November 10, 2014
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Massan Plot Summary - Week 7
#37 Massan and Ellie can't pay the rent and go to the house of the landlord Nonomura to explain things. He asks about their financial condition and Massan explains about the non existent whiskey business, which the landlord declares unrealistic. Massan and Ellie do the groveling bow thing and beg for more time. Just then the landlord's two daughters make an entry and sure enough, they know Ellie from Katherine's singing class. The landlord is not a bad fellow and agrees to wait for the rent on the condition that Ellie teaches his daughters English. They leave Nonomura's place with some bread and next stop is at the only restaurant in town, where they hear that Nonomura was a widower and that he married his second wife Yukiko three years ago. The younger daughter has taken to her, but the older daughter Sachiko is still traumatized over her mother's death and refuses to call Yukiko "Mother." The lessons begin, but Sachiko has is upcooperative, especially when it comes to the piano. Sachiko's real mother, whose picture remains ensconced on top of the upright, could bang out a great "Ave Maria." Ellie suggests a change of venue and asks that the girls come over to her house for their lessons. Yukiko really does love the girls, but if things don't improve, Nonomura and Yukiko might have to part. Massan tells Ellie to mind her own business, but Ellie is sure to save the day again.
#38 The Nonomura sisters have their next English lesson at Ellie's. Things go well until they get to the word "family." The wind goes out of Sachiko's sails, and Ellie shows the girls a picture of her family. Sachiko notices that both she and Ellie are the older sisters and asks Ellie what her mom is like. Ellie tells her that she was always told to be dependable because she older. (I know that Japanese elder siblings are told that, but do we say that to kids in the West? I never said that to my kids, and it was never said to me, either.) Ellie tells Sachiko that Yukiko would really like to be a mother to her, but Sachiko says that she only has one mother, and she would be sad of Sachiko were to call Yukiko "Mother." Ellie tells Sachiko that if she is ever sad that she can come over and cry if she wants to. Ellie remembers her father who said that life should always be an adventure and that if someone fails they should just find another way. A week later Sachiko and her sister come to Katherine's singing class and she seems happier. A man with a "bar code" hair style appears at the door of the church.
#39 Mr. Bar Code has been dispatched from Kamoi's to ask Ellie to interpret for a Mr. Smith, who Kamoi has called from Scotland to be an advisor for making whiskey. (My, her Japanese progress is truly unbelievable!) Kamoi says that after all, life is an adventure, and without risk there is no progess. (Ellie's father said the same thing.) Kamoi is willing to pay Mr. Smith a very handsome salary, and later at home Ellie asks Massan why he won't hurry up and go to Kamoi for a job before it's too late. Massan stands on his head and sings, which is his equivalent of plugging his ears and singing, "La-la-la." He is going to make whiskey himself without Kamoi. He builds a brick oven in the yard to begin a bakery because everyone knows that bread is rising in popularity in Japan. He will get rich and them make his own still. He is gonna do it Hi--------s Way! Sachiko shows up in tears. What is wrong now?
#40 Sachiko shows up on Ellie's doorstep in tears. Her father and Yukiko are heading for a divorce, and Sachiko thinks it is all her fault because she will not call Yukiko "Mother." (That is accurate, is it not?) She likes Yukiko well enough, but can't forget her real mother. Why is everybody getting upset over this?? Yukiko blames herself for not being a good mother. Father comes over to collect Sachiko and take her home, but Sachiko won't go. He is angry of course. Ellie is supposed to be teaching the girls English in exchange for his waiting on the rent money, and here she is practically kidnapping his daughter. Ellie explains the Sachiko does not dislike Yukiko. Dad says that he remarried for the children, but as things are, everyone is suffering. Maybe it is just better to end the marriage. Sachiko complains that it isn't fair that adults decide everything and says she hates Daddy. (Smack her...) Ellie wants to have a birthday party for Yukiko in hopes that the family will get back together. Meanwhile, Massan is getting ready to start making bread.
#41 Sachiko is still at Massan's and Ellie's and won't go home. Ellie thinks a birthday party for Yukiko will unite this unhappy family which is about to break up over the single word "mother". Very dumb. Sachiko makes an invitation for Yukiko, but won't go home to deliver it, so Ellie pays a visit and invites the family to come for the party that has been suddenly planned for the next day. Dad has made plans for a business trip and won't be able to make it. Ellie: Which is more important, business or family? Um, without business the family does not eat. Ellie tells Dad that he WILL be there, won't he? (Japanese "kite moraeru" as opposed to the more polite "kite itadakeru" - She is unintentionally(?) talking down to the Landlord who is kindly waiting on their rent in an unthinkably rude manner. Bad script writing.) Meanwhile, Massan tries his fermentation skills at making bread in the brick oven that he has built in the garden. Is the mortar dry? Did he get permission to build this? The bread gets baked, but is not so hot. Sachiko tosses a picture of her and her late mother onto the coals because she has to forget. Ellie rescues the picture and tells Sachiko that she doesn't have to forget a thing, and that her late mother is always on her side. Late Mother would certainly not be angry if S were to call Y mother.
Commentary: I am noticing a Japanese no-no that occurs quite often. There is a rule that you must attach a respect suffix when addressing a person or talking about them if they are not an immediate family member. Ellie and Sachiko totally ignore this rule and drop all the suffixes. Ellie is older than Sachiko and not family, and it is strange that she would not say "Kameyama Sensei" or "Ellie Sensei" or "Ellie-san." This gives a mistaken impression that it is all right to throw rules of politeness out the window when addressing foreigners. And oh yes, it is perfectly all right to address any foreigner by their first name, of course... NOT. I have noticed this tendency in other venues as well. Sachiko is not Ellie's child, and it is strange that although her Japanese is so good, that she does not know enough to say "Sachiko-chan."
#42 Massan is baking bread for Yukiko's birthday party. The guests arrive, but Dad is not with them. Everyone sits around glumly. (Oh good grief, get over it and start the party already!) He has not yet left on his business trip, so Ellie runs over and gives him a scolding (remember this is her Landlord and they have not paid the rent) that he is putting business over family. Landlord rightfully says that he is loosing patience with Ellie's interference in his private matters, as rightly he should. Ellie comes back home, sings Old Lang Syne and the party starts. Sachiko picks some flowers and gives them to Yukiko saying, "Happy Birthday MOTHER." Thank you, now the one word problem is solved and the world can continue turning. Dad does show his face at the party just in time to see the BIG MOMENT. There is a group sniffy hanky moment, which instantly dissolves into comic relief as Massan burns the bread. Cut to Hiroshima. Massan's sister Sumire is translating a letter that she has gotten from Ellie. Mother in Law is not amused. She sits in front of the family altar and prays to the ancestors, probably for Ellie to drop dead or something. The sound of thunder is heard in the background. That night Massan gets a telegram from Hiroshima saying that his father is dying and that he needs to get there right away.
