森のようちえん全国交流フォーラムの2日目、いつも通り、暗いうちに目が覚めました。
朝食の時間はまだ先、子どもたちもしばらく起きそうにありません。前日配られた会場資料に、インスタントの飲み物とお湯が、期間中ずっと用意されている部屋があるとのこと。そこでしばらく過ごそうと、日記帳と読みかけの本、そしてコップを持って部屋を出ました。そこにはすでに二人、少し離れて座っていました。僕と同じような目的でここへやってきたみたいです。ここは普段は工作室のようです。
人の気配は何とはなしに感じるもの。静かに入り口に立った僕に二人が顔を向け、会釈しました。僕も返して、ブラックコーヒーを作って、ちょうど二人の間あたりに席をとりました。
少しすると、次の人がやってきました。みんな顔を向けて挨拶をします。
次々と人がやってきました。どんどん入ってきます。どうやらこの近くの部屋で、早朝オプション（参加者が当日自主開催する分科会）があるようです。あっという間に窓の景色も見えないくらいになって、まだ薄暗かった部屋はなんだか華やかな、ざわついた雰囲気になりました。「おはようございます」と大声で入ってくる人もいれば、もはや、誰と顔を合わすのでもなく、お湯を注ぎ始める人もいます。
僕より先客の一人は、どこかへ行ってしまいました。もう一人は、ノートパソコンを持ってホワイトボードの方まで移動しました。ポットの周りは特に騒がしい。流しで水筒に節操なく水を入れる人もいます。ステンレスがたわむような水の音は、案外気味が悪い。後で洗っておくから、使ったコップはそこら辺に置いておいてくれたらいいのに。
とたんに人がいなくなりました。どうやら早朝オプションが始まったようです。整列していた椅子も、あっち向いたりこっち向いたり。賑やかさを偲ばせます。
密度が大きくなると、空間の認知も想定の範囲も狭くなる。とても人間らしい人々が通過していったんだなぁと、妙に愉しい気分になりました。
頁を少し遡って、本の文字が頭に入り始めました。教壇の方から聴こえてくる、入り口に背を向けてたたくキーボードの音が、不思議と心地よく感じられます。おそらく僕たちは、会話をしたのだろうと思います。
天気の悪さも手伝って、空がようやく白けてきました。朝食が取れる時間になっていました。そろそろ（う）と（す）も起きるだろう。今度は挨拶もせずに、静かに工作室をあとにしました。
（ゆ）
Forest Kindergarden -Human nature
On the second morning of the Annual Forum of Forest Kindergarten Network, I woke up before sunrise, as always. The cafeteria was not opened for breakfast yet, and Umeo and Sukla were still deep in sleep. I remembered that the handouts said there was a lounge which had instant coffee and tea around the clock. I decided to spend some time there, so left our room with my diary, a half-finished book, and a cup. When I reached the room, I saw two other people sitting separately. They seemed to have come to the room to kill time like me. The room seemed to be usually used as a craft room.
We sensed someone coming in. Though I came to the entrance quietly, they looked up and gave me a bow.
I also made a bow, made a cup of coffee for myself, and then sat down between then.
Soon after, another person came. The three of us looked up and nodded a hello.
From some point of time, people started coming in one after another. It seemed like some morning sessions (that some forum participants planned and organized spontaneously) were starting near the lounge. Within a short period of time, the lounge became so crowded that I couldn't even see the view through the windows. The room, which was quite dim, looked really colorful and a bit noisy then. By that time, some came into the room saying "good morning!" loudly, others just came in and poured hot water into their own cup.
One of the previous visitors had already gone somewhere. The other one shifted towards a whiteboard with his computer. It was noisy especially around the electrical hot-water pot. Some were making a big noise pouring water into his bottle at the sink, others were washing their cups. The sound of water dropping into the stainless-steel sink sounded uncomfortable for me. I just hoped that they would leave their cups somewhere there instead of washing them now - I would wash them later.
Suddenly, calmness came back to the lounge room. Their morning sessions seemed to have started. Chairs were lined-up neatly when I came in, but now they were facing all directions.
It's true that when the number of people increase in density, their perceptions of space and range of assumptions became narrow. Come to think of it, the way the group of people came, spent some time, and left was really a human attitude. Well, that's not bad though.
I flipped back a few pages, and then started reading again. I could hear the sound of tapping away on a laptop from the whiteboard side, which made me relaxed somehow. I felt that we exchanged silent conversations.
It was not a clear day, but finally it started brighten outside. It was time for breakfast already, and Umeo and Sukla must be waking up, thinking that I had left the room without saying anything to the person near the whiteboard.
Yuki
