It is easy to pick out dancer Firak di Bello in a crowd. Slight of build and all skin and bone, his shaven head mirrors the sun. Equally distinctive are his eyes (as wary as they are warm and all-seeing), the hawklike nose (which leads the way) and a gait that bobs rather than glides.
We meet in Shibuya but then have to wait until 11 a.m. for the best coffee shops to open -- places to sit in peace and quiet rather than paying to promote a certain image. By which time I know that Firak is not his real name, but one acquired while in India and meaning "search."
Di Bello sounds Italian, and is Italian, from the south. Ages 1 to 7 were "golden years," but the house where he grew up -- and indeed that lifestyle -- are long dead and gone. Yes, he's as sad as he sounds when he talks of that time.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.