Kabei: Our Mother Page #6

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lining into his kimono...

since cold bothers him so much.

Kabei!

You know what Teru-bei's writing?

What?

'To Father, from Teru-bei.

'Are you well? I'm feeling great!'

Don't!

He's sick, isn't he?

Don't tell him you're great!

Why not?

Tobei will be happy to hear it.

What have you written?

'Father, how are you feeling?

'We are all doing fine.

That's good. And?

That's as far as I get.

I'm not doing fine!

To tell the truth...

I hate school.

Why?

The other day in Etiquette class...

I stirred the tea wrong

and everyone laughed at me.

Even the teacher.

I cried.

I couldn't stop till the

next period, in Phys-ed.

I want my life to be over.

It's no fun being alive.

But if I write that to

Tobei, he'll just get worried.

I don't think so.

Write what's on your mind.

I'm sure Tobei will listen.

After all, he's always

been on your side.

All right.

I will.

What will you write?

Yes... what should I write?

Do you call him 'dear'?

'To my dearest, from me.

'The year is almost over.

Do you have any news?

'Things here go on as usual.

'Hatsu-bei is doing more around

the house, which is a great help. '

What about me?

'Teru-bey is her same

old self, always saying...

' "I'm hungry! I'm hungry!."

I don't say that!

Then how about this?

'Teru-bei is a very good girl.

'She draws wonderful pictures

with the things her aunt left her.

'Some day I'm sure she'll be

as famous as Marie Laurencin. '

Go on...

'I very much enjoy watching

the children grow up.

'How much you must want to see them...

'How much you must want...

'to put your arms around

them and hold them tight.

'Just the thought of it...

'stabs at...

'stabs at my heart. '

Mrs Nogami! We can see your light!

Uh-oh...

Turn it off.

This isn't a drill! We're at war!

What if they were really bombing us?

One!

Two!

Three!

Here goes...

Hey, there's Yama!

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

Were you up home?

Yep, in my home town.

Where's Kabei?

In Shinjuku. She says if she

lines up, she'll get butter.

And you're here playing hanetsuki?

It's no fun playing with

Teru-bei. She keeps missing.

Then I'll play you.

A gift.

Here.

Teru-bei...

You're the umpire.

Here goes!

Ready!

One!

Two!

Three!

You're awful!

That was a fluke. It won't happen again.

One!

Two!

Three!

You can't just lash out at it!

Sorry.

Darn it!

You're awful!

Good afternoon.

Is this the Nogami residence?

That's right.

Telegram.

Thank you.

What should we do?

Open it.

What does it say?

I'll read it.

'Shige... runoga... mi... '

'Shigeru Nogami'...

Oh, Tobei...

'Died this morning... '

Let me see.

It's bad news.

I want you to stay

calm and listen to me.

The professor...

Your father...

He's dead.

When did Kabei leave?

Just after 12.

So shell be back in an hour...

I'll wait at the station.

You two stay here.

You poor kids...

You poor kids!

shigeru nogami died today 7:30 am

come sugamo prison hospital

Hatsu-bei!

Kabei's back!

Kabei!

Tobei!

Where's that seal?!

I should never have gone!

I stood in line for an hour in the cold!

What a fool I am!

I might be late getting

back, so lock the front door.

If it gets too late,

I'll send Yama on ahead.

Be careful, you hear?

Now, about dinner...

Kabei, it's all right. We can do that.

You can? All right.

Yama, are you sure

you don't mind coming?

Of course!

Take care.

From Shigeru Nogami

Hatsu-bei!

A letter from Tobei!

The telegram was wrong!

Tobei sent this letter on December 24th.

What's the date today?

It's New Year's, stupid!

To my wife and daughters.

Today is what in the west

they call Christmas Eve.

I feel terrible that on

this day I have no gifts...

to give you.

Thank you for your letters.

I am astonished at how

mature Hatsu-bei is becoming.

My spoiled little girl is now

brooding seriously on life.

How quickly time passes.

At this point in your

intellectual growth...

when a father is most

important to children...

I regret I cannot be with you.

Dear... we're home.

Hatsu-bei and

Teru-bei...

you will have many griefs

and dangers to face.

That I know.

As your father, is

there nothing I can do...

but pray for you?

My father's funeral was

held hidden from prying eyes.

With no time to grieve...

my mother had to return to work.

In February, while the

conquest of Singapore...

was being celebrated across the

land with banquets and parades...

Hello.

There's an extra sak ration till 3.

All these victories!

Yama, what are you doing?

The bottom's coming off your mailbox.

I'm sorry to be making a

scholar like you do carpentry.

I'm getting better at it.

Oh?

There.

Thank you. I'll make some tea.

Where are the girls?

Sorry?

The girls...

They took a bottle to get some

of the Singapore sak ration.

Perfect.

You can have a drink tonight.

I'm relieved.

Why?

You're back to your old

self. Your color's come back.

It has?

The other day Hatsu-bei was saying...

'if I get married, I

want a man like Yama. '

Then Teru-bei said 'I do, too!'

and they both started fighting.

You've been a real savior to us.

I'm very grateful.

Not at all.

Oh... I have a present for you.

These were Tobei's socks.

They're new.

The girls and I wanted

to give them to you.

Garters, too.

When was it?

You were kneeling like that,

and when you stood up...

your feet were numb, and you fell over.

Your big toe was

sticking out of your sock.

Do you remember that?

Very well.

I'm very glad to have these.

I'll wear them when I'm inducted.

What did you just say?

Inducted?

My draft notice came.

I join my regiment in Yamagata

the day after tomorrow at 10.

But you said they wouldn't take

you because of your bad ear.

As of last November, even

the physically unfit...

are now subject to the draft.

They're going to be needing soldiers.

At least you have this

evening, don't you?

To have dinner with us...

I have to take the

overnight train to Yamagata.

I'm out of time.

I thought I'd just go and

a void saying goodbye...

but I had to see you one last time.

Thank you for everything

you've done for me.

Are you going to go away

without telling the girls?

I can't face them.

I know they'll start crying.

I'll be going.

I won't see you again?

I'm going to war. I am resolved.

'Resolved'?

Resolved to die?

That is correct.

What kind of big talk is that?

Why do you have to resolve that?

A spineless...

clumsy crybaby like you...

who can't even swim!

Why are they taking you?

Yama...

why are you leaving us?!

We're back!

Goodbye.

After three years, atom bombs

fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki...

and Japan surrendered

unconditionally to the Allies.

In Hiroshima, our

beautiful Aunt Hisako...

died a painful death

from radiation sickness...

a month after the war.

Misery followed the war's end.

With nothing to eat, nothing to wear...

living one step ahead of starvation...

my mother rushed around,

working herself to the bone...

to provide for two growing girls.

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