** Shinobu sits in a medical examining room.
Electrodes stream from his head like mutant cockroach
feelers. Doctors monitor his condition as he beings to
speak *** 

"My name is Ryo Hazuki. If you would let me go, I have
to resume my journey..." 

**Shouts** 

WHAZZUPPP???? 

**Nothing but echos**

Okay.. pretty dead around here. If it's not Shenmue,
then the majority of ML'rs must be playing Final
Fantasy 9!! 
---------

Me
>> Hey guys. Been kinda macabre and melancholy
>>lately...
>> my grandmother died on Tuesday.

Mr Spillman-
>My condolences on your family's loss.

Thanks. I appreciate it. I do remember you telling me
about your mother... 

So, I can empathize with you. I suspect that the death
of someone that close changes a person forever.

As for me, I'm feeling like I don't know WHAT the hell
to feel. But, nothing that Mountain Berry Kool-Aid in
MASS-Quantities can't sooth! (^_^)  

I wonder what Soun was like before his wife died.  I
think that event broke his spirit, ya know?? 

His inability to deal decisively with Happosai and his
crying spells might be good indicators of that.

To address Donna-Sempai's question, I'm thinking that
Soun's family or maybe his wife's was Samurai. Mostly
the woman in the Feudal era owned real estate. Plus,
in the Manga, we see Soun dressed in full battle
armor, which was pretty elaborate for a common foot
solder. Either his family stole the armor from dead
Smaurai, or maybe his family was Samurai of a fairly
high rank. 

Pure speculation on my part. 

------
Life sucks doesn't it?? I play Shenmue to escape the
drudgeries of life, only to be forced to work in the
game, from 9-5!! 

That's not Gravy.
--------

Heiwa. 

Shinobu(v) To endure
Shinobi (n) 1.Spy, Assasin 2.One who endures 

SAUCE, EoE, OCS.