Bheela’s Blog -109
25 December 2022
Episode 108 Recap
Oshin has a great Tokyo site seeing trip with her mother, although she is at full term of her pregnancy. She even watches a play.
A worker is sick, and Oshin starts stitching on the sewing machine when she gets her first labor pain.
She delivers a healthy baby boy, and Fuji’s presence helps. Ryuzo and Oshin are on cloud nine!
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Episode 109
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
In the spring of 1923, the Tanokura house is full of cheer and laughter. Oshin has just given birth to a son.
‘Isn’t this a good name for him?’ says Ryuzo. He writes his son’s name on a piece of paper and hangs the sheet sticking to the edge of a cupboard in the kitchen area.
Fuji sits and watches as she cannot read.
‘No, not that!’ says Oshin as she enters the kitchen.
‘You should still be in bed,’ warns Ryuzo, looking at Oshin.
‘It is already seven days. Mother was out on the field after 10 days!’ says Oshin cheerfully.
‘I had no choice, but it is best to be careful,’ says Fuji. She places a cup of tea on the dining table and sits.
‘I can’t stay in bed when a name is being decided for my baby,’ declares Oshin, and she sits next to her mom.
‘What is wrong with Yu? It is very manly,’ says Ryuzo, so the name is ‘Yu.’
‘It is too militant. Think of a more delicate name,’ says Oshin, pleading.
‘Since I was a weakling as a boy, I want my son to grow up strong,’ explains Ryuzo.
‘I don’t like it. Use the character ‘Wa’ for peace,’ Oshin suggests.
‘That is too girlish,’ says Ryuzo.
‘No, we can call him Kazuo or Kazuhiko,’ continues Oshin with more suggestions.
‘It is not manly enough!
‘It is better than sounding coarse,’ Oshin argues.
‘It is Ryuzo’s first son; let him name the boy!’ Fuji tries to make peace.
‘But,’ protests Oshin.
‘Yu is a good name,’ says Fuji.
Ryuzo is pleased to find a supporter and looks at the poster again. He gets up and says, ‘he will grow up strong!’
‘You have a guest,’ Genzi enters and announces. Ryuzo attends to the guest, and Oshin shows the name to Genzi, pointing to the poster.
‘Yu! It is a fine name!’ Genzi is pleased. Oshin isn’t happy, and she grumbles.
‘Oshin, why cause trouble just over a name!’ Fuji chides Oshin mildly.
‘A name is important; it lasts a lifetime! Remember when I ran away from my first job and was helped by an army deserter? He taught me the various meanings of my name. Oshin stands for heart, the Gods, and new. It also means the center of things!’ Oshin remembers her dead brother Shunsaku. His teachings remained with her always. She continues, ‘I will never forget it; I began to like my name. And it gave me the strength to endure a lot. I want a good name for my baby, too.’
‘I named you Oshin for inner strength!’ Fuji also goes into her past now.
‘See, I want to name my own baby!’ Oshin chirps
‘Ryuzo wants the boy to grow up manly,’ Fuji tries to reason.
‘It is too war-like. I am totally against war!’
‘A boy should be strong and manly! It is a good name,’ Fuji doesn’t want this argument to persist. She reminds Oshin, ‘Let us get ready to celebrate the seventh day of his life!’ Fuji gets up hurriedly.
‘Oshin, we have a guest!’ says Ryuzo, and he enters the room with Ken, the gangster who helped Oshin.
‘Ken!’ Oshin exclaims with a pleasant surprise.
‘It has been a long time!’ says Ken, as he sits and formally bows to Oshin, removing his scarf.
‘Likewise, we owe you so much!’ Oshin is happy to see him. She says, ‘but we have been so busy!’
‘I was away on business, too, for a while,’ says Ken.
‘He stopped by to see how we are doing,’ says Ryuzo; he, too, is happy to see Ken.
‘I remember you saying you needed to sell off your fabric stocks to start a new business. So, I wondered how you were doing.’
‘We are doing good,’ says Oshin merrily.
‘Your husband says you are doing great! He says you will be building a bigger factory soon. I am glad!’ says Ken.
***
In the evening, all Oshin’s café friends gather to celebrate baby Yu’s seventh-day celebration. Someko, Oshigeko, and Oyae arrive first, followed by Ms. Taka. They all helped Oshin during her earlier hardship when she first came to Tokyo. Oshin is happy at having them share in the celebration for her baby.
Ms. Taka hands the gift to Genzi and joins the others. They all sit around the table in the dining area. Fuji and Genzi help Oshin serve the guests.
‘Oshin sure is brave. She quit that well-paying hairdresser job without hesitation!’ says Ms. Taka; she is always proud of Oshin’s decisions.
‘Not many people can do that,’ says Oshigeko.
‘It is because she loves her husband,’ Someko adds. All of them start laughing.
Oshigeko says with a serious face, ‘I would throw out any man who had no earnings!’
‘Stop it! Not in front of Ryuzo!’ Young Oyae adds her wise advice.’
‘I would probably support my man, but it wouldn’t benefit him. A man has to work if you let him know he is responsible for your welfare.’ Says Oshigeko.
‘We didn’t even have rice to eat, and Oshin acted as if she didn’t care. I became desperate, and I had to do something.’ Ryuzo remembers the difficult days, and he looks at Oshin with admiration.
Ms. Taka pours sake into Oshin’s cup and says, ‘Oshin, you held up well. That is why Mr. Tanokura was able to do what he did. If you continued, no good would have come out of it.’
‘I am so glad he understood how I felt,’ says Oshin softly, looking at Ryuzo with love. The girls start laughing.
‘Remember when you yelled at me when I came by your café with some woman?’ says Ryuzo turning to Someko.
‘I had to do it; I felt so sorry for Oshin!’ Someko defends herself.
‘That sure hurt my feelings!’ Ryuzo replies.
‘I am so sorry!’ Someko says, and the girls again laugh and make noise. Genzi and Fuji watch all these conversations at another table next to the group.
‘I was living off Oshin’s earnings and was beginning to hate myself. I am ashamed of it all,’ Ryuzo admits.
‘We owe it all to you for our marriage holding up this far. I don’t know how to thank you all,’ says Oshin, full of gratitude.
‘We are all on your side, Oshin. I will gladly scold your husband for you!’ announces Someko in a mock formal way, and the group laughs again.
‘I am good now; no more lectures!’ says Ryuzo.
‘I am impressed with Oshin even more now!’ says Ken; he sits next to Ms. Taka and gets a chance to speak up. Ken looks at Ryuzo and says, ‘You are a great man, too. You built up this new business all for her! You make a good couple.’ He then addresses the girls, ‘These girls have always helped Oshin; I want to be their brother! I’ll do all I can to help all of you.’
‘He is a good brother to have,’ says Someko, ‘Now I have nothing to fear!’
Ken lowers his head in embarrassment.
‘Please enjoy yourselves!’ says Ryuzo, ‘this is a very happy occasion for us. I will sing for all of us!’ says Ryuzo.
The girls are all excited. They clap as Ryuzo starts singing a melodious song.
***
Oshin completes feeding and putting Yu to sleep. She goes to the kitchen, where Fuji just finished cleaning.
‘Mother, I am sorry I made you work so hard,’ says Oshin, and sits next to Fuji.
‘Genzi helped me,’ says Fuji, and she looks towards the dining area where Ryuzo is sleeping on the floor.
‘Ryuzo is sleeping soundly from drinking so much!’ says Fuji, and both laugh.
Oshin and Fuji come closer to Ryuzo and watch him.
‘He must have been thrilled today,’ remarks Fuji.
‘We have come a long way, and he has had a tough time. So, that makes him even happier,’ says Oshin. She straightens Ryuzo’s arms and tucks the blanket over him.
‘I was surprised; you never complained, so I had no idea. I guess you have had your share of problems. Since Ryuzo’s family owns a lot of land in Saga, and he had his own business, I thought you two had it easy,’ says Fuji. She is proud of her daughter for having handled the situation so well.
‘It wasn’t his fault that the fabrics business failed. The economy had hurt all businesses,’ says Oshin.
‘And you helped him get back on his feet. It couldn’t have been easy,’ Fuji ponders.
‘He is enjoying the work now. So, I have no worries,’ Oshin takes a deep breath and sighs.
‘I can go home now, knowing you two will manage nicely,’ Fuji starts the topic of her return and goes to her room. Oshin follows her.
‘Mom, please stay with us. I would feel much better if you stayed here. You would be better off here than back in Yamagata. I know Shoji is not that nice to you. Why go back where you are not wanted? Nobody will mind if you stay here,’ Oshin tries to convince mom to stay with her in Tokyo.
‘My home is back in Yamagata,’ Fuji replies.
‘I know, but,’ Oshin interrupts.
‘No matter how poorly Shoji and his wife treat me, I have my own house. I wouldn’t want to stay and be a burden on Ryuzo, no matter how nice he is. Besides, Yamagata is home to all my children. You will always have a home to return to it if anything happens. What would happen if I was not there? I will guard our family home for all of you. I would better go back before people think I will be in Tokyo forever.’ She laughs as she speaks to make it light.
She continues further, ‘Don’t count on Shoji and his wife. But as long as I am alive, you will always have a home. Who knows what life has in store for us. I will be fine in Yamagata. Bring Yu to see me when he is a little older. He can come and enjoy the mountain and the river there. I will do my best to live a long time,’ She gets up after having spoken all that she had in her mind.
(Fuji echoed the same sentiments our mothers and grandmothers have been saying. Many of us leave our villages and come to big cities, but the older generation wants to stay there. They would look forward to their children and grandchildren visiting them and enjoying the village life.)
Oshin sits there speechless and thinks about what her mother just said.
***
‘Ryuzo, get up! You will catch a cold,’ says Fuji, and she shakes Ryuzo. She puts all her strength into getting Ryuzo up on his feet. Oshin and Fuji Help Ryuzo to his bed.
Oshin feels sad that her mother is leaving. She fears that she will never see her mother again. The time has come for Fuji to return to Yamagata.
Somehow Oshin always fears that her excellent time won’t last long. Will her fear come true?
We will know more soon in the coming episode, number 110!’