Several different events were the inspiration for this piece. two in particular:

When I traveled to Tokyo I befriended an interesting gentleman who was a retired government worker. He picked up a part time job after his retirement working at a museum. Every weekend he would stay in a hostel and work at the museum then travel back to his home. He loved Tokyo and life very much. He impressed me with his knowledge about American history and would sing old American songs to me. We enjoyed each others company very much and you would always find him smiling as he walked to work.

My friends and I would take the train everywhere we would go. One day on the train we met a girl named Aiko. She knew we were Americans and wanted to ask us about our country. She spoke English very well and just wanted to practice her language skills and learn more about our culture. Our conversation didn't last for more than a few stops but she made a lasting impression.