Bheela’s Blog -117
26 February 2023
Episode 116 Recap
Ryuzo decides that they should go to Saga to his parent’s home. Oshin dreads going there because she knows her mother-in-law will not accept her.
Fuji arrives looking for Oshin. She is happy to see them alive. Ms. Kayo arranged for Fuji’s trip with a helper from Kaga-ya. Ms. Kayo sends supplies and money for Oshin.
Ken finds a safe house for Oshin’s family, where they move with Fuji. Ryuzo continues to talk about moving to Saga against Oshin’s wishes. Fuji convinces Oshin to move to Saga for Yu’s sake.
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https://medium.com/@bheela-wadehra/bheelas-blog-116-4e7a5bf5102f
Episode 117
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
‘You will be going to Saga?’ asks Ms. Taka. She and Oritsu come to meet Oshin. They watch the jar wrapped in white cloth containing Genzi’s ashes.
‘I wanted to remain in Tokyo with Yu. But my mother says that Ryuzo and I shouldn’t separate,’ Oshin replies honestly to Ms. Taka.
‘She is right! It is best to stay together, for Yu’s sake.’ Ms. Taka opines.
‘I wanted to come over to your place to say goodbye.’
‘It is good that you decided.’
Fuji joins them and says, ‘Now I can return home to Yamagata.’
‘We can’t help it! My place is burnt down, too. I don’t know what the future holds for me. My customers have all been left without homes, so they don’t need their hair done now. I don’t know when things will return to normal here in Tokyo. I don’t know when I can rebuild. But I can’t just stay with people forever.’ Ms. Taka is worried but has clung to the hope of survival. (Most people in that area lost everything after the earthquake but picked up pieces of their lives with the strength of their inner will and hope.)
‘Where is your home?’ asks Fuji; she wants to know where Ms. Taka comes from; most Tokyo people are settlers from other places, just like any other large city.
‘It is here in Tokyo, but my brother has lost our family home, too,’ says Ms. Taka; her eyes are moist, but she keeps a smile on her face.
‘It is too bad,’ says Fuji.
‘I plan to stay with Oritsu’s family for a while,’ says Ms. Taka, looking at Oritsu with gratitude.
‘You are going out to the country, too?’ Oshin is eager to know.
‘We will find new customers there,’ says Oritsu.
‘I see,’ says Oshin with a deep sigh, ‘with you gone, too, nothing is left to keep me here in Tokyo.’
‘It will just be for a while. I will be rebuilding one day. When I do, come back and work for me,’ Ms. Taka smiles with hope, and Oshin smiles in return. Hope is alive in times of despair.
‘It will be like the old days,’ whispers Oshin.
***
Ryuzo enters and sits next to Oshin. He informs, ‘We can get on a ship leaving tonight. We would better be going.’
‘I have already packed your bags,’ says Fuji.
‘Thank you for coming. You convinced Oshin to go with me, too,’ Ryuzo is grateful to Fuji.
‘Oshin understands,’ says Fuji,
“I will see you off at the pier. We would better go, too,’ says Ms. Taka, wiping her tears with a handkerchief.
‘No, don’t come. I won’t be able to get on the ship,’ Oshin declares. She drags her feet back at the last minute. Her mind tells her not to go to Saga, and she protests.
All of them fall silent at Oshin’s words.
‘So, you are all here?’ the silence is broken by Ken’s voice. He is at the door. Oshin gets up and greets him.
Ken hands over a cloth bag and says, ‘I brought you some tissues.’
‘Thank you. I don’t need all this now,’ says Oshin.
‘One can always need some! And this is for Yu,’ Ken shows a wooden toy. We call this ‘jhunjhuna’ in Hindi. When you shake it, it makes a sound with pebbles inside a hollow ball. There is a handle to hold the toy.
Ryuzo comes out, too. He says, ‘Thank you, Ken, for everything. But we will be going to Saga tonight.’
‘Ken, we will meet again,’ says Oshin, her eyes full of tears and her voice choked.
‘You are going, too?’ asks Ken, worried for Oshin. Oshin lowers her head, not answering.
‘That is good; that is how it should be. It is for the best! Come and see me when you get back to Tokyo. You will always find me in the open market.’ says Ken. Just like Ms. Taka, Ken believes that Oshin will be gone only for a short while.
‘You have helped us so much, Ken. I am sorry, we can’t repay your kindness.’ Says Oshin, full of gratitude.
‘I didn’t do this for the words of thanks. You accepted me for what I am. That makes me happy. I will miss you. I hear Saga is a nice place.’ Ken is embarrassed, and he hides his tears as he speaks.
‘There is a large ocean called the Ariake Sea. The weather is good, so the crops do well. Do you know what a ‘watanomi’ is? It is fields made on reclaimed land. The salt in the ground kills the first crops. So, they plant cotton. I heard the cotton turns the fields white; it is supposed to be beautiful. I will send you some cottonseeds.’ Oshin almost talks to herself to distract from her inner resistance to travel to Saga.
Ms. Taka looks on with teary eyes.
(Location of Ariake Sea in google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/CwP8aTgKs7xQUsdU6. Tokyo to Saga by land route is over 1400 km. By sea route almost 100 years ago would take days to reach Saga.)
***
Ryuzo comes out with a huge cloth bag packed and tied to his shoulder, supported by his back. Oshin carries Yu on her back and comes out.
‘Make good use of those 100 yen from Miss Kayo. You can’t count on anyone for money now. The 100 yen is all you have to rely on,’ Fuji follows them, and she whispers into Oshin’s ears her last-minute advice.
‘Cheer up,’ says Fuji.
Oshin and Ryuzo turn to take a last look at Fuji.
‘We will be going now,’ says Oshin, and she bows to Fuji, Ken, Oritsu, and Ms. Taka, who all stand in a line to bid farewell.
‘I won’t say goodbye; we will meet again! Take care and come back!’ says Ms. Taka.
Ryuzo bows to all of them and then signals Oshin to start. Both turn and begin their journey.
***
Ryuzo and Oshin leave Tokyo that day on a warship. As they leave, Fuji starts crying profusely. The floodgate of tears opens up.
***
On her way back to Yamagata, Fuji takes a stopover at Sakata. She meets up with Ms. Kuni and her family.
‘I am so glad they are all safe,’ says Ms. Kuni cheerfully.
‘You were lucky you made it there,’ says Mino.
‘We heard that they weren’t letting anybody into the city,’ joins her husband.
‘I told the police I came to search for my daughter living there. I had a letter from Oshin as proof, and your young man from Kaga-ya was a great help to me; thank you for everything,’ says Fuji, with genuine gratitude. She bows to them.
‘The whole city has been reduced to ashes?’ asks Kayo.
‘They must be so disappointed and depressed,’ says Mino. All of them have a deep concern for Oshin.
‘They will be fine. Knowing Oshin, she will make it through,’ says Ms. Kuni; she has enormous confidence in Oshin’s skills and spirit. She says, ‘That is how Oshin is!’
‘Will she end up a farmer in Saga?’ Kayo asks as she is worried about Oshin’s future.
‘It might be good to rest there for a while. I hear the Tanokura family are big landowners. I am sure they can take it easy there,’ says Kayo’s Dad, laughing.
‘But Oshin will have to deal with the in-laws in Saga,’ says Mino.
‘So what? A good wife shouldn’t have to worry.’ Kuni says undiplomatically, causing Mino to feel uneasy, but Kuni won’t stop, ‘Oshin is a fine girl.’
‘Besides, Oshin and Ryuzo have a good marriage! He loves her, and he will protect her. So, don’t worry!’ Kayo consoles Fuji.
Suddenly a supervisor from the Kaga-ya office enters with some papers and shows them to Ms. Kayo. He says, ‘Ms. Kayo, please look at these papers.’
Ms. Kayo reads the paper and looks at the man angrily; she says, ‘who told you to make a deal like this?’ she throws the report to the floor in front of the man.
‘Your husband,’ replies the supervisor.
‘You must be kidding! There has been a great earthquake in Tokyo. We shouldn’t be too quick to sell off our rice right now! He probably let some geisha sweet-talk him! Never mind, I will settle this!’ Kayo gets up and leaves with the man towards the office.
‘Kayo is just like her grandmother now!’ remarks Mino, and all of them laugh.
‘She runs the family business now,’ says Ms. Kuni, laughing, taking the joke sportingly. She continues, ‘we owe it all to Oshin for the change in Kayo. I have no more regrets. Now that I have seen that Kayo has taken over Kaga-ya for me.’ Ms. Kuni takes a deep breath of satisfaction. Yet again, proud of Oshin, Fuji lowers her head in humility.
***
Oshin makes the long journey to Saga with a heavy heart. She feels uncomfortable being in Saga. Something tells her that things will be worse than her fears.
Ryuzo carries Yu, and Oshin has the large cloth bag on her back. They reach Ryuzo’s home. The hut-style houses are located amidst the large open rice fields. The area is quiet and much different compared to the hustle-bustle scene in Tokyo.
‘Oshin, we are finally home!’ says Ryuzo. Suddenly, Yu starts crying. Oshin pats Yu’s back to quiet him.
‘Come on in,’ says Ryuzo. Oshin freezes, and she is unable to move her feet. Some workers pass by and watch them.
‘People are watching; what is wrong with you?’ Ryuzo tries to cheer up Oshin but is yet to succeed. Yu continues to cry.
‘Father!’ Ryuzo spots his father and shouts with joy.
‘Are you ghosts?’ father is shocked to see them at his door. He is unable to move.
‘We are not ghosts! Yu is fine, too,’ Ryuzo shows Yu to his dad.
Father comes to his senses and then says, ‘I am so glad to have you back! I was so worried; we had no news from Tokyo. The town hall couldn’t give me any news at all. I had given up.’ He then looks at Oshin and says, ‘Oshin, I am glad you are here!’
Oshin bows to him with difficulty, with the large bag on her back. Father picks up some luggage from Oshin’s hands and ushers them in.
‘Kiyo will be so happy! Come in,’ He leads Ryuzo and Yu, and then he welcomes Oshin. They enter through the door leading to an open courtyard.
Father shouts, ‘Kiyo, Ryuzo is home! Oshin and Yu are with him, too!’
‘Mother!’ Ryuzo shouts, seeing his mom. ‘Ryuzo!’ Kiyo screams with happiness and hugs Ryuzo tight; she starts crying with joy.
She touches Ryuzo’s face and says, ‘You are safe!’
Two more young women come out and hug Ryuzo.
‘This is my son, Yu!’ Ryuzo shows Yu to the ladies in excitement. All of them ignore Oshin. She stands watching the family reunion.
‘He is such a cute boy; he looks just like you, Ryuzo!’ the women are ecstatic, seeing Ryuzo and his son.
‘I am so glad!’ says Ryuzo. He, too, forgets about Oshin.
Father stops everyone and says, ‘Say hello to Oshin!’
Oshin bows to the women respectfully with a smile. She still has the heavy bag on her back.
‘You two have met before,’ says the father awkwardly.
‘I am sorry to drop in unexpectedly,’ says Oshin timidly.
None of the women welcome her; they look at her with despise.
‘A man should let his wife carry the baby!’ comments Kiyo, Ryuzo’s mom. Her list of complaints starts from the first go itself!
‘You are already the talk of the town!’ says one of the young women sarcastically, and she laughs with insult for Oshin.
‘We will talk later; you must be tired. Come on in!’ says the father.
Ryuzo walks in with the women, leaving Oshin behind. Father pushes all of them in, and then he turns to Oshin.
Oshin is afraid to go inside. But the father guides her to let her in affectionately, and she takes steps forward slowly.
She is worried about what is in store for her. She feels a chill run up her spine.
Why is Oshin so scared? What will happen now? We will find more in the coming episode, number 118, soon.