仕事柄　「タケノコはいつ出るの？」と尋ねられることは多い

初めて社長とＹ課長と　竹林へ入った日のこと
社長がＹ課長に尋ねました　　　「マタケのタケノコはいつ出るのかね？」
「5月の中頃です」

即答したＹ課長は　とてもかっこ良くて
Ｒさんの脳には　「5月の中頃です」がしっかりと刻まれました

しかし　多くの方々が頭に描くタケノコは
若竹煮にして美味しい　孟宗竹タケノコなのです

（今年こそはバッチリ決めたい）
その心中を知ってか知らずか　社内1クールなＵ部長が
朝一番の挨拶の後　Ｒさんにさらりと尋ねました

『タケノコはいつ出るのかな』

「はい、5月中頃ですね」　　　（　ハッ…　　！　）
「あっ　あの…　神崎屋の店先には　孟宗竹のタケノコがずいぶんと早くから並んでおります…」

Ｒさんがそう言い終える頃　Ｕ部長の背中は階段の向こうに見えなくなりました

孟宗竹　淡竹　真竹　の順番にタケノコは顔を出し
中でも孟宗竹のタケノコは　Ｒさんが知る限りでは
地中では12月10日には　タケノコらしき姿になっています
（地上に顔を出すのは4月の上旬頃）

今度はちゃんと言えるかな　来年の宿題

"When will bamboo shoots begin to sprout?"

Sometimes I am asked "When will bamboo shoots begin to sprout?" because of my work.

When I first came to the bamboo forest with our president and the section manager,
president asked him, "When will Matake bamboo shoots begin to sprout?"
"It's middle of May." Section manager replied instantly.
As he looked so cool, "middle of May" was imprinted on my brain.

But bamboo shoots that many people picture are kind of  Mousouchiku's bamboo shoots which is known by "Wakatake-ni", a delicious dish made with bamboo shoots and seaweed.
(I really want to answer this year. )
Mr."U", our administration manager who is coolest in the company asked me the question unexpectedly.
(Did he see through my mind …?)

"It's middle of May" 　　　　　　 (Oops…!)
"Well…　at store front of Knzaki-ya, they has already displayed Mousouchiku's bamboo shoots from a early on…"
His back was aleady getting small behind the stairs while I was finishing the last word.

Bamboo shoots begin to sprout in the following order; Mousouchiku, Hachiku and Matake.
To the best of my knowledge, bamboo shoots of Mousouchiku have already formed a shape around December 10.
(They come out on the soil about early part of April.)

I wonder whether I will be able to explain it rightly next chance…

it's my homework for next year.