Bheela’s Blog -111
08 January 2023
Episode 110 Recap
As soon as Fuji leaves for Yamagata, the Tanokura family has another visitor. Ryuzo’s father arrives from Saga to see baby Yu.
He offers a loan to Ryuzo to grow his business. He also shares with Oshin how Ryuzo craves his mother’s love and recognition.
Oshin is anxious and not in favor of expansion, taking a loan from Ryuzo’s father.
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Episode 111
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
The Tanokura company is doing well. Baby Yu is growing steadily. As a wife and a mother, Oshin is happy with her life.
She is busy folding Yu’s diaper cloths when Genzi comes outs carrying baby Yu in his lap. He dances and shakes the baby as he talks in the baby language with Yu.
‘I am sorry, he must be heavy for you; let me take over,’ says Oshin and comes towards Genzi.
‘He is in a good mood,’ says Genzi, and he sits on the steps. Oshin joins him.
‘Yu really loves you,’ says Oshin.
‘It is my greatest pleasure to spend time with him.’ Genzi is delighted; he showers the baby with kisses, and Oshin, too, kisses the baby. Genzi continues to hold Yu in his arms and looks far. He says, ‘I used to carry Ryuzo on my back, too. That was 30 years ago. I am glad I am still alive to enjoy this.’
‘You are such a big help to us,’ says Oshin as she looks at Yu with fondness.
‘Oshin,’ enters Ryuzo and calls out excitedly, ‘I found a good location for our factory. It is about 10 minutes away from here. They will be foreclosing on the land and putting it up for auction soon. It will cost a lot, but I will get it!’
‘Where will we get the money?’ Oshin gets anxious.
‘I will get it and use the money my father will loan me to build on it.’
‘Will you be able to repay all the loans?’ Oshin is worried; she is not in favor of expansion.
‘With 30 sewing machines working, our profits will be much greater. We will repay the loans in no time, and the land will belong to us. Then we will build a new house on the plot. Just leave everything to me. Once we get the land, everything will be just fine.’ Ryuzo has big dreams, and he shares them with Oshin.
Ryuzo looks at Yu, cuddles him, and says, ‘Yu, you have brought us good luck. I will build a big house for you to grow up in.’
***
‘Madam, sir, Itoko sewed her finger!’ shouts the worker as she runs to the backyard calling for Oshin and Ryuzo.
‘She stitched her own finger on the sewing machine?’ Oshin gets agitated as she hears this.
‘I will take her to the hospital,’ Ryuzo gets up and rushes to the work area.
‘I will take her place on the machine,’ says Oshin; it has been the practice; whenever a girl is absent or gets sick, Oshin fills in the gap.
‘We don’t want to fall behind on our orders,’ says Oshin to Genzi and goes hurriedly.
Genzi carries Yu to his back and strolls around the front office, where Oshin is stitching on a machine along with other tailors.
***
Ryuzo returns home after taking Itoko, the worker, to the hospital. As he approaches the lane, he stops suddenly, seeing a woman standing at the entrance.
‘Is that you, Kayo?’ says Ryuzo, utterly surprised to see Kayo standing there looking for the door to enter. ‘It is you!’ Ryuzo exclaims as Kayo turns to him.
‘Mr. Tanokura!’ Kayo shouts as she sees Ryuzo.
‘What are you doing out here?’ says Ryuzo and removes his hat in greeting.
‘I wasn’t sure if I had the right place,’ says Kayo, looking around.
‘You have the right place; come on inside,’ Ryuzo opens the door for Kayo and ushers her in.
Kayo bows in greeting and enters the house.
Oshin is busy stitching, but hearing the door sound, she looks up and freezes. She can’t believe it when she sees Kayo coming in. Kayo, too, looks at Oshin in awe.
‘Oshin,’ Kayo cries out.
‘Ms. Kayo,’ Oshin gets up to greet in astonishment.
***
Ryuzo shows the baby to Kayo; she touches Yu’s finger lovingly and says, ‘What a fine baby!’
They sit around the dining table as Oshin prepares tea for Kayo and serves her. Ryuzo carries the baby and asks Kayo, ‘You don’t have a baby yet?’
It was an innocent cordial question, but it made Kayo sit back and lower her head. Oshin understands and changes the topic, saying, ‘I am so glad you came. Did you have business in Tokyo?’
‘I came to celebrate the birth of your son; I wasn’t able to come for your wedding,’ says Kayo.
‘We didn’t have any formal ceremony,’ says Oshin. Ryuzo gets up with Yu; he leaves the two friends alone to catch up.
‘That is why I wanted to come for your baby! My grandmother wanted me to come, too.’
‘I am glad she is well,’ says Oshin remembering the senior madam, Ms. Kuni.
‘She looks forward to the letters from you! She wants me to report on what I see here. She is still worried about you!’ says Kayo, and both start giggling like school girls.
‘I am always grateful to her!’ says Oshin, and then she asks Kayo, ‘can you stay for a while; can’t you? I have some work to finish.’
‘Never mind! Keep Kayo company,’ Ryuzo enters and tells Oshin. He also sits with Kayo and Oshin.
‘But we have to fill tomorrow’s order,’ Oshin is always mindful of the business commitments.
‘I will make some excuse,’ says Ryuzo.
‘I am not in a hurry to return home,’ chirps Kayo, ‘Maybe I can help you.’
‘I couldn’t ask you to do that!’ says Oshin.
‘I found a replacement for Itoko! What a time to get injured,’ Ryuzo informs Oshin with irritation.
‘Don’t talk like that. Itoko is overworked,’ Oshin takes the side of the worker. She continues, ‘it is our fault that she got hurt!’
‘Nobody else ever got hurt! She wasn’t that good. I will lay her off,’ Ryuzo decides impromptu.
‘You are firing her?’ Oshin is shocked.
‘She has brought this all upon herself.’
‘Maybe she was careless, but it is work-related,’ emphasizes Oshin, ‘We will pay her medical expenses and help her while she recovers.’
‘That is nonsense,’ comments Ryuzo.
‘Then how will she eat?’ questions Oshin, ‘She can’t do any work with an injury like that.’
‘That is not our problem; we pay by the piece. We can’t support Itoko if she can’t work.’ Argues Ryuzo.
‘You want Itoko to starve?’ Oshin won’t give up.
‘I know how you feel, but,’ Ryuzo continues his argument, ‘we can’t let our emotions get in the way of our work. We can’t pay all her expenses and her replacement, too. How much do you think we will lose?’
‘Money is not the issue here. And I am not just being emotional. My late sister was fired when she came down with Tuberculosis and couldn’t work anymore. She came back to us in tatters, and later she died. I hated that textile mill for its cruelty. If we forsake Itoko, we would be like that awful textile mill. I can’t do that!’ Oshin emphasizes; she won’t give up.
This gets Ryuzo to think. Kayo watches the argument with a sad face, and she starts thinking, too.
‘We are responsible for her welfare,’ Oshin continues, ‘She worked hard for us until now. She got hurt doing work for us.’
‘All right, you win!’ Ryuzo agrees after hearing Oshin’s forceful argument. He then looks at Kayo and says on a lighter note, ‘she is always like this, a big nuisance!’ and he laughs.
Oshin realizes Kayo’s presence suddenly, and she feels awkward. She says, ‘I am sorry, we shouldn’t argue in front of you.’
‘I am envious,’ Kayo speaks up slowly, ‘A married couple should be like this. That is what being married is all about, isn’t it?’ Kayo regrets her lousy marriage, and her sadness shows on her face.
Ryuzo laughs to make it easy and says, ‘she wins all the arguments!’
Kayo takes a deep breath and says, ‘I know what Oshin is talking about. Kota always said the same thing. He said that workers have rights. And the employers must respect those rights.’
The mention of Kota strikes a chord in Oshin’s mind. Kota remains in the corner of her heart, and she cherishes those ideologies always.
‘The only way for workers is to unite and fight!’ Oshin and Ryuzo are mesmerized as Kayo speaks of labor rights.
Oshin interrupts Kayo with a surprise gesture, and Koyo takes hold of herself. She says, ‘Listening to you talk got me thinking about Kota. Your employees are lucky to have you.’ Kayo lowers her eyes in embarrassment at the outburst.
What has really brought Kayo to Tokyo? Coming to see the baby is just an excuse. Oshin thinks as she stitches the unfinished dress. She knows Kayo too well and could sense it.
***
At the end of the day, Kayo helps Oshin clear up the kitchen and sits in the dining area, setting up tea cups.
‘I am sorry we weren’t even able to go out to eat! Ryuzo and I will take you out for dinner tomorrow,’ says Oshin as she washes the dishes.
‘I didn’t come to be entertained,’ replies Kayo, ‘I don’t want you to make a fuss over me.’
‘We want to be able to treat you properly. Now that we can. It is good that you came out to Tokyo. I have had my share of problems, but this is the life I chose, so I will live with it.’ Oshin shares with Kayo.
Kayo brings the tea tray to the kitchen and sits there. She says, ‘You were able to choose your own path. You probably have no regrets. I had to return to Sakata to marry a man I didn’t love. I can’t take it anymore,’ Kayo starts sobbing. Oshin comes close to console her.
Kayo continues, ‘I want to get a job here in Tokyo. I am never going back to Sakata. To come and visit you was just an excuse. This was my last chance.’
Oshin is alarmed. She says, ‘Don’t say such things.’
‘Oshin, you are the only one I can count on for help,’ says Kayo in between her sobs.
Baby Yu starts crying. Oshin turns to the other room and says, ‘he has wet his diaper.’ She rushes to the room where Yu is sleeping.
Kayo looks on with frustration.
***
Oshin pats Yu’s shoulder to put him to sleep again. Kayo comes to the door and says, ‘You seem so happy!’
‘When you have your own baby, things will get better for you, too.’ Says Oshin, from her own experience, ‘babies are so cute.’
‘I don’t want a child by that man,’ Kayo says sternly; she sits on the edge of the mattress where Yu is sleeping and continues, ‘he already has a child by his concubine. When I found out about it, I asked my family’s permission to divorce him. They said it was my fault that he was having affairs. Just because he is a university graduate and the family business needs him, my family thinks highly of him and won’t agree to send him away. The only other option for me is to leave!’ Kayo pours her heart out to Oshin.
Oshin tries to reason with Kayo before taking a drastic step. Oshin feels indebted to Kayo’s grandmother and their family for taking good care of her.
Kayo comes closer to Oshin and whispers, ‘I know where Kota is!’
Oshin turns and is startled to hear this.
Kayo continues, ‘Unions for farm workers are numerous now, fighting against the ruthless landlords. And Kota has been very active in them. I asked one of the union members. He said Kota was back in Tokyo now.’
‘Don’t tell me, you.’ Oshin is shocked, and her voice trails off, unable to complete the sentence.
‘I came to see him. Kota is the only one for me. I am ready to throw everything away. I want a life with Kota!’ Kayo says as she sobs.
As Oshin tries to stop, Kayo takes a hard stand and says, ‘you are happily married, so you wouldn’t understand. I don’t need you to understand!’ Kayo raises her voice, and she gets up. She runs out of the room, closing the door behind her. Kayo leans against the door and starts crying profusely.
Oshin looks on and starts thinking deeply.
What will happen now? Only time will tell!
We hope to know more in the next episode, number 112!