Bheela’s Blog -046
02 October 2021
Episode 45 Recap
Oshin reaches home uncertain about her future. Meanwhile, Haru is home, sick with Tuberculosis. The textile mill where she worked abandoned her as she could not work anymore. Oshin calls a doctor who confirms that Haru cannot live longer. He asks Oshin to call their mother so that Haru can see her.
Oshin’s father and brother oppose this idea. Oshin considers this as God’s will that she was sent home at this time to take good care of Haru in her last days.
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https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-045-5d6db537b5c3
Episode 46
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Oshin had returned to her village with a broken heart. Haru, her sister, was also brought back home with TB. Haru developed the disease while toiling at the textile factory.
Oshin has taken it upon herself to look after Haru. The doctor has given her the freedom to let Haru eat whatever she likes as the medicines are of no use at this stage of the disease.
Oshin breaks an egg into a bowl. She carefully stirs the egg, and she mixes this with the rice gruel she is preparing for Haru. She brings the tray to the shed, where Haru is lying motionless out of weakness. Oshin lowers the tray and sits next to Haru, asking her how she is feeling.
‘I guess I feel good being home,’ Haru replies meekly.
‘It’s too bad you have to sleep out in the shed.’ Oshin says. She isn’t happy with this arrangement as it is too cold in the shed.
‘It’s okay. I feel more comfortable out here,’ Haru is considerate. She often gets coughing attacks, and she feels that by staying at the shed, others won’t be disturbed.
‘I made you white rice soup. You will get stronger and better in no time,’ Oshin helps Haru sit up as she shows the rice bowl enthusiastically and brings the bowl close to Haru.
‘Don’t bother so much about me, Oshin!’ Haru says, ‘I am not worth anything. I can’t work anymore. Don’t get father and brother upset. Then, you will have it harder, too.’ Haru cautions Oshin; she knows the money and debt situation at home very well.
‘Don’t be silly. You got ill working for all of us! It is only natural that we get you well again. Just relax and get well!’ Oshin says with a broad smile on her face to encourage Haru.
‘You haven’t changed!’ Haru smiles too, looking at Oshin’s energy and interest to cure her.
‘Eat it while it’s hot!’ Oshin puts the tray on Haru’s lap and passes her the spoon.
Haru picks up a small quantity of the soup and tastes.
‘Aah!! It is so good! Gruel made with white rice is the best. At the factory, we only got barley mix to eat. But it was better than the daikon gruel we have at home.’ Haru says with happiness, and both sisters smile, thinking of the awful taste of daikon.
‘Eat all you want.’ Oshin says and lifts the bowl closer to Haru’s mouth.
‘That factory was bad,’ Haru starts talking as she gets some energy after eating the tasty gruel. ‘Two girls slept on one futon (mattress).’
‘Two girls together?’ Oshin is unable to understand.
‘No,’ Haru clarifies, ‘We worked two separate shifts. Since we use the same bedding, if one gets TB, the other will catch it too.’ Haru recollects her horrible time at the factory.
‘That is absurd!’ Oshin is shocked to hear this.
‘We were all weak from overwork,’ Haru continues, ‘Many girls were sent home to die. We were exhausted from working 12-hour shifts. They had told us that we would learn tea ceremony and flower arrangement, but all of us ever wanted was to sleep during breaks. I would often ask myself why I was doing all this? I knew I had to work to earn money. It has been hell for the past eight years.’ Haru is tired after speaking.
‘You had nothing but hardship for eight years.’ Oshin is still in shock. She says, ‘Compared to you, I had it easy at Sakata.’
‘I didn’t have it all bad.’ Suddenly, Haru’s voice changes to a pleasant tone. She smiles and says, ‘There was a supervisor who was good to me. He would stick up for me. His name is Hirano, we would talk often. I lasted because of him. If I hadn’t gotten ill, I would still be happy working with Mr. Hirano. I have now given up on him because of my illness. I feel sad because I can’t see him anymore.’
‘You were in love with him?’ Oshin says, knowing too well about being in love herself!
Haru’s expression changes quickly; she lowers her gaze and feels sad.
‘Did you two promise to marry?’ Oshin gets curious.
‘I was just a worker. Besides, I got sick.’ Haru is happy again; she chirps, ‘How did we get on to this subject?’ She just wants to avoid discussion about love; she is too afraid. She says, ‘I have never told anyone before. It is your fault!’ she mildly scolds Oshin, laughing.
Oshin smiles mischievously and says, ‘I feel better now. At least you did not have it all bad!’
‘It doesn’t do much good to talk about him. I can’t ever see him again.’ Haru is only too aware of her condition.
‘You can see him when you get better! That is why you have to eat better!’ Oshin is the one who wouldn’t give up easily.
Haru looks at the rice bowl and thinks of the boy whom she admired. She does not know about love, but now that Oshin said it, she realizes her love for Hirano.
***
‘Haru,’ Fuji enters the shed, running and panting. ‘Mom!!’ both girls exclaim, too happy to see her!
‘I got the telegram, and I came rushing home! Why are you sleeping here in the shed? What is wrong with you? Haru, Haru!’ Fuji can’t stop worrying. She touches Haru’s face.
***
The family is sitting around the fire in the living room. The father, as expected, is distraught. He looks at Oshin grimly and charges her, ‘You sent the telegram? A real nuisance!’
‘A mother should be with her daughter when she is sick!’ Fuji replies sternly.
‘We need you to work.’ Shoji doesn’t want to be left behind when it comes to insulting his mom. He says, ‘we had a bad harvest last year. And we just finished planting this year’s crop. We need money for food until the harvest. We have a sick one, and Oshin too! You being here is not going to get Haru better!’ He speaks with contempt.
Fuji cannot stand anymore; she gives Shoji a tight slap on his face, saying, ‘You call yourself a human being? All you think about is money? Oshin did right in sending for me. Do you want money so badly? Okay, I won’t eat, and I will take care of Haru!’
Shoji slowly gets up and shouts, ‘I don’t like being the way I am. No matter how much I work, we are still poor. Life isn’t easy!’ He takes out his frustration by shouting at the top of his voice.
‘Stop it, Shoji!’ Sakuzo asks him to behave. Shoji gets up and goes out of the room.
‘Shoji had it rough too. He is the eldest son; he is responsible for everything.’ Sakuzo says; he clearly shows his bias towards his son. He says, ‘Shoji works and gets no rewards. I don’t blame him for saying those things.’
‘He is not the only one working.’ Fuji disagrees, and she wants to be fair with others too. She continues, ‘Haru, Mitsu, and Oshin all worked to help the family out. It is so unfair!’ Fuji sobs as she is unable to say more.
Oshin is quiet all this while; her anger is shooting up, but she remains composed. She says calmly, ‘Being a sharecropper is the problem. We have to pay out high rents to the landlord. We never have enough rice left for ourselves. We are forced to take out high-interest loans. We have to borrow more before the first loan is all paid off. The landlord doesn’t work, yet his coffers are full. The sharecropper just gets deeper into debt. As long as there are sharecroppers, there will always be poor people. It is wrong that only the landowners get rich!
Father is listening to Oshin with anxiety on his face. He senses a rebel in Oshin; he tries to stop her.
‘It is nobody’s fault; it is the system that is wrong! The system is what made my brother like that, and the system made my sister ill. If Haru dies, it is as if the landowner killed her.’ Oshin is unstoppable. Kota’s words ring in her mind, and she says it all.
Father is now upset; he comes close to Oshin and says, ‘Where did you learn such things? Who taught you this? Don’t ever say such things outside the house. Without the landowners, how are we landless farmers going to live? We have been under the landowner’s care for generations. There is nothing we can do to change anything. The police are looking for rebels who are stirring up sharecroppers. So, don’t talk like that ever again!’ Father warns Oshin; he is unwilling to change the system, although it pushes them to a vicious cycle of deep poverty.
‘Thinking like that is what keeps the sharecropper down! That is why you will always be poor.’ Oshin challenges her father and wants him to see reason.
‘What is that?’ Father shouts; he cannot believe Oshin is coming forward so strongly in front of him. Fuji gets scared by this conversation. She asks Oshin to apologize.
‘I am not saying anything wrong.’ Oshin continues.
Father just loses his cool, and this time, he slaps Oshin hard on her cheek. Oshin falls to one side. Father is furious; he fumes and says, ‘I won’t let her talk that way to me!’ He is not accustomed to women raising voices. Mom intervenes and asks Oshin to apologize again. Oshin is not scared; she gets up and faces his father. He hits her again. Mother comes in between them, trying to stop. Father and Oshin both don’t want to give up.
(Several movements had started brewing in this period. Like Kota, there were groups of people and some students who wanted the system to change. The Japanese government tried its best to suppress such a movement. Similar to Sakuzo, some farmers did not want to join the activities started by rebels. However, these culminated in a famous rice riot, leading to the prime minister stepping down and the government getting dissolved. For more on this subject, please click on these links: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_Riots_of_1918
***
Oshin enters a gate that has a signboard reading ‘Josei Textile Factory.’ She waits in a reception area, and the sound of mechanized looms is heard in the background. A young man enters the room and comes forward, saying, ‘I am Hirano.’
‘I am sorry to come unannounced,’ Oshin says, bowing in a traditional Japanese way. Hirano smiles politely and asks her, ‘Are you Haru’s sister? How is Haru’s health now?’ He takes a seat in front of Oshin.
‘Yes, she mentioned how kind you were to her.’ Oshin says, and she too sits on a bench, bowing again.
‘She was frail when she left. You came to give me news about her?’ Hirano tries to starts a conversation, although he fears the worst.
‘I have a request. Can you come and visit just once?’ Oshin replies and pleads, ‘I don’t know if you have feelings for her, but I want her to be able to see you before anything happens to her. She doesn’t have much longer to live. It is her last wish.’ Oshin takes out cash from the folds of her Kimono and places it on the table. She says, ‘I have one yen here. Use it for your travel.’ She bows again with hope.
‘I don’t understand,’ Hirano says; he is surprised and puzzled.
‘I love someone too. I know how much my sister wants to see you. You don’t have to mean it.’
Oshin is desperately trying that Hirano agrees to fulfill her sister’s last wish. She continues, ‘Just make her feel that it was worth living. I feel so bad for her. She has never had any joy in her life. You are the only bright spot in her whole life. Please understand.’
‘Haru was nice. We would talk often. But I did not know she felt that way about me.’ Hirano says truthfully, keeping his head low.
‘You won’t come?’ Oshin gives up. She gets up disappointed.
***
Haru is coughing severely. Oshin holds a wooden pot in front of her mouth so that Haru can throw the cough coming out. Haru takes a deep breath with difficulty holding a towel that is soaked in blood. Her condition has deteriorated. Fuji is supporting Haru with her arm around Haru’s shoulder. Fuji starts crying; she says, ‘poor thing, we can’t do anything for you.’
Haru lies down with exhaustion. Oshin wipes her mouth using the clean edge of the same towel. Fuji says sadly, ‘I wish I could change places with you.’
Fuji tells Oshin, as Haru falls asleep, ‘She started coughing blood after you left.’
Oshin comes out of the room carrying the wooden pot and towel. She washes the vessel and the towel in the stream that flows close-by. There is a stone on which the family does their washing next to this stream. She hears footsteps and looks up.
A young man wearing a cap and holding a bouquet of white flowers is standing there. To Oshin’s pleasant surprise, it is Mr. Hirano!! Hirano removes his hat, greets Oshin, and says, ‘Thank you for coming the other day.’
‘I was afraid you wouldn’t make it here in time!’ Oshin exclaims.
‘Is she that bad off?’ Hirano is worried.
‘I am sure she will get better the minute she sees you!’ Oshin replies.
Oshin is delighted with hope. She runs towards the shed, showing Hirano the way inside. As Hirano enters the door, Fuji turns to see him. Haru is still lying motionless as she is too weak after the spell of severe cough.
Hirano looks at Haru, the flowers still in hand, with deep genuine concern.
What happens next? Will Haru be able to see Hirano before she dies?
We will know in the next Episode 47, coming soon.