9.2 Child on a Train

Slim Novel 9 - http://adventuresofkimi.blogspot.com - See Homepage


2. Vacation

Kimura’s Guadalcanal diary disorders Kimi; she needs a vacation.
    Why not Grandma’s? she thinks. Overpoweringly, tears come.

Next day she is heading north in a railroad car with kids who are being evacuated to countryside. She wears faded brown, padded, long-sleeve peasant jacket and monpe ankle knickers. In her backpack is a nice kimono, a cosmetic kit and gifts for grandma and the villagers; and in red kerchief bundle are ten rice balls with red pickled radish center each so called sushi wrapped in norimaki, Japan’s black paper-thin processed seaweed.

   In straw sandals and black two-toed socks, and showing unmade-up red-cheeked face and big boned body, she looks the North Island village fisher woman she was born to become. As train moves out of Ueno Station, Tokyo’s north starting-out point, a happy excitement breaks loose. Kids play hide and seek and run up and down aisle noisily while their Old-Miss teacher in long black dress scolds ineffectually.

   Kimi sits left rear gazing out window; and one pigtail narrow-eyed girl of five, frightened by the rough play and lonely and hungry too, comes wandering back and sits down opposite and stares longingly at the red hankie bundle smelling of pickle, seaweed and rice.

   “Like to eat with me?” Kimi asks and the child nods Yes. Taking out black seaweed-papered rice ball, Kimi breaks it in two, handing half to the child who quickly eats it up and licks every remaining rice grain off fingers.

   Kimi pours tea from her thermos and reaches in pocket coming out with a honey candy drop. The little girl drinks the tea from the small cup Kimi poured and pops the candy drop onto tongue.

   “How are you called?” Kimi asks, and the kid answers “Sayoko”.

   Kimi takes out a pad and writes 小夜孑 while the child leans forward curiously, her hands extended, palms flat on edge of seat, feet dangling halfway to floor.

   “Little Night Child! Your mama had you midnight.”

   The train begins a course along a winding ledge of coast and suddenly all is dark as train enters tunnel. The child grabs Kimi’s padded sleeve and when the train exits and lights go on again she is sitting on Kimi’s lap peering out at the rapidly passing coast and mountains. Kimi sings a kid song.

Now comes a pretty mountain, now a lovely beach

Now a bridge crossing, now a tunnel’s reach.

After the darkness passes, comes a wide plain.

Ah, my little darling, here we go again!

The child lies back against Kimi and sings the repeat stanzas which she knows from kindergarten.

   Next Kimi sings a silly song that mothers do as verbal reinforcement of good behavior.

Oh, clever cutey; oh clever, clever cutey

Oh clever girl, oh cutey girl, oh wonderful darling and beauty girl!

When the children get off at a farming village northeast of Tokyo, it is an unhappy little girl separated from her new-found, temporary mom.

Kimi, now almost alone, dozes.
   To read on, now, click 9.(3-5) Stranger on the Train - The Coach Approac...