Pascal Derrien

7 years ago · 2 min. reading time · ~10 ·

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Join In: When Two Worlds Collide

Join In: When Two Worlds Collide

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Thursday 14th of July 2016 was a brilliant day I was to go the French Embassy for the annual garden party, actually it was a brilliant week the day before on the 13th I had the opportunity to run side by side for 21.6 Km with Stevey Mc Geown on day# 43 of his 60 Ultras in 60 days challenge, he is a great friend and I thought I would lend him some support even though it meant I had to cycle back to my starting point after a half marathon, never the less it was great and missing a T junction on the way back in the middle of Ireland making me cycle 30k as opposed to the 20 + I had ran earlier could not alter my mood and nothing could not take my smile away, it was a grand week indeed.

Back relatively early from the festivities of the day, I had a quick read at a story my 11-year-old son wrote and promised him I would edit ‘’ Invasion of The Hot Dogs’’ in order to publish it on beBee.com he asked me if they would be OK with that I told him I don’t see any reason why not. With that in mind the whole family went to bed relatively early.

At about roughly 2 o'clock I believe, I heard a few loud bangs on the door, I don’t know how but funnily enough I was all dressed up by the time I went downstairs accompanied by the whole family, we live in a quiet small town outside Dublin and this type of disturbance is not happening very often.

I opened the door and adjusting my vision I realized it was already really bright so maybe it was closer to 5 rather than 2, anyway something had changed but I did not know what, the colour, the landscape or maybe there was some distortion of some kind as the gentleman that was standing in front of me was a Japanese officer from the second world war dressed up in combat fatigues, he was senior enough based on what I could discern and the lower ranking privates just behind him were followed by a family of 6 including two young girls, two boys one mum and somebody I took for the grandmother.

His English was impeccable when he addressed me and requested we provide shelter and assistance to his family, at that point and I don’t really know why but a song that has been trotting in my head for a few days inappropriately resurfaced and I found myself singing the following tune to the officer and his family while my own family started to provide the back-up vocals insofar we went asking the party in front of us to join in!!!

Join In: When Two Worlds Collide


We had some much fun that one of the privates started to sing a second tune quickly followed by the entire guest party, the officer who was pretty relaxed at that stage told me they had been running into circles for the last few days

Join In: When Two Worlds Collide


I am not sure what had happened after ? Did we all sing, did we all go to bed after making extra arrangements for the new comers, thing is that when I woke up they were all gone, I looked at my phone it was 7.00 AM and I had two messages asking me to check the news.

Euro News, Nice 84 dead, more than 200 injured a four-year old child was ran over, his parents are leaving Nice and relocating elsewhere in France they want to keep on living and be part of the world….

I realized my Japanese officer dream was a tale with a broader significance than just a surge of adrenalin, I did not even know his name but I thought that I would love to ask him what he and his family do would they join in or retreat?

What would you do?




Sources

My imagination and way too much adrenalin

Photo Credits

World Collide by irishman13


BeBee Only Post


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Comments

Pascal Derrien

7 years ago #8

#7
Deb Helfrich you did it again your comments are so eloquently crafted that they add a whole dimension to what I was trying to say :-)

Pascal Derrien

7 years ago #7

#8
Yes Dean Owen I think you are right your articles have influenced me somewhat I think the one about Japan for some reasons also my first CEO was Japanese and was a great sponsor (he is deceased now), yes that dream felt so real and was so clear that it left me perplex despite having to deal with the news. The Nice attack and others in France and elsewhere are really testing us global citizens

Dean Owen

7 years ago #6

That was a couple of weeks ago. I am sure you jotted that dream down somewhere as, for some reason, we cannot remember dreams usually past 24hrs. I am glad you did. Perhaps you read my https://www.bebee.com/producer/@dean-owen/letters-from-manila the night before? :) I remember reading a comment of yours shortly after the Nice attack and remember thinking it must have really impacted you significantly. Perhaps something to do with Japan having decided, after WW2, to become a pacifist nation, gracious in defeat, lesson learned, and thankful to the Americans for helping to rebuild the nation following the war. I am reminded of a movie I saw recently where a German pilot and a British pilot crash landed in Ireland and ended up taking refuge in a farmhouse, and ultimately becoming friends.

Pascal Derrien

7 years ago #5

#3
I do agree Mohammed comment is spot on collision course or not we are here to enjoy to the most many thanks for reading and commenting

Pascal Derrien

7 years ago #4

#2
Sara Jacobovici you are one ot the few commenters and writers that always take things another level :-) Thanks for this precious comment

Pascal Derrien

7 years ago #3

#1
thanks Julie Hickman your support and comment speaks volume too :-)

mohammed khalaf

7 years ago #2

so sorry to heard this news and what you doing terrorisms in Nice and those not wise the islamic do not, ever, let ignorant, bigoted bullies rule our life, now here in iraq is fighting those pipsqueaks,do not fear. Anything, anytime or anywhere. Your time on this earth is short. If you succumb to fear, you will never make the most of your life , hope you more progress Pascal Derrien .

Sara Jacobovici

7 years ago #1

My sense of you Pascal Derrien mentioned how with social media we are experiencing the death of time and geography. Thank you Pascal for sharing your story across my time and space.

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