Bheela’s Blog -080
28 May 2022
Episode 79 Recap
Ryuzo has a plan; he wants Genzi to know Oshin better. He asks Oshin to get married at a Shrine. Oshin agrees instantly.
Oshin moves to Tanokura-house as a nervous new bride. Ryuzo welcomes her, and she feels comfortable, although she is uneasy in Genzi’s presence. She wants to win over his acceptance.
Please click the link to read the full Episode:
https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-079-3b7fa23acc80
Episode 80
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
After the wedding, Oshin begins living with Ryuzo at the Tanokura House. There is an office and fabric storage area in the front of the building, and the inner space is used as a living room. The place also has a dining area and a kitchen.
The clock strikes; it is 5 am the following morning. Oshin and Ryuzo make sleeping arrangements in his room. Oshin wakes up to the sound of the bell. As she tries to get up, Ryuzo pulls her close.
‘No,’ says Oshin, startled.
‘Why not? We are married!’ Ryuzo is eager.
‘Genzi is already up! I can hear his voice,’ says Oshin.
‘You said that last night, too!’
‘A woman thinks about things like this,’ Oshin replies softly. She assures Ryuzo, ‘I am sure we will get a chance to be alone soon,’ she is awkward still.
Genzi makes a coughing noise to register his wakefulness. Both Ryuzo and Oshin listen to the sound and look towards the door.
‘Maybe we should go on a honeymoon?’ Ryuzo suggests, releasing Oshin from his grip.
‘This is no time to be talking like that!’ Oshin laughs. Ryuzo goes back to sleep, and Oshin gets up.
***
Genzi sweeps the area outside the main door using a broom. Oshin goes to him, bows in greeting, and says, ‘Good morning!’ cheerfully, ‘I will be doing all the household chores starting from today.’
Genzi looks away; he doesn’t return the greeting and starts sweeping with his back towards Oshin. Oshin goes around and faces Genzi again. She asks, ‘Please tell me what to do.’
Genzi turns again; he deliberately ignores Oshin’s chatting! But Oshin is not the one to give up; she comes around to face him again and says, ‘In that case, I will do things my way. If you find faults with me, please tell me.’ She bows one more time and goes to the kitchen. Genzi stops sweeping and looks at Oshin with wonder!
Oshin starts the burner by inserting firewood, and then she blows the fire using a long pipe. She checks out the utensils for making hot water. She then looks at the kitchen’s pots, pans, and storage containers. She tastes a pickle dipping her finger into a jar. She is pleased to see some fine glassware, cutlery, and bowls.
She fills water in a copper bucket and mops the kitchen area using a rag. She moves fast as she is accustomed to working in a kitchen. Ryuzo enters the kitchen when she arranges the morning tea and breakfast dishes. ‘I fell asleep again,’ Ryuzo chirps and looks at Oshin lovingly. He says, ‘Ask Genzi for help if you need it.’
‘Yes,’ says Oshin; she pours hot water into a pot and asks, ‘Where will you wash your face?’
‘Here is fine; I will need to shave, too.’
Genzi enters the kitchen hurriedly and says, ‘let me get you hot water.’ By this time, Oshin has already kept the hot water ready.
‘I will get your razor and soap,’ says Genzi; he feels confused as Oshin has occupied the kitchen. The soap and razor are already in the place close to the sink. Oshin kept them ready for Ryuzo.
Ryuzo understands Genzi’s situation. He tells him, ‘Genzi, Oshin will be taking care of my personal needs now. Please just take care of our business, that’s all. I want you to relax a bit.’ He keeps his hand on Genzi’s shoulder.
Oshin lays the table with breakfast. As Ryuzo and Genzi enter the dining area, she announces, ‘I have tea ready!’
Genzi moves to a separate table kept in the store, next to the dining room. Oshin looks at him and says, ‘Why are you seated there? Please have your meal inside with us.’
‘I am just a worker; I always eat here.’ Genzi replies sternly.
‘I look upon you as my husband’s father. My husband feels the same way, too.’ Says Oshin, and she looks at Ryuzo, saying, ‘Don’t you? Please tell him to join us at the table.’
‘Oh, come on, Genzi, don’t be so old-fashioned!’ says Ryuzo.
‘One needs to respect priority!’ Genzi is old-fashioned, and he maintains his place in the household, never crossing the line.
Oshin fills a bowl and gives it to Genzi. This startles him, and he says, ‘I will serve myself! Oshin, you are his wife; there is no need to serve me!’ Genzi gives Oshin lessons of worldly wisdom! (As we say ‘Duniya Daari’)
‘This is good!’ Ryuzo changes the topic as he eats the dish from a bowl.
‘I used the big rice pot!’ Oshin is happy to use the new utensils. She says, ‘I used to just cook on the hibachi. But it didn’t taste good, so I felt nostalgic when I found the big rice pot.’
(Hibachi is a fire bowl used in a Japanese household. For more, please click this link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibachi#:~:text=The%20hibachi%20(Japanese%3A%20%E7%81%AB%E9%89%A2%2C,designed%20to%20hold%20burning%20charcoal.)
‘You used the big rice pot?’ Ryuzo encourages her as he participates in her happy moments.
‘When it was just the two of us, we didn’t need to use the big rice pot,’ says Genzi; he is upset with the change in the household where he had his own exclusive kingdom so far.
‘The miso soup is so tasty!’ Ryuzo tries to change the topic again by drinking his soup with a slurping sound, ‘and so is the shredded daikon radish.’
‘Oh sure, you used to say you hated it!’ Genzi spills the bean as he tries to be a spoilsport. He is unhappy with Ryuzo showering praises on the breakfast cooked by Oshin.
Oshin is amused to see this drama between Ryuzo and Genzi. She enjoys this attention.
***
‘Make sure you cover these retailers today,’ Ryuzo instructs his staff as he begins his day’s work at the office area.
Oshin is ready to leave for her hairdressing house calls with her tools. She approaches Ryuzo and says, ‘I will be going out a bit.’ She then turns to Genzi and tells him, ‘I have to go out on my hairstyling job.’
Genzi doesn’t respond; he takes out his specs and observes Oshin from his work desk.
‘Oshin has to send money back home for a new house,’ says Ryuzo to Genzi. Genzi tries to protest, but Ryuzo continues, ‘I know it is not manly to have one’s wife work. But I promised her that she could keep working. Only until their house is built,’ Ryuzo wants to be transparent with Genzi about his responsibilities.
‘I am sorry,’ says Oshin, she bows down in front of Genzi.
‘It is not shameful for a woman to work!’ says Ryuzo and pats Oshin appreciatively on her shoulder.
‘I will be home in time to prepare tonight’s dinner,’ says Oshin.
‘Don’t bother; Genzi will make us dinner,’ Ryuzo assures her.
‘No, it is my job to cook; it is the least I can do. It is bad enough that I go out to work,’ Oshin remains apologetic.
(In the 1920s, it was not so common that women would go to work, especially in affluent families. However, over time, the society norms changed in Japan, and people accepted the idea of women participating in the workforce. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Japan )
‘Then, take some money,’ says Ryuzo to Oshin; he turns to Genzi, saying, ‘please give Oshin some household money.’
Genzi quickly takes out money from the cash box and hands it to Oshin.
***
‘I am sorry about yesterday!’ says Oshin to the café girls. She resumes her hairdressing house calls, starting with the café.
‘You didn’t show up, so we assumed that you must be sick again. We went to see you to your room and learned that you have moved!’ says Someko. As usual, she is worried about Oshin.
‘I am sorry, I had to move,’ Oshin is shy.
‘The landlord told us that you had gone to the Tanokura House,’ says Someko; she is somewhat puzzled.
‘I am sure the landlord was mistaken,’ says the young Oyae.
‘Oshin, are you really with Ryuzo?’ asks Someko.
‘I had meant to tell you we got married yesterday!’ Oshin hesitates, but she speaks up truthfully to the café girls. Both get a shock; Someko drops the cigarette on the floor. The snacks Oyae eats spread on the floor in confusion. Oyae chokes and starts coughing. Oshin quickly cleans up the area.
‘You really married Ryuzo?’ Someko is shocked.
‘I thought you didn’t even like him,’ says Oyae in disbelief.
‘Never mind! A women’s heart can take twists and turns,’ says Someko wisely, and then she hugs Oshin saying, ‘I am happy for you!’
‘Thank you all for your support!’ says Oshin cheerfully.
‘I am surprised to hear it, but I suppose we should better celebrate!’ Oyae calms down, and she, too, is happy for Oshin.
‘Why didn’t you invite us to the wedding?’ asks Someko with a mock complaint.
‘It was just between the two of us,’ Oshin lowers her head as she speaks; she suddenly remembers the disapproval of both families.
‘Let us have a party; Ryuzo is so good to all of us!’ says Oyae excitedly.
‘I am grateful, but there is no need for celebration yet!’ says Oshin.
‘Why not? You got married, didn’t you?’ Someko asks.
‘Tanokura family is against our getting together. They will disown Ryuzo and take away his business if they find out.’ Says Oshin; she shares her situation with the café girls.
‘That is rough!’ exclaims Oyae.
‘But you do live together, right?’ Someko is concerned.
‘But we are not a real husband and wife yet. Once we consummate it, you can all help me celebrate,’ Oshin shares all with Someko, she remains cheerful, and her happiness is shown on her face.
‘Why did you move in with him? It would have been better to just have him visit you! They are probably making you work as a maid.’ Someko worries and thinks of all possible situations.
‘You still plan to work as a hairdresser, don’t you?’ asks Oyae.
‘We are married, and I will do what a wife should do. I want to! I like doing wifely things!’ Oshin is experiencing new life with a man next to her. She wants to enjoy this to the fullest after so much hardship all her life. She laughs at her own joke and then gets busy with her work. She asks Someko, ‘Let us do your hair now.’
***
‘What decent wife would stay out so late?’ complains Genzi. It is late in the evening, and Ryuzo is still at work. Genzi draws the curtains as the workers have left after store hours.
‘It can’t be helped; she has to send money home,’ Ryuzo replies.
‘If she doesn’t perform as a wife, I can’t recognize her as being one! Am I wrong?’ Genzi still plays his tricks to change Ryuzo’s mind. He continues with a mischievous smile, ‘It is still not too late; pretend that there was no wedding. Give her some money and send her away! I will wait a while before I tell your parents. Please just wake up! Who knows when she will be home!’ Genzi turns sarcastic and, with a sigh, says, ‘I will make dinner tonight.’ He gets up and tells Ryuzo as he goes towards the kitchen, ‘So think about what I told you.’
Ryuzo looks towards the door waiting for Oshin to return from work.
As Genzi enters the kitchen, he finds a cloth covering the dining table and a letter for him. He puts on his specs and starts reading. ‘Dear Mr. Genzi, I have made dinner. The fish is in the pot, and the small pot contains some clear soup. Please warm it up. Just pour the soup over the meat inside the bowls. I have also made Shira-ae* as a side dish. I might be late, so please have my husband eat first. And, please join him at the table. Thank you — Oshin.’
(* Mashed Tofu Salad)
Genzi removes the cover cloth and looks at all the dishes, neatly covered with lids and the serving spoons placed on the top. He checks all the pots and bowls. As Ryuzo enters the kitchen, Genzi hides the letter in his dress pocket.
‘Oshin had dinner made already? I guess she shopped and came back to cook, after all.’ Ryuzo is pleasantly surprised to find all the dishes. He sits on the floor next to Genzi cross-legged and is relieved.
Genzi gets busy warming the food; he is in deep thought, probably ashamed of what he said about Oshin.
‘Oshin writes very well,’ Genzi speaks up slowly.
‘Have you seen her handwriting? Remember those letters I got from the café girls? You thought a man was writing the letters for them,’ Ryuzo laughs; he wants to lighten the situation.
‘I thought I had seen her writing before! A sharecropper girl from Yamagata; she didn’t even go to school! Where did she learn to write so well?’ Genzi almost talks to himself; he slowly knows Oshin and realizes the wrong impression Ryuzo’s mother had created about Oshin. But he is not entirely convinced yet.
‘She learned from the old lady owner of a rice merchant in Sakata. She knows how to calculate and keep books, too. She also learned tea ceremonies and flower arrangements! She is well-trained in the abacus, too.’ Ryuzo proudly narrates all the qualities of Oshin to Genzi. His plan seems to be working.
‘She uses the abacus?’ Genzi is surprised to know.
‘I have never seen her use one; she is probably not that good with it,’ says Ryuzo; he wants to remain modest.
***
Oshin runs to return home fast. She opens the door, enters, and then closes the curtains.
‘I am sorry to be so late,’ she sees Genzi waiting for her in the living room and bows to him.
‘I had been meaning to speak to you. Your husband is away at a meeting,’ says Genzi; his face is stiff.
Oshin nods and goes inside to keep her tools.
Oshin gets nervous around Genzi. He seems so complicated and stern. Now she is scared of having to talk to him. She looks at the kitchen and finds it clean. She feels that Genzi is putting her on many tests that she would have to clear to win his approval.
What will happen now? What will Genzi ask her?
We will know more in the next episode, number 81, soon.