==JAPAN: KM== [Fears]

What is the most terrible thing for you? Even those who look brave must have one or two distressing things. I, too, don't have so many likes and dislikes. However, there are still four things that I cannot say are comfortable for me. Without these four things, I could live a much happier life!
One of them is frogs. There used to be many rice fields and grassy places around my house in my girlhood. We all walked and ran in the fields. Most of these memories are lovely, but the memory of the frogs appearing and jumping suddenly out of the grass shakes me even now. Frogs attack you without a previous announcement ( I hate "tonosama-kaeru" especially---the slimy skin, the gaudy color and design ). Looking at one from every angle, I can find no charming feature!
Most children have many likes and dislikes about food. Without exception, I, too, preferred fish to meat, couldn't drink milk without holding my nose and didn't help myself to potato salad of my own accord...and so on. But as I grew up, I came to be able to eat all foods except for green peas. I cannot forget December 13th, 1982, the most terrible day since I was born! Young as she was, my class teacher was strict about our likes and dislikes in food. They provided potato salad which had green peas in it for us on a school lunch pro- gram. It was a most terrible combination for me at that time! I just could not eat the stuff. When my classmates started to clean after the lunchtime, I was struggling for her permission to leave. After the fifth period, my classmates went home, and only I still fought with the menu. My class teacher, however, would not let me leave the meal by any means. She said, " Eat up or you cannot go home today." At last, I put it into my mouth against my will with great diffi- culty. As soon as I reached my house, I vomited up what I had eaten. I felt nauseated for two days and could not go to school. Since then, green peas have entered the category that is made up of my most hated things.
The third thing is about a monster house. I was interested in monsters and ghosts as early as the first grade, so I wanted to enter a monster house. Finally I entered one for the first time with my father and brother. It had been built as a part of the festival of our city. My heart was beating with much interest and a little fear. But ...the ratio had changed before I realized it. I could not take a step any further! My father and brother had gone away, so I was left alone in the dark house. Five minutes later, my father came to take me out after paying another entrance fee. He was very angry with me.
Because of another fear, some other people ( not my family member but my friends ) were troubled again. This time, I had a feeling that something bad would happen even from the beginning. In spite of my refusal, I was forced to ride a roller coaster. After dreadful shrieking, the coaster finally stopped, but I fainted away. I spoiled our happy outing. This is why I don't feel like going to an amusement park for young people.
I hope to conquer even one of those four things, because I don't want to trouble other people again. But after all, I don't think I will be able to overcome them before I die.

COMMENT
The content of the passage is so easy to understand and impressive that I can sympathize with her very well. Certainly, everyone has some dislikes, especially foods and creatures. I, too, dislike umeboshi and caterpillars. But her reactions to her dislikes are too extreme. I think that however dreadful these are, I think general people can continue to walk into a monster house and don't faint.
Though she was desperate, I enjoyed reading this story. Others' unhappi- ness with their dislikes may sometimes look funny.

Hiroki Yamashiro