5. Seminar.
Outside is a bright, sunny, early June day. The gang is all here but less of them in Seminar Room B, now that Seminar has moved to Tokyo and Professor Edwardes is gone. At the far end of the room facing the doorway, Eddie stands at the head of a long, oval brown mahogany table and calls Seminar to order. On his immediate left is a slim, almost stick-figure, Old-Miss Harumi in her usual simple brown potato-sack dress and with her surprisingly black hair pulled back over a lined but sharp-featured face and her frontage totally flat and no facial cosmetics.
Guy sitting across from her and down at mid table thinks Wow! Ninety years old and I'd like to fuck it!
On Eddie's left (same side as Guy) is a white-haired Japanese in what seems to be a diplomatist's black suit, whom Eddie has introduced before as Kimura-san the editor emeritus of the Nippon Times. On his left is Eddie's now wife Yuko and on her left is 15-year-old son Jimmy and next to him Jimmy's 15-year-old Ethiopian girlfriend Sissy, she and he in Levi pants, colorful Hawaii shirts and sneakers with tattoos showing from exposed skin areas.
That is all for the usual seminarans, but filtering in over the last 30 minutes are several other curious persons who have read the announcement about today's seminar and who settle into the empty chairs around the table towards the door.
Eddie clinks his hand-size liberty bell. "Seminar will come to order. Today, it is communism." He looks around for emphasis and adds, "Imagine a small c.". He nods to Harumi on his left, "Miss Harumi, as she prefers to be called and also ---", he chuckles - . " our resident communist with a small c, she will lead the discussion. Harumi-san, you have the floor."
She stands and at 4 feet, 11 inches by American measurement is a diminutive figure. "Thank you, Dr Edward. First, I want to recall Professor Edwardes our former seminar leader. A moment, please."
The moment passes and she starts. "I want to tell you the how and why of my becoming a communist. I'll keep it brief.”
She smiles ahead of her joke that surprises Guy because it is so sophisticated. "I was not to the manner born but I was born in a Manor or as we called it here, Mansion. My father was owner of the biggest private bank in Japan and my mother an aristocrat. And they were good people and excellent parents. I got a remarkably good education for a female and went to upper class schools for aristocrats. And because of my birth situation and the excellent grounding in history, mathematics and science, I quickly understood and enjoyed my world. But I also got a sense of the need for balance in society and a desire to see my happy world become a stable world in which persons like I, whom, I hoped, would populate the world and provide leadership, would have a long, stable time to accomplish the aims of a rational society. From my Marxist history professor, I understood that the capitalism I was experiencing in Japan in the 1930s was a necessary and good evolution of our history but I also was taught, and saw the correctness of the teaching, that capitalism had the inherent contradiction of class warfare - the stronger, richer upper class that continued their dominance through the tyranny of capitalism - by which is meant the loaning out of money at interest rate to the weaker lower class and the protected passage of inherited wealth - must lead quickly to a serious "chip-on-the-shoulder" envy and grievance that inevitably is the cause of the unstable disorder we see in a capitalist world and that ultimately leads to violent aggression against other nations and revolution within one's own nation.
The white-haired Kimura, uncharacteristically, but in keeping with seminar, interrupts "So, Miss Harumi (Also for a Japanese he unusually uses her given name), "you are not, what I might call classic case of becoming a communist, that is, becoming one because your upbringing gave you a grievance like being born poor or racially or ethnically discriminated against?"
Without skipping a beat to her presentation, Harumi responds, "As my French teacher might say, Au contraire! In fact my motive arose out of the great satisfaction with the enjoyments of my upper class life, my lack of worry about money, my fine parents and good life. But in contrast to the usual of my class I saw through the simplistic idea that the capitalist system had to be preserved at the expense of the lower classes so that my upper class could enjoy it. I saw the instability the system was creating and - I admit it - being Utopian, I wanted a more stable system and stability for me extended beyond my life time. And that meant a fairer system.
Guy interrupts: "Ecce communism!"
Harumi responds "Precisely, but without your Nietzschean word. The system I refer to does not loan money at interest rates, and does not pass-on individual inheritances after one's death and, most important of all, it does not allow accumulating money or possessions of equal assets more than a basic reasonable minimum for carrying out daily life. It downgrades the tyranny of money by reducing markedly the necessary expenses of a good, healthy subsistence: by which I mean, the medical care, basic foods, education, housing and living conditions, etc. Essentially, that is communism. Now, questions please."
The rest of the hour is spent fielding questions like; "I'm a 50-year-old American; why were we all taught in school, in the newspapers and magazines, and by our politicians to hate communism?" Or "What about the fact that every communist country that came into existence was a dictatorship and most are gone now?" Or "What about moral monsters like Josef Stalin, the North Korean Kims, Mr Mao Tse-Tung? Weren't they all communists?"
Harumi patiently answers each question in order: America by which is meant the USA has nothing to boast about morally. It came about by white Europeans genociding the natives, its economic success was a combination of free labor from black slavery, unlimited resources of a new continent and, most recently, domination militarily of the world and selling weapons of mass destruction. The totalitarianism of early communist states and the often brutal leadership should be blamed on historic nationalism and primitive ethnic character types. And the Cold War should be basically blamed on the misunderstanding after World War 2 that was caused both by Stalin's paranoid senility and U.S.'s irrational anticommunism.
As Eddie tinkles the bell to signal end of the hour, Harumi concludes with: "In my initial statement I gave you the aims of a communist society. They will be best carried out in a nation like Japan today that is democratic, well educated (Kimura makes a funny face), and technologically at the forefront. A communist society is the world's only hope now against the horrors of overpopulation that we already see in Africa, much of Asia, and South America. It may seem impossible but I shall go out working for its future."
She sits down and Eddie stands for final words."Miss Harumi's allusion to Cervantes Don Quixote recalls for me Ernest Hemingway's novel of the late 1930's Spanish Civil War, For Whom the Bell Tolls. Those of you who have read it may recall its main action is the character's Robert Jordan's mission to blow up the bridge over the river in order to slow the advance of the fascist army against the Republicans. Jordan knows the war seems hopeless for his side but he also knows that if one gives up in the face of seeming hopelessness especially when there is no alternative for a good future, that future is doomed. So he succeeds in blowing the bridge even though his war is going to be lost."
Eddie pauses and then "OK. Seminar is ended. Now we shall have our tete-a-tetes with sushi and green tea." He nods to Yuko who calls the hotel restaurant on her mobile phone and a few minutes later a spread of food and drink is being placed on the table and the guests circulate in conversations of 2 or 3 persons.
6. A Particular Tete-a-Tete
Guy quickly goes up to Miss Harumi and offers his right hand in an American type shake. She avoids responding but, instead, makes a slight bow at the waist.
"I admire your presentation because it is the first time I heard communism brought to earth, so to speak. I mean from you I saw it in practical terms of worlds without billionaires and multimillionaires like Mitt Romney, the Kardashians and others of that ilk!"
She looks on at his flattering outburst in slight surprise, not being accustomed to flattery. But she finds it not unpleasant from this 40 years younger, very virile man. He continues.
"And you explained so simply how we could do it: No bank interest! And I guess, a computerized credit card money system based on social and labor credits like BF Skinner describes in Walden 2. And no inheritance that allows these Richie Richboys and Richgirls to hand down their mammon madness money to offspring." He pauses while both make way for food and drink. "And a social system that obviates the need to save money for one's old age - a system based on free social services, housing and basic food staples."
He picks up a plate of strawberry tarts and offers her with the nearby tea. "Well, madame, I should like to talk more about this with you at both our leisures."
"Thank you, young man. To whom do I have the pleasure of listening?"
Guy introduces himself, not mentioning that his mother is Ali whom Harumi knew before the War in Tokyo. He jokingly asks if Harumi will be his girl guide and she replies: "Old-Miss Guide, Yes; Girl no! Girl-guide is both beneath my dignity and years." But her brief happy laugh following gives away an enthusiasm that is starting to surprise her.
7. And After-Meeting Tete-a-Tete
Guy asks Harumi, "Madame - Oh, I forgot, I should say Miss. I should like private time with you. Life is so short, you know. Do you have some now?"
Harumi is surprised by her positive feeling to this question. Quickly she thinks What could he want from such an old Miss like I, a strong young fellow like that? Then she reverses course and thinks, Well on one thing he is correct; for my 90-year-old body, life is very short.
She says, "Young man - " but he immediately interrupts.
"Enough of that Young man stuff. Let's just keep it Guy or if that is too familiar, You? Or nothing at all." He stops for a second. Then, "Have you ever heard All or nothing at all?"
She looks at him quizzically. "You are something new. Where shall we go to be alone?"
8. The International House has upstairs rooms rented mostly by foreign scholars studying in Japan but there are always vacancies for acute situations as Harumi and Guy find themselves in now. She bids Guy sit in the lobby while she goes to the front desk and arranges a room. Then she comes back and says "Follow me, please." and Guy thinks She is very well bred.
On the 2nd floor she uses a key and they enter a nicely appointed guest room with two beds, and a deep wall to wall green rug and a tete-a-tete semi ottoman sofa. The sofa fits 2 persons in an S shape seater easily conversing one with the other by slightly turning the head and a body-length bed-size couch connects the seating positions.
Harumi says, "we might as well take turns using the washroom, please go first."
When Guy comes back she is sitting on her side of the tete-a-tete, and indicates he should sit at its other end. Then she excuses herself and takes care of washing her face and other matters.
Finally they are both seated and start to converse.
"Well, Mr Guy; that is your real name is it not; it is not your typical American joke play on words?"
"It's my name, I am actually part French on my mom's side. And I speak it. Parlez vous?
"Oui" answers Harumi who had a classical education from her rich upbringing. "Are you really interested to date me, at my very advanced age. Also I must say I was a lifetime lesbian.'
"Does that mean a 90-year-old virgin?"
She nods Yes.
"May I have the honor to end it?
"For that you shall have to rape me."
Guy laughs out loud. "I was conceived in a rape so I do not think it is so bad."
"Humpf!' is all Harumi can reply, thinking A crazy American.
"Have you ever heard of strip poker. A card game.
"Young man! I think it is time for me to leave." She stands but he reaches out his right hand and grasps her left hand. She does not try to disengage. He picks up the telephone.
"Room service? Do you have a deck of playing cards? Please bring it up to Room 204?"
"You are crazy," she says but her tone is not angry and she sits back down in her facing seat.
A minute later the playing cards are delivered and he shuffles and deals 5 cards to him and her. The game begins.
An hour later both are in adjoining beds, talking, obviously with no clothing under the blanket of each one's bed. Harumi is sitting up holding the blanket about her very slim body up to the neck; Guy is lying flat under his sheet and blanket. They are talking about homosexuality based on Guy's interest of how an old lesbian of the traditional 1930s views today's Gay movement.
"First, why I am a lesbian?" She pauses rhetorically. "Not because I was born that way. We have no scientific evidence for that although, of course, it seems obvious, certain persons were to the manner born due to DNA brain patterning. But not I. Nor was it for political feminist reasons."
She pauses again and Guy impatiently asks "So why?"
"Because once I grew up and met Japanese men of the 1930s, I said to myself 'I will never have sex with these gross fools.' Part of my prejudice was also because of a strong identification with my father. Furthermore I was not strongly sexual so I controlled what I needed."
Guy makes to get up from his bed and go to Harumi in her bed, saying "Well, why not try it with a North American? - Let's misbehave?"
Harumi pushes her hand in his face: "No, I am a traditional Japanese woman. I do not play at sex like you Americans. And I have not even considered it for 30 years plus now."
End of Chapter and Section For next chapter click 18.8 Wooing a 90-Year-old Woman
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