On Honshu Island - Chapter 3

To read Chapter 1
             Chapter 2
Chapter 3
“Jasumin, time to get up,” called Ka-ra, as she did every morning, “you too Fa…” a half sob came from Ka-ra’s throat, as she stopped, remembering that Fabio no longer was there.        
 Jasumin was already up and dressed.  Today was her first day of school.  She was excited.       
   “Ka-ra, when can I go?” asked Jasumin, as they were sitting down to breakfast.       
   “After we clean up,” Ka-ra replied shortly.  Ka-ra seemed to be forever lost in a world only known to those who have loved ones in a war.  Jasumin gave a little shiver of excitement, not seeming to heed Ka-ra’s indifference.     
      As the time to leave drew nearer, Ka-ra warmed a little to Jasumin’s excitement.        
  “Have you packed your supplies?” she asked.  Jasumin nodded.  She had packed yesterday.     
     “Here is your lunch,” Ka-ra handed Jasumin a little bucket; “I have given you two rice cakes and an apple.”  Jasumin’s mouth watered.  She thought of the sweet rice cakes.  She couldn’t wait until lunch.           They walked down to the school.  As the tall building’s shadow cast a momentary darkness over the two, Jasumin shivered, half from fright and half from anticipation.   
        They made their way to the principal’s office.     
      “Hello Jasumin,” said Ms Chi Abu cheerfully, “I’m glad to see you are all ready.  Have you got your lunch?”        
  “Yes, ma’am,” Jasumin said softly.       
   “You can put your lunch in the hall; I’ll show you the way.  But hark! There is the bell.  I’ll take your lunch and show you the way to our classroom as we go. One moment though, Mrs. Daiki, will you pick her up, or will she go home by herself?”      
    “Today, I’ll pick her up, but tomorrow she can go by herself.”        
   “Certainly, we just have to know, so we know who to let out, and who to keep until their parents come.  If you’ll wait just a tick, I’ll be back and will be able to finalize everything.  Now then, Jasumin, we’ll be off.”     
     Jasumin, after hugging Ka-ra tight, shyly followed the busy principal. She looked wide eyed at all the girls, big and small, rushing past, all going to their respective classrooms. Ms Chi Abu turned down many corridors and finally stopped at a door.  Pushing it opened, Ms Chi Abu revealed a large sunny classroom with thirty or so girls, just taking their seats

“Mrs Takim,  here is a new girl for you,” Ms Chi Abu said, “her names is Jasumin Daiki and she is eight, and has never been to school before.”

          Mrs. Takim touched her forehead daintily, “Why, Ms Chi Abu, it is a pleasure to have you here this morning.  Girls, turn and greet your leader of this fine school, the founder of this school, Ms Chi Abu.” 

          All the girls, in perfect unison, rose, paused, turned to face Ms Chi Abu, paused, bowed low, paused, and said “Good morning Ms Chi Abu” paused, turned, paused and sat back down,

          “Good morning class,” Ms Chi Abu said, “Now, Jasumin, here I will leave you.  Please be nice to her Mrs. Takim.  Goodbye.” 

          Mrs. Takim turned to her class, “Now what do you think of that! A visit from the principal!  Jasumin, deary, come here.  That is your name, is it not?”

          “Yes, ma’am,” replied Jasumin politely, but quietly. 

          “You may take your seat with Molly, over there,” Mrs. Takim pointed to a seat where a little girl sat, all alone at a big desk that was obviously made for two.  Jasumin started in panic - she couldn’t sit there! Molly raised her head to look at Jasumin.  Jasumin stifled a scream.  Molly’s eyes were blue, and her hair was yellow.  Molly was an American, a foreigner.  Jasumin took two hesitant steps forward, and stopped. 

          “Go on, Jasumin,” the teacher said, a frown making its way into here voice, “You are wasting time.”

          Jasumin dragged her feet slowly to where Molly was sitting. She slowly sat down, next to Molly.  Despite herself, Jasumin sneaked a look at Molly, and liked what she saw. Molly was eight and was in Japan for an indefinite period of time.  Her parents were in the country on mission work, and had decided to send Molly to school, to find some friends.  Therefore, Molly did not have too many lessons, as she wouldn’t always live in the country.  However, Molly could fluently speak Japanese, as she had lived here ever since she was three years old.  Jasumin studied Molly’s dress.  It was the same as hers, although made of a much more expensive material.  Her hair was so light, and pretty.  Jasumin wanted to touch it.  She slowly reached out her hand and then Molly turned her head.  Jasumin shrank back.  Molly only had time to smile reassuringly before Mrs Takim clapped her hands and said,

           “Okay class, let’s sing our ABC’s.”  The class began to chant, and Jasumin hummed along as best as she could.  After the song, they counted pictures on the blackboard.  This too, was fun.  Afterwards, they listened to Mrs. Takim read a poem, and then it was time for lunch.  Jasumin decided she liked school.

          At lunch, Molly singled out Jasumin.

          “My name is Molly Frank,” she said, “your’s Jasumin, I know.  Can we be friends? I don’t have any friends.  You see, my parents are from America.  I was three when they moved here.  I can speak two languages.  We’ll go back soon, Papa says any day now.  The war is getting dangerous.  He said, oops, he said I can’t talk about such things, he says it is too dangerous.  I’ve been to America only once, and I can’t remember much.  Do you have any brothers or sisters?  I don’t.  I wish I did however.  I get awful bored sometimes.  But I’m glad you are going to be my friend.  Can we be best friends?  I hope you don’t already have a best friend. I know I’m going to love you, and then miss you dreadfully when I go back to America.”  Here, Molly flopped on the grass, finally out of words.  Jasumin giggled, and then stopped suddenly, not knowing if you were allowed to giggle at school. 

          “My, aren’t you serious,” chirped Molly, sitting up, “Tell me all about your family…and can we be best friends?”

          “No, I mean yes, I think,” stammered Jasumin.  She composed herself quickly and continued in a much more serious tone, “Yes, I would like to be friends with you, Molly Frank. And yes, I have one brother.  His name is Fabio.  But he and Sir Ha-bi are at war.  Only Ka-ra and I live at home now.”

          For once, even Molly was speechless.  Family in the war!  That was special.  Then she recovered and continued, “I’m glad we are going to be friends.  I’m so glad.  I won’t be lonely now.  Can I come over to your house tomorrow?”

          Before Jasumin could reply, the bell rang, “Got to go,” Molly cried, jumping up and upsetting her lunch.  “Bell’s rung, school in, break is out!”  She grabbed Jasumin’s hand and together the newly made friends tore across the field, along with a hundred or so other girls. 

          For the rest of the day, Jasumin was in awe of Molly.  She was so confident, had no qualms about asking or answering questions.  She asked Mrs Takim everything about everything, and was a loyal friend. 

          Once school was over and she was back at home, Jasumin missed having Fabio to talk to.  He had always listened to her adventures, when no-one else would.  Ka-ra tried to listen, but as Jasumin’s story dragged on and on, sometimes repeating the same thing two or three times, Ka-ra grew impatient. 

          “Dear, that is a wonderful story,” she interrupted, “but I really have to go and get dinner on.  Can you complete your tale while we eat?”

          Jasumin nodded.  She couldn’t wait.  After sitting at the table awhile longer, she went to play with her dolls.  At first, she played energetically then, as her thoughts wandered back to school and Molly, the doll’s movements became slower and slower and then finally dropped to the ground, unheeded by the little dreamer.

          I wonder, thought Jasumin, what Molly would think of our poor little house and of my bedroom, with my only toys being newspaper dolls.  She being American, she is probably rich and has lots of toys.  I wish we were…then before a thought of discontentment could cross her mind, Ka-ra called for dinner.

          Jasumin eagerly picked up her story, as soon as she had sat down, her previous thoughts forgotten.  However, Ka-ra was no longer listening.  Jasumin realized this, and her voice died away, and Ka-ra just sat there, looking out into space, not hearing that Jasumin had stopped her chatter.  She was not aware of anyone just at the moment.  She was thinking of her soldiers.  They were somewhere, fighting a terrible, horrible war.  Ka-ra closed her eyes.  She did not know a god, or anyone she could lean on.  So she didn’t pray, she merely wished, and willed, that her husband and son would be safe.

          Jasumin left the table, washed the dishes, and cleaned up, all around Ka-ra.  She touched her on the shoulder, “Goodnight, Ka-ra,” Jasumin said tentatively.  Ka-ra made no reply or indication that she heard.  Jasumin’s lips trembled and she made her way to the bedroom, tears rolling down her face.  She was troubled by her mother’s actions.  Ka-ra had always had staring spells and listlessness moments, but never as long or as bad as that.  But like Ka-ra, she had no one to turn to for help, so she turned her face to the wall, and cried herself to sleep.

          Ka-ra sat there a long while more.  Finally, a clock struck twelve, making her start.  Where was Jasumin?  She looked around her.  The place was tidy, the dishes washed.  Ka-ra went to Jasumin’s room.  There, she saw her daughter, her face wet with tears.

          “My poor little darling,” murmured Ka-ra.  She picked the sleeping girl up and carried her to the big bed in the parents’ room.  She wrapped her arms around Jasumin and thus comforted, fell asleep. 

          Jasumin was surprised and glad when she found herself in Ka-ra’s bed the next morning. 

          Ka-ra stroked her head, “What made you so upset last night?” she herself had no recollection of her listlessness.  Jasumin merely smiled and shook her head.  She no longer minded.

          “You can sleep with me every night from now on,” Ka-ra continued. 

          Jasumin nodded.  And so, in this way, Mother leant on daughter and daughter on Mother for support and comfort. 

                   _____________________________________

         Life continued on thus in this way.  Jasumin was exceptionally smart and quick to learn.  She and Molly became fast friends. Molly was over at Jasumin’s house and Jasumin at Molly’s so often that Mrs Frank decided to come over and meet Ka-ra.

          They got along fairly well, mainly because Jasumin and Molly were so eager and anxious that they would get along, that they smoothed over any slight difference of opinion.  Ka-ra did hold a grudge against Americans; after all, they were fighting her husband and son.  But she swallowed her pride, for Jasumin’s sake, and was civil to Mrs Frank.  

          Ka-ra thought, that in these uncertain times, it would beneficial for Jasumin to learn English.  She mentioned this to Mrs Takim who said, quite vehemently, that she could not, would not teach the language of the enemy.  Ka-ra herself thought the same way, but she thought higher of Jasumin than she did of herself, and so pursued the language lessons. 

          Mrs Frank heard about Ka-ra’s search.  She came directly over.  “I can teach you girl English,” she offered.  Ka-ra obstinately shook her head.

          “Not by you,” she said, “That would be preposterous - you being one of the enemy and all.”             “My dear,” Mrs Ffrank, a bantering tone covering her hurt and seriousness, “I’m not your enemy.  I’m your friend, well; at least I count you as my friend.  I think it is up to you now to let go of your bitterness and hate and realize that not all Americans are fighting your family.  Just like, if you were in America, not all Japanese are their enemies.”

          “I think you would find that ‘Japs’ as you call them, are considered enemies.”

          Mrs Frank sighed. She didn’t know how to respond.  Instead she went back onto the main subject, “So, I’m offering to teach Jasumin English.” 

          Now it was Ka-ra’s turn to sigh.  “I don’t need help,” she muttered.  But, at length, she agreed to Mrs Frank’s offer and soon everything was arranged.  Jasumin would go home with Molly three times a week to study English for an hour after school.  Since Ka-ra insisted in paying, although Mrs Frank could see, from looking around their house, there was little money; they agreed on two yen a lesson.  This was extremely cheap, but Ka-ra did not know that and Mrs Frank said she didn't know what they were paying English teachers these days.  This was quite true, although she could have told you it was a lot more than two yen. 

          Jasumin wasn't overly pleased with the prospect of more lessons.  As aforesaid, she was bright and learnt quickly.  However, this didn't mean she was happy to study more.  But as Ka-ra spelled out the plan in detail to her daughter, she became more pleased.  Walking home with Molly was something she had really wanted to do, but their homes were opposite ways.  Very soon, Jasumin enjoyed her lessons with kind Mrs Frank and looked forward to them as much as she did school.

                                                                            ... to be continued ......