A Pale View of Hills

I went out into the kitchen and found a cloth. When I returned, Ogata-San was sitting just as I had left him, the smile still hovering around his eyes. He was gazing at the puddle on the tatami and looked deep in thought. Indeed, he seemed so absorbed by the sight of the tea, I hesitated a little before kneeling down to wipe it away.

“You mustn’t let this upset you, Etsuko,” he said, eventually. “It’s nothing to upset yourself about.”

“No.” I continued to wipe the tatami.

“Well, I suppose we might as well turn in fairly soon. It’s good to turn in early once in a while.”

“Yes.”

“You mustn’t let this upset you, Etsuko. Jim will have forgotten the whole thing by tomorrow, you’ll see. I remember these spells of his very well. In fact, it makes you quite nostalgic, witnessing a little scene like that. It reminds me so much of when he was small. Yes, its endugh to make you quite nostalgic.’

I continued to wipe away the tea.

‘Now, Etsuko’ he said. “This is nothing to upset yourself about.

I exchanged no further words with my husband until the following morning. He ate his breakfast glancing occasionally at the morning newspaper I had placed beside his bowl. He spoke little and made no comment on the fact that his father had not yet emerged. For my part, I listened carefully for sounds from Ogata-San’s room, but could hear nothing.

“I hope it all goes well today,” I said, after we had sat in silence for some minutes.

My husband gave a shrug. ‘Its nothing to make a fuss about, he said. Then he looked up at me and said: “I wanted my black silk tie today, but you seem to have done something with it. I wish you wouldn’t meddle with my ties.”

“The black silk one? It’s hanging on the rail with your other ties.’’

“It wasn’t there just now. I wish you’d stop meddling with them all the time.”

“The silk one should be there with the others,”] said. “1 ironed it the day before yesterday, because I knew you’d be wanting it for today, but I made sure to put it back. Are you sure it wasn’t there?’

My husband sighed impatiently and looked down at the newspaper. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “This one will have to do.”

He continued to eat in silence. Meanwhile, there was still no sign of Ogata-San and eventually I rose to my feet and went to listen outside his door. When after several seconds I had not heard a sound, I was about to slide open the door a little way. But my husband turned and said:

“What are you up to? I haven’t got all morning, you know.” He pushed his teacup forward.

I seated. myself again, put his used dashes away to one side, and poured him some tea. He sipped it rapidly, glancing over the front page of the newspaper.

‘This is an important day for us,’ I said. “I hope it goes

“It’s nothing to make such a fuss about,” he said, not looking up.

However, before he left that morning, Jiro studied himself carefully in the mirror by the entryway, adjusting his tie and examining his jaw to check he had shaved efficiently. When he had left, I went over once more to Ogata-San’s door and listened. I still could hear nothing.

‘Father?’’ I called softly.

“Ah, Etsuko,” I heard Ogata-San’s voice from within. ‘1 might have known you wouldn’t let me lie in.”

Somewhat relieved, I went to the kitchen to prepare a fresh pot of tea, then laid the table ready for Ogata-San’s breakfast. When he eventually sat down to eat, he remarked casually:

“Jiro’s left already, I suppose.”

“Oh yes, he went a long time ago. I was just about to throw Father’s breakfast away. I thought he’d be far too lazy to get up much before noon.”

“Now, don’t be cruel, Etsuko. When you get to my age, you like to relax once in a while. Besides, this is like a Vacation for me, staying here with you.”

“Well, I suppose just this once then, Father can be forgiven for being so lazy.”

“I won’t get the opportunity to lie in like this once I get back to Fukuoka,” he said, taking up his chopsticks. Then he sighed deeply. “I suppose its time I was getting back soon.”

“Getting back? But there’s no hurry, Father.”

“No, I really have to be getting back soon. There’s plenty well.” of work to be getting on with.’

“Work? What work is that?”

“Well for a start, I need to build new panels for the veranda. Then there’s the rockery. I haven’t even started on it yet. The stones were delivered months ago and they’ve just been sitting there in the garden waiting for me.” he gave a sigh and began to eat. “I certainly won’t get to lie in like this once I get back.”

‘But there’s no need to go just yet, is there, Father? Your rockery can wait a Ii ttle longer.”

“You’re very kind, Etsuko. But time’s pressing on now. You see, I’m expecting my daughter and her husband down again this autumn, and I’ll need to get all this work finished before they come. Last year and the year before, they came to see me in the autumn. So I rather suspect they’ll want to come again this year.”

‘‘I see.’’