Bheela’s Blog -134
26 November 2023
Episode 133 Recap
Kozo’s mother tells all about Oshin’s plans to Ms. Kiyo. She forces Sawa to spell out as she finds the money Oshin gave Sawa for the train ticket.
Ryuzo accepts his fault about Oshin’s injury, and he also informs his parents about Oshin’s pregnancy. Daigoro is happy to hear the good news, but Kiyo has some other plans.
Please click the link below to read the full episode:
Episode 134
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Oshin and Ryuzo develop their love relationship anew. Oshin is glad to know that she would be able to persevere as long as she has Ryuzo’s love. As they work together at the fields with hard labor, something is brewing within the Tanokura household that is bound to bring her more sorrow.
Ms. Kiyo plays with Yu as the family gathers around Tsurenko's kids. Atsuko, Ryuzo’s sister who is expecting a baby, is also enjoying it with them.
‘It’s Boys’ Day, but we can’t even celebrate with Yu,’ comments Oshin as she collects water from a running stream near the fields during the break.
(Boys’ day or childrens’ day is celebrated in Japan every year on 5th May. For more information on this festival, please click this link https://www.japan.travel/en/sg/story/celebrating-boys-japan-traditions-tango-no-sekku/)
‘My mother will see that he gets to celebrate,’ Ryuzo replies as he takes a rest next to rocks forming a space with some shade. He says, ‘He would be disturbing us if we brought him out here. Just focus on taking some rest while you can!’ Ryuzo is happy these days finding some time alone with Oshin.
Oshin’s belly is growing, but she is quite active. She climbs the stone next to the place where Ryuzo is resting, and she playfully throws a wet cloth at Ryuzo’s face. He gently pulls her to the ground, and she giggles with joy.
‘I guess you are right, she is babysitting for us. I should be more grateful,’ says Oshin, sitting close to Ryuzo.
‘That’s the way! Just think positive! That way, life will be easier for us.’
‘I shouldn’t think that I have lost Yu. He is just with his babysitter now!’
‘The best babysitter there is!’
‘We couldn’t afford to get a better one!’ Oshin whispers into Ryuzo’s ears, coming closer.
‘We sure are lucky!’ says Ryuzo and both laugh out loud. ‘I want a baby girl. Sweet and resilient, just like you!’ says Ryuzo, dreamily.
Oshin puts on a straw hat and says, ‘I am so glad,’ she then transfers the hat on to Ryuzo’s head, and continues, ‘when I found out I was pregnant, I was resentful at first. I had already planned to leave for Tokyo. I figured nobody would want this baby. Everyone was making a big fuss over Atsuko and her baby. I felt sorry for mine for not getting equal treatment.’
After a pause, her expression changes, and she is cheerful again. She chirps, ‘I never thought you would want this one. I was such a burden to you back then.’
‘I was tired, caught between you and my mother,’ admits Ryuzo.
‘It is all right, things have turned out well. If I had gone to Tokyo, we would probably have stayed apart forever. The newborn and Yu would have grown up without a father. I owe it to Sawa.’ Oshin reflects on the events of the past months.
‘I feel so bad for Sawa,’ says Ryuzo.
‘I wonder how she is doing. I hope she is doing alright somewhere’ Oshin is concerned for Sawa and she says, ‘I owe it to her to have a healthy baby.’
‘If we ever see her again, we would want her to be happy for us, too,’ Ryuzo feels grateful.
***
‘Oshin is pregnant, too?’ Atsuko is shocked to get the news. She sits with Kiyo in the backyard where Kiyo rocks Yu holding him close. ‘When will the baby be born?’ Atsuko is curious.
‘She is in her fifth month,’ replies Ms. Kiyo.
‘That means we are due at about the same time!’ exclaims Atsuko. She thinks and continues, ‘I am supposed to come home to give birth! I can’t give birth among my in-laws! If I can’t have it here, I won’t give birth at all!’ complains Atsuko.
‘I know that, I will have Oshin gone by then,’ says Kiyo. She indeed has some plan brewing in her head.
‘Oshin is a troublemaker, she can’t have her baby here. Ryuzo, too, why did he have a baby with her?’ says Atsuko, full of resentment, ‘that is why men can’t be trusted!’
***
Ryuzo and Oshin return home after a hard day’s work on the field. They wash their feet at the well. Daigoro, too, enters home at the same time. Oshin welcomes him.
‘Working hard?’ enquires Daigoro, cheerfully.
‘How is the land reclaiming coming along?’ Ryuzo asks.
‘We have to work hard before the typhoon season. The whole cooperative was out today,’ replies Daigoro.
‘I should have been there, but I have the fields to tend to,’ says Ryuzo.
‘There is no hurry, just keep working with Oshin. You have an obligation to the family,’ reminds Daigoro.
‘Yes, we have to work to earn our keep,’ responds Ryuzo.
Suddenly, Daigoro looks at the sky, and he remembers, ‘It’s Boys’ Day today. Go celebrate with Yu!’ Daigoro tells Oshin. Oshin nods happily.
***
Kiyo plays with Yu and Tsurenko's children. She puts a conical paper cap on Yu’s head. The girls play with a rubber ball.
As soon as Daigoro enters the hall, Tsurenko's son jumps into Daigoro’s lap. Oshin and Ryuzo come forward.
‘What a racket!’ Daigoro looks at the kid fondly and says.
‘Yu!’ Oshin calls out to her son. But as soon as Kiyo sees Oshin, she picks up Yu and says, ‘Let us all go to bed now!’ and she starts to walk out.
‘Let Oshin hold Yu once in a while,’ protests Ryuzo.
‘She can’t even take care of him properly,’ Taunts Kiyo, as usual, ‘she has no right to just play with him!’
She walks off carrying Yu with her. Then she suddenly turns to Ryuzo and tells him, ‘I have something important to tell you tonight,’ saying, Ms. Kiyo goes to her room.
Daigoro is embarrassed by Kiyo’s behavior, He looks at Oshin apologetically.
‘It is all right,’ says Oshin; she doesn’t want to put Daigoro on a spot, she continues, ‘she takes good care of Yu.’
‘She is just crazy about the boy,’ says Daigoro and laughs to hide his awkwardness.
‘What else she wants to talk to me about?’ asks Ryuzo to his father.
‘She hasn’t told me anything! It is probably the same old complaints, pay no heed to it,’ replies Daigoro.
***
Daigoro and Kiyo sit at the dining room area. Atsuko and Ryuzo, too, join them.
‘I thought we were all through this talk of sending Oshin back to Yamagata’ asks Ryuzo, as he sits facing his parents.
‘Since you can’t bear to stay away from her, I am not insisting on divorce, but she can’t have her baby here,’ says Ms. Kiyo with a grim face.
‘That is nonsense!’ retorts Ryuzo, ‘Oshin doesn’t have full use of her hand yet. She still works hard. Why does she have to leave?’
‘It is only natural that a woman gives birth among her own family. Her mother is still in Yamagata.’ says Kiyo.
‘You want her to go to Yamagata just to give birth to our baby?’ Ryuzo is puzzled by the new efforts of his mother to send Oshin away.
Atsuko, who is quiet all this time, speaks up, ‘I have to have my baby here! It is the custom here to go home to give birth.’
‘Oh then go ahead!’ Ryuzo tells his sister.
‘It is not that simple,’ Kiyo starts to explain, ‘As you know, they say if two babies are born at the same time under one roof, on always dies. In cases such as these, one woman has to go elsewhere to have her baby.’
‘That is just some old stupid superstition! It is silly to believe in such nonsense!’ Daigoro shouts as he loses his patients.
‘You don’t care if my baby dies?’ Atsuko uses pressure tactics to influence her father.
‘There is no reason why anyone has to die!’ Daigoro protests.
‘Old beliefs have some truth to them. Why should we go against this one?’ Atsuko shouts.
‘She is right, it is only natural to avoid what is unlucky,’ Ms. Kiyo joins her daughter to convince the men.
‘I am sick of having to listen to this nonsense, Oshin is in no shape to go home to Yamagata!’ Ryuzo intervenes and declares his point.
‘You love Oshin more than your own sister?’ Kiyo starts pressurizing again.
‘I didn’t say that! I am just saying superstitions are nonsense!’ Ryuzo tries to reason out.
‘If you don’t tell her, I will tell Oshin myself. She wouldn’t want her baby to die,’ says Kiyo in a devilish tone.
‘Stop it!’ Shouts Daigoro, ‘If Atsuko is too worried, then she can have her baby at her own house. There is nothing wrong with doing that!’
‘How cold can you be?’ says Kiyo, ‘Giving birth means life or death to a woman! Especially when she is having her first baby! Atsuko won’t feel safe unless we take care of her here. It is my responsibility as her mother to help her. I won’t let you have your way on this one!’ Kiyo sits straight after giving this ultimatum.
‘They you and Oshin can both give birth here. It will be reassuring to give birth together.’ says Daigoro, and he has a hearty laugh at his decision.
‘I guess you refuse to understand, says Kiyo, ‘Of course, it means that Oshin will receive no help from me whatsoever!’ She then looks at Ryuzo and announces, ‘You two can give birth all on your own.’
‘Fine!’ says Ryuzo, ‘I will show you that we can do it all on our own!
‘Talk big all you want, you will be sorry!’ says Kiyo, bringing fake emotions.
‘Just don’t tell Oshin about this ridiculous superstition, she will worry,’ says Ryuzo firmly.
‘He is right,’ Daigoro, as usual, supports Ryuzo and looking at the women he continues, ‘Don’t either of you say of this to Oshin!
***
Unaware of these family discussions, Oshin, in her room, sits down at a desk to write. She is still not able to use her right hand, but she makes an attempt to hold the brush with three fingers.
‘Who are you writing to?’ Ryuzo enters with a smile and inquires.
Oshin looks up, halts writing and replies, ‘To my mother, Miss Kayo and my hair teacher in Tokyo. I can hold the brush a little better now.’
Ryuzo looks at the paper and says, ‘It is getting much better!’
‘I am finally able to tell others that I am expecting. Now that you are happy about it. I get to have the baby with you by my side!’ says Oshin, brimming with joy. She looks at Ryuzo, who seems to be a bit worried, so she asks, ‘What did your mother say?’
‘The usual nonsense, she went on and on,’ Ryuzo avoids answering truthfully.
‘It is because I am such an unworthy wife,’ says Oshin.
‘Oshin, it is going to be hard giving birth here. You will have to mind Mother and my sister-in-law. And Atsuko will be having her baby here, too. Maybe nobody will help you,’ says Ryuzo with the utmost seriousness.
‘I am prepared for that!’ Chirps Oshin. Nothing can dampen her state of joy now. She says, laughing, ‘A troublemaker is giving birth to more trouble! I am prepared to do it all by myself. It is my second time, so I know what I need. I will keep working in the fields, too. I am just glad to be able to have the baby here. I won’t think about leaving anymore. I will do my best to be a member of this family. And, I will try to get your mother to like me. If I show more appreciation for her, she will understand. You don’t have to worry! I am prepared for the worst!’
In her happy state, Oshin is ready to make changes just to be by the side of Ryuzo. But Ryuzo has a worried look on his face, he tries to hide all his concerns.
Oshin continues writing on her desk, and she shows a picture she just drew. It is a picture of Ryuzo with smile on his face. They both laugh out loud.
Ryuzo feels bad that Oshin knows nothing, and that she could be so cheerful in adversities, too. Ryuzo can only look at Oshin and thinks about the hardships that await them. He stands behind Oshin with his hands gently on Oshin’s shoulders.
What hardships are we talking about? How low can Ms. Kiyo go? We will find out in coming episode no. 135, soon!