My work involves translating sales literature from Italian into English but sometimes words gain poetic appeal left in their original imperfect form when profit is not an issue. This delightful note was left to Mrs. Rosemary Verey from a Japanese visitor to her garden in Gloucestershire. Enclosed with the message was a ginger root:-
Mrs Rosemary Verey
Thankyou very much for everything.
Today's morning.
I found other present for you to my Seiko in my bag.
(oh my God, I have mistake once more...)
That is Ginger, Zingiher officinale.
It is living now . happy!
I must send to you in haste!
Thank you very much for bottle of my heart.
Naotaka Hirota
27 June 1986
(Taken from A Christmas Cracker by John Julius Norwich 1994)
