Bheela’s Blog -031
19 June 2021
Episode 30 Recap
Oshin is worried about losing her job. During a fight with Kayo, Kayo gets hurt.
Kayo learns that Madam Kuni is going to arrange a new work for Oshin. Kayo pleads to her grandma to let Oshin stay.
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https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-030-f549144a4e6c
Episode 31
In this episode, we are returning to the present time after a long time. Hence, here is a quick recap of the current time characters as follows:
Oshin — Grand elderly lady, 83 years old, vice president of Tanakura company owning a chain of superstores
Hitoshi — Oshin’s second son, president of the company, runs the business
Michiko — Hitoshi’s wife
Tei — Oshin’s daughter
Takeshi Katsunori — Tei’s husband, also works closely with Hitoshi in the Tanakura company.
Nozomi — Oshin’s adopted son –a widower, elderly person, enjoys making pottery, not involved in the Tanakura business, Kei’s Dad.
Kei — Nozomi’s college-going son, Oshin’s favourite grandson
Hatsuko — Oshin’s adopted daughter, not married, she often visits Nozomi, as both are Oshin’s adopted children
RETURN TO PRESENT TIME
Oshin decides to go for a trip to all the places she spent her childhood, followed by her life as an adult. Her grandson Kei, who is very close to her, joins too. She narrates all the events of her past to Kei. They begin their trip from the village near Ginzan town, where Oshin’s parents had a hut amidst the snow-clad fields and mountains.
They travel now to Sakata where Oshin had started working as a babysitter with the Kaga-ya family, the famous rice dealers.
It is wintertime. Oshin and Kei are staying in a hotel at Sakata. In the morning, they take a stroll near the hotel. They are wearing heavy woolens; Oshin has covered her head with a warm shawl. Kei observes that Sakata is a big port city. Oshin shows him the petroleum storage tanks visible from a distance. She says that the whole area looks a little run down. She mentions that when she started working with Kaga-ya, the place seemed livelier. It used to be a prosperous port on the Sea of Japan.
(The Sea of Japan is the ocean flanked by Japan on the east and Korea on its west side. For more on Oceans around Japan, please read https://www.gdrc.org/oceans/un-seahorse/ocean.html )
Oshin informs Kei that all of the region’s rice used to get shipped out of Sakata. She feels somehow that the prosperity of the town is not noticeable at all! Kei has done some studies about the place. He tells his grandma that there was a big fire in Sakata about ten years ago. Almost the whole city had to be rebuilt after that incident. Kei clarifies why the city looks very different from what his grandma remembered nearly sixty or seventy years ago!
Oshin says that since she had come out of the hills, the town seemed very big to her back then. She laughs mildly, remembering her awe of the enormous buildings. As Oshin is taking a walk with Kei alongside the sea coast, she spots some warehouses which look old and rusted. She exclaims that these warehouses are from those times!
Kei takes her close to the row of warehouses where rice bags are being loaded on trucks using conveyor belts. Oshin recognizes some old trees, and she gets excited. She tells Kei that these trees are still the same. She points out that the particular area near the tree looks exactly the same as she remembers it.
Kei asks if the warehouse is the same, which impressed her on the first day of her work at Kaga-ya? ‘That is right!’ Oshin replies. She is amazed that all of it is still standing after seven decades. She has so many memories of the place. She tells Kei that she sees these trees in her dreams even now.
She is confused if she is still dreaming! Kei gives her a pinch, and she gets startled, scolding Kei to stop pinching her. Kei is very close to his grandma and quickly takes such liberty with her. He tells her that it proves that she isn’t dreaming as she got hurt by his pinching. Oshin laughs at the mischievous Kei.
Kei asks her if the Kaga-ya business still exists? Oshin replies that so much has happened since those time. Kei tells her that it could be possible that they meet someone who still remembers her grandma. Oshin replies that all those people are dead and gone! For her, Sakata has become a mere memory.
Oshin walks ahead of Kei, looking around the places which seem familiar to her. As Kei follows her, he says that his father (Nozomi) once told him that Kei’s real grandmother was from Sakata. He asks Oshin if it is true? Kei says that his father lost his mother (Kei’s real grandma) at age two when he was adopted by Oshin. Nozomi had told Kei that he doesn’t remember his real mother at all. He only spoke of Oshin as his mother. At the same time, he did mention his mother only once.
Oshin gets alarmed, and she walks ahead quietly. Kei asks Oshin if she knew who Nozomi’s real mother was. She must be knowing her, and that is why she adopted Nozomi; Kei suddenly gets inquisitive.
Oshin doesn’t want to divulge; she collects herself and sternly replies that Nozomi is her son, and she raised him with that in mind. Kei gets a bit embarrassed and says, ‘I guess so! You raised him from age two. You are pretty much his real mother. Father thinks of you as his mother too.’ He holds Oshin and says that he loves her as his real grandma! He further apologizes that he brought the topic. He says anyway, none of this has anything to do with him, and she goes away before grandma gets angry with him. Oshin looks in the distance remembering some events from her past.
…
Nozomi is busy making pottery. His foster sister Hatsuko arrives and asks him and his disciples to have dinner. Nozomi thanks her. She wants Nozomi to have a decent meal for a change. Nozomi’s wife (Kei’s mom) is long dead. Hatsuko lives in her own apartment. As Kei has gone with grandma, Hatsuko comes to Nozomi’s place and prepares meals for him. Hatsuko comments that men cannot keep the house tidy! She tells Nozomi that she is free from the responsibility of taking care of a husband or children; she can easily take care of her brother at this time.
The landline phone rings. (It is mid 80’s, mobile phones are not yet used in Japanese households). Hatsuko picks up. ‘Yashiro residence,’ she says. (Nozomi uses his father’s last name Yashiro).
It is Kei on the line. She is delighted to hear Kei’s voice and asks him where is he calling from? She is taken aback to learn that Kei is calling from Sakata. Nozomi comes close to the phone, hearing that his son called. Hatsuko asks Kei if grandma is with him. Hatsuko asks Kei to give the phone to grandma. Next, Kei asks Oshin to come to the phone as his aunt Hatsuko is on the line and wants to speak to her. Oshin declines and tells Kei to inform them that she is okay. Kei persists, and Oshin gets irritated; she asks Kei that tell them that she is not taking calls, so they shouldn’t bother her. Hatsuko informs Nozomi that Oshin won’t come to the phone. Nozomi tells Hatsuko not to worry; she is keeping fine. Nozomi is a calm person; he is not worked up because his mother is missing for so many days.
Hatsuko asks Kei what are the two of them doing at Sakata?
As she does not get much information from Kei, she gives up and gives the phone to Nozomi, saying that Kei wants to talk to him. Nozomi takes the receiver and tells Kei that nothing much changed at their end. He tells Kei that some calls came for him, probably of his girlfriend, he says jokingly. He informs him that the girl stopped calling after he informed her that Kei wasn’t home. He continues in good humor that it is not often that his grandma goes on a trip! He asks Kei to take good care of grandma. Nozomi is a man of few words, so he abruptly says, bye. Hatsuko snatches the phone from him, but by that time, the line is disconnected. Hatsuko scolds his brother, saying that he should have at least ask the name of their hotel. Nozomi is not disturbed; he says calmly to her that they will call if they need something. Hatsuko comments that Nozomi is indeed too easy-going! She starts worrying about what they could be doing in Sakata! She still doesn’t have any clue why their mother disappeared from her busy life. She tells Nozomi that the Tanakura family’s business is having significant trouble; she heard some rumors! Nozomi asks her to eat; he has no interest in the Tanakura business.
Hatsuko is startled by the noise at the door; she is surprised to find Hitoshi there. She welcomes him, saying that she is indeed happily surprised to see him there. Hitoshi, who is currently running the Tanakura supermarket chain business, looks worried; he says he wants their mother to return home. He continues that mom hasn’t gotten in touch with him. He tells Nozomi that he thought if Nozomi knows where she and Kei are. Nozomi replies that he knows where she is, but she will back when she feels like it. Hitoshi insists that he needs mom back home. Nozomi says that Tanakura business now belongs to Hitoshi; he asks Hitoshi to let their mother have her freedom. Nozomi tells Hitoshi that this is how he thinks. Hitoshi looks angry, and he tells Nozomi that Kei is with her and he should inform them. He also taunts Nozomi saying what kind of son he is raising. Nozomi bows his head down and apologizes softly. Hatsuko does not like the way Hitoshi speaks to Nozomi. Taking Nozomi’s side, she taunts Hitoshi back; she tells him that how come he can’t manage without mother! Hitoshi tells them sternly that if they call, ask them how he can get in touch with them.
He starts to leave; Hatsuko asks him to wait and have dinner together. He halts for a moment, looks lovingly at Hatsuko, and then changes his expression back to being stern. Finally, he says that his car is waiting and leaves.
Hitoshi returns to his home. His wife, Michiko, welcomes him back, takes his bag, and tells him that Katsunori (Hitoshi’s sister Tei’s husband) is waiting for him.
Katsunori tells Hitoshi that he missed him at the office, so he came home; there is urgency in his voice. Hitoshi is tensed; he lights a cigarette. Katsunori updates him that Mr. Namiki hasn’t yet finalized the transfer; they still have time. Therefore, they should have Namiki forego the deal of the land. Alternatively, they should offer more money to Mr Namiki than the big supermarket chain is offering. Katsunori is tensed as well; he tells Hitoshi that they cannot have the big chain opening a new store in the same vicinity. Hitoshi wants to think; he says he knows about this. Katsunori suggests Hitoshi should meet with Namiki and ask him to help them. Hitoshi replies that bowing down to Mr. Namiki won’t change his mind. Namiki hates them as his own small market suffered due to the opening of Tanakura Supermarket. Katsunori suggests that they should ask him to merge with Tanakura for this reason.
Hitoshi replies that Namiki had already refused them outright. Namiki has consistently opposed them in business. Katsunori pleads with Hitoshi to talk to him again and have him come around. Only he can keep the big chain store from coming in. Namiki owns the only suitable plot of land which the big chain wants to buy for building a superstore.
As they discuss, Michiko arrives, and Hitoshi asks his brother-in-law not to discuss business in front of her. She informs them that dinner will be ready soon; she serves them starters and comments that she is glad to hear that their new store is doing well. Hitoshi and Katsunori laugh artificially. Michiko continues that her mother-in-law was opposed to their opening up the new store. Usually, she is not the one to have so many doubts. Michiko seems relieved that her mother-in-law left home. She says that at least she got a chance to relax without the mother being at home! Both men pretend to enjoy this small talk and look at each other, waiting for Michiko to go. Michiko is still enjoying the sarcastic comments about her mother-in-law in her absence. She says that when the mother comes home, she won’t have to feel so guilty! Michiko wants Oshin to retire, and she says that it is time that the younger generation takes over!
As soon as she goes, Hitoshi shares with his brother-in-law that nothing is new at home.
…
Oshin and Kei are back in their Hotel room at Sakata. Kei makes the call to his father. He tells Oshin that Tanakura Supermarket is doing fine without her. He suggests that they both can just relax and enjoy their trip together. Oshin is thoughtful; she is looking out of the window. Kei, seeing her quiet, wants to cheer her up and asks her to take a relaxing bath. Oshin doesn’t hear Kei’s voice; she is still in her past, and looking out, she says that she is pretty sure that the Kaga-ya store was right there where they saw the tree that morning.
She contemplates what would have happened if Kaga-ya owner’s son sent her back to her village. Her life would have taken a different turn. But Kayo pleaded with her grandma, and she stayed on. The thought had haunted Oshin ever since.
FLASHBACK RETURNS
Little Oshin is ready to leave Kaga-ya, packing her things in the cloth bag she brought from her home. Okiku enters and asks her to come to the living room. Oshin asks Okiku if they found her another job somewhere.
Senior madam Kuni is sitting in the living room with her son and Mino. Mino asks her mother-in-law if we can arrange a job for Oshin elsewhere. Kuni explains that she wants Oshin here for Kayo’s sake. Her son objects saying that we cannot just do whatever Kayo asks for. She is not mature enough to understand, the dad says. Kuni is firm, and she replies bluntly to her son that Kayo knows a whole lot more than two of them! Her son isn’t convinced. Kuni tells him to leave everything to her!
Oshin knocks at the door; Kuni lets her in. Oshin sits down on her knees and bows to the ground, profusely apologizing. She says that she is ready to leave the house anytime. Kuni says that they have decided to keep her.
Kuni continues saying that Kayo doesn’t want Oshin to go away. Kayo has been a single child for a long time; she is lonely.
Kuni wants that Oshin and Kayo to be able to play together.
Oshin is delighted but puzzled. She reconfirms, asking if she gets to stay. Kuni tells her to keep doing an excellent job as Sayo’s babysitter. Oshin, for a moment, can’t believe it. Dad and Mino are uncomfortable in this situation. Kuni then wisely clarifies to Oshin that they all have agreed on this matter. Oshin bows again profusely, thanking Kuni, then to Dad and to Mino. Kuni asks her if she ate; Oshin replies that Oume brought dinner for her. Kuni asks her to go to bed; Kuni is considerate and says that the day was full of events and Oshin must be tired. Oshin asks for Miss Kayo’s health. Kuni replies that Kayo is resting now and she liked those owls Oshin made for her. Oshin’s face lights up.
Kayo has fallen asleep. The toy owls are placed next to her pillow.
It is morning hours. The laborers are cleaning the Kaga-ya store with long brooms. Oshin is strolling with baby Sayo tied to her back as before. Oume and Kayo come out of the main door as Kayo proceeds towards her school by herself. Oshin runs to catch up with Kayo. She touch’s Kayo’s shoulder and asks her if she has any pain. Kayo replies, asking Oshin in turn, how is her wound? Oshin was injured too. Kayo asks if it is hurting? Oshin replies, ‘Just a bit.’ Kayo laughs and tells Oshin that next time if they have a fight, she will not let Oshin beat her. Both girls giggle together.
As Kayo proceeds to her school, Oshin calls out, ‘Have a nice day!’.
Kayo had smiled at Oshin for the first time. Oshin was ready to do anything for her now.
How has Oshin’s life changed, now that she gets to stay at Kaga-ya? Will destiny give more tests to Oshin as she has resolved to do ‘anything’ for Kayo?
We will find out in Episode 32, coming soon.