Bheela’s Blog -078
14 May 2022
Episode 77 Recap
Oshin doesn’t allow Ryuzo to pay the hospital bills. She wants to be friends with Ryuzo on equal terms.
Due to her sickness, Oshin stopped sending money to her father. He gets worried and decides to visit Tokyo.
As he reaches Oshin’s place, he meets Ryuzo.
Sakuzo says nasty things to Oshin about her character. This makes Oshin unhappy. She then tells her father that she will marry Ryuzo.
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Episode 78
RETURN TO THE PRESENT TIME
Oshin and her grandson Kei are staying at a hotel in Tokyo. Oshin shares her past with Kei. She is at a point where she just told Kei about the significant decision she took under unusual circumstances.
‘So that is how you ended up marrying Grandpa?’ Kei comments; he pours a drink and places snacks on the table as he keenly listens to his grandma.
‘I wonder why I told my father what I was thinking. It is still a puzzle to me,’ says Oshin, thinking of that crucial time of her life.
‘You were in love with Ryuzo! I never met Grandpa, but he sounds like a nice man,’ says Kei; he also feels that his grandma took the right decision to marry Ryuzo.
‘People are funny; sometimes it takes something unexpected to realize how one feels. I had always liked Ryuzo, but I did not think I could marry him. I had my heart closed off from him. When my father told me not to see him, and it was more important that I help my brother with money, I began wondering! Why do I have to keep working so hard that I got sick?’ Oshin remains honest with Kei as she shares her feelings.
‘You have been suppressing yourself because you felt obligated to keep sending money back home. You weren’t aware of your real feelings. Aren’t you glad that you finally saw it?’ In all his wisdom, Kei analyses the situation of his grandma and thinks that good sense prevailed!
‘What is so wonderful about it? There was more trouble to come!’ says Oshin.
‘So what? You married the man you loved. You would still have regrets if you hadn’t,’ argues Kei.
‘It wasn’t a passionate kind of love; I felt he could give me a life full of peace. Maybe I was exhausted from working so hard, just to send money home,’ Oshin had a passionate love only for Kota, and she is truthful about this with Kei.
‘You made the right decision,’ declares Kei; he takes a sip from the glass as he speaks. Oshin laughs at his childish wisdom.
‘My life didn’t turn out to be so peaceful. It wasn’t easy for us to get married. If we had given up, my life would have been very different. That is fate!’ Oshin takes a deep sigh and closes her eyes. She again goes into her past.
FLASHBACK RETURNS
‘You can’t go bothering him so late in the night!’ Oshin is alarmed as her father fumes after knowing that Oshin wants to marry Ryuzo. He wants to see Ryuzo at that very moment!
‘He wants to marry my daughter; I want to know his intentions!’ Sakuzo shouts and puts on his shoes.
‘It is too rude for you to go there now,’ Oshin protests.
‘I need to go back home tomorrow! Important talk has to be done right away,’ retorts the father.
‘I will get ready and go with you,’ says Oshin and goes inside.
***
Ryuzo and Genzi sit on one side of the table. Sakuzo is seated in front of them. Ryuzo is still shocked by this sudden visit of Sakuzo and Oshin.
‘Maybe Young Master did ask her to marry him, but Oshin refused him. I thought it was over,’ Genzi says; he behaves like a spokesperson for the Tanokura family. Ryuzo is still dazed.
‘If it was over, I wouldn’t be here in the middle of the night like this. Oshin told me she intends to marry Ryuzo,’ says Sakuzo sternly; he doesn’t look eye to eye.
‘Oshin!’ says Ryuzo; he is stunned.
‘Oshin is very important to our family. I can’t give her away as I would a cat. Oshin earns a good living as a hairdresser. We need her earnings to help us out. I can’t just have someone take her away from me!’ howsoever rude it sounds, Sakuzo doesn’t mince any words. He spells out his own character when he says he needs his daughter for her money!
Oshin is upset, and she tries to protest, saying, ‘You came here just to talk like this?’
‘As her father, I wanted you to know how I feel,’ says Sakuzo; this time, he looks at Ryuzo.
‘Yes, but,’ Ryuzo is taken aback by such rudeness. He cannot speak any further.
‘Please forget about Oshin,’ continues Sakuzo.
‘We have no intention of taking Oshin as a bride!’ Genzi interjects; he gets a chance to speak his mind, too, ‘The Tanokura family owns a lot of lands! We can’t have a sharecropper’s daughter as a bride. You can rest easy and leave!’
Ryuzo tries to interrupt, but Genzi doesn’t stop; he says, ‘Don’t come telling us about how you won’t allow your daughter to marry!’ Genzi pants as he speaks.
This gives a massive provocation to Sakuzo’s ego! He glares at Genzi and says, ‘What was that? What is wrong with being a sharecropper? I don’t need a merchant telling me about family life or ancestry! Don’t act so big! Oshin, Let’s go!’ Sakuzo gets up and leaves the room.
Ryuzo tries to stop Oshin, but she looks at Genzi and Ryuzo and says, ‘I am so sorry!’ She, too, leaves the room as Sakuzo calls her from outside.
Ryuzo tries to get up to stop Oshin, but Genzi uses all his force to prevent him from doing so.
***
‘It wasn’t supposed to be like that!’ Oshin pleads to her father. She is embarrassed about the rudeness her father showed towards Ryuzo and Genzi. They are back home and stand outside Oshin’s room.
‘Wake up! You are a skilled worker, and you don’t need a man. You can make it on your own. And you always wanted to be independent. You don’t have to look for trouble with a man like that. They are landlords! Do you think you can be happy with him? Give him up; it is for your own good! Once the house is built, come home to Yamagata. Tokyo is no place for you. You can still do hairdressing back home in the village. Your mother wants you home, too. She is getting old.’ Sakuzo says all of these to brainwash Oshin; his intent is clear; he wants to suck Oshin’s labor and money as much as he can.
Oshin detested how her father expected her to earn money for him and her brother. Oshin couldn’t understand how he really felt! How a father feels when he is about to lose his daughter.
***
Oshin continues her sewing work the following morning. Her father left for Yamagata. There is a knock on the door, and she responds.
‘It is me, Tanokura!’ says Ryuzo; he continues to stand outside the door. Oshin opens and sits, formally apologizing.
‘I am so sorry about last night.’ Says Oshin; she bows to Ryuzo.
‘Where is your father?’ asks Ryuzo.
‘He left on the train this morning,’ replies Oshin, her head still lowered.
‘I wanted to talk things over with him.’ Ryuzo sighs. He then calms down and asks Oshin, ‘will you join me for lunch? I have something I must ask you.’
***
Oshin agrees to join Ryuzo for lunch. They go to the same restaurant to which Ryuzo took her earlier.
‘Please bring the food after we are done talking,’ Ryuzo instructs the waitress not to disturb them.
‘Call me when you are ready,’ says the waitress and leaves.
Oshin sits with her back towards Ryuzo; she feels awkward facing him.
‘I was shocked to hear what your father had to say,’ Ryuzo sits next to Oshin and starts the conversation. He asks Oshin, ‘Did you really tell him that you wanted to marry me?’
‘Yes,’ says Oshin softly.
‘I need to know; did you really mean it?’
‘Yes, I meant it,’ this time Oshin replies clearly.
‘You had told me that you would never marry a man you didn’t love. Do you want to marry me for some other reason?’ Ryuzo has several doubts.
‘No,’ says Oshin.
Ryuzo is still confused, so he asks, ‘you refused my proposal because you couldn’t bring yourself to love me. Then why?’
Oshin lowers her head and says, ‘people’s feelings can change. While I was in the hospital, your mother came to tell us how opposed she was to our being together. She said you would be disowned and lose your business, too.’
‘My mother is old-fashioned,’ Ryuzo tries to make it light.
‘You had told her that you would go your own way no matter what. It touched my heart,’ says Oshin. As she speaks, her face lights up, she looks up, and with a twinkle in her eyes, she continues, ‘I had never been happier. I tried not to have feelings for you. I refused your offer to pay my hospital bills, and I would feel bad each time you did something nice for me.’
‘Why?’ Ryuzo cannot believe that Oshin said all these.
‘I don’t want to make you unhappy. I have to keep working to send money home. I thought we could never really be together.’ Oshin couldn’t bring herself to tell Ryuzo about her feelings for Kota yet, but whatever she said, it was the truth.
‘Don’t be silly,’ Ryuzo feels relieved. He smiles and says, ‘the times have changed! As long as two people love each other, nobody can keep us apart.’ He gets up and sits facing Oshin.
‘Father told me that I would have to work to support my elder brother, and when he opposed our seeing each other, I realized how much I loved you,’
Oshin looks at Ryuzo and feels confident to say it all, ‘I was scared about never being free; that is why I kept working to help my family. But I have had enough.’
‘You will really marry me?’ slowly, the truth sinks into Ryuzo’s mind, but he seeks reassurance.
‘I have calmed down since last night, and I know I can never marry you, but I wanted you to know how I really felt! I feel much better now,’ somehow, Oshin feels that she is never entitled to the happiness life offers. Hence, she is still unsure if marrying Ryuzo and being happy are options! Ryuzo understands her fully.
‘If I can marry you, I am willing to lose everything. But, if I lost my business, I would be a burden to you. So, I can’t just casually ask you to marry me,’ Ryuzo wants to clear his position to Oshin.
‘You would regret it if you gave up everything for me,’ says Oshin; she thinks of all the uncertainties.
‘You think I am that hopeless? If I lose my business, I will start over from scratch! No difficulty can defeat us both! I will work hard for you. If I am with you, I am not afraid of anything.’ Ryuzo is ever so optimistic; he remains upbeat. His enthusiasm is infectious.
‘I will keep doing hair, so you won’t have to earn all the money alone!’ says Oshin.
‘I am not counting on your income. As a man, I can do anything! I will show you that I can!’ Ryuzo is happy with the possibility of a life together with Oshin. He has stars in his eyes. He is also concerned for Oshin’s family back home. He says, ‘But we must first get that house built for your family. It is your responsibility. So, let me pay for it.’
‘I can’t let you,’ Oshin protests.
‘Yes, I must!’
‘I will keep working hard and send them the money. Will you wait for me until it is finished?’ Oshin has stars in her eyes, too.
‘Yes,’ nods Ryuzo and says, ‘As long as we both know where we stand. I will wait for you as long as it takes!’ he respects Oshin for her pride in self-dependence! He says, ‘Do it for your parents. And, I will be getting ready to start a new company. I am sure nobody from our families will come to our wedding.’
‘I want it to be just the two of us. You and I will make a life together.’ Says Oshin with the hope of a new life.
Both Oshin and Ryuzo are ready to face the wrath of those around them. Maybe people’s opposition to their marriage has drawn them closer. This is how it is in youth!
Ryuzo is overwhelmed with happiness; he walks to the restaurant’s backyard and looks at the shining afternoon sun. Oshin joins him. Oshin is 21, and Ryuzo is 27. It is the spring of the Japanese era Taisho 10 (1921)!
Will they eventually get married? How? Will the families agree?
We will know more in the next episode, number 79, soon.