Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

A story of a B-29 bomber pilot who time-travels from the war-time Tokyo to present-time.

Please read Chapter 1 to Chapter 3 first.

 

Sayuri worried about Jim’s reaction. She thought she shouldn’t have told the story about Grandma. After lunch Jim went to the bathroom to take a shower. After cleaning up his body and he wore the clothes, and got out of the bathroom.

He saw Sayuri and Grandma leaving the house. Jim said to Sayuri “Where are you going?”

“We are attending the ceremony. But we will come back here by the evening. You should rest in my room.”

Jim asked “what kind of ceremony are you attending?”

“Well, This may not be what you like. The ceremony for 60^th commemoration of Tokyo Air raids. Grandma and I will be on the stage. Grandma talks and I will interpret what she says for the American attendees including the U.S. ambassador.”

“I’d like to go, can I?” Jim was curious.

Sayuri took Jim and Grandma to the civic hall by car. She drove. Jim sat on the front passenger’s seat. Grandma sat on backseat. They remained silence in the car.

There were almost 100 people in the hall. The attendees wore formal suits. There were some Americans including an old lady who was the U.S. ambassador. Jim avoided American crowd.

At the beginning, on the stage, speaker said something in Japanese and Sayuri interpreted.

“Please stand in silence in remembrance of the victims of Great Tokyo air raids.”

The attendees all stood up and kept silence. Jim did that.

After the moment of silence, the U.S. ambassador came up on the stage to make a brief statement. She was in black funeral suits. Her hair was white. She looked like over 70 years old.

“Good afternoon, my name is Kathleen Bolton. I am the U.S. ambassador to Japan . The invitation to this ceremony is very meaningful to me because I lost my family member in the war. The war ended 60 years ago. The U.S. and Japan have been close allies since the war ended. However the pain of loss still remained. We all share the grievance and we all share the hope for peace. Today is my last day as the ambassador. This ceremony should be the one I can never forget. Thank you.”

It was really brief statement, Jim thought. She seemed like she could not get into this issue because of her position.

Next was the talk by the survivor of the Air raid. Sayuri’s Grandma showed up on the stage. Jim was thrilled to hear the story. 

At first, Grandma explained herself. She was only 8 at that time. She lost her mother and brother in the raid. Then she started to talk about that night.

“I remember it was windy and very cold. Very cold even inside the house because we did not have fuel to use stove. We were afraid because we hear sirens and sounds of airplanes coming to the city. Then that night, the planes came. We heard the siren of the warning and went outside.

My brother who was only a baby was carried by my mother. We ran and ran. The sky turned red. Everywhere was fire. We were surrounded by the fire. The fire expanded by the wind and swallowed the people running. It was so dangerous not just by the fire. The boards, glasses, were flying in the air and bumped to the people.

My brother cried. The fire sparks were inside his mouth. My mother tried to take them out. I saw people burning and screaming in front of me. We ran into the river and reached the bridge over the river. But the bridge wasn’t the safe place. The heat was so hot that we could not stand. The fire even stretched to the bridge and the bridge was crowded by the evacuees. My mother told me to jump off the bridge to the river.

There was no way out. She had to hold my brother. She could not dive into the river. I did not want to but I had no choice. My mother looked so sad. I still remember her face. I realized that I have to say goodbye to her and my brother forever and then jumped. The river was so cold contrary to the air. I was drowned at first but later saved by the boat floating in the river. I was saved. Since that night I’ve never heard from my mother and brother. That means they never survived.

After the war, my father came back from the battle field, he was saddened by the loss of his family but glad I was alive.”

Grandma’s eyes were filled with tears. Sayuri seemed so sad but just doing her job as an interpreter. Some of the attendees started to cry. The ambassador looked serious but just normal. The ceremony ended after the closing statement for the peace.

Jim was surprised there were no antagonistic words in it. Because 60 years have passed, and Americans were invited to the ceremony, for Jim it was yesterday memory.   

 

Jim got out of the hall and walked to stay away.

“Jim, where are you going?” It was Sayuri’s voice behind him. He looked back.

“Let’s go back home” said Sayuri.

“I can’t.”

“Why not? The ceremony was finished. Is there any problem, again?” Sayuri looked worried.

“I cannot stay with you, especially with your Grandma.” Jim said that seriously.

“What? Hey, you don’t have to worry about her. She said she was sorry for being rude to you. She had been so nervous speaking out in public. Now she is fine. She says she wants to apologize to you and express gratitude to you for saving my life. In fact her experience has nothing to do with you. You are young American of today.”

“No, it is not your Grandma’s fault. I just cannot be with you. I’ll tell you. I do not suffer amnesia. I have my memories.”

“You recovered your memory. That is good to hear.”

Sayuri looked happy.

“I never lost memory. I lied. I lied because I was afraid.”

“What are you afraid of?”

Her face turned serious.

“Because if I tell who I really am, I thought I would be killed by your people.”

Sayuri could not understand what his words mean. She began to think Jim might be a psychopath, not a patient of amnesia.

“I do not understand you. Who are you, really?”

“I am James Austin, who belongs to the U.S. Air Force, 314 aircraft wing. The wing that bombed Tokyo at the night your Grandma lost her loved ones.”

 

Go on to Chapter 5

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is a successor of Junichiro Koizumi, again made an indefensible mistake.

Just like Koizumi visited war-criminals graves.

 He says Japan wouldn't apologize for forcing women into sex slaves for soldiers during World War II. Currently US Congress is considering resolution that request Japanese government to apologize and ackknowlege the wrongdoing.

He mentioned Japan wouldn't apologize even if the resolution passes.

 The Pime Minister damaged Japan's image. Japan would be seen as nation who has no sense of human rights.

Prime Minister, Please resign for the benefit of our nation!

Stupid Prime Minister and Stupid what they call "Conservatives" or "Patriot" who are trying to rewrite the history to make it sound comfortable for them. Don't they know what they are doing is deteriorating the reputation of our country?

They aren't Patriots. They are in fact traitors. Abe is a traitor!

 

 

A story of a B-29 bomber pilot who time-travels from the war-time Tokyo to present-time.

Please read Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 first.

 

Sayuri recognized Jim’s face looking very shocked. She wondered if there was any news that shocked him so much. Actually he didn’t read any of articles. All he saw on the paper was the date of issue.

Jim then said, “Hey, is this some kind of joke? Are you teasing me or kind of psychological test for POW?”

“What are you talking about? Have I done anything wrong?” said Sayuri.

She did not know POW stands for prisoners of war.

“Yes, you are. You are doing a wrong thing. I can’t stand for that.” Jim said.

And he just ran, ran to get out of the hospital. He just thought he had to. He found the entrance of the hospital and rushed into it. The door opened automatically but he did not care about that.  As soon as he got out of the hospital, and saw the view outside, he just stopped his feet.

He could not believe what he was seeing. The hospital was located on the riverside. The river name should be the Sumida River according to the map for air raid he saw. That was not what surprised him. What surprised him was the other side of the river. There were several very tall buildings. Like skyscrapers in New York . He remembered when he went to New York in high school days. He remembered what he saw from the riverside of Hudson River . The view was magnificent. This was not exactly the same as that but kind of similar. He was never informed Tokyo had such tall buildings. In his knowledge, they never had such sophisticated technology.

“Hey, what are you doing? Why are you running away? I cannot understand you.”

Sayuri came up to him.

“Are we in Tokyo , now?” Jim asked.

“Yes, we are in Tokyo . I understand how you are confused, you might have lost your memory of how you came to Japan .” Sayuri thought Jim was acting very strange because of amnesia.

“What date and what year is it today?”

“Today is March 10, 2005”

“2005” Jim just realized that he was in Tokyo but not in 1945, 2005. But if so, he should be now 81 years old. He should look very old thus he could not run like he just did.

The car came up to where Jim and Sayuri are. A driver in a car called on Sayuri. Sayuri responded and talked with a man for a while. Then Sayuri said to Jim.

“Jim, here is my brother, Ken.”

Ken smiled and said, “haro, Jim-san.”

“Why don’t we get in? We are going to my family’s house.”

Jim and Sayuri got in the car. Jim kept silence while driving. Sayuri and Ken talked each other in the language he could not understand. Jim was surprised Ken never touched the car’s engine gear while driving. It was kind of automatic gear system.

After 10 minutes drive, the car stopped at a house. They got out of a car. Jim was guided to a house by Sayuri. Jim was told to take off his shoes to get on the floor and he did. The house was smaller than that he was living in Connecticut . The ceiling was lower.

Sayuri introduced Jim to her family. Ken, Ken’s wife, Keiko, Sayuri’s mother, and Sayuri’s grand mother. Sayuri explained to them how Jim saved her in the fire.

Mother smiled and said “Sankyu (for saving my daughter.)” Jim then smiled back. Ken and Keiko followed and smiled and said some words. Grandma didn't say anything and just got back to her room as soon as the greeting ended.

Jim just thought an old lady didn’t like a foreign man. Sayuri explained to her family about Jim’s condition of amnesia.

Jim said “Thank you for taking care of me. I appreciate that very much.” Sayuri interpreted. Then Ken and Mother replied in Japanese. Sayuri interpreted.

“Jim, you saved my life. It is our duty to take care of you, because if you were not there, I wouldn’t live any more.”

Sayuri told her father was on business trip to Shanghai until next month. That was why her father was not at home. So she would be staying in her parents’ room sleeping on Father’s bed. Instead Jim can use the room Sayuri was living before she moved to burned apartment.

She moved to the apartment after Ken got married. She thought Ken’s wife should have felt uncomfortable surrounded by too many Ken’s family members such as Father, Mother, Grandma, and Sayuri. Sayuri took him to her room. The floor was kind of strange. It was made of straws. It was called “tatami” straw mattress.

Sayuri said. “While you are here, why don’t you try to revive your memory? Take a look at this. Do you know internet?”

“Internet?”

“Internet is how you get the information of the world. Haven’t you ever used this? It is not very new thing. Well, I guessed you are surprised with everything. You were even surprised with TV and newspaper.”

 Sayuri said and showed a personal computer on the desk.

“Here it is.”

She pressed the bottom on the computer. Computer screen showed internet browsing window.

“What is this? New type of television?” Jim got another surprise.

“I’ll teach you how to use this. Do you know how to use typewriter?”

“Of course”

“Then you can use keyboard.”

After an hour, Jim learned basic rules of using computer and internet software. Jim was more curious than surprised. Jim was smart and learned things very quickly.

Sayuri went outside for her things. Jim was alone and started to use internet for his purposes. He wanted to know what happened between 1945 and now. He accessed search engine Google, and typed “History of the United States of America .”

He learned so many things that he never knew but had happened before.

In March 10, 1945 US army bombed capital of Japan, Tokyo . It was successful and more than 100,000 people were killed. In May, Germany and August of the same year, Japan, surrendered to the US and its allies. Japan had been occupied by the allied forces for 6 years.

The US became the leader of the free world and enjoyed its greatest prosperity. In postwar era, the Uncle Sam’s new enemy became communist nations such as China and Soviet Union . The former enemies, Japan and Germany turned close allies to counter the spread of Communism.

The US got involved in the war in Korean peninsula in 1950’s and Vietnam in 1960’s in the name of fighting against evil communism.

But the war in Vietnam was failed. During that era, civil rights movement was booming so that Civil Rights Act was enacted to outlaw discrimination against minorities such as Blacks and women.

In 1990’s communist nations’ leader Soviet Union fell down and non-Russia states regained independence. Most of communist nations turned into capitalist free nations. So called “Cold War” was over. China and Vietnam liberated their economies.

It seemed there had been no more enemy for America . The new enemy showed up. The terrorists. Twin Skyscrapers in New York was demolished by airplanes hijacked by Islamic extremists. The new era began. Global war on terror started. The US bombed Afghanistan to break down the regime that harbored the terrorists, and then invaded Iraq to remove the regime which the US claimed potential terror.

What many things happened between the times! Of course 60 years was long period. It was natural so many things happened and changed. The nasty enemies for the US he believed now became closest friends to the US . Black American woman became the secretary of the States. The same sex marriage was legalized in the State of Massachusetts . It seemed he experienced 60 year-long lifetime in 1 hour.

He still could not understand what happened to him. The time passed 60 years but he hadn’t changed anything. He was still 21 years old man.

“Jim, I am back. Why don’t you go downstair to join the lunch? My mother made it for us.” Sayuri said behind his back.

He went to the dining room. Jim and Sayuri sat on the chairs. The lunch was served.

“I hope my mother’s food would please you. She made spaghetti and salad for you” said Sayuri.

“Thank you, I like spaghetti.” Jim said smiling. Indeed he was very hungry. He started eating spaghetti and salad. They were very delicious. At the table, were Jim, Sayuri, Ken’s wife, and Mother. Ken went out for work.

Jim wondered where her Grandma was. Sayuri said, “Well, she is at home now. But seems like she doesn’t want to join the lunch with us. She is eating it alone in her room.”

“How come?” Jim asked her because the way she talked and looked at him implied there was something related to Jim.  

“I'm sorry to tell you that Grandma doesn’t like Americans because she lost her mother who is my late great-grand mother and Grandma’s brother by the air raid in Tokyo 60 years ago.”

Jim was shocked and his face turned pale. He then stopped eating spaghetti.

Go on to Chapter 4.

Such kind of films. I have seen the movie "United 93" before.

It's been only 5 years and so since 911. The story was about two policemen trapped in the rubble of WTC.

The movie was overall boring.

There is not many dynamic scenes. But there were some real scenes. I just wondered if the film makers sent some crews to capture the scenes at the time of that incident, so that they can use it in the future. They are always ready to make money.

 So I understand how they were careful in making the films of such real tragedies. Maybe 20 years later, they can make very dynamic and real and objective story. At this point you still cannot see things objectively. If you make stories about 911, you should include people in Iraq, people in Palestine, people in Afghanistans and people of Peaceful Tomorrows.  

If I make a drama for TV or movie now, I would make a soapopera which a man who lost a wife in 911 decides to remarry another woman but some days before a wedding, a wife whom he thought died and whose body was never found shows up. He has to cancel the wedding. A wife says she had suffered amnesia because of the shock caused by the incident. He gets a trouble in between of two women he loves. In fact a wife got a new lover but remembers she still loves a husband. His supposedly new wife gets shocked and doesn't know how to deal with this problem and began to jealous his revived wife. Then she hires a hitman to kill or let him go back to the old woman? 21st century version of "Dynasty." Too bad Mr. Spelling is already dead.

 I do not mean to insult the victims of 911. But now is just too early to make a film of that incident. There are too much still unknown. Too much to be revealed.

Have you ever thought about real cause of 911?