Bheela’s Blog -104
12 November 2022
Episode 103 Recap
On the first day, the sale doesn’t go well. Oshin could sell two dresses and a skirt only. The café girls join to help Oshin. Genzi also does his best to advertise the shop by distributing flyers to passers-by.
However, Oshin was grateful that Ryuzo took a day off to help her. She is once again in love with Ryuzo.
After 10 days, when the dresses remain unsold, Oshin decides to give up. She tells her decision to Ryuzo.
Two strange men enter the shop, and they look at the dresses. They look suspicious.
Please click the link to read the full Episode:
https://bheela-wadehra.medium.com/bheelas-blog-103-ee034bccdfa4
Episode 104
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
‘You can hang the wash later!’ there is an alarm in Genzi’s voice. He comes to the backyard, where Oshin hangs the clothes to dry on a bamboo rod.
‘Who is here?’ Oshin doesn’t understand the urgency; she straightens the cloth she just hung.
‘You have to talk to them; hurry! hurry!’ Genzi pleads with Oshin to come fast to the store area; he just left the two strangers there who barged in and examined the clothes.
Genzi pushes Oshin gently towards the store area, closing the backyard door behind him.
‘This is my card,’ says one of the men giving Oshin his card. Oshin seems to know the company the man represents.
‘Ono-Ya Merchandising?’ asks Oshin as she reads the names on the card.
‘Yes, we sell everything from clothing to furniture!’ says the man.
‘That big Ono-Ya?’ Oshin is surprised to see the men from the famous supermarket company Ono-Ya at her door.
(The first supermarket in Japan opened in 1954, but the departmental stores had been there since early 1900, selling several categories of items under one roof. Please click on the link for more on the history of stores in Tokyo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_stores_in_Japan#History https://www.oonoyasohonten.jp/history/_)
‘I am Tachihara from purchasing department. This is my assistant Nagano,’ One of the men, wearing specs, introduces himself and his colleague.
‘I am Nagano,’ The assistant gives his card to Oshin.
‘What can I do for you?’ Oshin is now wholly puzzled, but she holds her guts and asks.
‘I heard you are selling children’s clothes here,’ says Tachihara, the senior-looking man.
‘Did I do something wrong?’ asks Oshin.
‘No, that’s not it!’ Genzi whispers to Oshin’s ears; the two men laugh at Oshin’s innocence.
‘These are functional clothes and reasonable, too. The stitching is perfect, too! This is what we are looking for. The demands are great, but we need better merchandise to sell. What is available is too expensive. Children can go through their clothes very fast as they grow. Your products meet the consumer’s economic needs, too. We want to sell your brand,’ Tachihara says it all to convince Oshin to sell the products to their big departmental store.
‘Sell them at your big store?’ Oshin is confused and somewhat apprehensive. She isn’t prepared for this kind of offer coming her way suddenly.
‘We will make it worth your while. If that works, we will sell everything you make. How much will you sell to us; at what price?’ Tachihara won’t give up, and he comes straight to the point. He adds, ‘that is if you agree to deal with us.’
Oshin starts thinking fast; she looks at Genzi for support.
‘Well?’ Tachihara pushes further.
‘This is the best deal you can hope for,’ Genzi whispers to Oshin. Oshin thinks hard and then replies.
‘Thank you, but I will have to ask my husband.’ Oshin says to buy more time.
‘Your husband asked us to come and have a look. Please discuss the price arrangement with him. We will be back soon,’ Oshin’s jaws drop as Tachihara informs this.
‘I am so sorry; thank you very much for coming,’ Oshin bows to them as the two men prepare to leave, taking their hats.
***
‘I am sure Young Master was thinking of what is best for you and the business,’ says Genzi, seeing the two men off and closing the main door.
Oshin is unsure. She had another idea about the business plan. She wanted to be in direct touch with her users.
Seeing her dilemma, Genzi tries to convince her, ‘You couldn’t ask for more.’
Oshin is speechless and in deep thought; she looks at the business cards of the two men who just left.
(These are business decisions the entrepreneurs often have to make; what is better? The direct sale or selling through an enterprise? Oshin hasn’t gone to business schools, but she has a God-gifted instinct; she wants to follow that, but can she?)
***
‘You are upset with me?’ asks Ryuzo; he just returned from work and is changing into his home clothes. Oshin sits on the floor and talks about the two visitors.
‘I wanted to sell to the people directly,’ says Oshin.
‘But it is not selling!’ Ryuzo sits close to her and tries to explain his ideas, ‘I am not just trying to make us money. You did good work, but we are not selling well. This morning you said you were giving up. It would be best if you didn’t lose your self-confidence. It is not your fault that they are not selling. People look for stores with a reputation and shop at stores with big names! What didn’t sell here will sell at Ono-ya!’
‘Yes, but,’ Oshin hesitates; she doesn’t feel this is quite the right thing to do.
‘It is important for people to wear the clothes you make, then your value will be known! And people will learn about you and our company! Then people will trust your clothes, and they will sell!’ Ryuzo tries his best; he genuinely wants Oshin to continue to use her skills.
Genzi stands outside the room and is pleased to hear the conversation; anything his Young Master does for Oshin makes him happy. He walks away, embarrassed by his own action!
‘That is how business is, so don’t give up,’ Ryuzo continues. ‘Ono-ya believes in your product! Sell them with confidence! We will make less, but selling through Ono-ya means a big success! Let us have the people wear our clothes! We will take the long-range approach,’ declares Ryuzo, and he pats Oshin’s shoulders for encouragement.
This brings a smile to Oshin’s face, and she feels better. She is grateful for Ryuzo’s consideration and support.
‘Oshin, I can’t have you giving up now,’ says Ryuzo coming close to Oshin.
***
The following morning a cart arrives at the Tanokura house. Genzi and Oshin pack all the clothes they have and load the cart. They watch the carriage as it moves away, pulled by the staff of Ono-ya stores.
Oshin drags her feet to enter the house. With a heavy heart, she sighs and says, ‘it feels so empty!’ she drops onto a chair, exhausted.
‘All our merchandise is gone, so it will be boring for me now,’ says Genzi.
‘At least we will get back all the money we spent,’ says Oshin.
‘Young Master is not just thinking about the money. He did what he did for your sake!’ Genzi tries to cheer Oshin up.
‘I know!’ chirps Oshin and continues, ‘but there is no guarantee that the clothes will sell at Ono-ya.’
‘They believe in you; they are professionals! Isn’t that good enough?’
‘I guess so!’ Oshin’s smile is back; she always feels better when she talks to Genzi.
***
Oshin sews a cloth when Ryuzo returns home.
‘Welcome home,’ Genzi is at the door to let Ryuzo in.
‘What are you doing?’ Ryuzo removes his hat and squats opposite Oshin in the dining area; Genzi joins them.
‘Sewing diapers!’ replies Oshin; she says, getting up, ‘I will make you tea.’
‘Soon, you will not have time to sew diapers. I went over to Ono-ya. It is Sunday, and all the women were there, buying up our clothes!’ says Ryuzo, full of enthusiasm. He is excited to have just seen the big sale. He says, looking at Genzi, ‘there have so many people shopping there.’
Oshin brings the tray and places it on the dining table. A ringing sound comes from the living area.
‘Isn’t that the phone?’ Ryuzo and Genzi laugh at the sound; the phone has rung after several days. Genzi gets up to pick up the phone.
‘Is he getting hard of hearing?’ says Ryuzo to Oshin; she, too, is surprised to hear the phone bell.
‘I wasn’t paying much attention to the phone either, not after what you told me,’ Oshin says, ‘is it true? Our clothes are selling?’
‘Yes, they have marked them up by 20 percent! See! It is just as I predicted! Oshin, we will be swamped now.’
‘I can’t believe it; they didn’t sell here at all.’
‘You have to think about people’s psychology!’ says Ryuzo and looks at Genzi, who enters.
‘That phone was from Ono-ya; Tachihara is coming over,’ says Genzi.
‘He is coming now?’ Oshin is surprised.
‘He sounds like he is in a big hurry,’ says Genzi.
‘He is so pushy,’ Oshin comments.
‘Don’t be angry; he probably needs more stock. They will lose money if they run out!’ says Ryuzo to calm Oshin, but Oshin has some apprehension; she is somehow uneasy with this deal.
***
Tachihara and Ryuzo sit in the living room and laugh at some joke.
‘I know we can sell more in different sizes!’ says Tachihara.
‘Let us think about it,’ says Ryuzo; he wants to buy some time to plan for the stocks.
‘We will help you get materials, too,’ says Tachihara’s assistant; they are pushing Ryuzo and Oshin to supply them with more stocks.
‘Just keep your costs down,’ says Tachihara, in a more business-like tone.
‘We want to make casual wear for children,’ says Oshin.
‘That is what the people are looking for!’ replies Tachihara and continues, ‘We want everyone to come shop at Ono-ya!’ all of them laugh aloud.
Oshin cannot laugh with them; some sixth sense is playing in her mind, which tells her that selling her product through a large superstores is a bad business idea.
***
‘Have a drink, Oshin!’ Ryuzo passes a bottle to Oshin. Ryuzo is very happy that he made a deal with the Ono-ya store and could take charge of the business. He is drunk; his voice slurs and Oshin worries about this situation.
‘It is bad for my baby,’ says Oshin as she places two more bottles on the table, passing one to Ryuzo and the other to Genzi.
‘Oh, come on! It is time to celebrate!’ Ryuzo insists.
‘You are being irresponsible! We have only three sewing machines here. We can’t possibly turn out 20 outfits a day!’
‘Do as much as you can!’
‘You think it is just a matter of getting more sewing machines and more people. But we need good experienced people!’ Oshin has a natural business instinct; she knows the challenges of scaling up production, so she warns Ryuzo.
‘Don’t worry, just leave it to me,’ Ryuzo is basking in the newfound confidence, partly with the effect of intoxication.
‘Who knows how long we can keep going,’ Oshin is worried. She says, ‘what if we expand and get no further business?’
‘Just trust me!’ says Ryuzo.
‘I don’t need a bigger business. We need enough business to keep us fed,’ Oshin pleads.
‘This isn’t like you! Let us go big time! Oshin, I failed in business. But thanks to you, I can get back in again!’ says Ryuzo, and he takes another cup full of sake in one go. He is now totally drunk. He announces, ‘I will build our business into a big one! We will sell not just kid’s clothes, but also women’s wear and school uniforms! Maybe even men’s suits!’
‘Sweetheart!’ Oshin tries to stop Ryuzo, but he doesn’t.
‘You showed me that I can do it! Genzi, I have the best wife in all of Japan! Oshin, bear me a good healthy child. Then I will support you all!’ Ryuzo turns and holds Genzi’s hands. He says with affection towards Genzi, ‘you will have it easy, too. We will make clothes for everybody! That is my dream!’ Ryuzo takes another sip; Oshin is anxious now, and she eats her meals as she watches Ryuzo with uncertainty.
Ryuzo is making Oshin worry. She knows that life is not that easy.
What will happen now? Will this venture with the Ono-ya store work out?
In the coming episode, number 105, we will know more soon!