Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 9/7
Sep. 7th, 2010 07:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mbarkera.k.a. fights and rumors
When Fumie opened the door, Shuhei, Shigeru, and Mitsui were waiting. They all looked at Kinuyo and said, "You were at the police station?" She nodded. And pushed on past, with Yoshiko behind her.
Kinuyo sat in the kitchen, with Shuhei beside her. Shigeru was at the head of the table, and Mitsui sat across from Kinuyo. Fumie and Yoshiko stood by the sink, watching. Shigeru said, "So what did you do?" Kinuyo frowned. "When I went to the store, there were some young punks sitting outside. I couldn't get past. I told them to move, but they didn't. So I..." Shuhei said, "You what?" Kinuyo thumped her cane on the floor. "I raised my cane to show him I meant business. And his head got in the way." Mitsui said, "What?" Kinuyo nodded. "He hit his head on my cane. And got a lump! So when the police came, they arrested me!" Shigeru looked over at Fumie. Fumie nodded.
Shigeru said, "Don't you think that was kind of dangerous? I mean..." Kinuyo roared. "Bad manners have to be stopped! You can't just let them get away with that stuff." Fumie and Yoshiko nodded.
Shuhei said, "Well, yes. But you should think of your age, too." Kinuyo turned to him and said, "You would say something like that. Even at the bank, you don't like to stick out your neck." Shuhei lifted his head. "Well, at least they trust me." Kinuyo said, "Trust you? If a bank robber came out, you'd run!"
Shigeru leaned over to Mitsui. "What are they talking about?" Mitsui said, "I think it was something that happened about 50 years ago."
Kinuyo put her head down. She shook her head. "Nobody cares about me. Everyone leaves me. You go to work far away, Shigeru moves to Tokyo, Yuichi leaves, even Mitsui." Shuhei said, "What are you talking about? That was a long time ago. And you live with Shigeru now."
Then Shuhei said, "I really shouldn't have answered that telegram." Kinuyo said, "What are you talking about?" Shuhei said, "When I got that telegram long ago, I shouldn't have agreed." Kinuyo raised her eyebrows. "You mean the one asking for a marriage interview?" Shuhei said, "Yes. All I did was respond politely, and I'm still paying for it. There was that wonderful young girl that wanted to marry me, but..." Kinuyo snorted. "Hah! You're still dreaming about that! I should've known." She turned her back to Shuhei. He turned his back to her.
Shigeru leaned over. "Wasn't that over 60 years ago?" Mitsui nodded with a frown.
Sugai came in. He glanced at Shuhei and Kinuyo, blatantly ignoring each other. Then he looked at Shigeru and said, "Excuse me, but there's a publisher on the phone who wants to talk to you?" Shigeru said, "Oh, I'd better take care of that." He stood up and walked out. Mitsui said, "I'd better go, too. There might be a question about the schedule." He stood up and left.
Later, Shigeru was in his office drawing. He was sketching a kappa. Fumie came in and said, "Oh, are you working?" Shigeru smiled. "Yes. You see this size?" He handed her the blank book that the young man had shown him the other day. Shigeru said, "They're going to print the kappa manga in this size, along with some new stories. And they want to do Devil Boy and Kitaro." He shook his head. "Those stories have been around since kamishibai, the paper theater. I thought nobody was interested, but I guess it just needed a little time. The man from the publisher said he read them when he was a kid." Fumie said, "Kamishibai? That would be over 30 years old?" Shigeru nodded. Then he said, "Actually, I think it's good. If we get enough business... Aiko is going to need work next year, isn't she?" Fumie said, "Yes, she's going to graduate." Shigeru said, "Well, maybe she can help Mitsui."
Then he pointed upstairs with his thumb. "So what's happened with my parents?" Fumie said, "I'm not sure. They were still angry. I was surprised at how strong Kinuyo was." Shigeru chuckled. "I think she learned that with three boys in the family." Fumie said, "What do you mean?" Shigeru said, "Well, when we were growing up, sometimes we would start fighting. She would go into the kitchen, grab a big butcher knife, walk back in and stab it into the floor. Then she would look at us and say listen to me! That was the end of the fight."
Upstairs, Aiko sat at her desk, writing a paper and looking at a book. Yoshiko sat at her desk nearby. Yoshiko said, "Can you believe that grandma got arrested? She hit some kid?" Aiko continued to write. Yoshiko said, "Are you listening?" Aiko kept writing.
Yoshiko picked up the sheet of paper on her desk and said, "I'm supposed to do this career plan. What do you think I should do with it?" Aiko flipped a page in her book. Yoshiko laid the sheet of paper down on her desk and said, "They suddenly expect you to decide everything. Do you think that's fair?" Aiko kept writing. Yoshiko stood up and walked over. "What are you doing, anyway?" Aiko stood up and grabbed the curtain between the two desks. "I'm trying to study." Aiko pulled the curtain shut.
One morning soon after that, Fumie got the letters out of the mail. As she stepped inside, she called, "Shuhei?" He was in the hall, and turned. "Yes?" She pulled one letter out of the stack and said, "You've got a letter." He said, "A letter? For me?" She handed it to him. He glanced at it, then turned it over and looked at the return address.
A little later, Shuhei was sitting in his rocking chair, listening to an old record. He had his eyes shut. Kinuyo came in and said, "That music is very loud." She glanced at Shuhei and said, "Oh, he's asleep. I'll just turn it off." She reached towards the record player. Shuhei said, "I'm listening." Kinuyo jumped.
Then she turned to the kitchen and said, "I wonder what shopping we need to do today?" She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a package of meat. She opened the bag and sniffed it. "Is this meat still good?" She walked back over to Shuhei and held the meat close to him. "What do you think?" Shuhei opened his eyes and said, "I can't think here."
He got up, and the letter dropped to the floor. Kinuyo started to reach for it. Shuhei stretched down and picked it up. Then he tucked it in the top of his brown house robe. He went over to the table and picked up his bag. Kinuyo said, "Where are you going?" He said, "Where I can't hear your voice."
Out on the patio, Shuhei sat in the sunshine. He wore his brown house robe, and held his bag in his lap. Fumie looked out and said, "Shuhei? Is everything all right?" Shuhei opened his eyes and lifted his chin. "I believe this month the kabuki is very good. Perhaps I will go to a show next week."
Then he stood up and started doing stretches.
Soon after, Shuhei walked through the shopping center. His graying hair was carefully brushed. He wore a dress shirt with a tie, and a white jacket. As he passed a fruit seller, the man called out, "Strawberries today. Very fresh." Shuhei glanced at the strawberries and said, "For people and fruit, young and fresh is best." He laughed.
The shopkeepers' wives gathered around him. "Where are you going?" Shuhei said, "I thought I would see a play in Ginza today." Yamada sniffed. "Wait... what's that smell?" The three wives sniffed, and said, "What is that?" Shuhei said, "Well, a gentleman likes to smell fresh." He walked off, twirling his hand. The three wives stared after him. "What do you think he's doing?"
Back in their rooms, Kinuyo found a bottle of cologne set out on the dresser. She picked it up, and looked at it. "I don't remember it being that low before."
Later, in the coffee shop, Shuhei sat at the counter. The coffeeshop man set a glass in front of him. "There you are, hot cola with lemon, just the way you like it." Shuhei picked up the lemon and squeezed it into the cola. "Thank you. I just didn't want to go home yet." Kameda, the pawnshop owner, leaned across the counter. "You didn't want to go home?" Shuhei nodded. "Not with that woman there, complaining about everything." The coffeeshop man said, "Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want." Kameda looked at Shuhei's clothes, sniffed, and said, "What have you been doing today?" Shuhei smiled. Then he repeated a line from a kabuki play. "I've been to the play." Kameda said, "Did you meet someone? You seem very happy." The coffeeshop man said, "You can tell us." Shuhei said, "No, of course not. But... I do feel younger today." Then he laughed.
Meanwhile, Uraki was in the family living room with Shigeru and Fumie. Uraki handed them a new business card. Fumie said, "In the Ginza?" Shigeru said, "Probably far away from anything important." Uraki said, "Actually, it's just behind the kabuki theater. A very good location." Shigeru said, "And you aren't paying for it." Uraki said, "How did you know?" Shigeru shook his head. "Always the same."
Uraki said, "Actually, I thought I saw Strong Stomach near there today, with a young woman. But I know that couldn't be true." Shigeru glanced at Fumie. Uraki said, "Wait, isn't Strong Stomach here today?" Fumie said, "Actually, he said he was going to a play today." Uraki raised his eyebrows. "He did? So maybe it was him. With a young woman..." He started to chuckle. "Hum, maybe I should talk to the Anger."
Shigeru stood up, and grabbed Uraki's shirt. Shigeru pushed Uraki into a corner of the sofa. "You're not going to say anything to the Anger. And if I find out that you've let one word slip into her ear, I'll kill you." Uraki said, "I was just..." Shigeru pulled Uraki off the sofa and pushed him towards the door. "Just get out of here."
<to be continued>
When Fumie opened the door, Shuhei, Shigeru, and Mitsui were waiting. They all looked at Kinuyo and said, "You were at the police station?" She nodded. And pushed on past, with Yoshiko behind her.
Kinuyo sat in the kitchen, with Shuhei beside her. Shigeru was at the head of the table, and Mitsui sat across from Kinuyo. Fumie and Yoshiko stood by the sink, watching. Shigeru said, "So what did you do?" Kinuyo frowned. "When I went to the store, there were some young punks sitting outside. I couldn't get past. I told them to move, but they didn't. So I..." Shuhei said, "You what?" Kinuyo thumped her cane on the floor. "I raised my cane to show him I meant business. And his head got in the way." Mitsui said, "What?" Kinuyo nodded. "He hit his head on my cane. And got a lump! So when the police came, they arrested me!" Shigeru looked over at Fumie. Fumie nodded.
Shigeru said, "Don't you think that was kind of dangerous? I mean..." Kinuyo roared. "Bad manners have to be stopped! You can't just let them get away with that stuff." Fumie and Yoshiko nodded.
Shuhei said, "Well, yes. But you should think of your age, too." Kinuyo turned to him and said, "You would say something like that. Even at the bank, you don't like to stick out your neck." Shuhei lifted his head. "Well, at least they trust me." Kinuyo said, "Trust you? If a bank robber came out, you'd run!"
Shigeru leaned over to Mitsui. "What are they talking about?" Mitsui said, "I think it was something that happened about 50 years ago."
Kinuyo put her head down. She shook her head. "Nobody cares about me. Everyone leaves me. You go to work far away, Shigeru moves to Tokyo, Yuichi leaves, even Mitsui." Shuhei said, "What are you talking about? That was a long time ago. And you live with Shigeru now."
Then Shuhei said, "I really shouldn't have answered that telegram." Kinuyo said, "What are you talking about?" Shuhei said, "When I got that telegram long ago, I shouldn't have agreed." Kinuyo raised her eyebrows. "You mean the one asking for a marriage interview?" Shuhei said, "Yes. All I did was respond politely, and I'm still paying for it. There was that wonderful young girl that wanted to marry me, but..." Kinuyo snorted. "Hah! You're still dreaming about that! I should've known." She turned her back to Shuhei. He turned his back to her.
Shigeru leaned over. "Wasn't that over 60 years ago?" Mitsui nodded with a frown.
Sugai came in. He glanced at Shuhei and Kinuyo, blatantly ignoring each other. Then he looked at Shigeru and said, "Excuse me, but there's a publisher on the phone who wants to talk to you?" Shigeru said, "Oh, I'd better take care of that." He stood up and walked out. Mitsui said, "I'd better go, too. There might be a question about the schedule." He stood up and left.
Later, Shigeru was in his office drawing. He was sketching a kappa. Fumie came in and said, "Oh, are you working?" Shigeru smiled. "Yes. You see this size?" He handed her the blank book that the young man had shown him the other day. Shigeru said, "They're going to print the kappa manga in this size, along with some new stories. And they want to do Devil Boy and Kitaro." He shook his head. "Those stories have been around since kamishibai, the paper theater. I thought nobody was interested, but I guess it just needed a little time. The man from the publisher said he read them when he was a kid." Fumie said, "Kamishibai? That would be over 30 years old?" Shigeru nodded. Then he said, "Actually, I think it's good. If we get enough business... Aiko is going to need work next year, isn't she?" Fumie said, "Yes, she's going to graduate." Shigeru said, "Well, maybe she can help Mitsui."
Then he pointed upstairs with his thumb. "So what's happened with my parents?" Fumie said, "I'm not sure. They were still angry. I was surprised at how strong Kinuyo was." Shigeru chuckled. "I think she learned that with three boys in the family." Fumie said, "What do you mean?" Shigeru said, "Well, when we were growing up, sometimes we would start fighting. She would go into the kitchen, grab a big butcher knife, walk back in and stab it into the floor. Then she would look at us and say listen to me! That was the end of the fight."
Upstairs, Aiko sat at her desk, writing a paper and looking at a book. Yoshiko sat at her desk nearby. Yoshiko said, "Can you believe that grandma got arrested? She hit some kid?" Aiko continued to write. Yoshiko said, "Are you listening?" Aiko kept writing.
Yoshiko picked up the sheet of paper on her desk and said, "I'm supposed to do this career plan. What do you think I should do with it?" Aiko flipped a page in her book. Yoshiko laid the sheet of paper down on her desk and said, "They suddenly expect you to decide everything. Do you think that's fair?" Aiko kept writing. Yoshiko stood up and walked over. "What are you doing, anyway?" Aiko stood up and grabbed the curtain between the two desks. "I'm trying to study." Aiko pulled the curtain shut.
One morning soon after that, Fumie got the letters out of the mail. As she stepped inside, she called, "Shuhei?" He was in the hall, and turned. "Yes?" She pulled one letter out of the stack and said, "You've got a letter." He said, "A letter? For me?" She handed it to him. He glanced at it, then turned it over and looked at the return address.
A little later, Shuhei was sitting in his rocking chair, listening to an old record. He had his eyes shut. Kinuyo came in and said, "That music is very loud." She glanced at Shuhei and said, "Oh, he's asleep. I'll just turn it off." She reached towards the record player. Shuhei said, "I'm listening." Kinuyo jumped.
Then she turned to the kitchen and said, "I wonder what shopping we need to do today?" She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a package of meat. She opened the bag and sniffed it. "Is this meat still good?" She walked back over to Shuhei and held the meat close to him. "What do you think?" Shuhei opened his eyes and said, "I can't think here."
He got up, and the letter dropped to the floor. Kinuyo started to reach for it. Shuhei stretched down and picked it up. Then he tucked it in the top of his brown house robe. He went over to the table and picked up his bag. Kinuyo said, "Where are you going?" He said, "Where I can't hear your voice."
Out on the patio, Shuhei sat in the sunshine. He wore his brown house robe, and held his bag in his lap. Fumie looked out and said, "Shuhei? Is everything all right?" Shuhei opened his eyes and lifted his chin. "I believe this month the kabuki is very good. Perhaps I will go to a show next week."
Then he stood up and started doing stretches.
Soon after, Shuhei walked through the shopping center. His graying hair was carefully brushed. He wore a dress shirt with a tie, and a white jacket. As he passed a fruit seller, the man called out, "Strawberries today. Very fresh." Shuhei glanced at the strawberries and said, "For people and fruit, young and fresh is best." He laughed.
The shopkeepers' wives gathered around him. "Where are you going?" Shuhei said, "I thought I would see a play in Ginza today." Yamada sniffed. "Wait... what's that smell?" The three wives sniffed, and said, "What is that?" Shuhei said, "Well, a gentleman likes to smell fresh." He walked off, twirling his hand. The three wives stared after him. "What do you think he's doing?"
Back in their rooms, Kinuyo found a bottle of cologne set out on the dresser. She picked it up, and looked at it. "I don't remember it being that low before."
Later, in the coffee shop, Shuhei sat at the counter. The coffeeshop man set a glass in front of him. "There you are, hot cola with lemon, just the way you like it." Shuhei picked up the lemon and squeezed it into the cola. "Thank you. I just didn't want to go home yet." Kameda, the pawnshop owner, leaned across the counter. "You didn't want to go home?" Shuhei nodded. "Not with that woman there, complaining about everything." The coffeeshop man said, "Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want." Kameda looked at Shuhei's clothes, sniffed, and said, "What have you been doing today?" Shuhei smiled. Then he repeated a line from a kabuki play. "I've been to the play." Kameda said, "Did you meet someone? You seem very happy." The coffeeshop man said, "You can tell us." Shuhei said, "No, of course not. But... I do feel younger today." Then he laughed.
Meanwhile, Uraki was in the family living room with Shigeru and Fumie. Uraki handed them a new business card. Fumie said, "In the Ginza?" Shigeru said, "Probably far away from anything important." Uraki said, "Actually, it's just behind the kabuki theater. A very good location." Shigeru said, "And you aren't paying for it." Uraki said, "How did you know?" Shigeru shook his head. "Always the same."
Uraki said, "Actually, I thought I saw Strong Stomach near there today, with a young woman. But I know that couldn't be true." Shigeru glanced at Fumie. Uraki said, "Wait, isn't Strong Stomach here today?" Fumie said, "Actually, he said he was going to a play today." Uraki raised his eyebrows. "He did? So maybe it was him. With a young woman..." He started to chuckle. "Hum, maybe I should talk to the Anger."
Shigeru stood up, and grabbed Uraki's shirt. Shigeru pushed Uraki into a corner of the sofa. "You're not going to say anything to the Anger. And if I find out that you've let one word slip into her ear, I'll kill you." Uraki said, "I was just..." Shigeru pulled Uraki off the sofa and pushed him towards the door. "Just get out of here."
<to be continued>
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mizumashi, watering down the story?
Date: 2010-09-07 11:05 am (UTC)水増し
みずまし