Bheela’s blog -129
30 July 2023
Episode 128 Recap
Ryuzo takes good care of Oshin. She recovers slowly, but her right hand seems to have some issues. Ryuzo convinces Oshin that she should be prepared to live in Saga for the rest of her life.
Atsuko comes home, and Ms. Kiyo feeds her a lot as she, too, is pregnant. Oshin feels sorry for her unborn child. She knows that her child will not be welcome in this house.
Please click the link below to read the full episode:
https://medium.com/@bheela-wadehra/bheelas-blog-128-38de7995f369
Episode 129
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Ryuzo places Oshin carefully onto the mattress to help her lie down.
‘You will be fine now; the wound has healed.’ says a relieved Ryuzo.
‘Thanks for caring for me,’ Oshin says with gratitude.
‘It is only natural for me to look after you. Everyone helped in caring for Yu and also doing all the washing and cooking.
‘I am sure it is expensive to have the doctor come, too.’ Oshin is weak, but she speaks up with all her strength.
‘There is medicine and bandage, too,’ Ryuzo shares, ‘Mother has paid for it all. My sister-in-law made the food you ate. They all worried about you!’ Ryuzo is cheerful as he is proud that his family cared for Oshin. He remembers the medicine time and says, ‘Get up, drink your medicine.’ He helps Oshin sit up and hands the cup. Oshin takes the medicine.
‘Your right arm will be better soon. Then you can pick up Yu again.’ says Ryuzo.
Oshin is worried about the expenses. She says, slowly, ‘That 100 yen Miss Kayo gave us after the earthquake, we spent some for coming out to Saga. But I kept the rest for my return fare to Tokyo. I want to use some of it to pay your mother back for the trouble I have caused. If this had happened while I was working, but I brought the accident upon myself. I can’t just lie here and not pay her back.’ Oshin feels differently than others. She is unable to take services from people and not pay.
Ryuzo is shocked.
Oshin continues, ‘That would make me feel better, too.’
‘Don’t you appreciate people’s kindness? You think you can buy my mother and my sister-in-law?’ says Ryuzo; he is surprised by Oshin’s gesture, ‘you think money will solve everything?’
‘That is not what I mean. I appreciate Mother and Tsuneko’s care. But I can’t have them do everything for me. I should pay back what I can,’ clarifies Oshin.
‘How can you say that? That is why people say you have no heart! You can’t insult them by offering money!’ Ryuzo angrily pants when he speaks. His thought process is entirely different than that of Oshin. He continues, ‘They didn’t do what they did for money.’
‘Maybe so, but I don’t want to hear them complain about it later,’ Oshin remains calm and tries to explain her point.
‘You think my mother that way?’ Ryuzo is agitated to hear anything against his mother.
‘You don’t understand. Ms. Kiyo is your mother, so you don’t realize,’ Oshin almost gives up.
‘You are not able to see her in a true light. I feel sorry for Mother. Before you blame her, think about yourself,’ says Ryuzo in anger. He gets ups and leaves the room, slamming the door noisily.
***
‘How is Oshin?’ asks Daigoro. He and Kiyo sit in the backyard.
‘Just a little longer, and she can take care of Yu.’ says Ryuzo, and he sits next to his mother.
‘Never mind, I will gladly care for the boy!’ says Kiyo, smiling; she is in a good mood.
‘She used to not pay attention to Yu. But now she is full of love for him,’ says Daigoro with a hearty laugh.
‘It is not the baby’s fault that his mother is like that,’ Kiyo doesn’t leave a chance to demean Oshin.
She continues, looking at Ryuzo, ‘I will have to ask you to work in the fields again. Oshin won’t be able to work for a while yet. I am too busy with Yu, and it is time to plant. The weeds need pulling, too.’
Ryuzo tries interrupting her, but she understands and says, ‘I am not saying stop caring for her. Just stop feeling sorry for her. It is not good for her! On the next ‘Day of the Dog,’ Atsuko will be tying on the baby sash.’
( Day of the Dog is auspicious for pregnant women in Japan. More on this:
During the fifth month of pregnancy, women often go with a mother or grandmother to a shrine dedicated to safe childbirth. Here the women pray for a safe delivery and purchase a special pregnancy sash, or obi, to wrap around the pregnant woman’s abdomen. This sash protects the uterus from the cold, keeps the fetus stable, and prevents it from growing too large.
Click the link below to learn more about Childbirth in Japan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childbirth_in_Japan)
‘She is that far along already?’ enquires Ryuzo.
‘We don’t want Oshin in bed on that day. We want her out of bed!’ says Kiyo. She pushes Ryuzo by various means to have ill feelings toward Oshin.
Daigoro stops her, saying, ‘You can’t push her like that!’
‘There has to be an end to all this! She can already walk about. I have had enough of her laziness! This is a good opportunity,’ she says with contempt.
‘She can’t work much, but she can be out of bed,’ says Ryuzo thoughtfully, ‘I will tell her that. But you sure are caring about that daughter of yours,’ says Ryuzo, referring to Kiyo’s pampering of Atsuko.
‘I can’t help it. It is the rule that the bride’s family is responsible for the first childbirth. I want to show her husband’s family that we can do things right!’ says Kiyo.
‘There is no use trying to look good,’ comments Daigoro; everyone in the house notices Kiyo’s extraordinary care for her daughter. Daigoro sits beside Kiyo and warns her, ‘It is like throwing good money away.’
‘She is our only daughter!’ Pat comes the reply from Kiyo, ‘as her mother, I want to do all I can for her. I worked all these years to be able to do this! If we are not generous, Atsuko will be criticized. Those in-laws of hers are terrible! I am not just trying to show off.’
***
Oshin is out of bed the day before Atsuko has to tie on her ceremonial ‘Iwata-obi sash,’ the sash for protecting the baby in her mother’s womb.
Oshin meets her mother-in-law and bows in greeting. She says, ‘Thank you for all your help.’
‘You can use your right hand now?’ inquiries Kiyo. Kiyo carries Yu in her arms and rocks him. As Oshin lowers her head, Kiyo continues, ‘Don’t strain yourself, but tomorrow will be busy.’
‘I will do what I can,’ says Oshin.
‘I am counting on you. Just take care of Yu,’ Kiyo comes close to Oshin and tells Yu, ‘Go, baby, go to your mother!’
Kiyo hands Yu to Oshin, Oshin tries to balance Yu using her left hand, but she cannot hold him properly as the right hand is numb. Yu gets disturbed and starts crying.
‘What are you doing? Are you really all right?’ says Kiyo, mildly scolding Oshin.
‘My right hand is still not strong,’ replies Oshin as she tries to adjust Kiyo on her left side. She says, ‘Thank you for looking after Yu while I was laid up.’
Yu wriggles out of Oshins arms and wants to go to his grandma.
‘I will help you with him while I can. I don’t want anything to happen to him.’ Oshim smiles with happiness as she can now touch her son.
Kiyo lifts Yu again and pats him to put him to sleep.
‘I will be careful with him,’ says Oshin and smiles again. Kiyo hands over Yu to Oshin, but Yu keeps crying to be back in her grandma’s lap.
Oshin balances Yu and walks to the backyard, where Tsuneko picks up dried clothes.
‘His diapers are dry now,’ says Tsuneko.
‘Thanks for all your help. I will do the washing from now on,’ says Oshin.
‘I am glad you are well now and can walk.’ Tsuneko says with a smile. She asks, ‘Can you eat with us, too? We can’t treat you like a sick person anymore.’ As Tsuneko sees Kiyo approaching, she says, ‘Isn’t that so, Mother?’
‘You will have to get used to working in the fields, too,’ says Kiyo; she doesn’t want the two brides to get too friendly.
‘That is right,’ says Tsuneko, ‘If you don’t use your arm, it will never really get well. So try to move it around as much as you can.’
‘Yes,’ Oshin nods and goes to her room.
***
Oshin tries to fold Yu’s diapers with her left hand. As she uses her right hand, the cloth slips out. She gets worried. She looks at her right hand and is clueless.
‘What is the matter, Oshin?’ Ryuzo asks as he enters the room and sees Oshin looking at her fingers.
‘It is my right hand; I don’t feel much in it. I can’t put any strength into it. I can’t carry Yu properly,’ says Oshin.
‘You were hurt pretty badly. It takes time,’ says Ryuzo cheerfully. He sits next to Oshin and picks up the clothes for folding. He says, ‘Let me do this for you.’
‘What if it is a permanent condition?’ says Oshin; she is worried now.
‘It will get well, don’t worry!’ says Ryuzo. He continues, changing the topic, ‘Oshin, tomorrow is a big day.’
‘It is the baby sash ceremony for Atsuko, isn’t it? There is Ohagi and other foods to be made, too.’
(Ohagi is food made on special occasions — rice balls made with bean paste. More on Ohagi — https://www.justonecookbook.com/ohagi-botamochi/)
‘They are making a big deal out of it. The more we do for Atsuko, the more it impresses her in-laws; they will be good to her. It is silly, but Mother is excited about it. So please do all you can for us tomorrow. That will make Mother very happy,’ says Ryuzo.
Ryuzo has all the expectations from Oshin. He internally wishes to make his mother happy whichever way possible.
Oshin nods, smiling.
***
The following morning, Tsuneko gets busy in the kitchen with the help of the maid. She puts large pots with water and rice to boil on the furnace. Oshin joins, too, trying her left hand to do the chores. She carries a bowl tucked to her elbow as she cannot use her right hand.
‘You are not ready yet?’ Kiyo enters the kitchen and alarms everyone. She says, ‘It is almost time to go! Oshin, you help with making the Ohagi! I will help, too.’
Oshin is pleased to get included in the celebration. She nods and gets up to the table where the filling is kept in a large bowl.
‘I was going to deliver it to the shrine where they are going to give Atsuko the Iwata-obi sash,’ says Tsuneko. She moves her hands swiftly to finish her task.
‘That won’t do; we must go straight to the other house!’ says Kiyo.
Kiyo spots Oshin struggling to make a ball. Oshin puts rice in her left hand and tries her right hand to squeeze so the batter turns into a ball. But she cannot move her fingers.
‘What is the matter?’ asks Kiyo, ‘You can’t even do that? Never mind! You once asked if you could help in the kitchen. What a laugh! You can’t even make a rice ball?’
Oshin looks at her right-hand fingers, she makes the ball using her left hand, but the rice falls off. Kiyo moves fast and finishes the job.
Kiyo leaves for the temple with a servant carrying the offerings. Oshin and Tsuneko bow to her at the door.
‘We have to prepare all the food packs for presents. We will need your help,’ says Tsuneko as Oshin closes the main door with her left hand.
Tsuneko keeps a bowl of potatoes and asks Oshin to help her peel them. Oshin is unable to use her right hand and nor can she hold the knife properly.
‘What happened?’ asks Tsuneko, puzzled to see Oshin struggling.
‘It is my right hand,’ says Oshin.
‘But it wasn’t your hand that was hurt?’ Tsuneko can’t believe why Oshin had a problem with her hand when she had a head injury. She says, ‘Never mind, you go help the dishes.’
Oshin picks up a stack of bowls and supports it with her left hand and chin; her right hand is stuck in an odd position. As she balances them and moves forward, she cannot hold them, and the stack of bowls falls on the ground breaking into pieces. Oshin cries with pain. Oshin is shocked and starts panting.
Fukutaro comes running. ‘what is going on?’ he demands to know.
Oshin looks at him with fear.
‘I am so sorry!’ she bows to him.
Daigoro comes rushing, too. ‘Never mind, I hope you are not hurt,’ he consoles Oshin.
Oshin tries to pick up the broken pieces, but her right hand doesn’t work. She cannot believe it. It is as if her hand isn’t her own. She runs out to the back door. She stops close to the well. She keeps telling herself she isn’t completely healed yet but is afraid.
A dark premonition wells up within her. She holds her right hand with her left and looks at the fingers in disbelief.
What will happen? Will Oshin’s hand injury recover?
We will know more in the coming episode, number 130, soon!
‘