Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

A new novel after 4 American Hostages in Baghdad

A story of Japanese woman who experienced Bauhaus art and love romance in Berlin, early 1930's when Nazis came to power.

Auschwitz Museum in Oswiecim, Poland November 2009

"Ladies and Gentleman. Thank you for gathering today. We are here to honor the biggest contributor to this museum in our history. Late Madam Masako Chikano."

 A man spoke in Polish and English in front of tens of people, mostly journalists gathered in the conference room. The speaker was the head of the museum. Auschwitz-Birkenau, The World Heritage, death camp built by Nazi-Germany.

Late Madam Masako Chikano was called "Hotel Queen".  She died of natural causes last month. She was 98 years old when she died. She established one of world's most biggest hotel chain, Chikano Hotels, which have franchises in most of major cities in Japan and the rest of the world. The chain ranges from high-class to cheap business purpose only style. But all the hotels she owned had one thing in common, every room, lobby, and some of the corridors placed interesting pipe chairs, usually called Wassily Chair. It is one of most symbolic Bauhaus furniture.

 

Some of the hotel buildings were designed in the way of Bauhaus concept. Modern, functional, minimumal ways.

It was one of the mysteries of the hotel queen, why she liked Bauhaus style. She was very mysterious woman.

 

Other mysteries are,

Although she had been known as most energetic business woman in Japan until her retired age 80, she had been single for her life. She dedicated her life to hotel business, but she was actually very beautiful woman that could attract any man. Indeed she was once married when she was 20 to 21. But she never was remarried after the divorce of first marriage.   

The will she left said that she wanted to donate all her fortune to the Auschwitz Museum. That may be a biggest mystery of her. What made her want to do such thing?

 

The speaker held the will in his hand and said,

"To begin with, we have to talk about her connection between this museum and her early life experience. This is the part rarely known about her life. She never wanted to talk about that part in her life. But that was most important part in her life as mentioned in the will. Now let us unveil one of the most important mysteries of this woman."

 

Berlin, Germany, October, 1932

Masako Chikano arrived in Berlin. She came to capital of Germany, Deutcheland all the way from Yokohama, Japan. First by ship, almost 1 month travel to Marseille, France via Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and then  from Marseille to Berlin by train for a few days.

 

She was heart broken after the divorce. Because of the divorce just a year after marriage, she was treated as embarrasment of her family, Baron Chikano, a noble man who rooted from highest rank of samurai clan. Her father, Baron Kozo Chikano was a member of House of Lords and ran business of finance and military equipments. Her family belonged to elite class in Japan.

 

The reason that she got divorce was she had an affair with her husband, Yoshio's best friend Takeshi. Actually Yoshio regarded him as his sworn brother. Both of them belong to Japanese Imperial Navy. Her affair with Takeshi made him angry and kick her out. She could have been prosecuted of adultery but her husband did not because of her family's influence in the society and he did not want to prosecute his sworn brother either. After she came back to her home, her family had to kick her out because of biggest blunder in the family's history. She had dishonored her family's name. They had to hide her until the bad reputation would fade away. Her father ordered her to leave Japan for several years. She had to stay in foreign country where no one knew her.

 

She had good command of English and Germany since she learned those languages from childhood as part of upper class education. She chose to go to Berlin, Germany. She did not have specific reason to choose it. She just prefers learning modern art. She heard good reputation of German born modern art, Bauhaus.

 

Here she was in Berlin. She opened a door to her new life. She believed she could forget about all the mess.

 

Continued to Chapter 1.

 

This novel is copywrighted by this blog's manager, Masagata.

Please read from Introduction to Chapter 4.

 

Sounds of footsteps were heard. Several of the soldiers were running. Then sound of breaking a door was heard. Big muscular guys wearing uniforms and metal jackets and holding rifles appeared in the room. They were U.S. Marine rescue team.

“Everyone, face down on the floor. Don’t make a move” yellowed Marines.

The Iraqi guys made moves to hold their weapons. One U.S. marine guy pointed his rifle at Kashim.

“Don’t shoot. They won’t hurt us.” Fernando shouted and came in front of the Marine.

For the marine guy, Fernando wearing Muslim cloth, who spoke in Mexican accent looked like one of Iraqi insurgents.

“You, Al Qaeda, terrorist!” The Marine guy shouted back and shot at Fernando.

Fernando fell down on the floor. The blood oozed out from his chest. Fernando died.

The Marines noticed other three Americans sat still and several Iraqi guys making moves on the floor.

Kashim and some of the other guys took the guns. The Marines aimed their rifles at the Iraqi guys.

Suddenly, “Don’t shoot them” screamed Loretta.

She stood up and put her body between the marines and the Iraqis. She was looking at the Marines face to face. Behind her back, the Iraqi guys aiming their hand guns at the Marines.  

Right after her screaming, she heard bang, bang, two shots. She felt the strong pain and found herself falling down losing consciousness. She got shots. The bullets got through her body. She felt the bullets came from front, not from back.

She said to herself “This is the last moment of my life.”

 

  

  Loretta woke up. She was sleeping on the bed. She found herself alive. She also found herself in the hospital room alone. Her body got several tubes inserted. The respirator was on her mouth. Seemed like she got surgery.

She moved her hand. Looked like that was the only movable part of her body. She found nurse call button. She pressed that by her thumb. Then she took the respirator off her face.

   

Sounds of the running steps were heard. She got frightened. The soldiers were coming. She could not make move except her right hand.

 

The door of the room was opened. Following a nurse woman, familiar face showed up.

“Daddy” She wanted to shout but could not raise the voice. Her throat got totally numbed.

“Loretta, you woke up. Great! We’ve been so worried about you” said Loretta’s father, Timothy Bolton, the president of HOX TV, Bolton family’s broadcasting company, and Bolton Industry Corp.

“We are now in secured Green Zone. We’ve already arranged transfer back to the U.S. Don’t worry. After all, you proved yourself hero of our country.”

“Hero?” she could not understand the meaning of that word. She knew she never was because she defended the Iraqi insurgents which the U.S. army call “Terrorists.”

She wondered what happened after she was shot at that site. What happened to the Iraqis and other people? She remembered Fernando died. He was killed by the Marines. Where were Kevin and John? Were they safe?  

“Why don’t you have something to eat? You haven’t had any for a few days” said Timothy to the nurse.

“I will make a call to our home in L.A. and make announcement that our hero daughter Loretta woke up and still alive to the public.” Loretta wanted to respond but only what she could do was dropping tears from her eyes. Timothy understood the situation and then kissed his daughter’s cheek.

“I love you, Sweetie. I will be back in a minute.”

  

Timothy left the room. Loretta became alone in the room. She found TV screen in front of her bed and remote on the right side of her bed. She picked up the remote and switched on. HOX news channel was aired.

“Our Hero, Loretta got out of critical condition after she was being shot by Iraqi terrorists two days ago. Although she is still in coma, she is in the process of recovering and transferred back to her homeland soon.” A famous anchorman, Jim O’Really spoke.

“What is going on?” she shouted in her mind.

“Let me speak with Mr. Kevin Graham, the president of New Age Technology. He was captive with Loretta at the terrorists’ house. Thank you for joining.”

Kevin showed up on the screen and responded. “Thank you, Jim.”

“Kevin, what do you want to say to Loretta when she recovers?”

“Well, all I want to say is “Thank you for saving my life. You are America ’s Greatest Hero. She really was. She stood in front of the terrorists and got shot down by them. She blocked the bullets from me and even Marine rescuers. It was right after Fernando was shot by the terrorists. Then after she was shot, the Marines killed all of the Al Qaeda terrorists. We were saved. The things wouldn’t  have worked that way without Loretta’s brave action.” Kevin said smiling.

“Oh, you really have to thank her all your life. She was a very brave woman. She was not just good singer or actress” said O’Really inspirationally.

That is not true, Loretta shouted in her mind.

“Hey, wait a minute! Great news came. Loretta recovered from coma condition. She is awake and able to speak. Here is a message from her. “Dear American People, I apologize for making anti-America statement for the Al Qaeda although I was threatened to do so. Now I am freed thanks to the Marines and the U.S. government. I thank all of you for what I am now. God bless America !” Oh, what a wonderful woman she is! We are all proud of her.”

She could not resist seeing O’Really’s face. He was like puppet. Being told to say what her family wants to tell the public, not his opinion. O’Really continued.

“The United States government is considering awarding Loretta with a medal for what she did.  Meanwhile, John McCaine, U.S. ground force soldier was charged with treason for not making good efforts to guard Loretta and Kevin while escorting them to the base. He even became corporative with the terrorists. He was like Micheal Moore. Now we will continue the interview with Kevin after these messages” and then screen turned to be commercial.

The commercial for corporate mainframe security software started. After 10 seconds, logo and copy of the sponsor company appeared “New Age Technology Inc, Most reliable System in the World.”

Kevin, such knavish! He made up all of this with her family. But not for Loretta but for his own good.  

   

Loretta changed the channel. It was MTV airing pop song video clip. The song was John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to change.”

 

“Me and all my friends
We're all misunderstood

So we keep waiting
(waiting)
Waiting on the world to change

It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting

And when you trust your television

What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, They can bend it all they want

It's not that we don't care,
We just know that the fight ain't fair
So we keep on waiting
(waiting)
Waiting on the world to change”

 

She was impressed by the song. She realized the world she was living was all illusion. She realized how she was being spoiled and ignorant.

 

THE END!

This story is copywrighted by Masagata, Don't steal or copy it. Thanks for reading.

Please read from Introduction through Chapter 3.

 

Kevin stayed away from computer desk and went back to the floor. The four Americans and three Iraqi men sat on the floor face to face. The three men held machine gun and hand guns with them. A leader of the Iraqi men, Kashim held the machine gun but suddenly placed it on the floor. He then spoke to other 2 guys to put the guns down on the floor.

“Hey, guys, you will be saved. We never want to kill any of you, especially a woman. That is against Koran teaching” said Kashim looking at Loretta.

“Is that so? I thought Islam despised women. Women have to wear scarves to cover her hairs and faces. Women are not allowed to disobey her husbands. That is what Koran says” Loretta said to Kashim. 

“This isn’t all true. In Koran, women’s independence is recognized. Islam prophet, Muhammad’s wife was a business woman. Koran clearly rules a wife can receive certain portion of the couple’s asset after the divorce. We do take care of the women’s rights. You, westerners misunderstand us. There are a lot of working women in Iraq and other Islam world” Kashim replied in confidence.

Then Kevin said to Kashim. “But you attacked us and some of your people attacked our people using their own bodies. That is what you call “Jihad”, isn’t it. Your religion defends violence and that drives Muslims to do terrorist attacks all over the world.”

“Jihad means restraining ourselves, not to attack others. Islam values peace. Islam literary means “Peace”” Kashim replied. “In your own interpretation, isn’t it. As far as I know, a lot of suicide bombers justified their crazy acts in the name of Jihad. I don’t believe your words” said Kevin.

Kashim said nothing to Kevin’s remark and the silence kept for a while.

“Our religion, Christianity does defend violence. That is why we are in a war, isn’t it” said John to break a silence.

“What do you mean? Does Christian bible have something like “jihad”?” asked Kevin.

“Yes, it does. Read Matthew Chapter 10, Verse 34 to 39, I come not to bring peace but to bring a sword. Evangelicals who support our president say this war is holly war. In fact, Iraq had no weapons of mass-destruction and no link with Al Queda. The government knew that but went into this stupid war and involved a poor guy like me in the turmoil.” John said with anger.

 

“Hey, we overthrew Saddam Hussein and freed Iraqi people. Hussein had oppressed Iraqi people” Kevin said to John and Kashim.

“Freed us? You are wrong. You just messed our land. Yes. Hussein was a brutal dictator but at least he provided us order. When Hussein was gone, we were happy at first because we could never spoke ill of Hussein. There was no freedom of speech. We felt free and even appreciated your military. But later we realized the things got worse. After Hussein’s regime, a lot of different clans started to fight one another. Your military never tried to restrain order. Only Hussein could maintain the order by his dictatorship. Now there is no order but only anarchism prevails. You invaded us because your country wanted the oil in our land. Not to provide us democracy” said Kashim with anger, glaring at Kevin.

 

 

“Who is this baby?” Loretta said holding a picture frame and looking at the photo in it. It was a photo of a crippled baby with a respirator on her face. She found it on the low table near her. She was shocked to see the photo.

“She was my daughter. She died a few months ago. She had only one arm and one lung. She couldn’t breathe well. She died a few months after she was born. After she died, my wife died because of the tumor. A lot of people suffered from cancers in this country. You know why? It is because of depleted uranium weapons your military dumped our land” Kashim said with tears.

“What is Depleted Uranium?” asked Loretta. She never heard of anything like that in her life.

“That is the weapon using highly concentrated nuclear wastes. That works. It can easily burn anything and anybody into charcoal in a second. Very deadly and cost effective weapon. That is what our military says. They never disclose side-effect of this weapon. After they were used, high level of radiation was scattered in the surrounding areas where the weapons were hit. When human bodies absorbed the radiation, it would cause cancers and leukemia. For pregnant women, defective babies can result. Our media never want to report anything about it. I, myself knew nothing like that until I came here. Well, I guess I am affected already” said John.

“You are already affected?” asked Kevin.

“Yeah, you may be as well. As long as you are here, you are in danger of DU exposure. Well, even if I could come back home, I wouldn’t be saved. I have no medical insurance. I cannot afford that. I can go to free military hospital but I will have to wait for months to see a doctor” said John.

“Speaking of a doctor, when my father was hit by a truck on the farm, he was never treated at the hospital. He was rejected by the hospital because he was illegal immigrant. He died on the road with no medicine. They just dumped him like trash” Fernando spoke with tears.

 

  “We are like disposal weapons for this corrupt war. War for the rich people like you, two” said John glaring at Kevin and Loretta.

“Why are you taking on us? We are all Americans” said Kevin.

“It seems there are two fronts in this war. A front in Iraq . The other one in the U.S. We are at the civil war. Your people start the stupid war and only the poor like us are just sent to the battle fields. Now we are together here. I am very lucky to die with you, two.” said John with fierce anger.   

 

Two Americans and the other two Americans started to look at each other like the two pairs fighting match on the ring. Kashim and his comrades were just surprised to see this strange phenomenon. Kashim learned Americans were the victims of the war, too.

“Hey, please calm down. You will be saved. Let’s stop fighting each other. I will release all of you after the thing will work” said Kashim.

Da, da, da, suddenly big sounds were heard to the house they were in. The house was shaken by the big sounds. It was sounds of propellers. The propellers of a helicopter.

 

“Yes, we will be saved. The thing worked” said Kevin smiling.

John, suddenly figured out what Kevin meant. John seized Kevin by his collar.

“You tricked them. You called military to come and get us.”

 

Go on to the Last Chapter. One more chapter than expected!

Please read Introduction and Chapter 1 first.

   

“When I was in high school, a few months after my dad was laid off, I received a call from the military recruiter. At first I ignored but he called me a hundred times. Every time he phoned me, he said that he had a good thing to tell me, the army needs a quality man like me and I can get a great benefit from the army. Finally I gave in. He picked me up and took me to the military recruitment center. He was tall, muscular nice guy and described how wonderful my future would be if I join the army. I said to him that I wanted to go to the college. Then he told me I can go to the college if I join the army. The military can help me pay the tuition. I knew my parents cannot afford the tuition for college. So I decided to join the army.”

“But you were deceived?” said Kevin.

“Yeah, I was. Actually the military had scholarship for young soldiers. After 4 months of training I applied for the scholarship and found out that I was deceived. In order to get the scholarship, you have to pay 1,300 bucks as deposit. That was impossible. My monthly salary was only 700 bucks, how come I can save such amount of money. Then I was dispatched to Iraq .” John said sadly.

“You never wanted to come to Iraq , did you” said Kevin.

“Never, I did not even know where Iraq was. I’ve seen some news reports about soldiers in Iraq , who receive high praise for fighting to liberate Iraqi from tyranny like Saddam Hussein. But I realized Americans were not welcomed here. Recently I learned a recruiter found me in the list my high school gave to the military. The list of kids from impoverished family like mine. They knew students like me cannot afford college tuition and took mean advantage of our necessity.”

“Well, John, your case is better” said Fernando. John, Kevin and Loretta looked at him.

Fernando started to talk in Spanish accent.

“I absolutely had no choice but to join the army. I came from Mexico with my family. As you imagine, we were illegal immigrants who crossed the border. At first we were dependent on my father’s salary from the farms. 3 bucks an hour. But he was killed by an accident. Then my mom, little sister and I were left behind. We became homeless. We moved to homeless facility where rats were running around. I cannot go to school and worked for restaurant as dish washer at low wages. We were hungry for days without anything to eat. One day a military recruiter called my cell. I was terrified if immigration officer asked military to pick me and my family up and deport us to Mexico . In Mexico , the situation was much worse. My family had no job and lived in rubble without clean water and electricity. That is why we crossed the border illegally. But the call was a very good news for me. He told me if I could join the army, I can get a U.S. citizenship. I was really glad.”

“Weren’t you afraid to go to the battlefield?” said Loretta.

“As I told you, I had no choice. This is like conscription for the poor. Poverty draft. You, two had nothing to worry about for your future. We have no future unless we join the army.” Fernando replied.

The silence deafened for a while.   

 

An Iraqi man came up to the 4 Americans and said “have you made up? Who speaks to your government?” The silence still remained.  

 

“Well, then I have to kill you one by one and show the scene on TV” said an Iraqi man.

“Wait, I will. I can do that” Loretta shouted. Three guys looked at her being surprised.

“Hey, are you sure? Your dad would be angry if you do that” said Kevin.

“But if I would, they can never leave us. I am a daughter of the most important person in America. My father can let our government do whatever they can to save us.”

Loretta made up her mind. She thought she could prove herself that she was not just spoiled child by speaking to the U.S. government on TV.

 

   

Go on to Chapter 3.