Bheela’s Blog -002
04 December 2020
Episode 1 — Recap
Oshin is missing on the day their 17th Super market store is opening. Everyone at home is searching and is worried. Kei, the grandson (son of Oshin’s foster son Nozomi) decides to go and look for grandma.
Oshin has a taken a train to North Japan and she looks happy.
Episode 2 -
Hatsuko, the adopted daughter of Oshin comes to Nozomi’s place. (Besides Nozomi, Oshin adopted this girl also, we will learn the details later). She and Nozomi, although not related, but being foster children of Oshin, are like brother and sister. Oshin has brought them up as Tanakura family members. Both get worried about Oshin. They discuss where she might have gone. What could have been the reason for her sudden disappearance.
Nozomi talks about a rumour that there is another family who wants to open a bigger supermarket in the same area. He fears that although Hitoshi (Oshin’s second son who is President of the company) knew this, he is still going ahead with his huge 17th store. Nozomi also tells Hatsuko that Oshin opposed the idea of opening this new store from the beginning….
(In the mid-eighties, Japan saw this boom of supermarkets with the population becoming richer. The new generation is eager to consume products of various kinds. This also brought about the competition, where one big supermarket would eat up the business of the smaller stores around the area. We also saw this in a Hollywood movie ‘You’ve got mail’ a similar situation of the market in the US.)
Hatsuko prepares tea, a simple pot of hot water on a desk with two cups. The pot and the cups kept below the desk, are very handy for use. (Japanese households arrange these items in this specific way which shows fine usage of space). She talks about Oshin, that Oshin is so kind, and how she has brought them up as part of the family.
Kei meets his aunt Hatsuko and is ready to leave. Hatsuko urges Nozomi to ask Kei where is he leaving for so that they can get some clue about Oshin’s whereabouts. Nozomi is not anxious and replies that Kei is 20 now and can take care of himself.
Nozomi says that he has some disciples who learn pottery from him, they will take care of his meals while Kei is gone looking for grandma. Hatsuko ignores him and starts to prepare lunch for her brother, she takes out an apron from pocket of her dress. (In Japan, women carry such items with them, so when the need comes these should be handy). She is not convinced that the disciple would make good enough lunch for her brother.
Meanwhile, Oshin is in a Taxi taking her to a hotel. Both sides of the road are completely covered with snow. Oshin is happy to look at snow, it appears that snow on the fields has association with some events of her past. The Taxi drops her at a hotel.
Hitoshi is talking to his wife and two daughters. The daughters seem to be spoilt. They talk about their grandmother in a casual and somewhat disrespectful tone. They make fun of their aunt Tei’s husband who seems to say ‘yes sir’ and has no spine to stand on his own. Hitoshi does not like this loose talk. He goes upstairs to talk to his sister Tei and informs that there is no news of their mother. He tells her that we should report to the police tomorrow.
Tei talks to her husband, Takeshi. He advises that they should do as Hitoshi says. He understands Hitoshi’s situation with the missing mother.
Kei is traveling by train which would take him also to the north…
Oshin is ready to go out and she asks for Taxi and tells the hotel staff to take her to ‘usual place’,. The staff get worried due to snow, to which Oshin says I am accustomed to Snow. (We will learn later how snow has played a major role in her early life)
Kei reaches the same place by bus and spots his grandma. They both laugh, Oshin wanted solitude but is happy and relieved to see the uninvited Kei by her side.
Episode 3 — coming soon…..