Not So Greattastic
On Tuesday, March 10th, 2020, Marshall received an email from Columbus State saying they were closing due to Covid. August, Arden, and Marshall made it back to the states 2 days later, right before Ohio shut down completely. I began FaceTiming my family and the Andersons daily for updates on everything as they went through the lockdown.
In Japan, the lockdown was not as dramatic as it was in the United States, since masking was already a prominent part of the culture. Yes, the trains were a little emptier, I had to distance a little more from the kids, and fewer shops and bars were open, but overall, the pandemic did not affect my plans too much. And that was almost more isolating. While my family and friends were “in it together,” I was on the other side of the world, not experiencing it the same way that they were. I began leaning even harder on Renee, her family, Yuka, and Ren. In December 2020, I prepared to write the Season 2 finale of Rules for a Greattastic Life. Before Covid, my idea for that final episode was going to be a summary of my time in Japan, and my last night before I went home. Knowing I couldn't get home, I wrote it with the half-truth that I was excited to spend another year in Japan.
In early January of 2021, Cousin Simple released their first song since before the pandemic, and in June of that year, my other childhood neighbor, Greg, got married to his long-time girlfriend, Temi. Around the same time, August moved to Colorado with her boyfriend, Ben, and Marshall, and Aspen moved to Cincinnati (and Arden would follow the following year). In the middle of October, Luke and Josh followed in Ryan's footsteps and started their own band, Box Seats, and my cousin Paige got married on Halloween. In 2022, Luke, and Kid graduated high school, and my family went to my cousin's new lake house. In 2023 August got pregnant, and she and Ben had a son, Jasper. Around the same time, Greg and Temi had their daughter. Arden and Aspen went to see Taylor Swift, and my Aunt Cyndi got married. In 2024, both Greg's sister, Melody and Arden and Marshall got married, and Rich and Barbra prepared to sell their house. Then finally in January of 2025, my grandpa Papa died.
I knew I could have gone home as early as 2022, But with all the marriages, pregnancies, and graduations I felt like my life had gone on without me. On top of that it wasn't like my life was bad. I had made a ton of friends in Japan, I was about to publish my 3 and 4th books and I felt happy. I didn't own the people in my life. Why was I feeling so hurt that they had moved forward?
“Are you okay?” Ren asked me one night in February of ‘25.
“Yeah,” I said, a little taken aback.
“No you're not,” Yuka said, “you used to be so happy and energetic. You’ve just seemed really depressed over the last few months.”
“I’m fine!” I said, “I just feel a little homesick I guess.”
“Well, why don’t you go home?” Yuka asked.
“Cuz I’ve built a whole life here… Ohio hasn’t been my home since before the pandemic… and I’m sure everyone else has moved on.”
“Well you could at least go back for a visit,” Ren suggested.
“I think it’ll just be too hard for me,” I said, “like if I go I don’t know if I’ll come back.”
I held this position until on Friday, May 16th 2025 around 2:00 pm, I got a phone call from my mom. “Hi Mom,” I said, “why are you still up? It’s like midnight for you.”
"Mitchell,” she said, “I’m sorry, but Aunt Shana just passed away.”
I froze. Shana was my favorite aunt growing up. During my teenage years, Shana had her own life struggles and so from my perspective, the aunt that I knew died over a decade ago. Despite that I knew I couldn’t miss this funeral. I had to go home.
To Be Continued…
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