Bheela’s Blog -047
09 October 2021
Episode 46 Recap
Haru shares a secret with Oshin about a man, Hirano, she admired and loved.
Mom rushes back from Sakata after receiving the telegram about Haru’s condition. Father and Shoji are both upset about the rising expenses.
Oshin, to fulfill Haru’s last wish, meets up with Hirano and requests him to meet Haru just once. Although Hirano is unaware of Haru’s feelings, he still shows up at Oshin’s place to meet Haru carrying flowers.
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https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-046-3b190185dc3e
Episode 47
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
As Hirano enters the shed, Oshin introduces him to Fuji. She informs her mom that Mr. Hirano was Haru’s supervisor and has come to see her.
Fuji stands up and greets Hirano. She thanks him for coming and informs him about Haru’s condition. Fuji is not sure if Haru will recognize him.
Oshin shakes Haru and tells her, ‘Sister, wake up! It is Mr. Hirano! He is here to see you!’
Haru moves her head slightly and stirs. As she opens her eyes, Hirano sits close to her and says, ‘Haru, it is me!’ Hearing his voice, Haru opens her eyes wide; she is pleasantly surprised to see him.
‘Is this really you?’ Haru cannot believe her eyes.
‘Sister, he wanted to see you.’ Oshin adds with hope.
‘Haru, be strong, get well, and come back to us.’ Hirano speaks to Haru with sincere concern.
‘I thought I would never see you again! Am I dreaming?’ Haru says; she smiles with delight but is still unable to believe it.
‘You are not dreaming! Look! He brought you flowers!’ Oshin says with joy. Hirano takes the bunch of white flowers close to Haru’s face.
‘They are beautiful!’ Haru cannot contain her happiness; she smiles ear to ear. She continues, ‘I remember you picked daisies for me once. It made me so happy.’
‘They were blooming behind the factory. They suited you.’ Hirano speaks softly. He understands Haru’s condition and wants to make her happy.
‘I dried those flowers, and I still have them.’ Haru says; she is shy but happy.
‘Get well soon so that we can pick flowers together again.’ Hirano wants to encourage Haru with hope.
‘I want to get well, and I want us to be able to talk again.’ Haru indeed feels hopeful now. Seeing Hirano has given her renewed energy.
‘Of course! We will talk about the books I read. So, you better recover quickly.’ Hirano is enthusiastic.
‘I won’t die. I want to be able to see you again. I won’t die. I do not want to die.’ Haru speaks to herself, although she is well aware of her condition.
Fuji starts sobbing, standing at the door of the shed. Oshin and Hirano both choke and are unable to speak any further.
‘Don’t talk too much. You will tire yourself. Get some rest.’ Hirano holds Haru’s hand and says, ‘I will be right here beside you.’
‘Thank you! I will never forget today. Thank you very much!’ Haru speaks in a low voice as she is tired.
***
‘Thank you for taking time off to come and see her.’ Oshin tells Hirano as they come out of the shed. Oshin’s belief in human kindness has increased today.
‘I had no idea she was that bad off.’ Hirano is thoughtful.
‘We have given up on her. But we are glad to see her cheerful again after a long time. You were able to give her something to remember.’ Oshin says with gratitude towards Hirano.
‘I know that the working conditions are terrible at the factories. So many women workers have been victimized. But there is nothing we can do. If we speak up for workers’ rights, we will all be fired. I am afraid of losing my job. I am so ashamed!’ Hirano confesses to Oshin with his head down.
‘Everybody’s got it bad.’ Oshin tries to console him.
‘This can’t continue forever!’ Hirano is emotional. He says, ‘the capitalists can’t continue to grow fat! It can’t be allowed. The workers shall become stronger. You and I must work towards such a day!’
‘So, it is not just the sharecroppers. Workers all have it so bad.’ Oshin realizes as she speaks to Hirano outside her hut. She reminds herself, saying, ‘I don’t want to work for anybody anymore.’
(The seed of entrepreneurship which Ms. Kuni planted in Oshin’s mind gets nurtured, and her resolve to work for herself gets stronger)
She continues to tell Hirano, ‘I want to be able to support myself. I don’t want to end up like my sister. But at least you were able to make her happy. You helped her! You even came to see her. Thank you so much!’ Oshin bows again in front of Hirano.
***
Fuji keeps the flowers next to Haru’s pillow. Oshin enters the shed after seeing off Mr. Hirano.
‘Haru was in love with him?’ Mom gets curious and asks Oshin. She says, ‘I had no idea. Poor thing, I am sure she has regrets.’
‘I am glad for her. It is worse if she had nobody to love. I have given up on Kota. But I don’t regret loving him. I am grateful that I got to love someone.’ Oshin speaks to her mom, sharing her thoughts.
Haru wakes up as mom and Oshin are talking. She looks at the flowers and speaks up, ‘He really came! Did he bring me these flowers? I have no more regrets. I am ready to die. Oshin, make me a pressed dried flower from one of these, and put it in my coffin.’ Haru speaks with peace as she is now assured that Hirano did come and brought her flowers.
***
‘What are you both doing in here?’ Sakuzo enters the shed. He says, ‘We need your help out in the fields. Come here, Oshin.’
A stranger has come to their place. He looks like an agent. Oshin comes out of the shed and stands next to her father.
‘I heard about Haru,’ the man says, ‘she was such a good worker there. I wanted her to quit before she got sick.’
‘This is Mr. Katsugi. He will find Oshin a job.’ Sakuzo introduces the stranger to Oshin and Fuji. Haru listens to the man’s voice and gets alert. Sakuzo continues, ‘he is well-known here and all over Yamagata.’
‘I will surely find you a job,’ Katsugi tells Oshin. Oshin wants to know about the job. ‘What is wrong in this?’ the man says, ‘it is one of the largest restaurants in Yamagata.’
‘I can’t work at a job pleasing men.’ Oshin says clearly.
‘All you have to do is to pour sake for them. It is better than washing and cleaning. You will get to wear a nice and silky kimono too! One of the girls I know earns 10 yens per night! You can pay off all your debts in no time.’
The agents, including this one, know the weak point of all sharecropper families. He is cunningly clever in luring young women into such jobs. Exploitation is rampant in poor areas of Japan.
‘You should be grateful that he is giving you a chance.’ Sakuzo wants Oshin to get employed as soon as possible.
Oshin tries to protest, but the agent says that ordinary jobs don’t pay so much.
‘Think about it. You will be helping us!’ father continues to put pressure on Oshin. He says, ‘Shoji and I can’t possibly make ends meet. After all, Shoji will be getting married soon, too, and we have to help him! You would be doing us a big favor. The contract is only for three years. You can go and get married after that.’ Father shows his bias towards his son again. Oshin gets stiff by the turn of this event.
The agent looking at Oshin starts, ‘Maybe you can find a husband there. One of my other girls met a nice rich man to marry!’
‘You will go, won’t you?’ Sakuzo wants Oshin to say yes instantly.
Oshin looks away.
***
Haru listens to the whole conversation lying in the shed. She collects all her energy and tries to get up. Oshin comes to the shed rushing. She is startled to see Haru getting up and says, ‘Lie down, or you will start coughing again.’ Oshin supports Haru so that she could lie down.
‘This is important,’ Haru doesn’t want to lie down; she has something to share with Oshin. She says, ‘Oshin, don’t listen to that man! I am sure he is here with a sleazy deal for you.’
‘You know him?’ Oshin is quite surprised.
‘He used to come to factory often. He would trick the girls at the factory into selling themselves into prostitution. Oshin, don’t listen to him!’ Haru is angry, anxious and she uses all her energy to speak up to Oshin.
Oshin lowers her head; looking at her, Haru gets alarmed; she says, ‘Don’t tell me you accepted!’
‘Father insisted.’ Oshin replies, but now she, too, is worried.
‘Turn it down!’ Haru shouts, loudest possible with her meager strength.
‘But it is already set.’ Oshin is getting blank and not able to understand what she should do. She says, bowing her head down with regret, ‘I couldn’t help it!’
‘Oshin, run away! If you stay, they will drag you away.’ Haru wants to make sure that Oshin is kept away from the schemes of the agent. She takes out a pouch from her dress pocket. She gives it to Oshin and says, ‘Take this money and go to Tokyo. There is an address in there, too. Go there and ask for help.’
Oshin opens the pouch. She finds some cash and a piece of paper. As she opens, Haru says, ‘That is it! You can read it, can’t you?’
‘There is a name on it. Who is this?’ Oshin is curious.
‘I have never met him, but he knows about me. I was supposed to go to work for him. I didn’t want to be at the factory forever. By that time, I guess, I was already infected. I wanted to go to Tokyo and work as a hairdresser.’ Haru is tired, but she wants to say all to Oshin; she aims to protect Oshin.
‘This person runs a beauty parlor?’ Oshin wants to know more.
‘A woman should be working for herself. She has to be able to live on her own! Once you learn to do hairdressing, you can go into business for yourself. Do it for me!!’ Haru smiles with hope, but she cannot continue speaking further; her voice is choked. She starts coughing. Still, she gathers herself somehow and tells Oshin, ‘I haven’t much longer to live. Live for me! Do what I wasn’t able to do.’ Haru starts coughing again, this time with more difficulty. She says, ‘Hurry and go! Don’t tell Father. Don’t show him the money!’ She is unable to breathe.
Oshin hugs her sister tight in her arms. She tries to put Haru, now completely exhausted, on the bed.
It is evening time; an oil lamp is lit up in the shed. ‘Maybe, Haru won’t make it. Hers was a short life. And all she did was suffer. Please forgive me, Haru.’ Fuji, sitting next to Haru, sobs and says, sad with remorse. Oshin is seated next to her. They both look at Haru’s face. Haru is tired, and she is sleeping as she breaths with difficulty.
‘She looks at peace. She must have been happy to see Mr. Hirano.’ Fuji says and sobs.
The doctor enters the room along with Sakuzo.
That night, Haru takes her last breath at age 19. Oshin remembers Haru’s final words to her.
What will Oshin do now? All she has is a name and address of a Hairdresser, that too at Tokyo! Far away and a strange place! Will Oshin’s life change or get dragged into the agent’s offer to work as a bar girl.
We will find it in Episode 48, coming soon.