Bheela’s Blog -137
29 Sept 2024
Episode 136 Recap
Ms. Kiyo arranged a family who can keep Oshin until she delivers a child but Oshin refuses her offer. She is bent upon having her child at Tanokura house. Ms. Kiyo feels insulted and she decides to take sterner actions.
Oshin is ready to pay the price for her pride as she finds comfort in Ryuzo’s support.
Please click the link below to read the full episode:
Episode 137
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
Oshin continues to work in the field spreading the seeds from a basket hung on her shoulders. She has disobeyed her mother-in-law and is determined to stay to have her baby. She stands in the muddy field with Ryuzo and both work silently. Oshin’s legs are ankle deep into the mud.
Oshin works harder in the field as she wants to prove herself to be a Tanokura wife. In spite of being in her full term of pregnancy, her pride keeps her working so that Kiyo wouldn't have anything to complain about her.
‘Let us finish up,’ says Ryuzo as he feels for Oshin.
‘You go on, I will get this done first,’ says Oshin.
‘You would better stop before you get sick,’ Ryuzo insists.
‘I’ll be all right.’
‘Don’t be so stubborn.’
‘If I am staying on, I would better at least work hard,’ says Oshin; she pants with exhaustion, but carries on.
‘You don’t get taken care of that well. You don’t get much to eat either. You should be given better food for your baby!’ says Ryuzo and he remembers Oshin’s first pregnancy and their happy time together. He says, ‘When you were pregnant with Yu, Genzi used to buy all sorts of healthy food. I feel sorry for this new baby.’
***
At home Daigoro and Kiyo sit in the living room with their elder son Fukutaro. They sit with heap of coins and do accounting of the money they get from the harvest. Ryuzo joins them.
‘Look at all that money,’ says Ryuzo cheerfully and he sits next to his brother.
‘We sold our wheat crop today,’ replies Daigoro, his father.
‘Then I should get a share of the profits. I produced a part of the crop. I have never received any cash payments,’ says Ryuzo.
‘I have bought you everything you needed,’ Kiyo retorts promptly, cutting him short.
‘Maybe you could give five yen to Oshin? She has been working hard,’ Ryuzo remains fair towards Oshin.
‘Oh, come on! She was playing a long time with that injury. She didn’t work enough to earn her keep,’ Kiyo is manipulative, as ever.
‘She has already worked to pay that part back, my brother knows that!’ Protests Ryuzo as he looks at his brother.
‘All you ever do is talk about Oshin, but I don’t even regard her as your wife. Don’t mention her name in front of me again!’ Kiyo says with disgust toward Oshin with all her rudeness. Daigoro tries to stop but she continues to show her displeasure.
‘Oshin has to nourish the baby she is carrying. I get fish to eat, but she only gets soup and pickles. And she doesn’t even get her fair share of rice!’ Ryuzo tries to enforce his point.
‘You call yourself a man! You sound like an old maid,’ Kiyo taunts Ryuzo.
‘If I don’t speak up for her, who will? She needs to eat at least one egg every day. Or she will end up exhausting herself.’ Ryuzo says with a lot of pain.
‘I told her that I refuse to care for her if she insists on staying here. And you both know that! You are wasting your breath.’ Kiyo replies in a caustic tone. This infuriates Ryuzo, he thumps his palm on the floor and gets up.
‘Ryuzo, here!’ Daigoro stops him, hands him 5 yen note and says, ‘Go feed her something good to eat.’ Ryuzo cannot believe, he takes the note happily.
Kiyo complains, ‘It will just go to Oshin’s head!’
‘Never mind!’ Daigoro shouts back
‘Oshin needs a new kimono anyway. She works hard in the fields,’ Fukutaro speaks up softly and everyone is surprised to see him taking Oshin’s side. He continues, ‘I am not good with words, tell her for me, I think, she is doing well,’ he says with all earnestness, looking at Ryuzo.
Ryuzo is grateful, he smiles and bows to his brother and then to his father.
***
Ryuzo rushes to the room and finds Oshin stitching some clothes. She looks up and smiles.
‘It is from my father and brother, they say you have been working hard.’ Ryuzo stretches his arm and hands over the five yen note to Oshin.
Oshin looks at the note in utter surprise and is speechless.
‘Order something you want to eat, don’t worry about it!’ says Ryuzo with joy written all over his face as he sits cross-legged next to Oshin.
‘Is it really okay?’ says Oshin, she still can’t believe. As Ryuzo nods, Oshin smiles with joy after a long time. ‘I am so happy!’ She chirps, ‘I appreciate it, thank you! I still have the money Miss Kayo gave me, but I didn’t use it, as your mother would think it’s strange that I have money. I have been wanting to buy some things. I will use this to get some baby things,’ Oshin looks at the note with new hope.
‘You can get that later, but get some food first,’ Ryuzo says fondly.
‘It is such a waste, I get three meals a day. That is more than enough,’ says Oshin.
‘You need more!’
‘My mother got even less to eat, but she had strong babies like me! She had a lot of milk, too.’
‘Have a midwife look at you. I will figure out a way to pay for it,’ with one currency note, Ryuzo’s wishes to take care of Oshin opens like a flood gate.
‘I don’t need that, this is my second time!’
‘Atsuko will be giving birth here anyway. So have the same midwife look at you.’
‘You don’t have to worry about me, I will have the baby just fine.’ Oshin is full of happiness.
***
As Oshin picks up field tools the following morning, Ms. Kiyo calls her out.
‘Good morning!’ Oshin bows, greeting her.
‘Thanks for making Ryuzo less than a man. A grown up man asking his family for money!’ Kiyo starts in a caustic tone, full of sarcasm, ‘I am sure it is because you complained to him! A wife can’t do that to her husband! I thought you were ready to persevere? Yet you complain to Ryuzo about food? You don’t have to stay here, go where you can eat your fill! You have no right to be my son’s wife!’ Kiyo turns around and goes into the house after throwing venom at Oshin with her speech.
Oshin is stunned, she holds her tears somehow.
***
The rainy season begins, the busiest time of the year for the rice farmer. With an overcast sky, ready to rain any time, Kiyo enters the house bringing a full term pregnant Atsuko home with her. The maids greet the mother-daughter duo taking the bags from their hands.
‘I am finally home!’ says Atsuko, sitting down comfortably, ‘If you hadn’t come for me, they would have sent me out to plant rice,’ she tells her mother.
‘That is why I went and got you today,’ says the mother.
‘You must have had a tough time,’ Tsuneko says and she bring a bucket of water. She places the bucket near them for washing their feet.
‘Her in-laws can’t be good to her as we are!’ says Ms. Kiyo, ‘it is best we take care of our own. Besides, they can save money on her food bills. They are happy to be rid of her. She can’t be planting rice at this stage of her pregnancy. My mother-in-law had to work in the fields right up to the time she gave birth. People think wives are just slaves!’
Tsuneko and the maid wash Atsuko’s feet as Ms. Kiyo keeps on talking. She picks up a towel and wipes her feet, too. She turns to Atsuko and tells her, ‘Go and change, just relax,’
‘Oh, I am starving,’ says Atsuko.
‘I knew you would say that, we are prepared, right?’ says Kiyo as she looks at Tsuneko.
‘Where is Yu?’ asks Kiyo as suddenly she thinks of the child.
‘He is taking a nap now,’ replies Tsuneko.
‘Then let us all eat some zenzai together!’
(Zenzai is a traditional Japanese dessert soup made with azuki beans. Click to know more https://arigatojapan.co.jp/zenzai-a-traditional-japanese-dessert-fit-for-celebration/)
‘I haven’t had that in a long time,’ says Atsuko with joy, ‘it is so good to be home!’
‘Let us go and change,’ says Kiyo.
When they leave, Tsuneko starts talking to the maid, ‘when I first came here I had to work right up until the time I had my baby. They wouldn’t even let me go home until the very last minute. She said I was a Tanokura, and sent me out to work out in the fields. So different from Atsuko!’ Tsuneko sighs and picks the bucket, as she suffer silently.
***
Oshin works in the field with her feet into muddy water deep up to her ankles. She pants with tiredness, looking up from the straw hat with which she covers her head from scorching Sun.
Ryuzo arrives with buckets full of saplings, tied to the ends of a bamboo rod which he carries on his shoulders.
‘Shouldn’t you take a break? Being in the water too long isn't good for you. You will loose the baby!’ says Ryuzo as he is alarmed to see Oshin’s condition.
‘I have to finish first,’ replies Oshin and she continues to work half bend planting the rice seeds.
***
At home, the kids gather in the dining area. Ms. Kiyo is seated next to Atsuko as Tsuneko serves the dishes.
‘We always get good food when Aunt Atsuko is here!’ chimes the youngest kid. All of them have a hearty laughter.
‘Atsuko is an important guest!’ says Ms. Kiyo and she warns the kids, saying, ‘Don’t tell others that you had zenzai.’
Kids nod in agreement and then they go out and start playing.
***
‘Welcome back!’ The kids stop playing and shout in unison as they see Oshin and Ryuzo return from field.
Oshin and Ryuzo smile at the kids and return their greeting. Immediately the youngest kid tells Oshin, ‘Aunt Atsuko is here!’
‘Is she well?’ enquires Oshin.
‘We had zenzai to eat!’ The kid spills the beans forgetting the warning her grandma gave, just 5 minutes ago. The kids love Oshin and they like to share everything.
‘We are not supposed to tell,’ the older kid realizes and shouts at the youngest.
‘I can at least tell Uncle Ryuzo!’ the youngest defends her act! She continues further, ‘Aunt Atsuko had three helpings!’
‘How many did you have?’ Oshin asks the kid lovingly.
‘Just a single serving,’ pat comes the reply from the kid.
Oshin laughs out at the kid’s innocence and walks into the house to the washing area. They both wash their feet which are too dirty due to standing in the muddy water at the fields.
‘You are back!’ Ms. Kiyo comes out and starts talking to Ryuzo. She says, ‘Atsuko should be out of the bath soon.’
‘Oshin, you go bathe first, you need to warm up,’ says Ryuzo looking at Oshin, he is too concerned for Oshin’s condition.
‘What! The women should bathe last!’ Ms. Kiyo reminds Ryuzo of the house rules.
‘She was knee deep in water all day!’ Says Ryuzo.
‘Your father and brother haven’t bathed yet,’ says the mother.
‘But Atsuko has, so why not Oshin?’ Ryuzo always wants to be fair to Oshin and he is ready to argue with his mother on this.
‘I don’t mind,’ says Oshin, trying to defuse the situation, she continues, ‘I still have to wash the diapers anyway.’
‘Just do as I say, and bathe before your father and brother get back,’ orders Kiyo. Giving a verdict, she walks indoors.
Ryuzo sighs deeply in anger.
***
‘That was such a good bath!’ says Atsuko as she comes to the dining area. Ryuzo watches her from the side and feels frustrated.
Tsuneko works in the kitchen and the maid helps her.
‘Where is Zenzai?’ Ryuzo asks his mother. He says, ‘Oshin needs something sweet, she is tired.’
‘What zenzai? There is no celebration!’ Mother lies quickly. Ryuzo is furious and he says, ‘The one who loafs around all day eats zenzai and takes the first bath. And the one who works all day in the fields gets nothing? It is not fair!’ Ryuzo starts shouting. He says, ‘Oshin should get equal treatment!’
Oshin comes running. She pulls Ryuzo away and says, ‘Never mind, I don’t need it!’
‘You are nothing but trouble!’ declares Ms. Kiyo. She says, ‘Don’t meddle in how I treat Atsuko!
‘I am nothing but trouble?’ Shouts Ryuzo at the top of his voice, as Oshin tries to push him away from the scene. They both come out toward the backyard.
Ryuzo pants with anger as Oshin watches him, she is too tired to speak up.
How long will this kind of life go on? But Oshin wants to have her baby in this house. She is determined. Also, she feels miserable.
We will know more of suffering Oshin has to go through in the Episode 138, coming soon!