Jerome Fouletier wrote:

	This guy wrote some REAL good comments that I feel need to be addressed
publicly. Most of this deal with my slips with dealing with Japanese
culture. I hope my explantions shed some light on the subjects. 
Please send me whatever comments YOU guys have on this. It's very
important to me.

Nice story this one, I'm no expert of Japanese suicide customs and
stuff like that, but it was good. The chief improvement over the
previous version was Katsumi's story, better development, more
credible, although there may be a case of Western vs Eastern on
the treatment of "dead black sheep" and adulterous women in
Japanese families.

	Probably more my idea then actual fact but I see her suicide as the
only way to have regained her honor. With that act, the shame was
transfired to the adulturous man. Granted, it took one's death to revert
the honor loss to the male target who WOULD have been without guuilt.
That's why she did it in his bed. The old ways (for young noblemen) were
do as though wilt until it brings shame to your family. A dead harlet in
your bed (regardless of your fault in the matter) brings disgrace.

Anyways, there also is one small gripe (on which I also may be
wrong). Is it proper to add -sama at the end of a dead person's
name if said dead person wasn't someone of very high status during
her life? How do you speak of the deceased? I'm sorry I have no
answer to that...

	It's Ukyo's invention. Her eyes saw the whole affair as some great
tragic romance and Katsumi as a hero to be worshiped. Sama is the best
title I could come up with for someone who was being idealized and
idolized that way.

Oh, and, second gripe, IIRC, women are supposed to commit seppuku
by slicing their throats open, but that would negate your line about
spilling innards.

	He goes on to make a comment that I'm still reeling from. I can't
believe I missed such as obvious parralel. Unfortunately, I can't really
use it. Why?
	Well it seems he's wrong about the suicide bit. You see, me and my
prereaders (Ben Kosse and Misahmouse mostley) went round and round on
this little bit of trivia and we just couldn't settle on anything. Then
Hitomi posted the answer to our prayers in an unrelated thread for RAAF
(I believe) It turns out that female samuria DID disembowel themselves.
While the women who were masters of gentler arts slit their throats. 
	I definately consider Ukyo a member of the warrior persuasion, at least
she has an idealized outlook on herself as a samurai. Thus, that's how
she's go.
 

Nice ending, although quite Western in taste IMHO

	Unfortunately not only is this story written by a Westerner, it's also
based on some of my own expierences. As I've said often enough, I'm the
survior of three serious (ic hospitalizing) attepts at suicide. This
story is a reflection of how one can get distracted by mundanity and
have one's life saved.
	Still, I think the ending is more of a monument to Ukyo's pragmatism
and ability to survive. More then anyother fiancee, I get the "I WILL
survive!" feeling from her and it's one of the things I respect her for.

	Thanks for the comments and I hope it doesn't upset you that I'm making
them public, but you just made TOO many good points that I just HAD to
get some sort of public feedback on.