Bheela’s Blog -033
03 July 2021
Episode 32 Recap
Kayo wants to be friendly with Oshin; she calls Oshin to her room and starts a conversation. This is not acceptable to Mino. Kayo seeks answers from her Grandma; Kuni explains to her in detail. Kuni starts teaching Oshin in her spare time. Mino is against this extra favor towards Oshin.
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https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-032-5d56378d3274
Episode 33
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Kuni starts teaching Oshin the Kanji script. Kayo also joins enthusiastically. Both the girls sit next to each other on their respective writing desks and practice basic symbols.
Mino disapproves of this, so she and her husband both meet up with Kuni to discuss this. Kuni asks them what the problem is? She is teaching Oshin only after her duties are over, and she is done with the chores. Kayo’s father says that Oshin is a babysitter; there need to be limits set.
(Kayo’s parents, like many other people from the affluent class, firmly believe that the poor and rich cannot be mixed. They are conscious of the class difference and would like to maintain the same. Kuni though, has some other ideas)
Kuni replies that Oshin is also a human being! It is Kaga-ya’s responsibility as her employer that they teach her. Mino tries to explain their uneasiness saying that she does not want to go against Kuni’s wishes to teach Oshin. It is just that they don’t feel right about Oshin studying alongside their Kayo. Her husband agrees with her and says that they have to consider Oshin’s background; she has a bad reputation in her village. Kayo’s parents are worried if Oshin teaches Kayo some wrong things, unworthy of Kaga-ya heiress. Mino says that if Kuni favors Oshin, then she will have to be extra strict. They don’t want Oshin to be too familiar with Kayo.
After listening to them patiently, Kuni has a hearty laugh. She comments that both of them are worried about such nonsense. In a light mood, she tells the parents that their child Kayo is much more stable than either of them. The dad tries to interrupt, but Kuni continues. She says that Oshin has caused Kayo to think about different things; earlier, she would only think about herself until now. Kayo has realized that there are people other than herself, Kuni remarks. Grandma is convinced that it is all perfect medicine for Kayo.
Kuni then proceeds to teach arithmetic to both the girls. She asked them if they knew how to count? Oshin replies, saying yes. Kayo adds that she can do additions and subtractions. Kuni then asks Oshin if she knew plus-minus. Oshin replies in the affirmative and adds that she can also do multiplications. Kayo is surprised since she hasn’t learned multiplication in school yet. Kuni asks Oshin to recite the tables. Oshin starts, two times one is two, two times two is four, two times three is six, and she continues.
Kayo interrupts her and says that she hasn’t learned these in school yet. She asks Oshin who has taught her. This time Oshin is not scared, and she replies that Shunsaku taught her. Kayo wants to know who is Shunsaku, but Kuni tactfully changes the topic and tells them that they are both ready to use the abacus. She elaborates further that at school, they calculate with pencil and paper, but, for merchants, the abacus is the key to everything! Kuni is quite fond of doing calculations using the abacus, and she gives one abacus each to Oshin and Kayo. She also shares her wisdom, saying that they will never have any trouble in life once they learn the abacus.
Oshin and Kayo both are mesmerized to see the abacus and are eager to learn.
(Many of you may already know, an abacus is an ancient calculating tool; to learn more about abacus, click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacus )
She teaches them hands-on, shows them first to clear the board. Oshin and Kayo both repeat after her. She then asks them to perform some quick additions of simple numbers. Both the girls can solve those easy additions. She shows them that the top ball represents number 5, and then she asks them to add five and four. She then teaches the next step and asks them to observe; when all the balls are used up in a column, the next column will represent the ten’s place. She also demonstrates some complex additions involving double-digit numbers, like five plus seven. She gives them some more tough ones. Kayo is very happy to learn together with Oshin, and she wants to finish faster than her. She asks Oshin to have a race on addition sums! Oshin is very happy to agree!
***
The following day, Okiku is working in the kitchen. Mino ties baby Sayo to Oshin’s back. Mino wants to make sure that Oshin understands her place. She tells Oshin that just because senior madam is nice to her, Oshin should never think of herself as equal to Kayo. Mino continues that an employee will always be just an employee; Oshin should never forget that. She then concludes that Kayo is Oshin’s master and not a friend.
Heavy with a burden to tackle this situation, Oshin slowly starts walking towards the backyard to take baby Sayo for a stroll. Okiku is older and wise; she comes to Oshin and tells her that it would be best if Oshin turns down the kind offer the senior madam makes to her. The young madam gets angry with this, and it is terrible for Oshin’s employment with Kaga-ya. Okiku warns Oshin that there is no need to invite trouble by upsetting the young madam.
***
Oshin is sitting in front of Kuni, her head bowed down. Kuni has heard her, and she asks Oshin why she should quit her lessons! Kuni provokes Oshin saying that she did not know that Oshin would be such a coward. Oshin keeps her head down, unable to speak. Kuni is very sure that Mino must have said something to Oshin. Kuni gives her an important lesson that Oshin will never make it to something if she lets such talks bother her. Kuni repeats her version that she wants to train Oshin so that Oshin can become something, standing on her own feet throughout her life.
Kuni then gives the masterstroke! She tells Oshin, ‘You already know what poverty is! You have to prepare for your future so that you never ever have to experience poverty again. You must know how to read, write, and do the calculations using the abacus.’. She then encourages Oshin to hang in there to reach her goal, never to get bothered by what others speak. She also tells her not to worry about silly talks; she must want it all that she deserves based on her competence.
(It is incredible how Kuni is trying to explain the management lessons taught in fancy B-schools to a nine-year-old girl. I was really impressed when she said to Oshin, ‘you should want it all.’ I guess Kuni’s life history is also worth exploring; there might be another Oshin hidden there!!)
Kuni genuinely wants Oshin to understand that learning is the only option for getting rid of the extreme poverty that Oshin’s family faces. Kuni’s words struck home. Oshin clearly wants that her family never has to remain hungry; her mom doesn’t have to give away a baby and go out to work in a strange place! She wants her grandma to get some treatment to not suffer; yes, she doesn’t want to remain poor. She wants to be able to make it on her own.
Oshin continues her studies despite the cold looks she receives from Mino. Then one day, as Oshin is washing baby’s diapers, Kayo comes home from school running. She asks Oshin to go with her to watch the electricity people putting up an electric pole just outside the Kaga-ya store. Kayo is excited, and she tells Oshin that it will bring electricity to homes. She exclaims, ‘It is huge!’. Kayo can’t wait for Oshin; she runs outside. Oshin has work to do; she thinks for a while and is unable to contain her curiosity. She, too, runs behind Kayo, leaving the unwashed diapers in the bucket.
Several men holding a large pole are trying to erect it with their bare hands. There is a supervisor who is pushing the men shouting at them to be careful. All the people from the neighborhood are gathered to watch the pole getting installed. Kayo and Oshin both stand in front of others to watch the ‘historic’ event from close quarters. Kayo cannot stop herself; she passes on the school bag to Oshin. She asks the supervisor many questions coming to her mind, ‘How do these poles carry electricity?’ The supervisor tells her to stay back as it is dangerous. Kayo is undeterred; she continues to ask, ‘Where does electricity come from? What does it look like? Does it flow like water?’
Now the supervisor is irritated, he shouts at Kayo to stay back, he repeats that it is dangerous.
In the meantime, the men who are trying to install the pole get distracted. It starts to slip from their hands. Mino also comes out and joins to watch. Kayo tells her mom that it carries electricity. Kayo is so excited that she is unmindful. Mino asks her to stay away. She shouts at Kayo to move.
At this instant, the large pole is wholly slipped from the hands of the men and starts falling. The supervisor shouts at everyone to get out of the way. Kayo is standing right there, and her legs freeze out of fear. She is unable to move. Oshin runs towards Kayo, pushing her away, saving her by inches. The pole then falls with a loud thud throwing the dust around.
Oshin takes Kayo with her, falls to the ground. She keeps Kayo’s as well as her own head down. Mino watches this and faints out of fright of her daughter getting crushed under the pole.
The supervisor and his men rush to see Kayo and Oshin. They lift the girls. Oshin straightens Kayo’s dress and looks at her if she had any injury. Meanwhile, the Kaga-ya manager asks his employee to get Dr. Sato quickly. Mino is lying, her head on her husband’s lap. Kayo’s dad is nervous and shakes his wife. Kuni arrives and looks at Mino with concerns. She asks the maid to get some ‘Sake’ (an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting rice, very common in Japanese homes).
Okiku runs to get sake, and Oume arrives with Kayo and Oshin. Kayo’s dad shouts at Kayo, calling her an idiot; he says that Kayo caused fear in her mom, resulting in her mom’s condition. Kuni asks her son to stop; she says Kayo is just a child. Kayo starts crying. Meanwhile, Okiku brings sake in a cup, and Kuni feeds the drink slowly into Mino’s mouth. Mino opens her eyes and comes back to her senses, saying, ‘Kayo, Kayo!’ Kayo comes running into her mom’s arms and starts crying loudly again. Mino says that she is glad that Kayo is safe. Oshin looking at Mino and Kayo together feels relieved, and she sits with exhaustion. Kuni looks at Oshin and asks her if she is hurt. Oshin replies that she is okay. Kuni tells Oshin that she protected Kayo. Oume says that if not for Oshin, Miss Kayo would have been crushed. Everyone was praising Oshin for what she did with her presence of mind.
Dad is still agitated, and he says that he will sue the electricity company. Kuni stops asking him not to be silly! It was Kayo’s fault to have gone so near the pole where it was dangerous. Kayo starts crying again, and dad asks her why she is crying. Is she hurt? Kuni replies with humor that she is crying as it was her fault!! Kuni asks Kayo to thank Oshin; she saved Kayo’s life. Oshin quickly responds that there is no need to thank; she was actually sorry to have pushed Kayo down. Kayo must have been startled.
By this time, Mino collects herself and calls Oshin close to her. She bows down in front of Oshin, thanking her profusely. Mino says that everything happened in front of her eyes. She thought Kayo will surely die as she was too frightened to get out of the way. She was frozen and just was standing there with a dazed face. If Oshin hadn’t acted quickly, Kayo wouldn’t have survived.
There is gratitude in Mino’s eyes. She feels guilty about her earlier suspicions. She continues to thank Oshin, saying that she saved Kayo’s life. She now thinks that it was destiny that brought the two of them together.
She requests Oshin to continue to be a good friend of Kayo.
Oshin is somewhat confused; she doesn’t understand how to respond to this situation. Mino begins to look upon Oshin with kindness.
***
Electricity came to Kaga-ya house soon after the incident. The whole family stands together with Oshin next to Kayo, waiting for the lamp to come alive. Dad presses the switch, and the electric bulb lights up with full brightness. All of them shout with happiness. ‘It is so bright,’ Kayo exclaims! Mino says that beauty of the electric light has blown her away!
Kayo asks her dad how does electricity gets to their home? The dad replies with some uncertainty that it comes through the wires. Kayo exclaims that cables are so thin, then how does it come through? Dad then guesses that electricity must be very tiny. All of them laugh with joy!
The electric light seemed very bright to Oshin. Oshin felt bright and cheerful! She can never forget the day the electric lights came!
***
Soon Oshin had her first New Year at Kaga-ya. It started snowing. A day before the new year, Mino calls Oshin and hands her a packet. Mino is sitting with baby Sayo in her lap, and she is pleased. She asks Oshin to open the package. Kuni is there too; she tells Oshin that young madam has it made for Oshin. Somewhat hesitant, Oshin opens the packets. Her eyes start sparkling, and jaws drop; it is a beautiful Kimono with red flowery prints. Mino says that this is to thank Oshin for what she did.
Kayo comes running into the room. She is wearing an identical dress. Mino says that Oshin and Kayo both can wear these for the new year. Kuni says that she will buy them both matching Obi Sashes too.
Kuni is happy also; she says that Kayo and Oshin will have precisely the same sets. Kayo is excited that they can wear this to go to the temple on New Year’s Day. Mino asks Oshin to try it on. Oshin is speechless.
She or anyone in her family never wore such fine clothing; she is a bit scared. Mino gets up and wraps it around Oshin’s shoulders.
Oshin is unable to believe it. She felt guilty about being so happy. She had little in the way of happiness ever before.
It was a little frightening for her.
The new year is around the corner. What changes will it bring to Oshin’s life?
We will find out in Episode 34, coming soon.