Читать книгу Hawaii End of the Rainbow - Kazuo Miyamoto - Страница 16

April 8, Sunday Honolulu

AT BREAKFAST, DR. MINORU MURAYAMA met his mother. She was now in her late seventies but well preserved. Like many women of her race, she did not put on weight as she grew old. Gray haired and straight backed, she was able to move about freely and was a great help to the family. Only the wrinkles in her face revealed that she no longer was young, but even these seemed to be at a standstill since her husband's demise four years ago.

"When did you last see Mr. Arata, I mean the elder Arata who used to be in Arkansas?" questioned the doctor.

"Let me see. Not lately anyway. I think it was at father's funeral. Unless there is something like that happening, we do not often see each other. Is there something wrong?" Her mental faculty was very keen.

"Yes. Last night he had a heart attack and is now at the Kuakini Hospital. I hope he makes it, but it is hard to know at this stage just how he will end up."

"Now, that was a fine man. You got to know him in Arkansas didn't you? I first met him when I landed in Honolulu as a bride almost sixty years ago. Mrs. Arata was on the same boat coming over. We four went to Waikiki to see the aquarium. His wife is dead, my husband is gone for four years, and now he is sick. Maybe not to recover. Looks like I am the last to survive of the four carefree youngsters from Japan that picnicked at Waikiki that day." Minoru looked up and searchingly gazed at his mother. It was not like her to talk sentimentally of the past.

While his father, Torao Murayama, was alive, Minoru used to spend many hours listening to the stories of the early plantation days on the North Hilo coast and probe into the obscure aspects of the contract labor days that he could not understand. When he was fortunate enough to meet any oldtimer among his patients, he spent extra hours gathering more information. Much of his boyhood, he remembered comparatively well. He sat in deep reverie as this was a Sunday morning and he could loaf.