Sayonara Page #7

Do you like this old, curious play?

Yeah, l`m beginning to get a kick out of it.

See that rope between the rocks?

That is a Shinto sign

showing they are married.

-What, the rocks?

-Yes.

They`ve been together so long...

our people thought

it was time they should get married.

They look well together, don`t you think?

Yeah, they make

a handsome-looking couple.

Do you like my country?

Were all these funny things here before,

when l came to Japan?

Yes.

Hello.

Hello there, Double Ugly. How are you?

To what do we owe the honor of this visit?

Laundry. Gonna put down the dirties

and pick up the cleans.

l hope you know what you`re doing.

This came in the office this morning.

Thought you`d like to see it.

``This is a routine reminder

of the recent orders issued by Camp Kobe.``

Quote:
``Any public display,

whatever, of affection...

``for a Japanese national

by a member of this command is forbidden.

``Officers should not even appear

on public streets...

``accompanied by

indigenous female personnel.`` Unquote.

Hooray for Christmas.

Come on, Ace, this is serious.

Everybody got one of these.

Listen, fool, Hana-ogi and l

are just as careful as we can be.

We never go anyplace where we`re gonna

be seen by anybody that matters.

We don`t even walk down the same street.

We just go out in the country

and fool around.

You never been to the country around here,

have you?

Awful pretty country around here. l mean it.

You know what l saw yesterday?

l saw two rocks that just got married.

You what?

l saw two rocks that got married.

And they looked very happy together, too.

l`ll bet they did.

They did.

lf you gonna be smart,

l`ll tell you what you do.

You get your little shoes shined,

you go out tonight...

because tonight is gonna be Tanabata.

Okay, what`s Tanabata?

You`re gonna sit

with your bare face hanging out...

and tell me you don`t know

what Tanabata is?

My word, boy.

l`m ashamed of you. l thought everybody

knew what Tanabata was.

Tanabata is the night of love.

You told me all about it one time.

You were telling me about Harry Truman...

and New York Yankees and sex...

and New York Yankees and Harry Truman

and sex.

l`ll see you.

Sex!

What have l done

to deserve such happiness?

l have seen this night of Tanabata

come and go many times...

but never before

have l understood what it meant.

Tanabata.

My heart is so full of love for you.

-Miss Webster?

-Yes?

Nakamura-san gets your note.

-Here is reply.

-Thank you.

He wishes if you will have dinner

with him and his guests.

Thank you very much.

They have a rather pleasant garden here,

Miss Webster.

Would you like to see it?

Yes, l think l would.

How beautiful.

What are you really afraid of, Miss Webster?

You don`t think it would enter

Major Gruver`s mind...

to marry a Japanese girl?

l don`t know.

Then permit me to reassure you.

l think Major Gruver is brave.

But not brave enough to face the censure...

that would result from such a marriage.

As for our famous, honored Hana-ogi...

there are many Japanese...

most of them, in fact...

who look upon marriage to an Occidental

with as much distaste...

as your people do to one of us.

l do not feel that way.

But then, l have had the privilege

of traveling in your country...

and knowing some great people there.

And l am especially conscious

at this moment...

that beauty is not confined to any one race.

Do not turn away, Miss Webster.

l am not...

necessarily making love to you.

l am only stating a very...

obvious fact.

May l see you again, Miss Webster...

and acquaint you with more Japan?

Of course.

l need to know more, much more...

about everything.

There she is.

Hello, honey.

Are you tired?

No, l just been lying here...

thinking about myself.

You know, l can`t believe l`m really here.

lt`s hard to believe that....

You know, it`s hard to believe

me being the same Lloyd Gruver...

that came over from Korea

just a little bit ago.

You know, l been thinking...

that all my life...

l been so busy...

snapping to, and giving orders,

and taking orders...

and being a general`s son

and doing the job...

and all that,

l just never took time to sit right down...

and you know,

think about what my reason for living is.

And l been spending

some afternoons here just...

being peaceful...

and easy and thinking.

And l believe for the first time...

l`m just beginning to understand...

what it`s all about...

what l really am, what l really want.

lt`s a nice feeling.

Yeah, come on in.

Ace, excuse me. l hate to bother you.

l just got the news.

You got what news?

l`m getting shipped back.

-You being shipped back where?

-Stateside.

l`ve been reassigned to a new duty station.

-Did you tell Katsumi yet?

-No.

Don`t tell her,

because maybe we can work something out.

What reason did he give you for it?

No reason. l know what it is.

Every guy on that list

is married to a Japanese girl.

l`m sorry, Major.

There`s nothing you can do.

We`re sending Kelly to the States Thursday,

and that`s that.

What about his wife, Colonel?

She stays here.

He knew he couldn`t take her back with him

when he married her.

Didn`t you?

That`s right.

You`d be busting up his home then,

you know.

l`m not busting up anything.

l admit Kelly`s been a pain in my side

for quite a while now.

Could you tell me why l didn`t have

the privilege of extending his tour of duty?

Don`t ask me, Major.

There`re lots of reasons for these things.

Anyway, it is an order.

And there`s nothing you can do about it...

even if you are a four-star general`s son.

Would it make any difference

if l told you my wife`s going to have a baby?

That`s tough, l admit.

Colonel, under these circumstances,

don`t you think that you`d be able...

to postpone this for a little while?

Maybe l could be transferred back to Korea.

No, you`re going home.

All the boys on this list, going home.

Where is your home?

That house by the canal.

l mean your real home.

That house by the canal.

Yeah, all right.

l`ve taken all the insubordination from you

l intend to.

Now, you listen to me, wise guy...

that house by the canal is off-limits

from now on.

Whole street`s off-limits.

You want a court-martial?

That mean l could stay in Japan?

-Come on.

-You`re shipping out of here on Thursday.

And don`t you try to help him.

You remember that house by the canal

is off-limits to all personnel.

Would you tell me, Colonel, just exactly

what you mean by that last remark?

That`s all l`m prepared to say at the minute...

except, you watch your step.

l don`t know

what else to say to you, General.

l`ve known this boy a long time...

and if he has to go back without Katsumi,

he`s gonna be in trouble.

l mean, that`s about it. That`s it.

What about his wife?

-l don`t know.

-And the baby?

So the Army lets them get married...

and then forces them

to desert their wives and babies.

That`s not fair, Eileen.

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