Kenzaburo Oe - Somersault

"A motorized weed cutter would make short work of these. Mountain azaleas put out buds again before you know it," Mr. Hanawa said, explain- ing what he was doing. "Yesterday and today we have guests staying at the Technicians' office, so let's talk here." He threw Ogi a look.

"I want Ogi to know everything that's going on," Ikuo explained. "The Quiet Women are on track with their plans, though they may occupy the chapel a little earlier than planned. If they have to do that it'll be a bit trouble- some to kick out any visitors who might happen to be there."

"If the police find out we'll have to mobilize the Technicians,"

Mr. Hanawa said. "The Fireflies will have their hands full with the Spirit Festival."

At this point Ogi couldn't help but break his promise again. Standing beside Ikuo, who was so businesslike, Ogi said, his emotions bare, "The Tech- nicians aren't going to intervene in what the Quiet Women are planning to do? "

Mr. Hanawa clearly shrank back from Ogi's words, but Ogi didn't flinch. He waited, making it clear he wanted an answer. Finally Mr. Hanawa settled down enough to respond.

"I never really knew the Quiet Women until we moved here," he said, "but during these past ten years aren't they the ones who're most exhausted by it all? Even if we try to prevent them by force, I think eventually they're going to do what they want to do, so they might as well carry out their plan at the same time as the inaugural sermon announcing the Church of the New Man. It's ideal timing for them. Who are we to mess it up?

"With the Church of the New Man as our base, we Technicians plan to reconsider what we tried to do in Izu. Patron and Guide's Somersault made those earlier plans fizzle out, but we don't think we should simply abandon the idea of a millennial kingdom to follow or our plan to bring the Japanese people to repentance. Patron has his Church of the New Man, and likewise we have our plans that we've reworked over the past ten years. Their Somer- sault gave us time to let these ideas mature. Since we've faced these issues head- on, we want to respect the freedom of the Quiet Women to take whatever actions they've thought long and hard about, so we're going to help fulfill the atonement of these twenty-five women."

"You idiot!"

Groaning this out, Ogi lunged at Mr. Hanawa, who, with his free arm- careful not to touch Ogi with the metal-tipped tool he held-lunged back and blocked him.

"Hear me out," Mr. Hanawa said, not at all out of breath. "At the time of the Somersault we were going to blow a nuclear power plant to king- dom come, and we didn't mind passing away in the process. Why should we cling to this degenerate world? But we couldn't just abandon the plan for a millennial kingdom of repentance. So we were exposed to ridicule.

"This shows how innocent we are, perhaps, but we believed that our decision and Patron's plans deep down had something in common. Once we had that troubled meeting with Guide, though, our illusions vanished. The only option left for us was to lead the Church of the New Man as a starting point for our reign of repentance. We're going to have Professor Kizu paint a fourth panel depicting the atonement of the Quiet Women."

This time Ogi lunged at Mr. Hanawa without a word. Never having fought anyone before, he missed, punching the air, while his exposed neck was slammed with a cudgel-like fist and he collapsed to the ground.

When he opened his eyes, his saw Mr. Hanawa's canvas shoes moving right in front of his eyes. He hunched his neck to avoid the kick he thought was coming, but the boot tips were merely poking at what looked like an in- laid bat in the short cut grass. Once he realized that dark object was a neatly cut stump, Ogi staggered to his feet.

Rubbing his upper right arm, Ikuo calmly assessed the situation. "An- other promise down the drain… Mr. Hanawa, we're going to go speak with Patron. That's the only way Ogi will be convinced, don't you think? I'll have the Fireflies report in detail on the Quiet Women's movement up until they enter the chapel. Thanks in advance for your help.

"Before we see Patron, though, there's something the Quiet Women asked me to do," Ikuo said to Ogi. "First we'll stop by Dr. Koga's clinic. He's working independently here, though of course he's originally a colleague of the Izu research guys, and I know he keeps in close touch with Mr. Hanawa, not to mention the Quiet Women. So no more going out on your own and breaking your promise, okay?"

The reception area in the clinic was empty. Dr. Koga was sitting alone in front of a desk in an examination room, the one with Kizu's watercolor.

He watched Ikuo come in with his paper bag and then frowned when he saw Ogi bringing up the rear. Hesitantly he said, "Mrs. Shigeno called me."

"Ogi knows what the situation is," Ikuo began. "I came over to leave this with you. Ogi is opposed to the Quiet Women's decision, and opposed to having the Technicians guard them, but he's not going to be scheming to outmaneuver them or anything. Could you take a look at his head?"

Ogi was once more aware of the pain in the back of his head, but he remained seated. Dr. Koga came over to look at him from behind and touched the tender part.

"This is pretty bad. Hit by a fist, were you? You have an abrasion."

Ogi had thought he'd been sweating, but it was blood dripping down.

Dr. Koga brushed aside Ogi's hand as he reached out to touch his head, and after applying pressure for a time he took the bottle Ikuo had given him and disappeared into the deserted pharmacy.

Dr. Koga came back with some antiseptic and treated Ogi's wound; then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked Ikuo to show him his right hand. Ikuo ignored him.

"Do you really think this is for the best?" Ogi persisted, but he was so upset he choked up and couldn't go on.

"The Quiet Women have given it a lot of thought," Dr. Koga replied, sitting down at his desk again. "The Technicians have had some bitter expe- riences these past ten years too, but I'm not about to make any presumptuous remarks. Don't you think we should respect the intentions of people who de- serve our sympathy? What should the Technicians do? If the Quiet Women ask them to stand guard, that's all they can do… When all's said and done, I'm going to stick with whatever Ikuo's planned. This isn't just some spur- of-the-moment idea, mind you. Not that the Technicians would allow me to act on my own, anyway."

"I don't know the legalities of it, but can't you be charged with aiding and abetting a suicide?" Ogi asked.

"With these women putting their lives on the line, would that really be such a big deal?" Dr. Koga asked. "Ikuo, haven't you talked with our inno- cent youth here about the other path?"

Ikuo turned to Dr. Koga and let his large head slump forward. When he spoke, he seemed to be feeling his way through what he wanted to say.

"I don't think I have the right to express any misgivings about what these church veterans-both the Quiet Women and the Technicians-are plan- ning," Ikuo said. "The same holds true for Dr. Koga. But I do still believe that what Patron decides is even more important. If there's another option based on what Patron wants, I'd hope we can get the Quiet Women to switch over to it in time. I'll be the one who does that-with your help, of course, doctor. As for you, Ogi, I'd like you to watch from the sidelines. There's no need to explain every detail."

"That's exactly right, Ogi," Dr. Koga said. "I'll bring over the package at exactly noon, Ikuo… And whatever you do, don't mix up the two bags."

Ogi noticed that the way Dr. Koga carried himself, his expression, and the tremor in his voice were all something new. Ogi also caught a whiff of distilled spirits. On Dr. Koga's desk he saw a flask and an empty glass. Ikuo stood up. Ignoring this, Dr. Koga reached out for the flask. Standing up him- self, Ogi couldn't help but say something.