Bheela’s Blog -042
04 September 2021
Episode 41 Recap
Kayo confronts Oshin and extracts the truth from her about Oshin meeting with Yasuda. Oshin gets a letter from Yasuda, his real name is Kota, he asks her to meet.
Oshin takes the risk and meets with Kota. Kota expresses his love for Oshin. She is overwhelmed with joy and hope, and she is also in love.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kuni calls Oshin’s mom, Fuji, to Sakata to discuss Oshin’s engagement with Mr. Sakuragi.
Please click the link to read the full Episode:
https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-041-e66b5e163764
Episode 42
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Oshin’s mom Fuji is in Sakata; the senior madam asked her to visit Sakata with the news of Oshin’s marriage proposal with Mr. Sakuragi. It is bedtime. Oshin is lying in her room alongside her mom. She tells her mom that she wants to continue sending her money, and hence Oshin requests her mom to cancel the marriage offer.
Mom immediately brushes aside Oshin’s request, saying, ‘Don’t be silly. Your father can still work. Your brother Shoji is a man now, so he can take care of the farm by himself. Haru and Mitsu, your sisters, send us money too. The younger two are out working too. So, there are only three of us to feed now. We can manage after you get married.’
Mom is too happy with the proposal. She doesn’t want this proposal to slip out of hand. She continues to convince Oshin. ‘I am thinking of getting a job away from home, too.’ Oshin is scared. She is reminded of the last time her mother went out to Ginzan town to work at a bar. She asks her mom to rethink. Fuji has made up her mind; she says, ‘Your father and Shoji can manage independently.’ Oshin is not convinced; she is worried and says, ‘If you leave, it will be just the two of them at home. Who will do their cooking and washing?’ Mom says, ‘We still owe the landlord so much with interest on the amount we borrowed. The prices keep going up.’ Fuji pours some tea from the teapot kept in the room. Oshin is now firm. She says, ‘I won’t get married. I can’t!’ She has a big smile on her face. Mom looks at her. Oshin pleads, ‘Mom, please cancel this marriage offer for me!’
Fuji opens up and shares with Oshin the news she was holding back. She says, ‘Kaga-ya have found me a job as a live-in laborer. I asked them for help, and they arranged it!
Oshin is taken aback; she protests, saying, ‘work as a laborer carrying bales of rice from the warehouse to the boat! You can’t do hard labor like that!’
‘I can still carry two or three bales of rice!’ Mom is happy to have found a job that lets her live close to Oshin.
‘No, Don’t!!’ Oshin pleads, ‘If you need money that badly, I will keep working and sending you money. Please turn down this marriage offer for me!
‘It is too late now. Why didn’t you refuse when this first came up?’ Mom has some doubts; she looks at Oshin and asks her straightaway, ‘you have someone else you love? Do you? Did you promise to marry someone else? And cannot marry Mr. Sakuragi for this reason?’
Oshin is stunned that mom could know her feelings without even telling her. (It is true universally, moms come to know whenever their kids are in trouble) She replies meekly to mom, ‘I don’t know. But I want to wait for him. I can’t tell madame myself.’
Fuji understands the situation. She tells Oshin that she wants to meet this man the very next day. She asks Oshin, ‘Will you let me see him?
‘He is not in Sakata.’ Oshin replies.
‘Where is he?’ Mom is now anxious.
‘I don’t know,’ Oshin nods her head sideways in the negative and tells her mom, ‘But he is coming back for me. That is why I want to wait.’
Mom is now concerned after knowing this development. She says, ‘I will accept this marriage proposal to Mr. Sakuragi.’ Oshin protests, but mom continues, ‘It is for your own good!’ Oshin tries again, saying, ‘He is a good man!’ Mom tells her, ‘you are too young to know and understand.’ Oshin breaks down and requests her mom again. ‘Don’t be so stubborn’ mom raises her voice but quickly calms down. She tries to explain to Oshin, saying, ‘you know what it is like to be poor. Listen to me and to madam’s advice. Do you understand? Oshin keeps quiet and is pale with worries.
***
Oshin’s mom takes up the job of a laborer at Kaga-ya. The following day, the helpers load a bale of rice on Fuji’s back, and she walks to the boat area for unloading. Another laborer, walks with her and asks, ‘Wasn’t that your daughter at Kaga-ya?
I hear she has got herself a good marriage offer! You don’t have to be there with her?’ It seems the ceremonies related to the engagements are about to begin. Fuji says, ‘Kaga-ya takes good care of her. A sharecropper’s daughter shouldn’t marry a rich man!’ The woman says, ‘Don’t be silly! You should be there at the ceremony!’
***
The first ceremony, called the gift exchange ceremony, has just concluded. As a token of fixing the marriage, both families exchange gifts!
(Read more about the Yuinou ceremony in the link https://www.theknot.com/content/japanese-wedding-traditions#betrothal)
Seitaro, Kayo’s dad, is pleased with the arrangements, and he says that he is glad that the ceremony went off well. Oshin is dressed in a new pink kimono and is sitting in the living room. The other family members are sitting around her. Mino says that the wedding ceremony is next. She tells Oshin to learn all the business matters from senior madame before Oshin becomes a wife. Kayo comments, ‘So, Oshin is really getting married! How can you stand marrying a man you don’t love? I don’t want that kind of a marriage! That is the same as death!’ Kayo is quite firm in her opinion.
‘Don’t say such things at this auspicious ceremony! Kayo’s father warns. Kayo doesn’t stop, ‘Marriage without love is just a tool.’
Kuni is listening to this, and now she gets upset and tells Kayo, ‘You are the one responsible for carrying on Kaga-ya name! We have chosen a husband already for you. You will be marrying about the same time as Oshin.’
It is now Kayo’s turn to be shocked. She looks at her grandma with rage, gets up, and declares, shouting, ‘Sayo can take over Kaga-ya!’ She runs off to her room.
***
Oshin walks towards the warehouse loading area with a large pot of food wrapped in a cloth. She looks at her mom as the helpers load a bale of rice on Fuji’s back. As Fuji starts walking, Oshin calls her. After Fuji completes her task, she takes a walk with Oshin. Oshin hates seeing her mother working so hard. Fuji smiles and says it is far easier than working on the fields carrying a baby on her back! Oshin reminds her mom that she is getting older. Mom is happy, and she says that she still has the strength to work; she can see Oshin more often. Oshin also smiles and hands over the pot to Fuji, saying, ‘This is from the senior madam for you. Since you couldn’t come to the ceremony, madam sent this special food.’
‘That is so considerate of her. I was invited to attend, but I didn’t feel right about coming. Did everything go well?’ Fuji is happy and grateful. She continues, ‘I am so glad!’
Oshin cannot hold back anymore; she starts crying with loud sobs. She somehow stops and tells her mother that she doesn’t want to get married! She can’t marry a man she doesn’t love.
Oshin echoes the words of Kayo! Fuji tells her to stop these thoughts! Oshin should just try it out. From her wisdom, Fuji says that marriage is like riding a horse; one needs to get used to the man, and love will come later. She also advises that the wedding will never work out if Oshin has an attitude like this. ‘You were chosen! If you try hard, you will be well taken care of.’ Fuji tries her best to explain to Oshin. She now has to get back to work. She tells Oshin before she goes, ‘Get rid of whatever silly dreams you have!’ Fuji firmly believes that this marriage will ensure the removal of poverty from Oshin’s life forever, and she does not want this chance to let go.
***
Kayo is in her room, and she is upset; she tries to complete the Sea of Japan painting. She is not satisfied with her work and gets very angry. She just destroys the picture by splashing random colors on the paper. She picks up her painting board and bag and comes out of her room, opening the sliding door. As she is about to leave the house, she looks at the table where an envelope is kept with Oshin’s name written on it. She takes the envelope and looks for the sender’s name, but she understands who has written this. Her anger at its worst, her pride lost, she returns to her room, closing the door. In a great hurry, she rips open the cover and starts reading.
I hope all is well with you. I have been traveling in the various villages of Iwata, Akita, and Aomori prefectures. (These are north-eastern prefectures in the Tohoku region of Japan. More about these prefectures can be found by clicking the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dhoku_region )
People are rigid in their ways, and my work isn’t going too well. The farmers are busy with their planting season, and they have little time to talk to me. I have decided to go back to Tokyo for a while. I will stop by Sakata to see you. I will see you at the same dunes on 20 May at 3:00 pm… Kota.
Kayo’s face is pale, and she shakes with rage. She gets up, throws the letter crumbling it, and also throws the things around her. She takes out a suitcase and starts packing her stuff into it hurriedly. She has revenge in her mind!
***
Oshin walks back after meeting her mom. Her pace is slow; she is almost dragging her feet. She enters the kitchen, where both maids are busy wiping the washed crockery. The older maid asks Oshin if she could meet her mom. Oshin just nods in affirmation. Otama asks if mom was happy. Looking at Oshin and her sad, quiet face, the older maid comments, ‘You don’t seem too happy’. Oshin is still thinking and gets startled by footsteps. Kayo enters the kitchen and tells Oshin that she needs to see Oshin in her room.
When Oshin enters Kayo’s room, she finds Kayo in a foul mood. Kayo sobs and tells Oshin, ‘I trusted you. I didn’t believe the innkeeper when she said that she saw you walking with a man. I had no idea you were with Mr. Yasuda! How could you betray me?’ She shouts at the top of her voice.
Oshin starts to speak, but Kayo interrupts her, ‘I don’t want to hear excuses! I am breaking off our friendship! I will never have anything to do with you again. That is all I wanted to say.’ Leaving Oshin stunned, she walks out of the room, banging the sliding door. She picks the suitcase with her left hand and her bag on her right shoulder; she runs, opening the backyard wooden door.
Kayo continues to run with her luggage towards the seashore. The suitcase and the shoulder bags are heavy. She stops to catch her breath and approaches closes the fence. Kota gets up, hearing the sound, and looks at Kayo. Disappointed, he turns his back and starts walking ahead.
‘Oshin is not coming!’ Kayo shouts. Kota stops as Kayo rushes towards him with her luggage. She comes close to Kota and tells him, ‘Oshin is getting married!’ Kota looks at her in disbelief. Kayo continues, ‘She had her gift exchange ceremony today!
She is marrying into a wealthy Sakata family. She will be happy now. Happiness means different things to different people.’ Kayo now faces Kota, who is still not able to come out of the shocking news. Kayo tells him, ‘I want to go to Tokyo. I want to go with you! Please take me with you!’ she pleads. Kota bends down and picks up his bag; he cannot hear what Kayo is saying, he walks ahead. Kayo is puzzled; she continues walking behind Kota.
***
Oshin and the older maid are working in the kitchen when Mino enters. Both of them welcome her home. Mino says that it took her whole day to go shopping for Sayo. She looks around and asks Oshin where Kayo is. Oshin replies that she has gone out. ‘Where?’ Mino inquires, worried. ‘She didn’t say,’ Oshin informs her. Mino is scared and says that they have a guest over tonight. She tells Oshin that Kayo will meet her future husband today. It appears that they have invited the Betto family’s second son to discuss his marriage with Kayo. Oshin thinks for a while, and then she asks Mino about the preparation for dinner. Mino says, ‘We will have what you are making now. The senior madam says that we should not be too formal. We want him to see how we really live.’ Mino is excited and also somewhat tired. She wipes her face and neck with a handkerchief. Suddenly Mino remembers about a letter which arrived for Oshin. She tells Oshin to pick up from the table in the living room. Oshin thanks her and rushes to the living room and is surprised not to see the letter. Mino follows her, and she is shocked too. She says that she had it right there; maybe someone already picked it up for Oshin.
Oshin knew who picked up the letter and now understands why Kayo was so upset about Kota.
She worries, what was in the letter?
Her knees are week, she sits next to the table. The world seems to come crashing down all around Oshin.
We will know more about how the events unfold in the next episode, 43, coming soon.