JUST - OUCH!

     Now, I feel sorry for myself. On the day of the movie club meeting, my foot already was getting better. At least, it didn't ache when I was sitting or lying down. Somewhere, between me going into the store, because Sonny couldn't make a decision what meat to buy for the meeting, and walking around, arranging stuff on the table, it began to hurt again, in earnest! Last night, I got up and came into the living room to watch TV, because sleeping was out of the question. Every second I had to move my foot to a new place, to try and find a position where it would not hurt and every second "Ouch!" came out of my mouth. Tylenol helps for a couple of hours, and then I'm miserable again.

OUCH AND - WOW!

      We ate in the dining room and moved the party (I mean, meeting...) to the living room, snatching a plate with pastries from the big table. Mary helped me set up a small table in front of the TV. Everyone got their teas and coffees and: "Action!"

     It was Made of Honor, with Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan. Kevin McKidd from the Grey's Anatomy is also there. Its a light romantic comedy, and we enjoyed it a lot. I was really happy, because the movie didn't stop us from interacting with each other. We shared our thoughts not only of the things on the screen, but also how they relate to our lives. In the middle, we completely paused the movie and began to passionately discuss what was happening in our church. Roberta couldn't take all those interruptions anymore and went to her room, but we had a grand time!

     If you never saw the movie, its about a man and a woman who become friends because of some mistake and she later falls in love and wants marry a Scott with the royal bloodlines. She asks her best friend, a man, to be her Maid of Honor, not knowing that he has feelings for her. He and his friends decide to follow through with the Maid of Honor thing, looking for an opportunity to declare his own love for her.

     There are just a couple of mild love making scenes in the film, it should not offend anybody. Oh, wait!...

     After the movie, Mary and Victoria left, but Doris and I sat and talked. And that lady can talk! Fortunately, we have a lot in common. Finally, she went home and I realized that I didn't pay any attention to my husband the whole day, and he didn't even get to eat any of the sushi. He did look, kind of, sorry for himself, but it was too late to do anything about it!

OUCH AND - WOW!

     I am, quite possibly, a very stupid woman! For two days I was moaning and groaning about my foot: it hurt a lot. My friends and I made plans for a movie club meeting, though, and I just couldn't, or wouldn't postpone it! So, on Friday, I called Mary and told her all that. I said: "I would have the club meeting at my house, if someone else takes charge." She readily agreed. We decided to do a potluck (I told you about it, didn't I). Being from Russia and an idiot, on Saturday morning, I dragged sleepy and protesting Sonny to the car, - myself, - hobbling with a cane . We hit a few stores, got enough food and snacks for an army, came home. Here I snapped my whip and made Sonny do all the cleaning that Dr. Park, who could not seat still, didn't do yet. After that, Sonny retired to his room to lick the wounds to his male ego (I'm kidding, he enjoyed some action in contrast to the usual ennui of his vacation days).
     The party (I mean, meeting...) was supposed to start at 1 o'clock. I hear talk, sometimes, about the black people's time, the Koreans' time and so forth. Well, Mary and Victoria are white Americans. Doris, who also came, is English. Mary was forty minutes late, Victoria - 1 hour and a half (she had a good reason), and Doris, the English, who are famous for their adherence to time schedules and proprieties, - she was two hours late! Dr. Park was spitting mad. Of course, who asked him to care so much about, when my friends come to a party (I mean, meeting...)? I didn't ask him to do anything, to tell you the truth! He was still spitting mad and refused to watch a movie. Roberta was with us, still, and had a good time too!
     Mary's husband is a sushi chef! She came with a tray full of sushi, which delighted Sonny, whom I dragged out of the room again to set up the TV. Victoria, who is extremely averse to parting with her money, brought a huge bowl with a head of lettuce and a lone tomato in it. Seeing that I already made a salad, she merrily took the bowl, the lettuce and a tomato home. I think, she was hoping that that would happen, that's why she didn't prepare the salad beforehand. I told Doris on the phone that she didn't have to make anything, and she said: "Good, because I don't want to!" Its OK, like I said, we could've fed an army with what was on the table. 

MORIKO

Here is an alternate ending for:

                                              Moriko

It happened, when Bunsa went into the house for a few nimutes. As he stepped out of the door, he couldn't see Kokuro in the spot where he left him. Alarmed, Bunsa was searching everywhere around the backyard, when he saw a fox, who stood by the trees looking at him. In it's mouth it held a cub! Bunsa froze. The fox made a step toward him, then quickly changed it's mind and dashed into the woods.  

Out of his mind with grief and horror at losing his son now, Bunsa ran after the fox. He lost sight of it almost immediately, but kept on searching and calling until he lost his voice. When the neighbors found him, he was still  rasping Moriko's and Kokuro's names, crawling on all fours, looking through the bushes and behind every tree. 

His parents-in-law took him in. He had to be tied in bed, because, at every opportunity, he would run to the forest to look for his family.

  

 "From willow tree, from plum tree comes the fox!" 

All the haiku poems are by a Japanese poet from the 18th-19th century, Issa Kaboyashi. He was born and died in Nagano, Japan.

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MORIKO

Moriko

The crisp heat of the summer gave way to the mild warmth of autumn. Kokuro was quickly developing, but by the date of his first birthday he didn't walk yet. On that day Bunsa had him at his house. They sat together in the backyard, Bunsa showing his son the butterflies, the flowers and the birds, and the boy delighting his father with his laughter.  

It happened when Bunsa went into the house for a minute and was just coming back with a blanket for a baby. He stepped out the door and froze: a fox was crawling toward Kokuro! It came close to the boy and then lay there, it's  head on the front legs, the whole body trembling with the suppressed need. Kokuro crawled to the fox and gingerly touched it's fur. The animal licked the boy's hand, then went all around Kokuro, sniffing. rubbing  the boy with it's body and licking him. Kokuro was laughing, but when the air shimmered and a lady suddenly appeared, where there was none a second before, he started bawling. Bunsa was torn by conflicting emotions: he wanted to run to comfort and protect his son, but he couldn't move, because, for the first time in months, he saw his wife, and she was more beautiful than ever. He forced himself to walk out into the backyard slowly. At first, she was startled and looked like she was about to make a run for it, but Bunsa talked to her softly, putting all his heart in his words: "My dear, I missed you so much! You don't need to worry, I will do my best to understand your nature and won't hold it against you! Please, stay with Kokuro and myself, don't run!" Moriko slumped to the ground and Bunsa put the blanket over her naked body. He held her for a long time, and, after awhile, she also put her hands around him. Kokuro stopped crying and was now sucking his thumb and dozing in the dying sunlight. 


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Tune in to read an alternate ending to the story!

OUCH!

     OUCH! The pain in my foot and ankle is unbearable. For many years I suffer tendinitis - the inflammation of the nerves and tendons in my feet. The worst part is not the pain, though. Its the helplessness, the vulnerability of my situation. I need to call Sonny, my 18 year old son, to just get up from the couch. Yesterday, we went to see a doctor at the Keiser clinic. I wrote before about my experiences with that insurance giant. I agreed to choose that insurance, because it was so much cheaper than others, and tried to have an open mind, to believe that, like my husband said, it changed for the better. Yesterday, it started pretty well. The Nurse Practicioner, who led my case before, when we were in Keiser, called me upon my request. My foot was so painful, that I couldn't imagine going to see her and then - be also sent to a podiatrist. She assured me that a podiatrist won't do anything for me that she couldn't do. She also convinced me to go do some lab tests before meeting with her. A little later, she called to say that she couldn't meet me that day, but I could have an appointment with another lady doctor. 
     Fine, I figured out the way to do all those things. In the Keiser clinic's lobby they have wheelchairs. I drove Sonny and myself there (fortunately, my right foot, which I need to use for breaking and accelerating, is not the one affected by tendinitis) then he got a wheelchair for me and pushed me in it everywhere I needed to go. There were very few people in the lab, so I finished there much sooner than I anticipated. That was good, right? Well, after that, we had to wait for close to two hours for the appointment! The night before I had very little sleep, due to the constant ache in my foot, so I sat and dreamed in the wheelchair. In about an hour, I moved to the usual chair, because my bottom began to also fall asleep on the hard seat. 
     Finally, my name was called. The nurse took us in. It could be again my imagination, but she seemed a bit morose towards me. The doctor came in, looked at my poor foot, said that there is nothing that they could do to alleviate the pain, because my stomach is in such bad shape and can't tolerate the anti-inflammatory medication. She looked like she enjoyed giving me the bad news! She didn't offer any physical therapy or anything else that could help me. "Take Tylenol" - she said. Tylenol is as likely to help me as a sip of water. I asked about some other things that my previous insurance covered. Not anymore! After three hours at the clinic all I gained were a sore bottom and a very irritated disposition. 
     In the evening, Roberta, God bless her, kept hovering around me, asking if she could somehow help me. I felt so bad! I'm supposed to take care of her! Sonny also was there at my beck and call. Taka, my blessed husband, ignored me completely. He was busy putting together a table that will hold the new TV. One time, I almost fell down while passing him. He, as I expected him to do, didn't move an ear or a muscle to help me. A little later, he came and gave me a lecture about taking care of myself. If I didn't have these experiences with him in the course of the 25 years that we were married, I might've argued and whined and accused him of being insensitive, but, by now, I know that it would've been all in vain. 
     At night, I hobbled into the bedroom and collapsed in bed with a moan. Taka started again with the admonishments about me being too lax about my health. I stopped feeling philosophical and asked: "How can you be so insensitive? If a stranger waked in with such pain, I would've ran to help them!" In answer, he walked out of the room, leaving me to try and fall asleep with the TV blaring and the lights on.
     A few hours later I was still trying to find a position in bed that would help me sleep. Taka came back and laid down. Suddenly, he asked: "So, how are you?" I didn't expect that. He continued: "Didn't the doctor give you anything to help with the pain?" The next thing he said was: "I could give you some wine to make you sleepy". Since it was already almost five o'clock in the morning, I politely declined this strange offer, but was very pleased that he made an effort, totally uncharacteristic of him, to show that he cared.

MORIKO

Moriko

      In the spring Bunsa was called for a job in the old man's village again. Moriko and he agreed to go there together with a baby, to check of their friend and let him take part in their joy. The trip took a little longer than the last time, because, plus to both young people's desire to spend some time in the woods, like they did as the newlyweds, taking care of the baby's needs delayed their arrival.      The old man looked like he was buried in his work for a good while. His eyes and cheeks were sunken, it was obvious that he didn't bother to cook for himself, and no one else did nether. He warmly welcomed his young friends to his house and was overjoyed to see Kokuro. Moriko immediately began to cook and scrub the floors. The men sat and smoked over the cups of sake. "I am writing a fantastic story" - the old man said finally. "Would you like to hear it?" Bunsa bowed deeply: "Yes, please, it will be an honor!" 
     From the kitchen Morko heard the old man rise to get his writing and settle back on the tatami. 
     "After a long battle for the lives of my fellow countrymen" - the old man began - "I stayed with my dear friends in a nearby village. They were a young couple, but the pain and suffering touched their lives as well. On a calm evening, I stood gazing into their backyard, when, in the approaching dark, I saw a small fox carrying a bird in her mouth emerge from the trees. I was about to share this good omen with my friends, for the fox is a powerful spirit and can be a great ally, when the fox dropped a bird and began to shimmer!" 
     The men heard the crash in the kitchen. They rushed there to see, what happened. Moriko sat amid the fallen crockery and spilt rice, horrified. She brought her hand forward in a gesture of supplication. The old man, after taking in her dismay, walked up to her and said quietly: "I know, what you are. Don't you think, your husband should also know the truth?" 
     Bunsa looked at him and Moriko, not understanding, what it was about. He almost went to her then, but her form began to shimmer and change! He leapt backwards, smashing into the low table. Where Moriko was, only her clothes laid on the kitchen floor. Inside them something was hiding, not daring to come out. 
     Bunsa reached for a broom and nudged the pile of clothes with it's handle. A small furry face with the whiskers and erect ears timidly emerged from it. A fox was glancing anxiously between Bunsa, the old man and the door, as if thinking to dash out. 
     As if struck by lightning, Bunsa staggered out of the kitchen into the bedroom, where Kokuro was sleeping. He fell on the floor by his son's form. Thoughts were racing through his mind, the memories of his visions during the sickness, the suspicions that he pushed away. Like the waves, those thoughts crashed against one single question: "What was he supposed to do now?" 
     He heard the door slide aside and, in a little while, the dogs' barking. It sounded like a whole band of them were after something. "Moriko!" He acted on pure impulse to protect his wife. He ran out of the house and bounded toward the forest, where the chase was leading. He came upon the snarling dogs at the foot of the woods, where the fox hid in a hole in a tree's trunk. 
     Bunsa didn't have any protection with him: no staff or a stick to repel the dogs' attack. Nevertheless, he put himself between Moriko and her vicious pursuers. The old man arrived also, panting and huffing, but armed with two strong canes that he brought from the house. Together, they were able to inflict enough damage to dissuade the dogs from staying there any longer. 
     After the last of the beasts fled, Bunsa and the old man tried to convince Moriko to come out. In vain, they called her name into the tree hole. Perhaps, she already left through another opening... 

     Bunsa forgot all about a job that he was there to do. For days, he stayed in that wood, searching for his changeling-wife. The only thing on his mind and heart was, how to get her back. The old man hired a young girl in the village to look after Kokuro. Time to time, she would bring the boy to his father and look in confusion and sympathy as he'd shed tears onto the warm baby-bundle. What was he to do? Abandon his son, his people and live in the forest in hopes that Moriko will one day come back to him? 
     There was only one choice open to him. The old man saw him and Kokuro to the edge of the village and bid them good bye, promising to keep an eye out for Moriko-the-fox. 
     "Everything I touch with tenderness, alas, pricks like a bramble." 
     The hardest part was to avoid Moriko's parents' questions about her disappearance. Bunsa couldn't tell them the truth about their daughter, neither could he simply say that she suddenly died, for the hope that she might change her mind and come back. He steeled himself to the villagers' nosy inquiries and tried to focus on day-to- day living. A lady from Shinano-machi took his son in, Bunsa saw him every few days. He brought the rapidly growing boy home and on the fair days spent a lot of time with him in the back yard, as he used to do it with Moriko. In the evenings, when the fireflies came out and filled the space between the trees with their glow, Bunsa learned to restrain himself from dashing into the woods, because after many attempts to do so, he accepted that it was never going to be the shimmer of Moriko's transformation that he saw there.