Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 5/18
May. 18th, 2010 04:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mbarkerGe-ge-ge no nyobou 5/18
aka Guess who's coming to visit?
Fumie looked at the telegram. The 22nd? That's tomorrow? Coming to Tokyo...
Fumie sat in the coffee shop with her friend from sewing class. "I was surprised to get the telegram saying that you were coming to Tokyo." "Well, my husband had to come, and he invited me, so I've got the day free to visit with you...Say, I don't think you've cut your hair since the wedding. It looks good."
The theme ran at this point.
In the coffeeshop, Fumie and her friend talked over coffee. "Did you hear? She had twins! Both boys, so they are hoping the next one will be a girl." "What about..." "Oh, she's engaged now." "Really? Who?" "Oh, a high school teacher."
The friend looked around the coffee shop. "How's the manga business? I've heard that you can get 30,000 yen for a book." Fumie lifted her cup. "Well, yes." "And you come here for coffee regularly?" Fumie sipped her coffee. "Uh, sometimes."
The friend set her cup down and started to gather her coat and purse. "Well, let's go." Fumie said, "Where?" The friend said, "Your house, of course. I'm really looking forward to meeting your husband." Fumie stood and blocked the friend. "Well, that... that would be difficult. He works at home, and today is very busy." The friend looked disappointed. "Oh, that's too bad."
Fumie and her friend walked through the shopping area. The friend carried a small box in her hands. "You shouldn't have spent so much. Coffee and cake for me to take home. It's too much." Fumie said, "Oh, no." The friend said, "Maybe I'll be able to come back another day when your husband isn't so busy."
Later, Fumie walked back through the stores by herself. As she approached the bookstore, Kiyo, the old woman, said, "And why are you walking as if you were carrying a mikoshi? What's bothering you?" (Note: a mikoshi is the small portable shrine that usually gets carried around the neighborhood during some celebrations -- often heavy, and carried by a group on their shoulders.) Fumie looked up and greeted Kiyo.
Inside, Kiyo served Fumie tea. Fumie sipped it, and told Kiyo, "What am I going to do? I can't take my friends to our house, it is so poor. But Shigeru works so hard, and we still don't have any money." Kiyo rubbed her forehead. "Does... does your husband drink, or gamble?" Fumie shook her head. "No, no, he works hard every day, but we still don't have any money." Kiyo looked serious. "It's not your life, then. It's just society is wrong." Fumie said, "What?" Kiyo nodded. "Yes. Society is wrong."
Just then, Michiko came in. She glanced at Fumie and said, "Very nice. What are you dressed for today?" Then she unwrapped a bundle and said, "Look, the new Kitaro book is out." She handed one of the stack to Fumie, who started to leaf through it. Michiko looked at the stack. "I wonder if he'll come to borrow it?" Fumie looked up, "Who?" Kiyo said, "Taichi. He hasn't come back." Michiko said, "I shouldn't have said anything that day." Fumie looked at her and said, "Anyone would have. You can't blame yourself." Michiko said, "I asked around. I heard a rumor that he's been in a fight." Fumie said, "A fight? Taichi?" Michiko looked at the books, and said, "I should put up a sign."
Outside, Michiko looked at the front of the store, with two hand-written signs in her hands. Inside, Fumie looked at Kiyo and asked, "She's really upset, isn't she?" Kiyo said, "She's worried, I think."
Outside, Michiko hung one sign over the door. Then she stretched, trying to put up a second sign. Fumie took the sign out of her hands and hung it over the door. Michiko said, "There! That should catch the eye." Then she looked down the street. "I wonder..." After a moment, she turned to Fumie. "Maybe, well, we could ask Mizuki sensei? I mean, Taichi might be shy, but a chance to talk with Mizuki would cheer him up, right?" Fumie sighed, remembering Shigeru say, "Pretend that you don't know anything about it, that's probably best." She said, "I don't know. He's... well, not very friendly. Maybe... I think if you wait, Taichi will come back."
[Note: sensei -- literally teacher -- is an honorific. Mizuki-san is ordinary politeness, Mizuki-sensei is a bit like Dr. Mizuki.]
Meanwhile, back at the house, the upstairs guy came down the stairs with a bundle over his shoulder. He looked in the empty kitchen and work room, then shrugged and started to leave. Genbee, Fumie's father, came out of the entryway, grabbed him and pushed him back into the kitchen and onto the floor. "Where do you think you're going, you thief. I'll get the police in here!" The upstairs guy cowered on the floor. "Police? What, why?"
Genbee grabbed the bundle. "Hah! You're here stealling. Look..." He opened the bundle, and revealed an old ladle, two or three well-worn books, an old hotplate, and other odds and ends. "Well, you're stealing poor stuff, but it's still theft." The upstairs guy said, "What? That's all mine. I was... I was taking it to the pawnshop."
At this point, Yuichi, Shigeru's older brother, and his family came in, ready for their weekly bath. Yuichi looked at Genbee and the upstairs guy and said, "What's going on?" Genbee stared at them, then barked, "What are you doing here?" Yuichi shrugged, "We're here for our bath." He started to send the children and his wife to the bath. Genbee stepped forward. "Wait, this is not a public bath. Who are you?" Yuichhi smiled and said, "I'm the older brother. Shigeru's older brother." The upstairs guy said, "That's true, he is Shigeru's older brother." Genbee turned and whacked the book in his hands with the ladle. "How would you know?" The upstairs guy said, "Because I rent the upstairs."
Yuichi looked at Genbee and said, "You know, I've seen that face." He held up his hands. "Yes, long, angry... in the wanted posters at the police station." Genbee straightened up, and announced, "I'm Fumie's father!"
Outside, in the street, Fumie was walking towards her house when she heard someone calling her name. She turned, and saw her sister walking quickly down the street. Fumie greeted her, and her sister said, "I came as quickly as I could." They both turned as Yuichi and his family came out of the house. Fumie said, "Oh, Yuichi! But you haven't taken your bath?" Yuichi said, "Well, I hadn't realized that you had such a difficult person in the house. We'll just go to the public bath this time." His wife told the children, "Today we'll go to the big bath." The kids enthusiastically said, "Yes." Then Yuichi looked at Fumie, "After the typhoon passes, we'll come back here to take our bath." They walked down the street. Fumie looked confused, but her sister said, "Oh, no, it must be true."
Fumie went to the door, followed by her sister. Fumie opened it just a little, and peered through the crack. Inside, Genbee stood in the entryway, his arms crossed on his chest, his moustache bristling.
Fumie and her sister said, "Father!"
Fumie and her sister sat in the kitchen. Genbee knelt across from them. He looked at Fumie. "What is this business with the older brother coming here for a bath?" Fumie said, "Well, his apartment doesn't have a bath." Genbee said, "That's what the public baths are for!"
Genbee continued, "And who is this guy who rents your upstairs? What does he do?" Fumie said, "He makes manga." Genbee said, "Right. So why is he going to a pawnshop? Have you been to a pawnshop?" Fumie winced. "Well, yes." Genbee glared. "And does Shigeru use a pawnshop?" Fumie swallowed. "Uh... sometimes."
Genbee growled. "And you never wrote about any of this?"
The older sister said, "Well, we didn't want to upset you. It's Shigeru's house, after all..."
Genbee stared at her. "And you! In all our telephone calls, you couldn't mention any of this?"
The voiceover said, "An angry Genbee held court in the kitchen."
to be continued...
[Okay, I'll admit -- I think the timeline is skewed here. One episode Shigeru is just meeting a new publisher and using the advance to get goodies, the next episode we've got the new book coming out -- and the father's visit somehow got wound around these two. My guess -- there was a gap between the new publisher and father planning to visit that I didn't catch.]
aka Guess who's coming to visit?
Fumie looked at the telegram. The 22nd? That's tomorrow? Coming to Tokyo...
Fumie sat in the coffee shop with her friend from sewing class. "I was surprised to get the telegram saying that you were coming to Tokyo." "Well, my husband had to come, and he invited me, so I've got the day free to visit with you...Say, I don't think you've cut your hair since the wedding. It looks good."
The theme ran at this point.
In the coffeeshop, Fumie and her friend talked over coffee. "Did you hear? She had twins! Both boys, so they are hoping the next one will be a girl." "What about..." "Oh, she's engaged now." "Really? Who?" "Oh, a high school teacher."
The friend looked around the coffee shop. "How's the manga business? I've heard that you can get 30,000 yen for a book." Fumie lifted her cup. "Well, yes." "And you come here for coffee regularly?" Fumie sipped her coffee. "Uh, sometimes."
The friend set her cup down and started to gather her coat and purse. "Well, let's go." Fumie said, "Where?" The friend said, "Your house, of course. I'm really looking forward to meeting your husband." Fumie stood and blocked the friend. "Well, that... that would be difficult. He works at home, and today is very busy." The friend looked disappointed. "Oh, that's too bad."
Fumie and her friend walked through the shopping area. The friend carried a small box in her hands. "You shouldn't have spent so much. Coffee and cake for me to take home. It's too much." Fumie said, "Oh, no." The friend said, "Maybe I'll be able to come back another day when your husband isn't so busy."
Later, Fumie walked back through the stores by herself. As she approached the bookstore, Kiyo, the old woman, said, "And why are you walking as if you were carrying a mikoshi? What's bothering you?" (Note: a mikoshi is the small portable shrine that usually gets carried around the neighborhood during some celebrations -- often heavy, and carried by a group on their shoulders.) Fumie looked up and greeted Kiyo.
Inside, Kiyo served Fumie tea. Fumie sipped it, and told Kiyo, "What am I going to do? I can't take my friends to our house, it is so poor. But Shigeru works so hard, and we still don't have any money." Kiyo rubbed her forehead. "Does... does your husband drink, or gamble?" Fumie shook her head. "No, no, he works hard every day, but we still don't have any money." Kiyo looked serious. "It's not your life, then. It's just society is wrong." Fumie said, "What?" Kiyo nodded. "Yes. Society is wrong."
Just then, Michiko came in. She glanced at Fumie and said, "Very nice. What are you dressed for today?" Then she unwrapped a bundle and said, "Look, the new Kitaro book is out." She handed one of the stack to Fumie, who started to leaf through it. Michiko looked at the stack. "I wonder if he'll come to borrow it?" Fumie looked up, "Who?" Kiyo said, "Taichi. He hasn't come back." Michiko said, "I shouldn't have said anything that day." Fumie looked at her and said, "Anyone would have. You can't blame yourself." Michiko said, "I asked around. I heard a rumor that he's been in a fight." Fumie said, "A fight? Taichi?" Michiko looked at the books, and said, "I should put up a sign."
Outside, Michiko looked at the front of the store, with two hand-written signs in her hands. Inside, Fumie looked at Kiyo and asked, "She's really upset, isn't she?" Kiyo said, "She's worried, I think."
Outside, Michiko hung one sign over the door. Then she stretched, trying to put up a second sign. Fumie took the sign out of her hands and hung it over the door. Michiko said, "There! That should catch the eye." Then she looked down the street. "I wonder..." After a moment, she turned to Fumie. "Maybe, well, we could ask Mizuki sensei? I mean, Taichi might be shy, but a chance to talk with Mizuki would cheer him up, right?" Fumie sighed, remembering Shigeru say, "Pretend that you don't know anything about it, that's probably best." She said, "I don't know. He's... well, not very friendly. Maybe... I think if you wait, Taichi will come back."
[Note: sensei -- literally teacher -- is an honorific. Mizuki-san is ordinary politeness, Mizuki-sensei is a bit like Dr. Mizuki.]
Meanwhile, back at the house, the upstairs guy came down the stairs with a bundle over his shoulder. He looked in the empty kitchen and work room, then shrugged and started to leave. Genbee, Fumie's father, came out of the entryway, grabbed him and pushed him back into the kitchen and onto the floor. "Where do you think you're going, you thief. I'll get the police in here!" The upstairs guy cowered on the floor. "Police? What, why?"
Genbee grabbed the bundle. "Hah! You're here stealling. Look..." He opened the bundle, and revealed an old ladle, two or three well-worn books, an old hotplate, and other odds and ends. "Well, you're stealing poor stuff, but it's still theft." The upstairs guy said, "What? That's all mine. I was... I was taking it to the pawnshop."
At this point, Yuichi, Shigeru's older brother, and his family came in, ready for their weekly bath. Yuichi looked at Genbee and the upstairs guy and said, "What's going on?" Genbee stared at them, then barked, "What are you doing here?" Yuichi shrugged, "We're here for our bath." He started to send the children and his wife to the bath. Genbee stepped forward. "Wait, this is not a public bath. Who are you?" Yuichhi smiled and said, "I'm the older brother. Shigeru's older brother." The upstairs guy said, "That's true, he is Shigeru's older brother." Genbee turned and whacked the book in his hands with the ladle. "How would you know?" The upstairs guy said, "Because I rent the upstairs."
Yuichi looked at Genbee and said, "You know, I've seen that face." He held up his hands. "Yes, long, angry... in the wanted posters at the police station." Genbee straightened up, and announced, "I'm Fumie's father!"
Outside, in the street, Fumie was walking towards her house when she heard someone calling her name. She turned, and saw her sister walking quickly down the street. Fumie greeted her, and her sister said, "I came as quickly as I could." They both turned as Yuichi and his family came out of the house. Fumie said, "Oh, Yuichi! But you haven't taken your bath?" Yuichi said, "Well, I hadn't realized that you had such a difficult person in the house. We'll just go to the public bath this time." His wife told the children, "Today we'll go to the big bath." The kids enthusiastically said, "Yes." Then Yuichi looked at Fumie, "After the typhoon passes, we'll come back here to take our bath." They walked down the street. Fumie looked confused, but her sister said, "Oh, no, it must be true."
Fumie went to the door, followed by her sister. Fumie opened it just a little, and peered through the crack. Inside, Genbee stood in the entryway, his arms crossed on his chest, his moustache bristling.
Fumie and her sister said, "Father!"
Fumie and her sister sat in the kitchen. Genbee knelt across from them. He looked at Fumie. "What is this business with the older brother coming here for a bath?" Fumie said, "Well, his apartment doesn't have a bath." Genbee said, "That's what the public baths are for!"
Genbee continued, "And who is this guy who rents your upstairs? What does he do?" Fumie said, "He makes manga." Genbee said, "Right. So why is he going to a pawnshop? Have you been to a pawnshop?" Fumie winced. "Well, yes." Genbee glared. "And does Shigeru use a pawnshop?" Fumie swallowed. "Uh... sometimes."
Genbee growled. "And you never wrote about any of this?"
The older sister said, "Well, we didn't want to upset you. It's Shigeru's house, after all..."
Genbee stared at her. "And you! In all our telephone calls, you couldn't mention any of this?"
The voiceover said, "An angry Genbee held court in the kitchen."
to be continued...
[Okay, I'll admit -- I think the timeline is skewed here. One episode Shigeru is just meeting a new publisher and using the advance to get goodies, the next episode we've got the new book coming out -- and the father's visit somehow got wound around these two. My guess -- there was a gap between the new publisher and father planning to visit that I didn't catch.]
