Bheela’s Blog -038
07 August 2021
Episode 37 Recap
Oshin is now 16 years old. A couple comes to visit Kaga-ya to look at Oshin for a prospect of marrying their second son with her.
Kayo and Sayo grew up too. Kayo wants to be a painter. She advises Oshin to consider before getting married to a stranger. Oshin is overwhelmed with the sudden change in her life.
Please click the link to read the full Episode:
https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-037-9c12d82653ae
Episode 38
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Dinner is over at Kaga-ya. Oshin has completed the day’s chores; she now sits with stitching. She also teaches the young maid, her name is Otama, to sew and mend clothes. Otama is taking time to learn. Oshin tells her to go to bed. Oshin asks Otama if she has turned 14. Oshin tells her that when she was 14, she had started sewing. She tells the young girl to make good use of this opportunity to learn. Otama nods her head in affirmation. Oshin continues that Otama joined Kaga-ya after she completed fourth grade in school. When she had joined Kaga-ya, she came without any schooling to babysit Miss Sayo. The new maids commute to their homes, but Oshin was trained by Okiku and Oume, both live-in maids. Oshin expresses her gratitude to the earlier maids for teaching her to sew, too. Oshin continues her conversation with Otama and tells her that both Oriki and Oume got married and left. Now it is Oshin’s turn to train Otama!
Otama asks Oshin if she would get married, now that a family came to ‘see’ her. Oshin smiles but does not reply.
***
Oshin prepares tea and pours the brew into a beautifully crafted fine cup. It appears that a guest has arrived. She takes the cup of tea placed on a nice tray to the living room. A young man is seated in front of Ms. Kuni. Oshin places the tray on the floor and bows in a traditional Japanese manner. The man is the second son of Mr & Mrs. Sakuragi, for whom they wanted Oshin in marriage. As Oshin serves tea to the man, Kuni helps her pass the cup to the man. The prospective groom cannot take his eyes off Oshin, but at the same time he feels awkward.
Oshin gets up and goes towards the door; the man wants to stop her but cannot speak; he just stutters and scratches his head.
Kayo and Sayo both hide behind the door and watch. Kayo remarks, ‘look at the man, he is such a girlie-looking person; does Oshin really intend to marry him?’ Sayo pulls Kayo behind before anyone sees them.
***
Kayo opens a songbook and sings a beautiful song. Oshin knocks on the door calling Kayo; she lets Oshin in. Oshin has brought tea and cookies for Kayo. Kayo welcomes Oshin and tells her that Oshin is so considerate. Kayo says that she was looking for tea now, and without asking, Oshin brought her the tea! As Kayo packs her painting material, Oshin asks her if she is going off to the sea beach again to paint? Kayo replies that she is not satisfied with the painting she made before; her artwork isn’t perfect yet. Oshin requests Kayo to stop making her mother worry about her.
‘Are you lecturing me?’ Kayo snaps back!
Oshin complains, ‘You have changed since going to that girls’ school in Yamagata.’
‘One has to learn about the world around them.’ Kayo says philosophically to Oshin.
Kayo then sits down and starts taking her tea and snacks Oshin brought for her. Oshin wants to cheer her up and asks her about the song she was singing; she asks if the music is new. Kayo replies enthusiastically, telling Oshin that the ‘Song of Gondola’ is from a stage play she saw.
(Song of Gondola was a viral song played in various stage plays in 1915, later it was also included in a movie. For more information, click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gondola_no_Uta )
Oshin is curious; she asks if this one is like that song they sing in the Resurrection. (A famous play based on Leo Tolstoy’s novel, staged in 1914, including many songs. For more information, click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katyusha%27s_song) Kayo informs Oshin that the resurrection song was made last year. This year it is Song of Gondola. Oshin is impressed and she praises Kayo for her quality of keeping up with the times.
Kayo now gets serious; she tells Oshin that she saw the man, Oshin is set to marry. Kayo challenges Oshin; what’s so good about him? Kayo tells Oshin that she hopes that Oshin will not really marry him. Kayo assures Oshin that there is no need to marry him if she does not want to. Oshin is humble; she says that she is honored to have received the offer. Kayo cannot believe it!!
Oshin then tries to explain that she is a daughter of a sharecropper. If she goes home, she will have to marry a sharecropper, too. At least, she has a chance for a good marriage since she is with Kaga-ya. She must be grateful. Kayo is taken aback. She tells Oshin that she had sent her a magazine called Blue Stockings; it is a women’s rights magazine. She asks if Oshin read the magazine. Oshin thanks Kayo for the magazine, but she was busy in the household, and at the store, so she did not get time to read.
Kayo doesn’t give up; she tells Oshin, ‘Don’t sound so pathetic, you used to love to read before, what has happened to you now?’
‘You and I are of different circumstances,’ Oshin replies with hesitation in her voice.
Kayo wants Oshin to develop an interest in world activities outside of the home. She tells Oshin, ‘The White Birch is a literary journal put out by Saneatsu Mushanokoji and Takeo Arishima.
(They were Japanese novelists of that era; for more information, click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saneatsu_Mushanok%C5%8Dji and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeo_Arishima. )
They advocate new ideas! The Blue Stocking magazine is published by Raicho Hiratsuka. It is a magazine strictly for women. (click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluestocking_(magazine) for more info.)
They say that women were once the center of the universe. They were the Sun! But now, we are the sickly pale Moon.’ As Kayo speaks, she has sparkles in her eyes; she strongly believes in the new age concepts of upliftment of women. She continues, ‘We must become the Sun again! Do you understand?’
Oshin is mesmerized by her speech. Looking at the blank and meek expression in Oshin’s face, Kayo starts again, ‘We have to break the bond that keeps us, women, down; we must live our own lives! In a play I saw, the character casts off home and her fortune to find true happiness. Women must realize. We don’t want to be dependent on men anymore!’ As Kayo takes a break from her emotional speech, Oshin asks her, ‘This Blue Stockings; what does it mean?’ Kayo replies, ‘It’s ‘Seito’ in Japanese, and it is a kind of long blue stockings western women wear. Think of it as socks!’ Kayo laughs as she speaks. She continues, ‘The women’s rights people in England all wore blue stockings! Oshin now understood why the magazine is called by this name! She remarks and laughs, ‘Rich people sure have a way about them!’
Kayo is serious again; she says, ‘I want you to live like the Sun. If you get married now, what will become of you? You will be just another sickly pale Moon!’ Oshin still hesitates, and she expresses her inability to understand things the way Kayo thinks. Oshin says, ‘I don’t know about being the Sun or the Moon. But I do value myself! That is why I never want to be poor again. That is why I don’t mind marrying Sakuragi. I want to do it for myself.’
(Kayo and Oshin grew up together; their friendship blossomed in such a way that they could talk on any subject under the Sun. Oshin continued to maintain her place; she never crossed the line. Kayo, as a result, started confiding in Oshin)
Kayo is disappointed; she says, ‘I always thought you were smarter than that! I had to study hard so that I wouldn’t lose to you, but you always managed to do better than me.’ Oshin tries to explain that they are different and they live separate lives. Kayo almost gives up and asks Oshin, ‘So, you are getting married?’ Oshin will have to give an answer soon to senior madam. She changes the topic and tells Kayo that she wishes that Kayo returns to school. Kayo share with Oshin that she is not returning to the school at Yamagata. She has already packed all her things at the dormitory. Oshin is shocked to learn that Kayo has taken the final decision of quitting school. Kayo tells her that the school is not doing her any good. Kayo wants to do some good paintings and take them to Tokyo. ‘What will happen to Kaga-ya,’ Oshin exclaims. Kayo replies with all her wisdom, ‘One has to get out from within one’s shell to bring out the talent! I am now going to paint the Sea of Japan,’ she declares. She takes her painting material and goes out towards the seashore.
***
Kayo’s parents, Mino and Seitaro, are discussing with Kuni. Mino shares with Kuni that they made a mistake in sending Kayo off to the girl’s school at Yamagata. Kuni says that she was always against it. Kuni believes that education or not, it is not a good idea to send a young girl to live away from home. Seitaro, Kayo’s dad says that it is too late for that now; according to him, a woman needs a good education these days. He continues that Kayo is going to take over their business!
Kuni says that it is best to train Kayo for marriage, and she needs to learn how to run the business alongside. Dad says that they will have to find a college-educated man to be her adoptive husband. Dad looks worried. Kuni has different ideas; she says that a man doesn’t need an education or a college degree; he has to just work hard! Kuni continues that if Kayo wants to quit school, let her, and she will train her. As per Kuni, it is still not too late. She asks both Mino and Seitaro to find a man for her right away. Kuni is also sure that Kayo will quit talking nonsense once she gets married and has a child. Kuni’s experience in dealing with young women prompts her to say these words!
Kuni asks Mino to bring Kayo to her now so that she can explain to her directly. Mino gets up to find Kayo. After she leaves, Kuni tells Seitaro that she is glad that they caught the situation well in time. Kayo wants to paint, according to Kuni, that is being childish. Kuni suspects that Kayo might have found a boy she likes at Yamagata school. Kuni says that if my suspicion is true, then probably it is too late. Seitaro says that he trusts Kayo. Kuni shares her experience and tells him that we trust them or not; one can’t control matters of the heart!
***
Mino rushes to Oshin and asks her if Oshin knew where Kayo has gone. Oshin replies that she is sure that Kayo is at the sand dunes at the shore of the Sea of Japan. Mino requests Oshin to go and tell Kayo to come right home; drag her if Oshin has to! Oshin rushes out to fetch Kayo.
Oshin runs to the beach; her speed is slowed by the mounds of sands and high wind near the sea. She spots Kayo close to the sea with her stand for the painting board. She is relieved to see her there. As she walks ahead towards Kayo, suddenly, a man appears from nowhere. The man has a cap on his head, and his face is partially hidden. He has a muffler around his neck. The man walks next to Oshin, matching her speed, and tells her to just keep walking and not be scared.
He keeps his head down and speaks with a low volume. Oshin is startled and speechless. Before she could move, the man grabs her by his arm and tells in her ears that the militia is following him. She shouldn’t worry and keep walking normally. The man releases Oshin, still holding his arms around her shoulder, and tells her that they think he is meeting a woman, and this way, he can fool them.
As the man looks sideways, two policemen come running at a distance, and they stop for a while. They look at Oshin and the man and then run in the opposite direction. The man has been successful in fooling the police personnel. Oshin is still terrified, her fists are clenched, and her face is pale out of fear. The man supports Oshin, and both of them walk towards Kayo. Hearing footsteps, Kayo turns and looks at Oshin and the stranger. Oshin shouts for Kayo. The man asks her in a firm voice not to scream. Kayo has a good laugh looking at Oshin; she comments, ‘I didn’t know you had a lover!’
By this time, Oshin and the strange man have come close to Kayo. Oshin quickly tells Kayo that she doesn’t know this man. She was sent to fetch Kayo, then this man grabbed her suddenly. She also managed to release herself from the strange man’s arms, runs towards Kayo, and then stands behind.
The stranger then walks calmly towards Kayo and apologizes for scaring them. He says that he had to think of something to dodge the policemen following him. He conveys his thanks to Oshin for helping him. Kayo comes forward, and she asks him if he is on the ‘wanted’ list? The man does not reply; instead, he looks at the painting and asks Kayo if she painted this. He appreciates the illustration.
Meanwhile, Kayo looks at the man intently, and for her, it is kind of ‘love at first sight!’ The man says that the painting shows the rustic loneliness of the Sea of Japan. He continues by saying that oil painting is a new technique. As he is analyzing the painting, even Oshin looks at him with admiration and awe. He suggests that Kayo could try to express more of the rustic-ness. As the man explains improving the artwork, Oshin continues to look at him, and she feels some strange sensations in her heart. Kayo’s cheeks are red too.
Both Kayo and Oshin seem to have fallen already for this stranger.
The man had come out of nowhere to enter Oshin and Kayo’s lives at the same time. This chance meeting was to change their lives forever.
We will find more in Episode 39, coming soon.