Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 9/20
a.k.a. memories
Fumie was standing in the entryway, with Aiko and Yoshiko. She looked at them and said, "There's food in the refrigerator. Eat what you like." Yoshiko said, "I could skip school and go with you." Fumie shook her head. "What you need to do is make sure Shigeru eats. Don't worry." Aiko said, "Remind Grandpa that he promised to come back to visit. So he has to get well."
Kinuyo came around the corner. Fumie said, "I'm just going for three days. You take care of each other." Kinuyo said, "Tell Miyako to take care of herself. Genbee will get well, but she needs to stay healthy, too."
Shigeru wandered in, yawning. Fumie looked at him and said, "You didn't need to get up so early." He yawned, then said, "Be careful on your trip."
Fumie walked out of the house. Aiko and Yoshiko stood on the porch and watched her go.
At her parents' home, Fumie slid a door open. She looked inside, and said, "Mother?" Miyako looked up from where she sat at the side of the futons. "Oh, Fumie. You're here. Come in." Fumie stepped inside and looked at Genbee. He was on his back, sleeping, under the covers.
Fumie said, "How is he?" Miyako smiled at her and said, "He's sleeping now." Then Kumiko, wife of Tetsu, the first son, and Izumi opened the door. Kumiko said, "Why don't you let Izumi watch for a while? You can talk with Fumie." Miyako nodded. "Please." She got up and walked out of the room. As Fumie followed her, Fumie stopped in the door and looked back at Genbee sleeping. She said to herself, "Dad, you've gotten old."
In the living room, Fumie brought a tray with tea. Kumiko carried a bowl full of snacks to the table where Miyako waited. Kumiko said, "These are from Fumie." Miyako smiled and said, "Dan dan. Thank you for coming such a long way." [Dan dan is a colloquial thank you] Fumie said, "No, I wanted to come. But I thought Genbee would be in the hospital." Kumiko said, "He went to the hospital for x-rays." Miyako said, "But the doctors said he would be better at home, so we brought him home."
Kumiko said, "I think Murai is working very hard." Fumie nodded. "It's very busy with the TV series starting, and lots of requests for work." Miyako said, "Genbee was really excited about the new Kitaro on TV." Kumiko said, "He collapsed about two days before it started, though." Fumie looked at her and said, "What?"
Miyako said, "He was running around telling everyone to watch. I remember the two girls, he, and I were at the table. I told him he shouldn't run around so much. He said he had to, that he had to make sure people knew they should watch Kitaro on TV. Then he started reminiscing about Shigeru and rental manga. I said something about him telling that story so many times." She sighed. Then she said,"I had just turned to get him some more tea. I heard his cup fall on the table. I turned around and he was looking very strange, holding onto his right arm. He said that's strange. Then he fell over. Kumiko and I rushed over to him. I remember Kumiko asked him if he was all right. He lay there, holding his arm, his face twisted, and said he was okay. Then Kumiko told Izumi to run next door and get the doctor."
Miyako took a deep breath, and shuddered. Then she looked at Fumie. "It's his right side. He doesn't seem to be able to move it." Kumiko said, "The doctor says it isn't so hard. With rehabilitation and time, he should be able to move again." Fumie said, "Kinuyo said the same thing. She said Genbee would get better, but that you need to be careful of your health." Miyako smiled. "Dan dan. But with old age..." Kumiko said, "You have to keep up your hope." Then Kumiko looked at Fumie and said, "We didn't call you right away because Genbee said we shouldn't disturb you. He said it's not that serious, don't bother them."
Later, Fumie was feeding Genbee rice porridge. He sat up, slumped on the folded blankets. She lifted a spoon of the porridge to his mouth. He shook his head and said, "Enough." Fumie put the spoon back in the bowl and set it by the bed. She said, "You need to eat, so you'll get better soon." Genbee looked at her and said, "I told them not to bother you." Fumie said, "It's not a bother. I wanted to see your face again." Genbee said, "I'm going to visit in the spring." Fumie smiled. "Yes, the girls are looking forward to it. They want to see the cherry blossoms with you."
Genbee said, "How is Aiko doing? Is her teaching OK?" Fumie said, "Yes. It was a little rough at first, but I think she's becoming confident." Genbee said, "That's good." Fumie said, "Yoshiko says when she graduates, she's going to help with Mizuki Productions." Genbee said, "That's good, too."
Fumie said, "Do you want to lay down? You shouldn't do too much." He looked at her and said, "Don't baby me." Fumie said, "I'm sorry."
Genbee said, "Fumie, how is the TV?" Fumie said, "Do you mean Kitaro?" Genbee gave a slight nod. Fumie said, "It's doing really well." Genbee said, "That's good."
Then Genbee said, "He's doing good work. Murai." He took a breath, and said, "You married a good man. I worried." Fumie said, "You told me to keep going. That in 10 or 20 years, that's when you find out." Genbee smiled. "That's what I thought. But I also worried. Maybe it was the wrong way. Being his wife was hard, and I couldn't help." Then he looked at her. "In the rental manga store was when I knew." Fumie said, "What?" Genbee said, "You stood up to me and told me that he was a real manga artist." He took another breath. "I knew then I should leave it alone. I understood it was the right marriage." He took a breath. "But it has been a little lonely. You changed from my daughter to his wife." Fumie looked at him and said, "Dad..."
Genbee looked at her and said, "Maybe I will rest a little." Fumie helped him to lay down.
Downstairs, Tetsu, the son, said, "So Fumie came home?" Kumiko sat with Izumi and Miyako. Kumiko said, "She's up with Genbee now." Tetsu said, "I bet that made Genbee happy." Miyako said, "He's complaining, but I think he really wanted to meet her." Then she looked around the table. "It used to be so busy here." Tetsu said, "What do you mean?" Miyako chuckled. "I was just thinking about when all of you were children here at the table. Fumie was the quiet one in the corner." Tetsu nodded. "But then one by one we got married." Miyako nodded. Tetsu said, "But when the grandchildren visit, it's still pretty busy." Miyako smiled.
Upstairs, Fumie said, "Genbee? When you get well, maybe you would sing for me?" He blinked. Fumie said, "Yasugi bushi? Miyako says you've been singing it, but I've only heard you twice." She shook her head. "The first time was when we were kids, and you sang to Mother when she was sick from the bee sting." Then she chuckled. "The next time was at my own wedding. But that time I was so nervous, and Shigeru got drunk, I couldn't really enjoy it. I do remember, you put both our names in it."
Miyako walked up the hallway. She paused when she heard singing. She looked through the partly opened doorway. Fumie was singing softly, while Genbee slept. After a verse, Fumie paused, and said, "Dad? Are you asleep?" Then she leaned over and started to pull the blanket up. She jumped when he took her hand. With his eyes still closed, he sang a line with Shigeru's name in it.
Fumie smiled. "Our life has been like the song." He muttered, "Good?" Fumie said, "Oh, yes." Then she held his hands while he fell asleep.
Fumie was standing in the entryway, with Aiko and Yoshiko. She looked at them and said, "There's food in the refrigerator. Eat what you like." Yoshiko said, "I could skip school and go with you." Fumie shook her head. "What you need to do is make sure Shigeru eats. Don't worry." Aiko said, "Remind Grandpa that he promised to come back to visit. So he has to get well."
Kinuyo came around the corner. Fumie said, "I'm just going for three days. You take care of each other." Kinuyo said, "Tell Miyako to take care of herself. Genbee will get well, but she needs to stay healthy, too."
Shigeru wandered in, yawning. Fumie looked at him and said, "You didn't need to get up so early." He yawned, then said, "Be careful on your trip."
Fumie walked out of the house. Aiko and Yoshiko stood on the porch and watched her go.
At her parents' home, Fumie slid a door open. She looked inside, and said, "Mother?" Miyako looked up from where she sat at the side of the futons. "Oh, Fumie. You're here. Come in." Fumie stepped inside and looked at Genbee. He was on his back, sleeping, under the covers.
Fumie said, "How is he?" Miyako smiled at her and said, "He's sleeping now." Then Kumiko, wife of Tetsu, the first son, and Izumi opened the door. Kumiko said, "Why don't you let Izumi watch for a while? You can talk with Fumie." Miyako nodded. "Please." She got up and walked out of the room. As Fumie followed her, Fumie stopped in the door and looked back at Genbee sleeping. She said to herself, "Dad, you've gotten old."
In the living room, Fumie brought a tray with tea. Kumiko carried a bowl full of snacks to the table where Miyako waited. Kumiko said, "These are from Fumie." Miyako smiled and said, "Dan dan. Thank you for coming such a long way." [Dan dan is a colloquial thank you] Fumie said, "No, I wanted to come. But I thought Genbee would be in the hospital." Kumiko said, "He went to the hospital for x-rays." Miyako said, "But the doctors said he would be better at home, so we brought him home."
Kumiko said, "I think Murai is working very hard." Fumie nodded. "It's very busy with the TV series starting, and lots of requests for work." Miyako said, "Genbee was really excited about the new Kitaro on TV." Kumiko said, "He collapsed about two days before it started, though." Fumie looked at her and said, "What?"
Miyako said, "He was running around telling everyone to watch. I remember the two girls, he, and I were at the table. I told him he shouldn't run around so much. He said he had to, that he had to make sure people knew they should watch Kitaro on TV. Then he started reminiscing about Shigeru and rental manga. I said something about him telling that story so many times." She sighed. Then she said,"I had just turned to get him some more tea. I heard his cup fall on the table. I turned around and he was looking very strange, holding onto his right arm. He said that's strange. Then he fell over. Kumiko and I rushed over to him. I remember Kumiko asked him if he was all right. He lay there, holding his arm, his face twisted, and said he was okay. Then Kumiko told Izumi to run next door and get the doctor."
Miyako took a deep breath, and shuddered. Then she looked at Fumie. "It's his right side. He doesn't seem to be able to move it." Kumiko said, "The doctor says it isn't so hard. With rehabilitation and time, he should be able to move again." Fumie said, "Kinuyo said the same thing. She said Genbee would get better, but that you need to be careful of your health." Miyako smiled. "Dan dan. But with old age..." Kumiko said, "You have to keep up your hope." Then Kumiko looked at Fumie and said, "We didn't call you right away because Genbee said we shouldn't disturb you. He said it's not that serious, don't bother them."
Later, Fumie was feeding Genbee rice porridge. He sat up, slumped on the folded blankets. She lifted a spoon of the porridge to his mouth. He shook his head and said, "Enough." Fumie put the spoon back in the bowl and set it by the bed. She said, "You need to eat, so you'll get better soon." Genbee looked at her and said, "I told them not to bother you." Fumie said, "It's not a bother. I wanted to see your face again." Genbee said, "I'm going to visit in the spring." Fumie smiled. "Yes, the girls are looking forward to it. They want to see the cherry blossoms with you."
Genbee said, "How is Aiko doing? Is her teaching OK?" Fumie said, "Yes. It was a little rough at first, but I think she's becoming confident." Genbee said, "That's good." Fumie said, "Yoshiko says when she graduates, she's going to help with Mizuki Productions." Genbee said, "That's good, too."
Fumie said, "Do you want to lay down? You shouldn't do too much." He looked at her and said, "Don't baby me." Fumie said, "I'm sorry."
Genbee said, "Fumie, how is the TV?" Fumie said, "Do you mean Kitaro?" Genbee gave a slight nod. Fumie said, "It's doing really well." Genbee said, "That's good."
Then Genbee said, "He's doing good work. Murai." He took a breath, and said, "You married a good man. I worried." Fumie said, "You told me to keep going. That in 10 or 20 years, that's when you find out." Genbee smiled. "That's what I thought. But I also worried. Maybe it was the wrong way. Being his wife was hard, and I couldn't help." Then he looked at her. "In the rental manga store was when I knew." Fumie said, "What?" Genbee said, "You stood up to me and told me that he was a real manga artist." He took another breath. "I knew then I should leave it alone. I understood it was the right marriage." He took a breath. "But it has been a little lonely. You changed from my daughter to his wife." Fumie looked at him and said, "Dad..."
Genbee looked at her and said, "Maybe I will rest a little." Fumie helped him to lay down.
Downstairs, Tetsu, the son, said, "So Fumie came home?" Kumiko sat with Izumi and Miyako. Kumiko said, "She's up with Genbee now." Tetsu said, "I bet that made Genbee happy." Miyako said, "He's complaining, but I think he really wanted to meet her." Then she looked around the table. "It used to be so busy here." Tetsu said, "What do you mean?" Miyako chuckled. "I was just thinking about when all of you were children here at the table. Fumie was the quiet one in the corner." Tetsu nodded. "But then one by one we got married." Miyako nodded. Tetsu said, "But when the grandchildren visit, it's still pretty busy." Miyako smiled.
Upstairs, Fumie said, "Genbee? When you get well, maybe you would sing for me?" He blinked. Fumie said, "Yasugi bushi? Miyako says you've been singing it, but I've only heard you twice." She shook her head. "The first time was when we were kids, and you sang to Mother when she was sick from the bee sting." Then she chuckled. "The next time was at my own wedding. But that time I was so nervous, and Shigeru got drunk, I couldn't really enjoy it. I do remember, you put both our names in it."
Miyako walked up the hallway. She paused when she heard singing. She looked through the partly opened doorway. Fumie was singing softly, while Genbee slept. After a verse, Fumie paused, and said, "Dad? Are you asleep?" Then she leaned over and started to pull the blanket up. She jumped when he took her hand. With his eyes still closed, he sang a line with Shigeru's name in it.
Fumie smiled. "Our life has been like the song." He muttered, "Good?" Fumie said, "Oh, yes." Then she held his hands while he fell asleep.