Chiba Sensei was unable to enjoy the event since he knew that in the current situation he could not provide her with a secure and stable living situation. It was not clear what had occurred to bring Mrs Chiba to the UK, and the relationship between Chiba Sensei and Mr Logan strained further as Mr Logan was required to pay for the flights and remained convinced that someone had-acted on Chiba Sensei’s behalf to secretly put her on the plane behind his back.
Chiba Sensei was offended by the suggestion, but noted that Mr Logan may have known that Mrs Chiba’s father Mr Sekiya worked for the Japanese Airlines Office as a testing engineer and his close friend Mr Konami was a JAL representative in the London Office and used this information to form the conspiracy. Within a week of Mrs Chiba’s arrival, Mr Logan sent documents to their apartment informing them that his three-year renewable contract with the BJC had been cancelled.
Chiba Sensei was not surprised since his relationship with Mr Logan had grown frostier since Chiba Sensei regarded the other Japanese teachers as his seniors and therefore could not compete with them in the way Mr Logan intended, which Chiba Sensei believed was a slight misunderstanding of Kenshiro Abbe’s wishes.
Chiba Sensei found himself in an even more desperate situation, now he had no wage and a wife to support. So he went to see the man in charge of Sunderland Physical Education, who he had me through Mr Logan. He was a former Aikidoka, and had led a SPE sponsored group that was loosely associated with the Renown Aikido Society. Chiba Sensei inquired if there would be some availability for him to teach Aikido within their programs, he was asked to return in a few days. Upon the second visit to the office Chiba sensei was informed that there were two evening classes per week available at a local school in town.
They had already been meeting for some time and were being taught by a senior ranking member (third-first kyu) who was willing to turn the classes over. At the same time he informed Chiba Sensei that they had arranged a room for him in the house of another member, free of charge. In early October 1966, Mrs Chiba and Chiba Sensei moved into the house of the dojo member and his wife, a childless couple in their thirties. Chiba Sensei was deeply touched to be received so open heartedly and with this couple began to appreciate the real English way of life.
To be continued…
