staying past closing time...

The other night, my friend Bill and I were having coffee at Papillon (the coffee shop down the street from our apartment in Shin-Osaka). It is so old - crieking floors, soft lighting and old furniture. Kimiko and Ryoji are the sweetest couple that own this place, they are so welcoming to foreigners and within a matter of just a few weeks of knowing them, I can call them friends.
Anyway, Bill and I noticed that the keyboard was sitting in the corner (my heart started to pound), as well as this huge upright bass (from the friday night music gigs they have at Papillon). I was telling Bill how much my fingers have been itching to play lately.We asked Kimiko if we could play - and we did, for at least a couple hours. In this quite cafe, with no one around. It was so refreshing. We played a little jazz and some Christmas tunes. We stayed way past closing time, Kimiko kept encouraging us to keep going. It was a blast. I didn't realize how much I actually missed the keys until I started playing them again. I sort of convinced myself for a while, that I would be ok without a piano - man was I wrong! It is my outlet. Without it, I feel like I'm missing somethig.
Get this - Kimiko stopped me on my bike coming home from work today, and she offered to lend me the keyboard in her aparment, until whenever I decide to leave Japan. I'm currently sitting in my room, staring at this gorgeous instrument. The generosity of the Japanese people here, astounds me. Maybe a new song is closer than I thought.