"Sit down please, Brad-san." she said as she moved one of the pillows and placed it where he would be able to look out through the slider after he sat down. "Would you like ocha? I have no beer, but I can go to the store to get some."
"Ocha will be fine, thanks. I don't think that I need any more beer."
"Yes, you are very correct. I'll make us some tea and then fix some food while you take a shower."
"Is it alright that I'm here? I don't think your uncle liked the idea of you having a GI in your house."
"No. It's okay Brad. He understands that you are a friend who I am helping because you don't feel well. I also told him that you were going with a nesan from Kadena Circle. You might be going to her later tonight if you felt better."
Brad shook his head even though it hurt and he was sure that even the roots of his hair hurt. "I better go. Your family will really be upset with you."
"He is my only family and he knows that I would never sleep with a man unless I'm in love with him. I hardly know you. I do like you and trust you, but I'm not in love with you and he understands that."
"Aaahhh!" Brad bent over and with his head in his hands thumped the table top.
"What? What is wrong with you?"
"You are breaking my heart. I thought that you brought me here because you love me."
"You are bad. You do not have a broken heart. Drink your ocha, dozo." Her face had reddened and she tried to hide her embarrassment by turning away from Brad when she set the teapot and two small cups on the table. Some tea splashed from the teapot's spout. "See you made me spill tea." And as she turned towards the tiny kitchen to get a rag Tomako hit Brad lightly on his shoulder.
It was a pleasant silence. Brad alternated between looking out across Tomari Bay and watching the small subtle changes on Tomako's face. I wonder how old she is? I always thought when I saw her in the coffee house that she was about 20, maybe 25. But now in the daylight she seems older. The apartment has the look of a mature woman who has lived alone for a while. He continued to cast friendly looks towards her which she acknowledged with soft smiles which were starting to get wider each time they made eye contact.
Her eyes were more Japanese than Okinawan and she was petite all over. She wore her hair straight to just above her shoulders with her bangs ending exactly on the highest part of her black eyebrows. She must trim her bangs every day or so. He thought as he turned his look back to the water.
"What is going on in your head." She asked after several exchanges of eye contact. She poured them each more tea. "Do you need the tea hotter?"
"The tea is fine, domo. What is going on in my head? What am I thinking you want to know? The bottles of aspirin you gave me helped my poor beer riddled head stop hurting so bad. I'm starting to get hungry so I am going to take the shower that you so nicely offered."
He started to rise from the table. Made eye contact with her again looking deep into her dark brown almond shaped eyes. She has beautiful eyes. "How old are you Tomako?" Brad blurted out. Not really meaning to, but unable to hold his curiosity in check.
She met his eyes and with a soft laugh said, "Older than you, I think. 35 two weeks before. No, I have never been married or lived with a man. Not that I do not know a man. I have never known one that I have wanted to marry or live with.
Go take a shower. I will get you a towel and nemaki." She said as she rose from the table, went to the double door cabinet and took out a heavy thick towel and light brown cotton nemaki, (sleeping robe.). Her voice became softer and quieter. "It was my Papa-san's robe. You are about the same size as he was. He will not mind that you wear it."
"I will show you the place to turn on the hot water. Here. Turn this," She reached up to a black plastic knob on a white enamel and chrome gadget hanging in the bathroom between the sink and shower. "It makes the heat and only does it when the shower is on. Don't move it too far or the mizu will get hot-hot. Okay?"
He hadn't been in very many Okinawan homes nor inspected their bathrooms, but Brad was impressed by this one. The fixtures, a vanity with a small porcelain sink and the toilet bowl were Western type. The room was really tiny and the fixtures in proportional size to fit neatly. I know where I've seen bathrooms like this. Travel trailers. The little 20 footers Americans use for vacation and hunting trips. Neat. Cute, kind of. She keeps it really clean. The only thing different is the shower stall. It is definitely custom made with hand placed light green and white tiles. I'm not sure that I will be able to turn around in there. Kind of like taking a shower in a Coke bottle. He thought smiling and reaching through the nylon curtain to turn on the water.
"The floor will get wet, Brad-san. It's all right." Tomako spoke only loud enough to be heard through the closed bathroom door.
It was then that Brad noticed that the tile floor had a drain in the middle. The sound of gas igniting in the hot water heater startled Brad in the confines of the small room. Why doesn't she have a bathtub? The Japanese love to soak in a hot tub. Only one faucet? Wow! The water is a little too hot. She must take a shower this hot, she knew right where to set the thermostat.
Feeling fresh and as if he might live after all. And with the clean soft kimono on Brad went back out into the living room. On the table was an unopened bottle of Coke. It was covered with frost that was just starting to melt dripping onto the small plate Tomi had left it sitting on. He popped the cap off with the church key she had left next to the Coke.
"Tomako?" He looked around for her before picking up the Coke and going out onto the small balcony. The sun was slowly sinking down into the sea. Orange streaks and a reddish tinge were developing in the sky over the East China Sea. An Okinawan fishing boat was heading out of port its ensign flowing straight back from the mast. The wind was none existent.
He turned to the sound of the door opening and hurried to help Tomako with her packages.
"I went to get some food. You are feeling good?"
"I feel great. The shower was a life saver. It looks as if you bought enough to feed many people. You must eat a lot for such a sukoshi nesan. And thank you for the Coke. I was really thirsty."
"You are welcome. I had no food. My refrigerator was empty. Oji-san asks me why I have it because I only keep my money in it."
"But to buy so much. I'm hungry, but can only eat so much."
"You maybe hungrier than you feel. I will fix us some Japanese food that I know you like. That is all I bought, enough for us to eat tonight."
"That's a good idea. Can I help you cook?"
"You can wash the gohon. Here," she said reaching under the small kitchen sink for the inevitable gohon pot with its wooden lid. Then she handed him a small metal cup and pointed to the bag of rice on a shelf over the stove. "Two, this sukoshi cup, in pot and wash it full of water three times. It will be no good and will be bad luck if you don't do it three times. It will be clean after the last time."
Brad smiled to himself and snickered a bit too loudly at her shortcut English which he was becoming more aware of.
"What is funny. Are you laughing at my English?" She laughingly asked. OK, can you tell me how to wash the gohon in Okinawan?." She picked a big knife out a small draw under the counter and brandished it towards the refrigerator.
Brad stepped back which put a smile on her face. "I am getting the supper from here." Setting a paper wrapped package of chicken on the counter and still smiling she started to cut it into strips.
"If you are too hungry to wait, I bought you these." And she handed Brad a small plastic bag of tiny dried squid.
"How come you don't have a tub to soak in? I thought that all Okinawans wanted to have a tub?" He asked leaning against the top of the refrigerator which was six or eight inches taller than the counter. "Hey. These are good." He exclaimed as if a little surprised that something so strange looking to him, could taste so good.
"When Oji
-san was building the house, he asked if I wanted to have an apartment for very small rent. I told him of course, but I wanted it on the top floor so I could see the ocean and the ships coming in and going out. I thought I was being, huh, funny?” Tomi reached for the word she wanted.
“Here, don't eat them all, I will share them with you." She reached for the bag of squid.
"He said I could and I looked here before all the walls were here. But it was too oki. Too big, neh? Two bedrooms and this room which is an oki room. Neh? And there was the only stairs." She pointed to the back wall of the kitchen. "Inside. When I told him it was too big and I didn't want to share the stairs with other people, he told me to come back in a week and look again. I thought that he was," She hesitated then twirled her right index finger against her temple.
"Crazy."
"Honto. Crazy. I thought he was. But he not. When he brought me home from work two, three days later, we came here and he brought me up the new stairs. The ones outside. Neh? Then he said that the only thing wrong was there wasn't much room for the benjo. I could have a sukoshi benjo or a smaller room here. No bath.
Did you fit in the shower, Brad? You are the first and only man to use it. "
"I am very honored, Tomako-san. Domo arigato gozaimasu." With a grave look Brad bowed deeply to her."
"You are very bad." She giggled softly, hurriedly straightened out her face and became very serious and bowed more deeply than Brad had. "You are very welcome, Mister Brad.
"Now finish washing the gohon so we can eat when the chicken is cooked.
What is your other name. I never heard it since you never told me."
"It's Burgess. Happy now?"
"Hai. For a short while longer." Tomako added with a shy smile.
They moved the low table to just inside the sliding doors and ate quietly. Each lost in their own thoughts and watching a visual display of changing colors that rivaled the northern lights. Brad got up and got himself another Coke out of the fridge. "Want anything Tomi? Since I'm the youngest, I should wait on you. Neh?"
The western sky had turned a deep inky blue and with no moon there was just a hint of a horizon from the stars and the navigation lights of an inbound fishing boat. They had not turned on any lights and were sitting quietly relaxed next to each other in front of the slider. Brad didn't remember when Tomako had moved around from the end of the table where she had been sitting while they ate, nor when she made the tea she was drinking.
"Do you want to sleep? You are yawning very much." She asked.
"I should go back to the base. Neh?"
"Iie. You can stay here if you would like. I have plenty of futons for a guest and there is plenty of room for us to sleep on the tatamis."
"I don't want Oji-san to think bad of you."
"He not do that. He understands me and knows I am a good girl. Come on, help me make our beds. I also want to sleep. I must get up early to go to work and you must go early so you won't get in trouble."
Tomako turned on a small lamp that Brad had not noticed sitting among the family photos on top of the largest cabinet. When she opened the double doors he saw their beds. One side of the cabinet was full of white sheet covered futons. The other side had the rolls of Tomako's kimonos and on one shelf folded obis and robes like the one he had on. Without a word she handed him two bulky futons and a small hard pillow which made a strange rustling sound.
"These are for you. Its full of rice. The outside of the rice."
"Rice hulls?"
"Hai. You can sleep anywhere that you want. I know, you like the open, by the door."
With a smile Brad dropped the futons and pillow in front of the slider.
Tomako stood for a second holding two more futons then decided to set them on the tatamis next to the open cabinet. Taking a folded pink flowered kimono from the cabinet she closed the cabinet doors before turning towards the bathroom. "I'm taking a shower. Fix your futons the way you want.
"He spread out the first futon placing the brightly colored side down leaving the white sheet side up. Then threw the other futon sheet side down. It seemed to make sense since the white sheet was wrapped around the four sides and one whole side of the brightly colored futons. The ties which held the sheet in place was across the width of the futons. I don't want to get tangled up in the ties that's for sure.
Brad stretched out lengthwise across the slider laying on his back listening to the shower running then it stopped. He was dozing when Tomako opened the door quietly before crossing the room to fix her bed next to, but two feet away from Brad's.
"Are you awake?" she asked very quietly. When Brad turned his head towards her she asked, " Shall I close the light?"
"Do what you always do, Tomi. I don't need it and it doesn't keep me awake." As he spoke he could smell her soap and warmth which made him open his eyes. She was on her knees between their futons leaning slightly towards him with the pink flowered nemaki on.
"You are comfortable? I will wake you up about 30 minutes after 5. Alright?"
Even with the small light turned off, he could see her slide between her futons. She isn't very big is she? Why so early in the morning? He asked himself before answering in a sleepy voice. "I'm comfy, Tomi. Thank you, and 0530 will be fine. Tomi?"
"Yes Brad?"
"Thank you again. Takusan domo." He laughed a little sleepily. That is not correct is it?"
"Good night, Brad. I will teach you tomorrow." Her voice was muffled by the soft folds of her futon.
An on-shore breeze had come up and cool fresh sea air was coming off the East China Sea and in the slider. Brad drew the futon higher on his shoulders and relaxed with a contented sigh.
SEVENTEEN
He heard her close the slider and felt the air change but didn't want to get out of the futon's warm cocoon. The soft whisper of Tomi folding her futons and her quiet padding across the tatami mats started to make him feel guilty for pretending to be still asleep. It became quiet again and he drifted back off to sleep.
"Brad? Brad-san? Are you awake? It is half after 5. You must get up."
He threw back the futon to the sight of Tomako kneeling at his side fully dressed in pair of brown jeans and cream colored cotton sweater, her hair combed neatly and she wore just a hint of a subtle pink lipstick.
"Can I get you something to eat before you go to the base?"
"No thanks. I'll get coffee and a roll at the coffee mess when I get to work. Why are you up and dressed so early, don't you go to the coffee house about 11, just before lunch?"
How can she look so good, so early in the morning?
"I am going to my morning work at the Air Force NCO Club dining room. I work 4, sometimes 5 mornings as cashier and do the account books. I get off at 10 then go to Kokusai Dori."
"So you start very early? When, at 6 in the morning?"
"Half after 6. Oji-san picks me up at 6. Today we can ride to the gate together and catch the Navy bus. You have to go to the Navy barracks, neh?"
"I should. The Navy would like it if I go to work in my uniform. It is Thursday, neh?"
"Yes. Why?" She asked while she poured herself a cup of tea.
"We have inspection on Friday morning at 8. Tomorrow.
I'll have ocha with you now. It won't take me long to get ready."
"You slept well?"
"Very good, domo. I feel really good thanks to you.
I'll be 28 in January, Tomi."
When Brad came out the back door of the barracks after changing into his uniform Dan was waiting for him in their jeep.
"You don't look like you have a hangover. But Ashamini said that you got out of a sukoshi cab just after 6 with a nesan from the NCO club and rode the bus with her to the Club. So, what's up. It obviously wasn't Yoko."
Brad started to dump yesterday's happenings onto his friend. He kind of edited Tomako's part in the day and night, knowi
ng full well that the next time they went to the coffee house Dan would figure it out.
"I met her trying to catch a cab so we shared."
"Yeah. Ha-ha. I'm believing that."
Dan drove up to the motor pool office just as Chief Lawton came out headed for the dispatch office. "Hey Chief, Brad and I have to go over to the Air Force end about putting that rudder that we took off, back on. OK if we skip muster?"
"Sure. Go ahead. Are you working for the Army when you're not doing that?
"Yeah, probably. Unless you have something else on the agenda."
"Not this week. But there is talk of a missile exchange sometime next week. We'll have to set up an Army crane at White Beach as soon as we get at least what day."
"I'm not going to sweat it. I'll be checking out so Brad can take care of it."
"That's right, you are officially a 'Short Timer' now. Don't show up for inspection tomorrow morning. In fact, you should sleep-in then take your girl friend out for breakfast."
"How do you rate that treatment from Lawton? I thought that you didn't like him." Brad asked Dan.
"I don't. I also don't think he likes me too much and just wants me out of his hair. But he did ask my advice of who should take over the heavy shop and do the crane work. I told him that you were the only one who could do the job right. The job is yours whether you want it or not. I didn't particularly do you a favor, but there are advantages to it. First and most important is that you will work directly for the Chief and he likes you. Secondly you won't be working for that idiot retrained radioman who just went through "A" school in Port Hueneme and thinks he is the greatest equipment operator alive. Thirdly and finally, you will have more free time and be your own boss. A very unique position for a third class petty officer to be in."
"Gee, Dan, I don't know whether to kiss your feet in gratitude or kill you in the most inhuman manner that I can think of."
An Okinawan Affair Page 9