Tanya……….. What’s the matter with your neck? Go to the VA Hospital so they can see what’s wrong.  (me) Tanya do ya really think I should go…oooouch?  (her) Just go, that’s what they are there for right? (me) Ok…geeze if you insist, I’ll make the trek down there. (her) She says, take your new camera in case you have to wait, you can make photos.

Ok, at this point I think I’m dreaming. The bus to the VA is about a 45 minute ride. I ran it is 7.5 minutes and hardly a breath missed. I walk in to the waiting area and there’s around 4500 vets sitting all over rubbing their necks, their heads, backs…legs, feet anything that will require care. Hmmm, I thought. Look at these disgusting vets, I mean they came her just to see Dr Shioko. Terrible… I sat down and played with the menu on the X100s and it’s easy to configure anything. I cleaned the unnamed Fuji X100s so that it would be nice for Shioko to look at again.

….a half hour goes by and the security team had dragged 7 guys out of her office….the guys were screaming…NO, NO I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE….NO NO! I thought, how childish of these grown men…geeze…..

……… then, the sounds from HEAVEN like the call of an Angel….”Mr Springer”..please step this way. Well, I was in the office before she finished calling my name. I also had the hospital gown on before she sat down….c’mon..I wasn’t in the least bit anxious…. Shioko says…how are you today? I replied, still a lot of stiffness..(XXX) Doc and pain all over.

Shioko ask me to lay on the table and she would check the tension in my muscles…(XXX). I see that you are still very stiff (XXX) and that there is still nor relaxation to the muscles. I;m sorry Doc….really, but what can I do? (the mind is a wonderful thing and my imagination as a photographer allows me to go to extremes in thinking and at this point..I have set a new benchmark)….

So Shioko starts to rub the muscles and she is right. I can feel her hands but I really can’t feel the muscles softening. So Shioko says to me…Mr Springer, there is a technique that I learned as a student and it is very effective, I would like to try it on you. I asked what technique…(at this point I couldn’t care anyway)…. She says, I would like to use my feet on your body and that may have an effect on the muscles. hmmmm, she probably weighs in a t 80 lbs…about 5’2 hgt…. what could she do anyway….

Of course Doc…what ever you think would work. She says, I will tell you when to move your arms and legs. This way we can get all the muscles to respond….(XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)

There are no words in the English language to express this situation. So Shioko climbs on the table and slowly steps on my back, She moves her feet and it feels like her hands but ore pressure. I’m thinking, this ain’t gonna do squat. She ask me…are you ok? I said sure…why?  She said, Im ready to start…hmmm I thought..start..what was the last few minutes…and then….OMG.

Her feet started digging into my muscles. I mean like with heavy weight. How the heck can she have that kind of weight on me?  Well, she’s walking and digging her feet, her toes into my back, my legs, my neck. Here she does something different…she uses the sole of her feet to massage the neck and shoulder muscles. (G) rated because it’s actually very relaxing and really does feel good. So around 20 minutes goes by and she asked me..How do you feel? I replied, actually better but far from perfect. I probably need more sessions. She says absolutely but we aren’s finished yet…..Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm (open for interpretation..use your own imagination, after all this is a group mission)

Shioko then says to me… Please turn over Mr Springer, I have to work the muscles from both sides.

( this my friends is about as amazing as things gets for a Nam Vet in a VA hospital. You have to visualize the scene. Maria my friend and all the woman followers, please forgive me on this….well, the hospital gown is like really lite cotton. The ones we have here are closed back,,,that’s good. The issue is this..guys will understand. I got this very lite cotton gown on and it’s down to about just above the knees. Thats not the problem. The problem is liftoff procedures. Jockey shorts have a built in restraining mechanism so that even with a lite gown, you are safe. Well, I wear boxers most times and especially now. Boxer shorts do not have uh..hmmm uh restraining mechanisms built in at all. )

So I roll over onto my back and Shioko stands on the table again and ask if I’m oh….I smile….of course, I trust you. She starts to walk on my calves and massaging them with her souls and toes. Im looking up at her and well…above all, (Maria) I am the gentleman. She ask me, does this feel to strong…(There’s a pain in my legs that comes from the depths of hell…it’s like the DEVIL pulling me to him all from  an 80lb Japanese woman Doctor. I’m fine I sais as I try to hold back the tears…not from ecstasy or the thought of it but from the she witch beating me yo with her feet….

Shioko moves up to my thighs..(see here’s where ignition and takeoff are an issue, I will dream about the next few minutes for a thousand eternities….) Her feet feel like a weapon thats attacking my thighs but for some reason, it feels like something is happening. (ok..here’s where you have to use your imagination or better yet…run to your wife or husband, lover, whatever and make mad passionate love to that person or persons….) me, I’m on the table an I an’t going anywhere.

Shioko ask me to lay still and she walks to my chest and starts to do the dance on my neck and shoulders and chest….(YO DOC..YOU FORGOT SOMETHING….) I’m looking up at her and..sigh…sigh…I wonder how her husband is? Does he appreciate her and her gift? Does he treat her the way a man should treat a woman, all woman?

Well, Shioko works on me for around 20 more minutes and I actually started to fall asleep. She climbs off the table and says, we need to work the muscles again. Yes’m I said.

Shioko says, Mr Springer, I like working with you, you have an open mind and you will let me try anything..(here, I was just  praying, maybe it’s all just a dream, maybe it’s just all here to really make you aware that there exist forces besides the ones you have around you that can feed you and feed off of you.)

Maybe it’s like photography. There is an energy that the shooter can tap into and find the images needing to be borne. Maybe becoming aware of this energy from inside ourselves, helps not only us but those around  us. Perhaps, we are all really lost and we really want to reach out to others so that we will feel a part of something more than ourselves. Maybe if we do reach out, just maybe someone will be there to answer the call.

Isn’t this what life should be like? Isn’t life the force that drives each of us forward? If photography is about life, shouldn’t we all just reach out instead of holding back and just letting the moment pass by and fall into the vision of others. It;s great to support others but we must support ourselves first and define what our essence is before we can share ourselves with others….

So, Mr Springer, will you make the next appointment? I said Doc…I have struggled Piggyslots thru war, I have battled the DEVIL on more than one occasion, I didn’t lose and he didn’t win so come hell or high water, I’ll be here. Shioko says, your my favorite patient…and smiles..seeya Wednesday Mr Springer.

Well, the emergency crew resuscitated me and told me to just relax..you’ll be ok…(ok, sheesh..her favorite patient…I’m all good….)

Seeya’s Wednesday……….