Bheela’s Blog-123
21 May 2023
Episode 122 Recap
Ryuzo wants to join a cooperative that works on landfill. Oshin still feels unwanted in the house. She thinks of coming out of this miserable situation.
She is hurt when the children of the house call her freeloader.
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Episode 123
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Oshin sits in the washing area and sharpens the field plowing tools using a stone. She overhears the conversation her mother-in-law is having with Fukutaro, Ryuzo’s brother.
‘Ryuzo sure is a problem. He has no idea what it takes to reclaim land from the sea. He is just dreaming!’ says Ms. Kiyo
‘He doesn’t see that the work at hand is more important,’ Ryuzo’s brother complains.
‘He is out there driving posts and digging up mud. One typhoon and it is all gone! So many people have lost everything doing it. Your father is a good example,’ mother warns.
‘Ryuzo is just greedy. There is no use talking to him,’ Fukutaro is quick to remark, not leaving any opportunity to put Ryuzo down in front of his mother.
‘His wife is the one who put him up to it; he will have to get burned before he wakes up. Too bad he married such a woman,’ grudges the mother, as usual.
Oshin listens to all of these quietly, keeping her head down.
***
At night, Oshin starts talking to Ryuzo.
‘This reclaiming land from the sea isn’t that easy. Your mother and brother are both very concerned. She says so many people have failed. I can’t ever imagine making fields out of sea bottom. There is no way it can work!’ says Oshin, and she looks at Ryuzo, who is just about to sleep.
Ryuzo stirs and says, still, his eyes closed, ‘Let my mother and brother talk.’
‘It is too much for me to have to listen to it. Mother and brother talk as if I put you up to it. I am the bad one in their eyes,’ says Oshin sadly.
‘Just ignore them!’
Oshin is fed up; she claps to wake Ryuzo and says the oft-repeated request, ‘Let us go back to the city! I hear Tokyo is getting back to normal.’
‘I am in debt! I can’t go back there!’ Ryuzo gets up with a start.
‘We will manage,’ Oshin is ever so hopeful.
‘I thought you understood,’ says Ryuzo.
‘I didn’t think this land reclaiming was so risky.’
‘Some lands have been reclaimed since the Edo period! It is not easy, but I am not doing it for myself. All men from these parts dream of reclaiming land from the Ariake Sea. It is a big dream held by all men!’ says Ryuzo enthusiastically; he is pretty convinced about the scheme.
‘You don’t care about me?’ Oshin challenges him. She says, ‘I don’t mind hardship. I was born to bear hardship. But it doesn’t pay to stay here and suffer! No matter how hard I try, your mother hates me. Nobody will accept me.’
‘Then change your attitude. That is why the mother doesn’t like you! Stop resenting her!’ Ryuzo raises his voice. Looking at Oshin, he softens and says, ‘I always cover up for you. But I can’t help you if you won’t change.’
‘Then don’t!’ Oshin loses her temper and shouts back, ‘Your trying to help me causes your mother to resent me even more! She thinks I complain to you all the time.’
‘Then I will never say another word!’ shouts Ryuzo and goes back to sleep, pulling the quilt over his head.
Yu woke up hearing the loud noise his parents were making. Oshin turns and attends to him.
‘The dream I have isn’t just for me. I am thinking of you and our son. It would be best if you got the people here to like you. Don’t ever bring this nonsense up again!’ Ryuzo issues the directive and turns to the other side.
Oshin pats Yu to put him to sleep again. She gets up and goes out of the room.
It is cold, and she covers herself with a coat. She hears laughter coming out of the dining area and halts. Mother-in-law is sharing some sweets with the other women in the house. A maid comes out and looks at Oshin.
‘I came to get some water,’ says Oshin embarrassingly and goes away. The mother-in-law and Tsuneko watch Oshin with suspicion.
‘Were you peeking at us? Tsuneko’s family sent us this mochi. We were snacking after working late,’ says Ms. Kiyo to Oshin. Oshin turns and goes towards her room.
‘I guess the smell of mochi woke her up,’ Kiyo laughs out loud at her joke and ensures that Oshin listens to it.
Oshin cannot stand it anymore. She returns to her room and closes the door behind her. Oshin doesn’t want the mochi. She doesn’t want to live here as an outsider. She makes up her mind this night to leave this house.
***
Oshin works in the field the following day. She has nowhere to go. To go home to Yamagata would cause her mother worry and pain. To take Yu to Sakata would cause them trouble, too. She has no confidence to start alone with Yu in a strange land. She thinks hard as she continues to work in the field. Oshin never complained in her letters to her mother and Kayo. She can no longer talk to Ryuzo, too. He was so fixed on his ideas.
Words come less often from Oshin’s mouth. She remains silent and thinks about her plans to leave the house.
***
The season changes to severe winter. At Sakata, it starts snowing. Oshin’s mother, Fuji, has come to meet the senior madam Ms. Kuni and her family members. Fuji sits in front of Ms. Kuni. Mino and Kayo join her, too. ‘We are so glad you came!’ says Ms. Kuni.
‘I wanted to pay you my respects.’ says Fuji, bowing to them.
‘It is the middle of winter!’ remarks Kayo. She pours tea for everyone from the teapot.
‘Transportation is much better now, And it is only during times like this that I can leave home,’ says Fuji.
‘How is everyone?’ asks Mino.
‘They are all fine, and I am so glad to see you so well,’ replies Fuji.
‘I am so greedy for life; I can’t die until I see Kayo’s baby,’ Ms. Kuni has a hearty laugh. All of them laugh with her.
‘You are not ready to have one yet?’ Fuji asks, looking at Kayo.
‘It is one thing I can’t do alone,’ says Kayo.
‘Her husband is never home! She should work on her marriage more. But she is running all of Kaga-ya’s business now. Her husband feels uncomfortable here. Her father says she should divorce him and find another adoptive husband,’ Mino finds Fuji to be a person with whom she can share all their personal matters; she feels comfortable in Fuji’s presence and wants to pour her heart out.
‘No more men for me! I like being alone; it is easier,’ Kayo comments instantly.
‘She should think more of her future,’ says Ms. Kuni.
‘She is still young; she could meet someone and bear a beautiful child,’ Fuji is ever so hopeful.
‘Oshin has found herself an excellent husband and has a son already! But poor Kayo,’ says Ms. Kuni. Oshin is Ms. Kuni’s favorite, so a comparison between Oshin and Kayo always creeps in.
‘We worried so much for Oshin after the Great Earthquake. But we hear that her husband’s family is a big land owner, and she has no problems,’ says Mino.
‘I am so glad that she survived,’ says Fuji.
‘She wrote to tell me that her in-laws are very kind to her,’ Kayo shares what Oshin writes to her; obviously, Oshin has not given them the complete picture.
‘She tells me Ryuzo’s brother and his wife are very good to her,’ Fuji chips in; Oshin hasn’t written about the actual situation to her mother, too.
‘Oshin is a fine girl, so everyone likes her,’ Mino says.
‘I am thankful for the training you gave her,’ Fuji says and bows to Ms. Kuni.
‘I was worried because Oshin had told me that Ryuzo’s mother wasn’t ready to recognize Oshin as her son’s wife. But I guess all that is in the past,’ Kayo adds, and all of them are relieved to believe that Oshin is doing good.
‘It is a better life for her out there,’ Fuji says with hope.
‘If Oshin has any more kids, I plan to adopt one of them. Any child of hers would be good for Kaga-ya,’ Kayo is enthusiastic when she talks of Oshin.
‘Enough of your silly talks,’ says Mino to Kayo, and looking at Fuji, she says, ‘Enjoy your meal.’
***
Some celebration is going on at the Tanokura house at Saga. Family members are sitting in the living room and making big noise. The maid serves them Sake bottles. Oshin squats at the entrance area of the house, Yu tied to her back, all by herself.
‘You are not ready yet to have a baby?’ Ms. Kiyo asks her daughter, who often visits their place. Everyone has a nice party as she comes to Tanokura’s house tonight.
‘Not that again,’ says the daughter.
‘I want a grandchild from you; we are both waiting!’ says Ms. Kiyo, and she looks at her husband.
‘Not me, it is only your mother!’ says Ryuzo’s father, Daigoro.
‘I hope your in-laws aren’t too hard on you. Maybe that is why you can’t get pregnant,’ comments Ms. Kiyo.
‘Don’t worry, Tsuneko had a hard time here as a new bride but still managed to have four kids,’ says Daigoro, hinting at Kiyo. All of them have a hearty laugh.
‘Don’t say that! My mother-in-law sure was hard on me. I had to do all the work and do sewing at night, too. Brides these days have it easy!’ Ms. Kiyo, as usual, doesn’t leave a chance to taunt her daughters-in-laws, especially to Oshin. She continues, ‘What is Oshin got to complain about? She wears a sour face all day,’ she looks at Ryuzo, and Ryuzo listens quietly.
‘Where is she? Let her join us,’ Daigoro feels for Oshin and looks for her.
‘Leave her be; she doesn’t like us; she likes being herself.’ Kiyo responds quickly.
***
Oshin plays with the toy Ken gave to Yu when they left Tokyo. Yu tied to her back, she sits all by herself at the entrance of the house.
‘Here is your mail,’ a postman comes to the door and hands Oshin several envelopes.
‘Thank you,’ says Oshin receiving the letters.
She walks inside to keep the letters and flips through them individually. Suddenly she sees familiar handwriting. She halts.
The letter reads,
‘Happy New Year! How is it there at Saga?’ Oshin’s face lights up. She rushes to the backyard and reads, ‘I am back in Tokyo again. The city is rebuilding. I am building a new house on my burnt-out plot. By March, I will have a shop again. I am looking forward to seeing you again, Taka.’
The postcard from Taka rekindles hope in Oshin again. She smiles after a long time with hope and happiness. She keeps the rest of the letters on a desk and rushes towards her room.
Taka will be opening the shop again. She could go there with Yu and still do her work.
Oshin sits on the floor and looks at the letter again. She just has to bear this life until March. All she has to do is to hold out until March. Just until March!
Oshin is filled up with hope. Will she be able to sneak out of this life and return to Tokyo in March? But How?
We will learn more in the next episode, number 124, soon!