Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen

by Debbi Michiko Florence

  “Play with us,” Cassie said as she flopped onto my lap. She was getting heavy!

  I had an idea. Cassie had to be heavier than the mochi hammer. I stood up and wrapped my arms around her. I lifted her off the floor and put her down again. She clapped her hands. Leo wanted a turn, too. I lifted him and put him down.

  “Again!” Cassie lifted her arms.

  “No,” Leo said. “My turn.”

  They pressed against me. I picked Cassie up again. Then I gave Leo another turn, pretending they were mochi hammers. They giggled. I did, too. Now I knew for sure I could lift the mochi hammer. I was ready!

  The back door opened. My dad’s laughter boomed through the house. I got up and met him in the hallway.

  “Hi, Dad,” I said. My heart was beating so hard I thought he might be able to hear it.

  “My Jasmine!” Dad flashed me a big smile. “How goes the babysitting?”

  I caught my bottom lip with my teeth.

  Dad looked like he was in a hurry, but when he saw my face he stopped. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m afraid to ask you something.”

  Dad knelt down. “You should never be afraid to talk to me, Jasmine.”

  “I want to help with mochi-tsuki this year.”

  Dad waited for me to go on.

  “I know the rules say I have to wait until I’m ten, but I think I’m ready.”

  Dad nodded slowly.

  “But,” I said, before he told me to talk to Mom, “I don’t want to make mochi with Obaachan, Mom, and the aunties.”

  Dad’s lips made a funny sideways move, almost like he was trying not to smile. “No?” he asked. “What do you want to do?”

  “I want to pound mochi with you, Dad,” I said quickly, so he couldn’t tell me no right away. “I’ve been using my arm muscles a lot to practice, and I know I can lift the hammer. Sophie can be Mom’s helper, and I can be yours.”

  Except I didn’t want to help him. I wanted to do it on my own. But sometimes with parents you have to make them feel important.

  Dad nodded. “Let me think about it, okay? I’ll let you know.”

  I ran back to Cassie and Leo, full of hope.

  THE LONG WAIT

  The house smelled sweet and the air felt wet. My aunties laughed and chattered in the kitchen. Metal bowls clanked against one another. The women carried big bowls filled with hot rice from the kitchen out to the backyard.

  Dad still hadn’t come back to tell me I could help. Mochi-tsuki would start very soon, now that the rice was made. I hopped around the room, full of nerves and energy. Waiting was hard!

  I played catch with my cousins. They giggled like they were the happiest people on earth. They were definitely the happiest people in this room.

  Mean cousin Eddie walked into the living room, brushing his hands off like he’d done something important. He had probably only washed his hands after using the bathroom. At least, I hoped he washed his hands.

  “I see you’re with the babies, where you belong,” he said.

  I didn’t remember to count to ten. “In a minute, I’ll be outside doing your job for you,” I said.

  Eddie’s mouth gaped open like Mom’s breakfast sardine. Then he bent over, laughing.

  “You wish!” he said with a snort. “Only men can pound mochi! You’re a weakling. When you’re ten, you’ll be in the kitchen with your sister.”

  The ball popped out of Cassie’s hands and rolled over to Eddie. He nudged it toward me with his foot.

  “See ya, Jasmine Pee!”

  I forgot to count to ten again. My foot flew out from under me and kicked the ball. Smack! It pounded Eddie in the back.

  He didn’t get a chance to yell at me because Mom beat him to it. “Jasmine Toguchi! What are you doing?”

  “Getting the ball for the twins,” I said. I leaned over to pick it up. Eddie cocked his head at me with his eyes narrowed. I waited for him to say something mean, but instead, he went back outside.

  Mom nodded at me. “Good job, Jasmine.”

  But I wasn’t doing a good job. I wasn’t doing the job I wanted to do at all.

  Where was Dad with his answer?

  Suddenly, I heard the hammer smack against stone. Oh no! Mochi-tsuki had started without me!

  I tossed the ball with Cassie and Leo, back and forth. I wished and wished Dad would come back in to tell me I could help. But instead of Dad, Uncle Jimmy walked in.

  “Eddie tells me you want to pound mochi,” Uncle Jimmy said.

  My insides puffed up with hope.

  “You know that it’s our family tradition for the boys to pound mochi and the girls to roll,” Uncle Jimmy said with a kind smile. “We’ve been doing it like this since I was a boy.”

  All the hope leaked out of me.

  “But I know how you feel,” Uncle Jimmy said. “I’m younger than your dad. I had to wait three whole years before I could help. It felt terrible to watch him pound mochi when I couldn’t.”

  If he was trying to make me feel better, it wasn’t working.

  “I was glad I waited, though,” Uncle Jimmy went on, “because I don’t think I would have been much help. Sometimes waiting makes the thing you’re waiting for more special.”

  I had already waited eight years. That was a long time. And I’ve been waiting forever for Dad to tell me his answer.

  “Besides, when you’re ten, you’ll be happy making mochi with your big sister,” Uncle Jimmy said. “Maybe you can bring the twins outside to watch right now?”

  That seemed like the worst idea in the world. Why would I want to watch people doing the thing I most wanted to do?

  Dad came into the room. “So, Jasmine,” he said, “tell me why you should be allowed to pound mochi.”

  I stood tall. “Because I’m a bigger girl than people think. I follow directions. Like when Mom tells me to clean my room.” I didn’t tell Dad about how I didn’t do a good job helping Sophie sweep.

  Dad nodded.

  “And I’m helpful! I’m going to help Mrs. Reese paint her shed.” I would definitely do that if it meant I could pound mochi.

  “It’s hard work, Jasmine,” Uncle Jimmy said.

  I ran over to Cassie and lifted her up. “I’m strong!”

  Leo shouted, “Jasmine’s super-strong!”

  Cassie wiggled and slipped out of my grip and landed with a thunk on the floor. Thankfully, she laughed.

  Dad and Uncle Jimmy looked at me. Then they looked at each other. “Jim,” Dad said, “maybe it’s time to break tradition.”

  Uncle Jimmy smiled and nodded.

  “You can pound mochi,” Dad said to me.

  I felt like shouting and jumping! Instead, I wrapped my arms around Dad’s legs and squeezed. “Thank you!”

  Dad hugged me and said, “Wow! You really do have strong arms!”

  That made me feel even stronger.

  This was it! I was getting my wish!

  BREAKING THE RULES

  Uncle Jimmy was right about one thing. When you wait and wait for something, it really is wonderful when you get it!

  At least, that’s how I felt as I walked outside with Dad and Uncle Jimmy. Uncle Ray carried his freshly pounded mochi over to the women.

  “Jasmine Toguchi!” Mom said from the table. “What are you doing out here?”

  Dad walked over to talk with Mom. Mom’s forehead wrinkled.

  I wished I could hear what they were saying. I watched for clues. Dad was smiling, and while Mom wasn’t exactly smiling, she didn’t look mad either. When Mom glanced at me, I straightened my shoulders.

  I held my breath as I waited for a sign. Finally, just when I thought my lungs would explode, Mom nodded and I let my breath out in a whoosh.

  She turned and spoke to the aunties and Obaachan. Everyone at the mochi table looked over at me. Auntie Laurie gave me a thumbs-up. Sophie stuck her tongue out.

  This was the first time ever I was breaking a rule! Well, maybe not the first time. I wasn’t supp
osed to watch TV before I finished my homework. I only did that once. Or maybe twice. I did eventually get my homework done, though. I wasn’t supposed to eat cookies before dinner. But I only did that a few times.

  Okay, so maybe this wasn’t the first time I was breaking a rule, but this was the first time I was breaking a rule with Mom and Dad’s permission! It felt great!

  Cousin Anna waved to me as she went inside. She was going to watch the twins until after I got my turn.

  Uncle Jimmy stepped up to the usu with the hammer over his shoulder. Steam from the cooked rice drifted up into the air. Uncle Jimmy gripped the hammer with both hands and swung it down onto the rice.

  Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

  He smacked the hammer into the big stone bowl.

  Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

  The steamed rice became a lumpy, bumpy blob.

  After Uncle Jimmy hit the mochi three times, Uncle Ray reached into the usu to turn the mochi to keep it from sticking to the bowl. Uncle Jimmy hit the mochi again. Uncle Ray dipped his hands into a bowl of water before spinning the mochi another time.

  Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Flip. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Flip.

  Did anyone ever get hit by the hammer? I glanced at Eddie, who stood far away from me. He pretended I wasn’t there.

  I watched Uncle Jimmy and Uncle Ray pound and flip, flip and pound. It was taking forever. I sat down.

  Over at the table, Mom and Obaachan pulled pieces off the giant ball of mochi and passed them down to my aunties and cousins. Mochiko, rice flour, was sprinkled across the table like snow so the mochi wouldn’t stick to the tablecloth.

  Sophie’s hands were white with the rice flour as she took her piece of mochi and rolled it between her hands. When it was round like a ball, she flattened it a little with her palms and placed it on a big tray.

  Sophie was already doing her job. When would I get to do mine?

  Both the uncles finally stopped pounding. While Uncle Jimmy took the big lump of mochi over to Mom, Eddie picked up the hammer.

  He rested it on his shoulder until Uncle Jimmy came back and stood next to the usu. Dad dumped a glob of rice into the stone bowl.

  I paid close attention as Eddie lifted the hammer and dropped it onto the rice.

  Thwack!

  Eddie pounded the rice two more times.

  Thwack!

  Thwack!

  Uncle Jimmy flipped the mochi. When his hand was safely out of the way, he nodded to Eddie.

  Thwack!

  Flip.

  Eddie swung the hammer easily, but he pounded slower than the uncles. After his dad flipped the ball of rice again, Eddie raised the hammer like he was tired.

  A seed of worry formed in my tummy.

  Thwack!

  Flip.

  Thwack!

  Flip.

  Thwack!

  Flip.

  Uncle Jimmy took the hammer from Eddie. He patted Eddie on the back and congratulated him. “Great job, son!”

  The seed of worry blossomed into a huge flower of worry. That was a good job? Eddie only hit the mochi maybe seven times!

  Eddie smiled. Wow. So that’s what his face looked like when he was happy.

  His face went back to his usual scowl when Dad tapped my shoulder and said, “Your turn, Jasmine!”

  MY TURN!

  Suddenly, the worry flower in my tummy grew roots all the way down my legs, through my feet, and into the ground. Dad nudged me, but I couldn’t move.

  “Are you okay?” he asked me.

  I nodded, though my feet stayed still.

  “Do you want to wait till next year?”

  I shook my head. Eddie’s smile grew and grew. It wasn’t a happy smile or a nice smile. It was a smile that said he was glad I was frozen.

  I didn’t want to look like a failure. I ripped my feet from the ground. I moved slowly toward the usu. I took one step after another until I was standing right in front of the bowl. It looked like a giant volcano. It was a lot bigger than I remembered from last night.

  The rice Eddie had been pounding still sat in the center of the stone bowl, not yet mochi, but not steamed rice anymore either.

  “Are you ready, Jasmine?” Uncle Jimmy asked. “You have to pound the rice while it’s hot.”

  It felt like a huge piece of mochi was stuck in my throat. I swallowed twice before wrapping my hands around the hammer. I glanced over at Mom. Everyone under the canopy stopped working to watch me.

  Gulp.

  The handle felt slippery. It was hard to get a grip on it.

  “Hurry up!” Eddie huffed at me. He dipped his hands into the water, flipped the mochi, and stepped back.

  I took a deep breath and gathered all my strength to lift the hammer over my shoulder. I guess I was stronger than I thought because when I swung it back, it kept going. And so did I.

  I fell onto the grass. Mean cousin Eddie laughed.

  My nose tickled and I blinked quickly.

  “Ha! That was hilarious!” Eddie shouted, slapping his knees.

  “Eddie!” Uncle Jimmy’s voice was sharp. It cut Eddie’s laughter off.

  I stood and picked up the hammer again. I tried to lift it, but my arms shook, making the hammer wobble.

  Eddie snickered, but he kept it low so Uncle Jimmy wouldn’t hear.

  Dad came up to me. “Do you need help?”

  I shook my head.

  Suddenly, Sophie was by my side. I was afraid she would laugh at me, too.

  But she wasn’t laughing. She was glaring at Eddie.

  “You can do it, Jasmine,” she said. “Remember when you carried Dad’s birthday cake all by yourself?”

  I was so surprised, I almost fell over a second time.

  Her words hugged me. If Sophie believed in me, then I knew I could do it!

  I grabbed the hammer tight and lifted it up, but not too high. I let it fall forward.

  Thwick.

  It only made a tiny sound, but I had hit the rice!

  Everyone except for Eddie clapped and cheered. I grinned.

  Eddie silently dipped his hands into the water bowl, then flipped the mochi.

  I tried but could not lift the hammer again. It felt as heavy as a thousand stones.

  Dad came up behind me and wrapped his hands around mine. His hands were warm against my cold skin. I breathed in the peppermint smell of his favorite gum.

  “You can do it,” Dad whispered as, together, we lifted and dropped the hammer.

  Thwack!

  Eddie flipped the mochi.

  Dad and I hit the mochi again.

  Thwack!

  I wasn’t pounding the mochi by myself.

  Thwack!

  I was a weakling.

  Dad took the hammer from me.

  “Fantastic, Jasmine!”

  Not fantastic. I only hit the mochi once by myself and it was hardly a real hit. Dad had to help me.

  I didn’t pound mochi at all! I failed! I failed in front of everyone!

  I ran out of the backyard.

  RUN AWAY

  I ran through the house. I passed cousin Anna, who was still watching the twins. I yanked open the front door. My feet pounded against the concrete as the breeze blew the hair off my face. When I got to Mrs. Reese’s yard, I scrambled over the gate and ran to my tree. I leaped for it and climbed up.

  I climbed higher than ever. If I looked, I would be able to see into my yard. But the last thing I wanted to see was mochi-tsuki going on without me. So I looked the other way. Just boring black rooftops. I scanned the blue sky, but there weren’t any birds or clouds to watch.

  I wondered what everyone was doing. Eddie was definitely laughing at me. Dad was probably sorry he let me help. Even though she had been nice to me, I bet Sophie was shaking her head. And Mom was probably ready to yell at me. Jasmine Toguchi! she’d say. What made you think you could help with mochi-tsuki?

  I rubbed my arms. Lifting that hammer was a lot harder than I had thought it would be.


  “Hey.” Sophie stood at the bottom of my tree.

  I didn’t answer.

  “Everyone is looking for you,” she said. Rice flour streaked her hair, making her look a little like Obaachan.

  “To yell at me?” I asked.

  “No, silly. They think you did a great job.”

  I squinted down at Sophie, waiting for her joke.

  “Was it hard?” Sophie asked, still staring up at me.

  I nodded, then climbed back down to talk with her.

  “The hammer was heavy,” I said.

  “But you did it all by yourself.”

  “Only once. I wasn’t strong enough,” I said.

  Sophie leaned against the tree. “You’re strong,” she said. “And I’m not talking about muscles. You believe in something and you don’t let anyone change your mind.”

  I looked at my sister. “I really wanted to pound mochi.”

  “And you did it. You pounded mochi. You’re the first under-ten-year-old and the first girl to pound mochi in our family.”

  My lips twitched into an almost smile.

  Sophie crossed her arms. “I wish I had thought of asking to pound mochi.”

  I did something that Sophie had never done. Even if she pounded mochi next year, I did it first. I was the expert!

  This time my mouth turned up into a real smile.

  “Come on,” Sophie said, tugging my arm. “Before everyone discovers your secret hiding place.”

  I let Sophie lead me home. “How did you know about my secret hiding place?”

  “I’m your big sister. I need to watch out for you.”

  Even though Sophie didn’t play with me anymore and even though she was bossier than ever, for once, having a big sister didn’t seem so bad.

  We walked home, our shoulders almost touching. I went back to babysitting and Sophie went back to mochi-making with cousin Anna.

  “You’re home!” Cassie said. She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed.