Madadayo Page #5

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"I hate that bastard.

He's such a lousy john."

Good-bye, sir.

Good-bye.

Now that's fishy.

Why did they rush off like that?

Good boy, little Alley.

Let me hold him.

Come on.

So it seems

we have an agreement.

Thank you.

Now I can buy a small house

and send for my family.

They were evacuated

during the war.

I don't know how to thank you.

You can thank our professor.

He was very moved

by what you did.

We understand how he feels, so -

It'll be pretty awkward

if he finds out about this deal.

You're right.

Please keep this

a secret from him.

He'll figure it out eventually, but until

then, please leave the lot as it is.

You gentlemen

are truly good people.

You're a good person yourself.

But our professor

is the best of all.

We just try to emulate him.

Well, good-bye.

That was lucky.

- Well, anyway -

- "Whaddya want?"

- Let's get a drink.

- Good idea. Where?

Let's go back to the professor's.

Brilliant!

"Great idea, big boy!"

TAKAYAMA & CO.

The professor's in trouble!

- What's wrong with him?

- It's not him. His cat's disappeared.

His wife called

for us to come over.

He hasn't stopped crying

since the cat disappeared.

Dear...

Please go in.

Your wife called me.

Are you all right?

Of course I am.

It's just a cat.

I'm fine.

Besides, this isn't the first time.

Alley has disappeared

many times before.

He'll come back.

Thank you for coming by.

I'd be grateful if you could

spare some time to eat with us.

You'd be doing me

a great favor.

He's hardly eaten a thing

since Alley disappeared.

You may think I'm being silly.

Well...

to be honest, I am.

I'm completely hopeless.

Ever since Alley disappeared,

I've been so worried

that I can't do a thing.

He's all I think about.

You see that willow tree?

Alley...

first came in through an opening

in the fence there.

Since then he's been like

a member of our little family.

Ever since he disappeared,

all I can do

is stare at that hole.

All I want

is to see him

come through that fence again.

The other day...

I went to Kyushu

to give a lecture.

On the way back...

Through a window

in that dark station...

I saw Alley.

It may sound strange,

but I really did see him,

clear as day.

I felt an odd sense

of apprehension.

When I reached

the Tokyo station...

I called home.

It was just as I'd feared.

That evening...

after nightfall...

Alley wanted to go out.

I picked him up and said,

"Stay in. It's late."

But he wanted to go out...

so I carried him out

to the garden.

He grew impatient

and wiggled out of my arms.

He ran out through that opening.

After a while...

it began to rain.

Later it began to pour.

There was no way Alley could find

his way back in that rain.

Alley sleeps...

on top of the bathtub cover.

My husband

goes there sometimes...

and just stares

at the little cushion.

He caresses it...

and weeps.

I really don't know what to do.

Professor.

I'm ashamed to show

my miserable face.

I may be...

sentimental...

or overreacting...

or weak-willed,

or whatever you like,

but I just can't help it.

I try to forget...

but I keep remembering Alley.

Then I feel such pain

that I can't bear it.

Professor, we'll find Alley.

We'll form a search party.

So please, Professor -

That's a dog.

We promised to find Alley.

What do we do?

We might have better luck

in places that survived the fires.

But why is the professor so -

He isn't like you or me.

His sensitivity and imagination

are beyond us.

When he thinks of Alley,

he can imagine in detail

all the cat's going through.

That's what makes it

so unbearable.

We can't just stand by and watch.

You're right.

We mustn't give up.

DEAR ALLEY:

This is the diary

in which our professor wrote

about Alley with great affection.

Here you are.

Hey, mister.

There are tons of cats around.

But it has to be this cat.

How come?

Do you have any brothers?

Sure, but he's still a baby.

Would you like it if he were

replaced with some other baby?

Of course not.

This cat is my baby.

I cared for him like my own child.

That's why it has to be this cat.

You see?

Tell me if you find him.

There's a description here,

and my address is there too.

Children...

please help us find

a cat named Alley.

He's probably

somewhere around here.

It's a male cat,

white with reddish stripes.

His tail is thick and a bit bent.

You'll know it if you feel it.

If you call out "Alley,"

he'll prick up his ears

and stare at you.

Whoever finds him

will receive a reward.

Please help us.

We received

many kind phone calls

from people who'd seen

a cat resembling Alley,

but alas...

Professor, you aren't eating much.

That's right.

These days he hardly

eats or drinks a thing.

I can't sleep much either.

You can't live like this.

He hasn't taken a bath

since Alley disappeared.

It's because Alley's cushion

is on the bathtub cover.

I have to use

the public bath far away.

Is that rain?

I used to love

the sound of rain.

Now I hate it.

It makes me think of Alley,

and the pain is too much to bear.

Professor, what if we make

inserts for the newspaper?

I can take them

to the newspaper distributors.

That's a good idea.

It never occurred to me.

What a fool I am!

I really am.

I wrote this announcement

in anticipation of Alley's return.

"L"...meaning Alley...

"I have been away for some time.

I have worried my master terribly

and caused all of you

a lot of trouble.

Now that I have returned unharmed,

please set your minds at rest.

Upon seeing my face,

my master burst into tears,

so I'm writing this letter

in his place.

To celebrate my return,

my master wishes

to invite you all

to a modest dinner.

See you tonight."

In preparation for Alley's return,

the professor bought a collar

with their address

engraved on it.

Yet Alley had yet to return.

I received a letter

saying I should wait eight months

for a stray cat to return.

That person's cat returned safely

after eight months.

We've received

some very thoughtful phone calls,

but there are

some strange ones too.

The other day, one person

asked me if Alley meows.

I said yes.

"You mean he doesn't bark?"

He replied, laughing,

and then hung up.

Hello?

Your cat still hasn't returned?

That's right.

He might have been stolen.

Lots of cats are stolen, ma'am.

Some people make a living

from cat-snatching.

They sell the cat skins.

They fetch surprisingly

good prices.

Shamisens are made with cat skin.

That may be

what happened to yours.

I'll look into it.

Good-bye now.

Hello.

Honey!

Honey, they found Alley.

So that's where he was?

It's Alley.

Alley!

It's the fishmonger's wife.

She knows Alley well.

It must be true.

Thank you.

My wife will be right there.

Thanks so much.

Hello?

Takayama?

They found Alley.

This time it's for sure.

Will you tell the others?

I had a wonderful dream

this morning.

I dreamed I was feeding Alley

baby mackerel.

I knew he'd be back.

I wanted to come tell you,

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