About Her Brother Page #5

No, it's not public.

It's a kind of private hospice.

A hospice?

They care for those without family

in their last days.

So they can draw their last breath

believing in the life to come.

They operate hand to mouth,

and the staff work very hard.

My hat's off to them.

Here we are.

Wait here.

To paraphrase Tolstoy...

all unfortunates are unfortunate

in their own way.

And everyone faces death

differently.

Some want to be alone.

Some want their loved ones.

Others want friends around

to give them a send-off.

We try to grant those wishes.

So our work is helping people set off

on that final journey.

Um...

Does Tetsuro know

when the end will be?

Yes. April...

What day?

Seventh.

He seems to have decided on

April 7th.

April 7th?

Yes.

Why would he say that?

My wife and I think maybe

he'll be right.

Problem.

What is it?

Tetsuro doesn't want to see her.

Oh. Now what do we do?

I'll go in.

You will?

The sheets are dirty?

I'll be right there.

Yes?

Jiro, could you move

for a few minutes?

'Four-headed'...

'Four-headed'...

Tetsuro, your sister's here.

I said tell her no.

I don't want her seeing me like this.

She's come all the way from Tokyo.

Don't be like that.

Show your face.

Come on, Tetsuro.

I don't want to see her!

Tetsuro, it's me.

Are you still mad about that fight

we had over Hitomi?

Then forgive me.

I came down as soon as I heard

you were sick.

How are you feeling?

I'm done for.

I know when I'm going to die.

So go home.

Tell Koharu...

her uncle in Osaka,

died in debt

under Tsutenkaku Tower.

You're still upset

about that money?

Leave me alone, will you?

Just leave me alone!

I'll be back.

Don't come back!

All right. Thank you.

This is the lounge.

A Canadian woman comes in

and plays this harp.

We have a tea in here

once a week.

Tetsuro's a good talker,

so he's very popular.

It's small, but it's a nice room.

Supperis ready.

Turn off air conditioners and TVs

and come to the dining hall.

How was it?

He said to go home.

He did?

He's embarrassed.

I'll come back tomorrow.

I must say, though, I'm surprised.

I hated to think where he might be

after they found him on the street.

He's being treated so well!

We happened to have an opening.

What about the fees?

How much should I pay you?

That won't be necessary.

What do you mean?

He was put on to welfare

when he went into hospital.

That pays medical.

Now he's out of the hospital

and living here...

he has a housing

and a living allowance.

We can more or less manage

on that.

Don't worry.

Well?

He's gone.

Where?

Again?

Mr Komiyama,

Tayan's taken off again.

I'll go.

You will?

He wanders off sometimes

and goes for miles.

We've got to find him.

I'll be right back.

Call the police box, too.

Right.

He said he had birds,

so I said no problem.

I never thought

he'd just let them fly free.

I said to keep them in cages...

and he said it wasn't fair

to coop birds up like that.

Forget the birds.

He wasn't fair to me!

He didn't pay his rent,

he never came back...

I was just going to let the birds

starve...

but I figured that wasn't fair.

And bird-seed's expensive!

As a tenant, he was a disaster.

Sir...

Write me a bill for the bird-seed

and three months' rent.

I'll pay it.

You will?

That'd be great!

You can take anything you want

from here.

You can still use this.

I'll write you a bill.

Great!

Doc...

when I look at you...

you remind me of

my dead brother-in-law.

He had a good head

on his shoulders.

When his daughter was born,

he asked me to think of a name.

What do you think I named her?

'Koharu'.

How do you know?

You've told me three times.

At least you could act like

you've never heard it before.

Doc...

I'm a dying man, you know.

That's not for sure yet.

You've still got a chance.

How can you lie to me like that?

The Buddha came to me

in a dream.

He said I'm going April 7th...

when the cherry blossoms fall.

Are you in pain?

I can give you something.

I don't need anything.

You put shochu liquor

in this, didn't you.

I can't be responsible

if you do that.

I don't need you

to be responsible.

Don't go causing trouble.

That beautiful sister of yours

came from Tokyo.

A widow.

You shut up!

It came out.

Give it here.

Ow! Ow! Ow!

That hurts!

That hurts! Ow!

I'll be fine.

Don't worry about me.

So you'll stay in Osaka tonight?

Yes, I'll tell her.

Good night.

The TV's fixed.

Oh, thank you!

It's so nice to have a carpenter

who fixes TVs!

It won't work from here...

I'll be going.

Till next time.

Right.

Koharu, I'm going.

I knew it was getting cold...

What's happening in Osaka?

My uncle's sick.

That uncle?

He's alone down there?

That'd be hard on your mom.

Where's that phone?

In there?

Yep.

Hi, it's me.

I've just finished work.

I'll be right there.

Kenta's getting married.

We're all having a drink.

Why don't you come?

No one's seen you for a while.

Not me.

Why not?

Because.

Having a divorced woman there

would just spoil it for everyone.

That's crazy.

Being divorced has nothing to do

with who you are!

That's never bothered me a bit!

Ok then, don't come.

It never bothered me.

In fact, when I heard

you'd got divorced...

I thought 'great!'

Toru!

Sis...

Yes?

It's no use peeling that forme.

I can't eat it.

You don't like apples?

I can't eat.

There's a hole in my stomach...

and they drip the food into me

through that tube.

I can't taste anything.

It's all the same.

But instead of that apple...

there's a plastic bottle

under the bed.

This one?

Yep.

Pour that all in there, will you?

I'm dry.

All of it?

All of it.

Oh, yes!

Do you want anything?

No, thanks.

Sorry I was so rude yesterday.

I said that 'cause I didn't want

to cause you trouble again.

The director and his wife

bawled me out.

They said you'd gotten mad

and gone home.

So you came back?

I stayed in Osaka last night.

Yeah?

Koharu must be lonely

all by herself.

She's worried about you.

Oh, yeah...

She's divorced, the poor thing.

Sis...

you've got to think of someone.

A man who'll make her happy.

Well, she's seeing someone now.

Is he nice?

A good carpenter.

A carpenter?

That's good.

Will you have a big wedding

if they get married?

Yes.

So you get better by then

and come to it.

Yeah.

I'll have to sing again.

Yes.

You can see the Tsutenkaku Tower

from there, right?

Yes.

'When in the sky

the lights go on...

'on Tsutenkaku Tower...

'Again my will to fight...

burns bright...'

Tetsuro, what's wrong?

I feel great!

Tetsuro!

There's the Tetsuro we all know!

Why is your face all red?

Are you drunk?

That's alcohol! Who did that?

I'm sorry.

I thought it was water!

You did?

You tricked her!

No, no! I said no,

but she insisted.

You wet yourself!

I did.

I'll bring a change of sheets.

I'm sorry!

There's another bottle under the bed.

Pour it all in, will you?

Don't be silly!

Oh, don't be mad!

So does Uncle know...

he's dying?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes