. She made this poster last night with Tom’s catch phrase from his breakthrough hit, Risky Business.
Today (Friday) was the big day, and Michiyo was all over town before breakfast, literally. She went to Nijo Castle, she went to the hilltop heliport where Tom’s helicopter comes in and out of town (Kyoto doesn’t have an airport). She scoured likely hotels, then she got serious, too. She shook down a cabbie and got the lowdown: 1 p.m. at the heliport. Yoshiko caught up with her and they headed for the top of the hill.

Jackpot!


photos by Yoshiko Ferry
Not only did Tom see the sign, he came over and taked with them for a while. Michiyo got the whole thing on video and showed it to me later. I have to figure out how to edit with iMovie and upload it. They talked for longer than I would have believed if it wasn’t on tape.

Thanks for making two schoolgirls happy, Tom.

Autograph

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