Jul 20, 2022 16:46
Mama gazed with unabashed awe at her newborn. Such perfection! Tears of joy and appreciation streaked her face. Father broke his long habit of not showing his emotions. A heartfelt grin of pride spread across his face. This was the most wonderful day of his life.
“We will name him Takara, “declared the father. “He is indeed our Treasure.”
Mama nodded, “Yes. It is obvious. Sweet Takara-chan.” She bent her lips to caress the child’s tender face.
His parents brought him home and hovered over him like mama and papa birds. Everything their precious infant needed was delivered.
But sometimes the baby cried. His parents were as distraught as he was. What could be wrong? Alas, the child’s diaper was full of poop. Or he had a tummy ache because he was hungry. He even screamed when he had eaten so much that a burp was needed to relieve that pain. Their perfect son’s life was not always perfect.
Takara Fujimoto grew bigger and cuter, smarter and more athletic. If anything, his parents’ pride expanded in measure with the child. When he pulled pots out of the cabinets to bang on them with a spoon, they said, “Oh, he will be a musician one day,” and smiled indulgently. When he climbed up the kitchen chair to reach the light switch, they smiled knowingly at his brilliance and put up with the sudden brightening and darkening of the room. “He will be an electrical genius,” they informed each other. When he slipped off the chair and fell crying to the floor, they said, “Ayiyiyi! Even monkeys fall from trees!” They very nearly felt the child’s pain in their own bodies.
When not attending to his every need, the parents delighted in giving little Takara educational tours of their home. This was how the doorknob worked. That was the portrait of little Takara’s esteemed grandfather. And over here was the lovely jade-green vase the family was given to celebrate the birth of Takara himself. As Takara grew older, he especially enjoyed the serpentine painting of a frightening dragon that encircled the belly of the pretty pot.
One day when Takara was four years old, his parents gave him an important job to do. It was to be his very first errand. They gave him some money and instructed him to go to the bakery to buy some buns. He knew where it was! He had been there many times with his mama. They talked to him and reminded him that he would go down the elevator to the street. He would walk along the street until he came to the bridge and then cross to the other side when the light was green. He would double check there were no cars coming first! He would walk past three shops and then go in and buy the buns. He knew Mr. Hashimoto, didn’t he? Hashimoto-san would help him. If there was money left over after paying for the buns, Hashimoto-san would give him change. If Takara saw something tasty he would like to buy with the change, then he could do that. And Mama and Father reminded him, “When you come back home, be sure to push the elevator button for Floor #5!”
Takara went out. In the elevator he knew which button to push to reach the street level. The noise outside was so loud, he had to stop a moment to look around. When he was with Mama or Father, he would get pulled along in the right direction. But this time he had to remember which way to go himself. It was so confusing! Cars zoomed by from the right. Across the road they speeded by from the left. Whoa, there went a big garbage truck! It was so big up close! Takara felt his nerves begin to shake. But then he saw the bridge over to the left and remembered that was the right way to go. He let out his breath and then took another. He turned to the left and headed for the bakery.
Hashimoto-san was so kind to him! After Takara had paid for the buns, he pointed to a pink cupcake with big mouse ears in the glass case. Hashimoto-san told him how much it would be and then helped Takara find the right bills to pay for it. Takara thought he had never tasted anything so delicious! Once he was home again, he couldn’t stop telling Mama and Father about every detail of his expedition.
At four years old, Takara had so many things to say. He had so many questions! “Why is the sky blue?”
“What is the sun? How big is the sun?”
“How big is a black hole? Is it bigger than the sun?”
“Where do shooting stars come from? Can they shoot a person? Would it hurt?”
“Do collies like other collies better than other kinds of dogs?”
Sometimes the questions were painful. “Where does the soul of a dog go after it dies? Where is Grandma now? Why do dogs have to die? Why did Grandma have to die? Will I die some day?” (Of course, Mama and Father will always be here, no need to ask about that!)
After Takara was six, he began to go to school. He was excited because he got to choose his favorite pencil case with red trucks printed on it. He had another one with Anpanman on it for home. Couldn’t have too many pencils! Or pencil cases!
Takara liked school but some other students didn’t so much. He liked learning to write the letters because it felt so much like drawing. He loved the math but he chafed at the slow pace the teachers were making. He even liked the part of the day when he and the other students cleaned the bathrooms. It was exercise! It felt good to move around.
But one day while cleaning the restrooms, a certain boy, Eiko, was mean to Takara. When Takara and Eiko both reached for the bucket of soapy water at the same time, Eiko whispered under his breath, “Oh, so the Treasure wants the bucket. It’s MINE today!”
Takara was startled. He knew this boy had a hard time in math. He always had a scowl upon his face. Eiko yanked on the bucket, spilling most of the water. When Takara slipped on the wet floor, Eiko laughed cruelly. As Takara sat stunned in the spreading water, he heard with dismay the too-loud voice of Kentaro, Eiko’s faithful sidekick. “That’ll teach you, Brain Boy.” Takara wanted to cry but knew he couldn’t show his humiliation. So he stowed the lesson of unkind people in his heart so that he would remember not to behave that way himself.
Takara continued through school. He reveled in the fun puzzles of solving math problems. Remembering Eiko, he made a point of helping Kimiko through the problems that gave her trouble. Soon he invited another boy, Yori, to join them. The three became fast friends. They joined the chess club. They made origami cranes for the school’s Children’s Day display.
At the proper time, Takara graduated from university and then went to the USA for a job. Sometimes he was so very lonely. It was hard to communicate in that strange English language. He knew how to do the engineering problems but sometimes had a hard time explaining his solutions! People were strange in this big country! They often seemed so rude. He conveyed his impressions of this odd country in letters to his parents. Emails and video chats with Kimiko and Yori helped him keep his spirits up. Together they laughed. But he was careful not to share too much of his troubles. It would be too humiliating. Then it got worse; his company let him go. They referenced difficulties in communications.
Life was tough for the following months. He didn’t tell his parents at first. Their belief in him was so strong that he didn’t want to disappoint them. He was too embarrassed to confide in Kimiko or Yori. He missed them desperately but he couldn’t bear to share his plight.
Takara became despondent when he found it difficult to pay for food as well as rent. Fortunately, he already had a tiny apartment. And at least you could buy ramen in this country. Meanwhile he spent every day scanning employment opportunities.
Finally, one day he sent a jubilant note back home. He was taking a new job! And he was coming back to Japan!
When he got off the airplane, his parents welcomed him with tears of happiness in their eyes. Kimiko and Yori met him later and seemed somewhat embarrassed in front of him. That’s when he noticed a diamond ring on Kimiko’s finger and Yori admitted that they had fallen in love and planned to be married.
Poor Takara! He started his new job. He was valued for his ability with English. (How ironic, he thought.) But his world was still gray without Kimiko and Yori. Of course, he was gracious to them and congratulated them on their happiness. But he realized that he had missed an opportunity. He didn’t think he would ever make such wonderful friends again. He stored this knowledge, too, in his heart and vowed to cherish his future friendships and work hard to ensure he did everything to keep them healthy.
Takara did well in his job. He made a point of helping new employeees adapt to the corporation. He remembered how difficult it was being a new person in an unfamiliar environment. And though the barrier of language was gone, he realized that some obstacles were not so easily identified. So many were social. He went out with colleagues to get to know them better.
He continued to meet with Kimiko and Yori occasionally. He loved them both but felt a deep sadness that they were closer to each other than to him. It felt awkward to be with them but he always reminded himself to rejoice in their happiness. He would get by.
One day Mama called in tears. Yori had been tragically killed in a car accident. Takara was stunned. This couldn’t be! His best friend dead! Takara cried for the loss of his friend. Then he cried for Yori’s parents’ loss. Surely that was greater than his personal loss. He could meet a new friend but Yori’s parents would never gain their son back.
Takara thought about Kimiko. She must be hurting as well. He should go to her to comfort her. Maybe he would feel better as well.
He went to Kimiko’s home. Her eyes were red and swollen with grief. She was not expecting to see him but took only a moment to reach for Takara and clutch him into a desperate embrace. The two melted into sobbing.
“Come,” Takara invited. “It is so dark in here. Let us walk in the park.”
They said very little at first. They both let the beautiful songs of birds and the warm rays of the spring sun wash over their troubled thoughts. While gazing at a tranquil lake Kimiko released a huge sigh. She took Takara’s hand. The two walked quietly back to Kimiko’s apartment, silent in their grief.
The next day was Sunday and Takara knocked again on Kimiko’s door. This time she looked up at him and gave a little smile. In the park they found a picnic table and Kimiko pulled out a packet from her purse. “Let’s fold cranes,” she said. “I always find it comforting to fold origami.” So they set to work.
As they folded blue cranes and lilac cranes they began to talk. They talked about the old times. Takara heard about the Yori he missed while he was in the USA. He listened and listened. Takara was sad for Yori. He was sad for Kimiko. He was sad for himself. He knew this hurt would need time to heal.
Takara and Kimiko walked almost every day that month. Takara finally felt the time had come where he could pour his heart out to Kimiko. He revealed the trials he had gone through while abroad. “Oh, you should have told me,” she cried.
“You’re right,” Takara admitted. “One should not keep secrets from friends.”
They watched the leaves emerge from the naked branches. “It’s a new beginning, isn’t it,” commented Kimiko. Takara pointed out the birds creating a nest for their eggs. “I envy them,” he said.
“Yes, I do too,” Kimiko turned and looked at Takara with questioning eyes.
“Could you marry me?” asked Takara.
“I could,” answered Kimiko. “You have become even more beautiful than you were before. You are so sweet and understanding.”
“We’ve both grown from the troubles of our lives,” answered Takara. He took Kimiko’s hand and they turned back to share their news with their parents.
The night before their wedding, Takara’s parents handed their son and his bride a beautifully wrapped box. Kimiko opened it. When she gently removed the jade-green vase from its nest, she cooed over its delicate beauty.
Takara felt his heart leap in recognition. “Kimiko, this vase has been in the family for as long as I have been. But it’s even more beautiful now than it was in the beginning."
“Indeed,” his father replied. “Unfortunately, while you were away, the vase was broken. We took it to an artisan for repair. You see the seams of gold that reunited the broken pieces?”
“Yes, breathed Takara. It’s encased in a golden, gleaming web.”
Takara’s mama continued. “It’s called the art of Kintsugi. We feel that as you have grown, like this vase, you have become an even more beautiful treasure than before.”
Kimiko gazed at Takara with love. “It’s so true,” she agreed.
“And like this vase, I too, feel more whole than ever,”said Takara. “Life is a constant drive for improvement.” He turned to Kimiko. “Thank you for accepting me, even as broken as I’ve been. Kimiko, you are the golden web that makes me whole.
"We will be beautiful together."
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