11.(39-40) A New Japan Coming - Banzai for the Lady Professor

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39. Envoi – Cancer Agonistes

After they finish preparing E and she is decked out on the mat for the death-viewing, the three women go to the outer room and eat a delivered lunch of pickled vegetable, hot bean soup, sashimi style raw sliced tuna and red bean gelatin yokan with green tea. The morning has made them hungry. Kimi feels a quiet happiness of being exactly who she is and doing exactly what she should be doing. Afterwards, Sanya asks Mari the helper, to contact E's family, and tell the neighbors and friends so that the pre funeral viewing can be satisfied. The body thus prepared can lie with burning candle and incense in the room for the days before cremation. Mari will sleep next to the body and act as closest relative.

   Sanya has another visit to make on community rounds and Kimi follows.

40. Banzai for the Lady Professor

They come to schoolyard where a young woman teacher in severe blue skirt and suit has assembled 30 pre-teens in 3 rows of ten, the boys in dark blue military high-collar jacket and pants, the girls in black and white sailor suit. As Sanya arrives, the Teacher bows and barks out command. Sanya inspects the students with Kimi behind carrying her black bag. When each one's turn comes, the boy or girl opens mouth wide, sticks out tongue, and pulls up tunic and undershirt baring chest in one swoop. Slapping stethoscope to chest Sanya listens then measures skull at eye ridge, chest at nipples, and abdomen at navel with tape that Kimi hands her, dictating data back to Kimi and then making health comment, which Teacher writes in little book.

   After examining one boy, she asks what he will like to grow up to be. Standing stiff he replies in high-pitched voice that he wishes to be divine-wind pilot to die for the Emperor and send a thousand Yankee Monkees down to where devils live. Sanya stands thoughtful, then replies matter-of-factly that she hopes he will reconsider the wish because war shall end soon and Japan will need many healthy well-educated young men and women. She adds that the Emperor himself, a man of science whom she has met more than once is now working hard for peace. She ends saying just as matter-of-factly “Anyone can die for a cause but it takes one very special kind of hero to peacefully rebuild."
   And she adds, "As far as fighting is concerned, when someone knocks another man down or sticks a bayonet in him or shoots him, all the people nowadays jump with joy and the government pins medals. But when someone helps another man or woman up, gives help to the wounded and shelters the old and infirm – that someone is the one I shall admire. Anyone with a weapon can be a destructive, brainless brute and a bully against the unarmed; but how much better, how much more heroic and beautiful it is to be a helping healer, a sweet securer, a beautiful builder! That is what you and classmates should strive, that is what Japan’s future will depend on.”

“Banzai for the Lady Professor!” shouts the Teacher. The students all join in.  Kimi does too.

    To read on now, click 11.(41-42) Manual Labor/ The Bombing Gets Closer