Sansei and Sensibility

by Karen Tei Yamashita

  Don’t forget to let me know what I should do about your Midori-chan.

  Yours,

  Otsu

  MARCH 17, 1966 SAN FRANCISCO

  Note from Jim Martin to Omaki Hannoki

  MARCH 15, 1966 SAN FRANCISCO

  Dear Omaki-san,

  I was so disappointed to come into Daikokuya and find that you were no longer there. There is no pleasure shopping there without you. I have given this note to your friend Otsuma-san in hopes that you will read it and find some time and heart to correspond with me. When I met you, I knew I had found the perfect woman, the very Japanese woman I have been looking for all these years. I have been thinking of you constantly since we first met, and I cannot get you out of my mind. Wherever you are, I will come to find you. I promise that my intentions are the most respectable. I will move and shake the world for you. I beg you to answer me with some sign but more importantly your current address.

  With great sincerity and true love,

  Jim

  Aerogram from Cathy Hannoki to Mrs. Natsuko Higuchi

  APRIL 1, 1966 LOS ANGELES

  Dear Mom,

  How are you and Dad? Thanks for hearing me out, and for your thoughts about Japan and Japanese. Speaking of which, my house just got more Japanese in it. Omaki’s daughter, Midori, arrived a few days ago. Apparently she ran away from the boarding school in Tokyo, found a way to get on a plane, and came on her own to San Francisco. She was staying with the Satos, then they sent her to Los Angeles. Midori just turned 17, but this must have been a very brave thing to do. Omaki is pretty upset about it, and I have heard her fuming and yelling at Midori. Midori, for her part, is very quiet and shy. Her English, however, is quite good. She went to American schools on the military base in Tokyo. I think she was in a Japanese boarding school that must have been very strict and even abusive from the little I’ve learned. I’ve suggested that she can go to the local high school and meet other students like herself. We went together today to meet a school counselor and get her classes arranged. Well, we’ll see how this works out.

  I haven’t heard from Kevin, who usually writes us a few lines every week, if just a postcard to the boys. He does seem to be writing to Omaki, however. When I hand Omaki his letters, she stuffs them away in her pocket or purse without comment.

  Timmy is very happy in school. He’s already reading. Dick and Jane and Dr. Seuss. Bobby loves to ride around on his tricycle. While Timmy is in school, we go to the park. Your Japanese picture books just arrived. Thanks!

  Sending love to you and Dad,

  Cathy, Timmy, Bobby, and Charley too

  Letter from Sato Otsuma to Hannoki Omaki

  おまきちゃん

  美登利はぶじロスアンゼルスに着いたことと思います。美登利はとても引っ込み思 案に見えるけれど、じつはあの子を見ていると貴女を思い出すのよ。何を考えてい るのか絶対に分からないけれど、あの子はいつもよく見ていろいろ学んでいるにち がいありません。

  新しいお知らせよ。スチュワートとルーシーが離婚する、そして別れる以上、ス チュワートは大黒屋を離れなくてはならないということを、ついさっき聞きました。 佐藤のお父さんはこの件についてはとてもきっぱり決めていて、ルーシーの側の言 い分しか聞こうとしません。スチュワートは、ロスアンゼルスに移って新しい仕事を 探すといっています。彼は日本の骨董品を売るのはそもそもあまり上手じゃなくて、 いつも誰の作かとか何世紀のものかとかをまちがえていました。私は教育がない けれど、その私だって日本の歴史は勉強してきたわ。こうした骨董品は、それにまつ わるいい話をしてあげられるのでなければ、けっして売れないもの。あの人は嘘ひ とつつけないから。でもとてもチャーミングでハンサムだから、きっと何か見つかる わよ。もちろん彼が引っ越しについて私に話してくれたのは、私がそれを貴女に話 すと思ってのことでしょう。だから予め警告しておくわね。

  この件がこれからどうなるか、そして貴女が最近どうしているのか、教えてね。

  かしこ

  おつま

  1９６６年４月１４日、サンフランシスコ

  – translation –

  Omaki-chan,

  I trust Midori arrived safely in Los Angeles. Even though Midori seems very shy, she actually reminds me of you. You cannot know what she is thinking, but I believe she is always watching and learning.

  I have new news for you. I have just heard that Stuart and Lucy will get a divorce, and with that separation, Stuart will have to leave Daikokuya. Old Sato-san is adamant about this, only willing to hear Lucy’s side of everything. Stuart told me that he will be moving to Los Angeles to look for a new job. He was never very good at selling Japanese antiques anyway, always confusing the artisans and the centuries. I am not educated, but even I have been studying Japanese history. If you cannot tell a good story about these old objects, you can never make a good sale. He could not even lie. But he is very charming and handsome, so something should come his way. Of course he told me about his plans to move so that I would tell you. So you are forewarned.

  Let me know what happens and how you are faring these days.

  Your friend,

  Otsuma

  APRIL 14, 1966 SAN FRANCISCO

  Letter from Cathy Hannoki to Mrs. Natsuko Higuchi

  MAY 5, 1966 LOS ANGELES

  Dear Mom,

  It’s Boys’ Day today, but you know this. We are flying two large koi in the backyard for Timmy and Bobby. It’s also Cinco de Mayo. There was a dance program at school, and Timmy danced the hat dance with his classmates in the schoolyard.

  Midori is going to school and seems to be doing just fine. She’s a very sweet young girl and very helpful and kind to the boys. Bobby can’t wait for her to come home to play with him. I think she genuinely loves to play with the boys, even when they are rough and uncontrollable. I have seen her roll around on the lawn with the boys. It was Midori’s idea to fly the koi. We went together to Little Tokyo to buy them. In a short time, we’ve all become very attached to Midori. Despite her crazy mother, Midori seems to be her father’s daughter, like Bob, down to earth, open, and very earnest.

  The new development here is that lately there is a hakujin guy who comes around and takes Omaki out on dates. Apparently Omaki met him in San Francisco. He has at least two cars, a big black Cadillac and a sporty red Mustang. Depending on the date, he’ll arrive in one or the other and escort Omaki away. Midori has joined them a few times. They’ve taken day trips to Santa Barbara or Palm Springs. Omaki’s also mentioned going to concerts and the opera, and she said he’s promised to take her to the Emmys. I guess he works in TV. Omaki calls him Jimbo.

  Last weekend, Kevin arrived suddenly, I guess hoping to surprise Omaki. But Omaki wasn’t here but in San Diego or maybe Tijuana. Kevin moped around the house all Friday and Saturday and just before his flight out of LAX on Sunday, Omaki arrived in that red Mustang with Jimbo, the convertible top down, laughing gaily. I was pulling the car out of the garage to take Kevin to the airport, and he was lugging his bag across the front porch. Somehow everyone got introduced, fakely cordial. Then Kevin got in the car, and we drove in silence to the airport.

  Well, enough said. Love to you and Dad. I miss you so.

  Love,

  Cathy

  Letter from Hannoki Omaki to Sato Otsuma

  おつまちゃん

  ベバリーヒルズでの私の新しい住所をお知らせするために書いています。ジム・マー ティンと私が結婚したと知ったら、貴女は驚くでしょうね。簡単な急ぎの式でした が、いずれパーティーを開くし、そのときは誰よりも貴女に来てほしいわ。ジム坊は パームスプリングスにも家を一軒もっている�
�で、パーティーをどっちでするか、決 めなくてはなりません。でもいうまでもなく、サンフランシスコにジム坊がもってい る東洋趣味のビクトリア式の大きな邸宅にも、貴女をご招待できます。

  美登利はハイスクールを卒業して、それからもチャーリーとキャシーと一緒に暮 らしたいといっていますが、これは本当に助かるわ。二、三年のうちには美登利が きっと大学に入れると、キャシーは考えているみたい。

  もうひとつのお知らせです。あなたが教えてくれたとおり、スチュワートはロス アンゼルスに引っ越してきました。彼はいい仕事が見つからなくてお金が尽きてし まい、気まずくてそれが私にいえなかったのね。ある晩、ジム坊と私がハリウッドで 夕食をとっていたら、テーブルにウェイターとしてやってきたのが、なんと私の最愛 の、最高にハンサムなスチュワートだったのよ。私は顔を上げると息を呑んでしまい 千回もとろとろに溶けてしまったけれど、なんとか間をおかずにジム坊に紹介でき るまでには回復したの。「大黒屋時代のお友達でね、私にとっては兄みたいな人」 って。それからはトントン拍子に、ジム坊がスチュワートを助手として雇うことに。助 手といって、スチュワートがどんな仕事をするのか全然わからないけれど、それより もいいのは彼はトレーラーハウスとかいう物を借りてうちの土地に住んでいるの ね、だからいつも手が届くところにいるというわけ。

  やがてはこんなふうになるのよって、貴女か私に予言できたかしらね。

  いつも貴女のお友達である

  おまき

  １９６６年６月１８日、ベバリーヒルズ

  – translation –

  Otsuma-chan,

  I am writing to you to let you know of my new address in Beverly Hills. I guess you’ll be surprised to know that Jim Martin and I got married. It was a simple and quick ceremony, but we will have a party, and you will be the first invited. Jimbo has another house in Palm Springs, so we must decide where to have the party. But soon, as you realize, I can also invite you to Jimbo’s oriental Victorian house in San Francisco.

  Midori wants to finish high school and to continue to live with Charley and Cathy, and that is a big relief. Cathy is sure Midori can get into college in a few years.

  Another piece of news is that Stuart arrived, as you let me know, in Los Angeles. Unable to find a good job, he ran out of money and was too embarrassed to tell me. One evening, Jimbo and I were having dinner in Hollywood, and who should come to wait on the table but my dearest, handsomest Stuart. I looked up and gasped and melted a thousand times but recuperated my senses in time to introduce to Jimbo “my friend from Daikokuya, practically a brother to me.” Well, one thing led to another, and Jimbo has hired Stuart as an assistant. What Stuart must do as an assistant I have no idea, but the better thing is that Stuart is renting what they call the carriage house on our property, so he is never very far away.

  Could you or I have predicted how things would turn out?

  Your friend always,

  Omaki

  JUNE 18, 1966 BEVERLY HILLS

  J.A. Cheat Sheet

  In case you wondered, and with apologies to Jane Austen (rest her soul), members of the Jane Austen Society, my sister in particular, and fans everywhere.

  Shikataganai & Mottainai (Sense & Sensibility)

  Giri & Gaman (Pride & Prejudice)

  Monterey Park (Mansfield Park)

  Emi (Emma)

  Japanese American Gothic (Northanger Abbey)

  The PersuAsians (Persuasion)

  Omaki-san (Lady Susan)

  Afterword: Sansei Janeite

  The Empire Dress, or To Marry: It Does Not Signify

  One day you wake up, and your sister is a Janeite. You think it might be a coincidence about her name, Jane, but as Emma says, this does not signify. Friends and family hover between amused and clueless since maybe, like you, they’ve seen the movies but probably never actually read Jane Austen. And now that Austen’s become a pop phenomenon, folks figure it finally got easy to get your sister a gift; you name it—Jane Austen doll, mug, puzzle, Post-its, apron, newest rip-off zombie bodice ripper. Just to be clear, your sister sneers at this consumerist appropriation; she’s moved on to a higher level of Janeitism. This is a serious field of inquiry. She’s a gentlewoman and a scholar. She’s also become an haute couture Regency seamstress, fashioning with meticulous attention to outward authenticity (the Velcro and metal hooks are hidden), the most extravagant gowns with matching headgear and purses. And you thought it was all about the empire dress fashioned after some Greek goddess. Someone asked about your sister’s interest in cosplay, but you think if Austen became a Disney princess, it also wouldn’t signify.

  You love your sister; she has her thing, and you have yours. But isn’t it time you read Jane Austen, at least one book? You’ve read Edward Said’s essay “Jane Austen and Empire,” but not Mansfield Park. You agree with Said, but then aren’t you a fraud? So you buy the complete novels of Jane Austen with an introduction by Karen Joy Fowler. Hey, KJ is a fan; couldn’t hurt to crack it open. To be honest, you don’t read any of them, but you do listen on audio. You cook and clean, pay bills, answer emails, write syllabi, often fall asleep, and listen to one novel after another. Does this count? The English accents are authentic. It’s true that imperialism and colonialism are alive and fueling the second-tier aristocracy and the nouveau landowners; guys disappear to the New World, the Middle Passage, and Indian assignments, and return eligibly wealthy. Someone has got to fund all those balls, concerts, carriages, and month after month living on the considerable resources in the many rooms and extensive gardens of those grand estates. Austen isn’t telling; she’s just showing. When home gets reproduced in other worlds, you figure that this is the memory that builds those plantations. If there are six main characters, there has to be sixty servants who pretty much never appear or speak, but this is not their story. And this is not the point.

  It’s the turn of the seventeenth to the eighteenth century. Was that a sexual innuendo? You’re making a vat of Meyer lemon marmalade. Turns out it’s 7.5 pounds of lemons to 9 pounds of plantation sugar, but that’s confidential information. You check the temperature on the Meyer lemon marmalade, then press a sticky finger to the Thirty Seconds Back icon on the iPad. You press the icon a couple of times, because what’s a sexual innuendo in Regency? The protagonist has been sitting the entire dance. Totally snubbed. Bummer. Your sister has said they probably didn’t wear panties; too much trouble under all those layers of Indian silk and indigo muslin. It’s all about the clothing, the pushed-up bosoms, and the perfect curls. Beautifully powdered Anglo-Saxon people. It’s got to take hours of fine preparation. You think you could wear one of your sister’s Regency gowns without panties too. The candy thermometer creeps up to 220. The thing is, it wasn’t sexual innuendo per se, just innuendo. Like the blue mercury creeping surreptitiously to the jam point, you might miss it entirely. You realize that this is a romance without romanticism; it’s antiromantic, all about calculating your chances to make the right choice, which for most of the characters, except the heroine, is the wrong choice. Marriage is like marmalade—you could miss 220 and reject Mr. Knightley or Mr. Darcy or Captain Wentworth, and, well, c’est la vie. You had a boss who was an old Reaganite, and though you both agreed to disagree about most things, your boss once said a true Janeite thing: Nobody knows why they do that. By “that” he meant get married. Society moves around the question, and despite what Janeites know, everyone makes the same mistakes.

  You grasp for some kind of relationship, and it occurs to you that maybe you can compare this Janeite society to growing up sansei. Not the carriages and grand plantation estates; face it, you grew up in city ghettos and plotted suburbs. Still,
growing up sansei was very confusing. Fortunately no one has to do this again. Your parent’s generation, the nisei, were generally closed-mouthed, diffident people who had been burned big-time. Everything that should have been obvious about American society and its promises of freedom and the future was on a standby basis, depending on you. And everything the nisei passed on to sansei was unspoken innuendo about what kind of people you were supposed to grow up to be. Apparently the Chinese are fortunate enough to have loud-mouthed tiger moms, but in the day, the sansei were supposed to get it by just being born.

  There was some sociological statistic about sansei outmarriage, something like 50 percent back in the day. You can speculate about the conditions of attraction and subtraction, but maybe your sister and the Janeites can make marmalade of something a South Asian friend of yours once said: All marriages are arranged.

  Stories/Essays Previously Published

  “The Bath,” first published in Amerasia Journal. Los Angeles: University of California, summer 1975.

  “The Dentist and the Dental Hygienist,” first published in Asiam. Los Angeles, 1987.

  “A Gentlemen’s Agreement,” first published in Review 72: Literature & Arts of the Americas: Latin American and Asian Writing and Arts, vol. 39, no. 1. New York: The Americas Society, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, May 2006.

  “Borges & I,” first published in International Journal of Okinawan Studies: Special Issue on Women & Globalization, Kazuko Takemura, guest editor, vol. 2, no. 2. Okinawa: Kenkyusha, University of the Ryukyus, December 2011; and in the Massachusetts Review, Jim Hicks, editor; Amherst: University of Massachusetts, summer 2012.