Bheela’s Blog -027
22 May 2021
Episode 26 Recap
Oshin gets the job of a babysitter at Sakata at the Kaga-ya rice dealer’s home. She finds this household vastly different from her first job, which makes her uneasy. She starts learning many things.
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https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-026-71876e998ba0
Episode 27
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Although refused employment at first, Oshin was allowed to stay as Kaga-ya’s babysitter.
She did not know that it was Ms. Kuni, Kaga-ya’s woman owner, who actually had allowed her to stay. Kuni, the senior madam, was wise and asked Mino, her daughter-in-law, to create an impression on Oshin that Mino gave Oshin her job.
Oshin was prepared to work hard for her payment of five sacks of rice. She started taking the baby Sayo for a stroll. Like how she carried the baby Take-bo from her first job, she ties Sayo on her back and takes a walk around the Kaga-ya store. The store is vast, Oshin wonders as she looks at the place.
In her mind, she compares the size with the lumber mill she saw at her first job.
Mino’s elder daughter Kayo comes out of the house wearing fine clothes. Oshin greets her, wishing her good morning. Kayo does not respond and moves ahead. The younger maid, Oume, follows her. Oshin asks her where she is going. Oume replies that they are going to Miss Kayo’s school. Oshin’s face lights up with the sound of school! She asks Oume if Kayo goes to school? Oume reminds Oshin not to call her Kayo; instead, she should be addressed as ‘Young Miss.’ Oshin is curious and asks Oume if she, too, goes to school. Oume replies that she just accompanies Miss Kayo to school, carrying her books. Oshin is shocked to find that Miss Kayo can’t go to school by herself. Oume tries to explain that the family doesn’t want anything to happen to Miss Kayo; hence, a maid needs to go with her. Oshin looks at Kayo, and Kayo returns the stern stare back; it is clear, Kayo does not want to be friendly. Oshin starts thinking, then Oume tells her to go inside and eat to let other maids finish cleaning up.
To Oshin, Kayo seems to dwell in another world, all dressed and going to school with an attendant! Oshin thinks that although they are both of the same age, their lives are vastly different. As Oshin walks towards the house, she was beginning to understand some realities of life.
She walks with a heavy heart and comes to the kitchen area where is she meets with Mino and the older maid Okiku. Okiku helps untie the baby, and Mino takes the baby from Oshin. Mino conveys thanks to Oshin and tells her to eat her meal. She also comments that she heard that Oshin woke up very early. She asks Oshin to take her meals and also take some rest. The baby is asleep; Mino observes and tells Oshin that Sayo likes being carried on Oshin’s back. Oshin offers to watch the baby while she eats her lunch. Mino refuses kindly, telling Oshin that she can take care of the child when Oshin eats.
Okiku serves food and calls Oshin to eat. Mino tells Oshin that we have rice and barley for lunch; she asks Oshin to eat as much as she likes. She tells Oshin lovingly that one needs food to work hard. Oshin respectfully conveys her thanks and comes close to Okiku. Okiku tells Oshin to serve her own rice and soup and not hold back on the amount. Oshin is astonished to see the quantity of food in the pot. Okiku explains that owners want their staff to eat their fill so that the team can work hard. Okiku knows that a business depends on its employees for success, and she shares this with Oshin. Oshin is mesmerized to listen to these words of wisdom from Okiku. Okiku asks her to start eating. Oshin takes the rice and soup to her bowl and starts eating with the chopsticks which Okiku gives her.
Oshin is so happy to eat her meal; she exclaims that the rice and barley mix are so good! She asks Okiku if they get to eat like this every day? She remembers her home food which was daikon gruel and occasional rice. She shares with Okiku that at her last workplace, the workers were given daikon gruel. Okiku puts forward her opinion that one has to have proper meals; one can’t put in hard work eating daikon! She tells Oshin that their owner never holds back on food for the employees.
Post lunch Oshin carries the baby again and strolls around the store area. She reaches the place where rice sacks are unloaded from carts. Baby Sayo’s father sees her and asks her what she is doing there in the working area. Oshin tells him that she was looking around the store area as she is strolling with the baby. Kuni, the senior madam, also joins them. Sayo’s father tells Oshin that this area is a busy place where the men are unloading heavy sacks, so she shouldn’t get in the way of work. He explains that it is not safe for Oshin and the baby as they might be hit by falling goods. He asks Oshin to take a walk at the backside of the store. Oshin bows and agrees.
Kuni is curious to see Oshin, a child herself, watching the baby. She kindly asks Oshin if all these activities going around are new to her. Oshin, encouraged by the senior madam, speaks up and tells her that she has never seen such a big house. She is still amazed at the size of the building. Kuni, the senior madam, tells her that this building is called a warehouse where they store rice. She has seen curiosity in Oshin’s eyes and enjoys talking to the little girl. Kuni further explains that sharecroppers grow the rice for their landlords; the Kaga-ya dealer buys from the landlords and stores it in the warehouse. Her son laughs and tells his mother that Oshin is a child and she won’t understand such things. Kuni is very firm, and she tells her son that she understands or not; she needs to be informed. Kuni shares her observation with her son that Oshin is young and full of curiosity.
They shouldn’t ignore Oshin’s eagerness to learn. Oshin then asks her if this warehouse is fully stocked with rice. That is correct, Kuni replies.
Oshin then goes backside to another street and walks with the baby, keenly observing the surroundings of the new place. Suddenly, she hears someone calling her name. As she turns, she sees Oriki, the agent!
Oriki just arrived by boat, and she says she was heading to the Kaga-ya house. She is pleased to meet Oshin and asks her if the baby at her back is Sayo from the Kaga-ya family. Oriki is relieved to know that Oshin got a job there and has started working. She tells Oshin that she was so worried and now is very glad. Oriki sits on a bench near a tree. Oshin is puzzled if Oriki came all the way to look for her. Oriki replies to her that she got Oshin into this, so she wanted to check. She is glad that Oshin is well.
Oriki had feared that she might have to take Oshin back home with her if the owners did not give her a job.
Oshin is happy to know this; she tells Oriki that at first, the family said that they never asked for a sitter, but young madam turned out to be kind, and she let Oshin stay on. It was puzzling now to Oriki, she inquires, ‘how come the senior madam said no but the young madam said yes?’ Oshin tells Oriki that young madam is such a nice person! Oriki is sure that they must have liked Oshin. Oriki laughs with a sigh of relief. She is happy that she can now face Oshin’s father and grandma again. Oshin tells her that the Kaga-ya family will send their men carrying five bales of rice to her home. Oriki is pleased to hear this and shares with Oshin that Kaga-ya is one of the biggest landlords in Sakata. They are known for being good to their workers. She says that Oshin is lucky to have got the job!
Oshin asks her if rice dealers are wealthy people? Oriki tells Oshin that Kaga-ya rice dealer sells rice to big cities like Tokyo and Osaka. Oshin is very eager to know, and she concludes that rice dealers make money just by buying and selling rice.
Oriki is stunned to hear the child’s words coming out of her intelligence. Oshin continues that her family grows rice, but they only eat daikon gruel. Kaga-ya doesn’t grow rice themselves, but they eat white rice every day. Even the workers get to eat rice and barley without restricting how much they want to eat! Oriki is speechless to see Oshin getting so much wisdom so early. Oshin does not stop there; she thinks aloud, ‘Being in business is better than being a sharecropper.’
Oriki gets worried; she warns Oshin not to speak to others about what she just said to her. Kaga-ya family won’t like Oshin talking this way. She tries to explain to Oshin that her father couldn’t sell his rice himself. Without the rice dealers, the landlord won’t let her father use the fields. She further gives Oshin her own piece of advice that it is like ‘live and let live!’ Anyway, she tells Oshin that a child shouldn’t be worrying about it.
At this point, Oshin takes a resolve. She will never be a farmer. She will be into business.
Hearing these words, Oriki has a hearty laugh. She tells Oshin that she doesn’t care what Oshin becomes when she grows up. She advises Oshin to focus on being a good worker for Kaga-ya for now. She also tells her that the young madam may be nice, but the old madam is a difficult woman, so never cross her! She asks Oshin if she understood, Oshin nods in affirmation.
Oshin works in the kitchen, rotating two bamboo sticks into a barrel with liquid mixing some food. Mino comes and tells Oshin to rest when baby Sayo takes her nap. Oshin needs to do only babysitting. Oshin replies that she wants to help in the kitchen. Okiku and Oume are always busy. Mino lovingly looks at Oshin and says that Oshin is still Kayo’s age; she probably wants to go out and play. Oshin replies that she is not like Miss Kayo; she has worked all her life, so this help is nothing.
They both look at the door, hearing footsteps. Oume announces that Miss Kayo is back from school. Kayo comes to her mother and asks for food as she is hungry. Mino asks her to have some mochi, and then she should complete her homework. Mino reminds Kayo that she has a Koto practice session in the evening.
(In affluent families, it is common practice that the girls learn to play musical instruments. Koto is a string instrument popular among Japanese families; read more about Koto by clicking this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koto_(instrument) )
Oshin looks on.
Oriki reaches Oshin’s villages, and she visits Oshin’s home. Grandma is preparing meals. Oriki tells her that she learned that the Kaga-ya family has delivered the five sacks of rice as promised. Grandma conveys her thanks and tells her that they owe this rice to Oriki’s kind help. Oriki is a bit embarrassed, apologizing for the trouble earlier about the uncertainty of Oshin’s job. Oshin’s father is happy, and he wants to give Oriki something for her efforts. Oriki says that she did not expect any reward; she just thought Oshin to be perfect for the job. She tells them that she received her commission from the Kaga-ya family already. Grandma and father appreciate Oriki. (they have no clue how Oshin got her job in reality). Grandma is worried and asks Oriki if Oshin will be able to do the job. The father, always a pessimist, tells Oriki that he hopes that she does not cause any embarrassment this time. Oriki tells them not to worry since her job is easy; moreover, Oshin is a very hard-working child.
Oriki says the only minor worry she has is Oshin is unusually bright for her age. Hearing this, grandma gets worried; she asks Oriki if anything happened. Oriki brushes the concern aside and tells them that she is probably overthinking. Father continues his pessimism; he says that Oshin shouldn’t be considered as bright or precious as she ran away from her job and stayed with the army deserter! Oriki asks them not to worry at all. The young madam likes her already a lot. She gave Oshin her daughter’s old Kimono to wear on the very first day. Oshin is dressed well and gets to eat her fill. Grandma is a bit thoughtful and asks Oriki if the owner’s elder daughter is of Oshin’s age. Oriki affirms and tells them that the elder daughter will most likely take an adoptive husband and inherit the family business.
(In India, we have some people called ‘Ghar-jamai or House-Son-in-law.’ This means a man who marries a girl and stays with the girl’s parents. In Japan, the term is ‘adoptive husband’)
Oriki says that Miss Kayo, the elder daughter, is a precious one for the family. They take such good care of the elder daughter. Hearing this, grandma gets worried further; she observes that this must be tough on Oshin. Two girls of the same age and their worlds are so vastly different, grandma talks from her experience. The father, though, shows his rudeness and asks them not to be silly; Oshin knows that she is just a sharecropper’s daughter, and she better remember that always. He though is glad for Oshin and hopes that she does better this time. He repeats his statement that if Oshin quits, he won’t let her be back in the house.
Meanwhile, it is evening time, and Oshin goes to the house’s backyard with baby Sayo at her back. She uses a stick and writes the text of her favourite poem on damp ground, ‘Brother don’t die!’ She takes out the harmonica, talks to her dead brother Shunsaku and informs him about her new job. When she is about to play the harmonica, she hears the sound of the Koto instrument. She walks towards the sound. A musician has come to teach Kayo to play the Koto instrument. Oshin is attracted by the sound and comes close to the room to watch.
Kayo gets distracted by Oshin’s footsteps and gets up, leaving her instrument. She looks sternly at Oshin and closes the room’s wooden door so that Oshin cannot see.
Oshin is stunned by her behavior. She lowers her head, takes a turn, and walks away slowly. Beautiful notes of Koto are heard as Kayo practices. She thinks aloud that Miss Kayo is a girl like me, but we are so different. This gives her a deep understanding of inequality prevailing in the society.
We will know how Oshin adjusts to the new environment with new learning. Oshin has challenging times ahead.
Episode 28 is coming soon.