The Nihongo Papers
The Nihongo Papers – Chapter 12By Naomi Hirahara Carlos Yamashita’s favorite Japanese superhero was Kikaider. Half blue and half red, Kikaider was a humanoid robot created to save the world from a mad scientist, Professor Gill. Carlos regularly watched old Japanese Kikaider live-action programs broadcast on cable in Paraguay. One of his friends also brought back manga and cartoons of Kikaider from his family’s summer trips to Japan. They spent hours eating rice crackers and talking about the various cartoon panels that had the best action.
The Nihongo PapersChapter 11 Saburo Shishido looked up at the house. Although vacant, it was still standing. A Victorian, the house was designed by one of the preeminent architects in Watsonville. He and Itsuko had stayed in the round room after they got married. The union had been arranged by their parents back in Wakayama. Itsuko’s parents had done well in America and had returned to Japan, but Itsuko wanted to stay behind in their beautiful house. Her favorite room was the round room, the room without corners. Even though it was harder to clean, the bedroom had represented an unending circle. Their marriage.
The Nihongo PapersChapter 10 Jorge Yamashita was in a state of shock. His sweaty hands almost slipped from the steering wheel. Beside him in the passenger seat was his ten-year-old son, Carlos. Behind them sat his late wife’s grandfather, Bisabuelo, and Greg Shishido, the son of Jorge’s boss, gagged and bound with gray duct tape. Pressed against Greg’s stomach was a gun held by Bisabuelo.
The Nihongo Papers
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The Nihongo Papers – Chapter 8
投稿者:editor 日付:金, 04/11/2008 - 10:30
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The Nihongo Papers
Chapter 8
By Naomi Hirahara
Greg Shishido slowly awoke. His head first felt like it was filled with cotton balls, and then bang—searing pain, lightning bolts shooting through his brain. He cursed in the darkness, perhaps too loudly because a cool, bony hand quickly covered his mouth. His eyes adjusted to the low light. Peering into his face was an old Nikkei man, his head completely bald. He was so gaunt that his cheeks were sunken in, a skeleton man. Where was he? He struggled to remember. He had gone to that motel to see where Jorge Yamashita lived. He had opened the door of the room, only to see a young boy, maybe ten, crouched in the corner, holding a gun. And then blackness.
The Nihongo Papers – Chapter 7
投稿者:editor 日付:金, 03/14/2008 - 09:46
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The Nihongo Papers
Chapter 7
By Naomi Hirahara
The door opened, allowing a sliver of sunrise to temporarily blind the boy holding a gun in the corner of the Oxnard hotel room. The boy, Carlos Yamashita, squinted and aimed at the silhouette of a thin man in the doorway. Carlos was ready to shoot when the man tumbled forward and collapsed onto the frayed rug. He stayed down and a few seconds later, Carlos could hear the squeak of Bisabuelo’s wheelchair.
The Nihongo Papers – Chapter 6
投稿者:editor 日付:金, 02/08/2008 - 17:34
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The Nihongo Papers
Chapter 6
By Naomi Hirahara
For weeks after Haru’s baby brother Kei was born, the Shishido household was both loud and quiet at the same time. Loud from the baby’s crying but quiet as if secrets were being muffled in the corners of their dirt floors. Haru herself tried to stay out of her parents’ way. She thought that they would be happy, joyous that there was finally a new member in their family after waiting for so many years. But Mama would often break down as she nursed Kei, and Papa, instead of doting on his new son, spent most of his time in the strawberry fields.
The Nihongo Papers – Chapter 5
投稿者:editor 日付:金, 01/11/2008 - 12:14
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The Nihongo Papers
Chapter 5
By Naomi Hirahara
Carlos Yamashita knew that the old man was practically blind to begin with, but since the three of them had arrived in California, Bisabuelo’s sight had worsened. He still stayed alone in the neighboring hotel room, which was more than fine with Carlos. As soon as Bisabuelo awakened in the morning, however, he would call Carlos and his father’s room. Usually Father had left for work already, so it would be up to Carlos to answer the phone by the first ring. If he waited until the second, or ay dios mio, the third ring, Carlos would have to sit through an hour’s worth of scolding. You must learn the Shishido way, Bisabuelo would say in Spanish, going back and forth in his wheelchair. The Shishido way is to be prompt, even early. You must do everything properly, absolutely chanto.
The Nihongo Papers – Chapter 4
投稿者:editor 日付:金, 12/14/2007 - 14:38
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The Nihongo Papers
Chapter 4
By Naomi Hirahara
Phyllis Hamakawa felt the scent of the incense wash over her as the Buddhist priests chanted, groaning almost like summer cicada. The whole sanctuary in the new church seemed to pulse as the line of black-suited people, friends and strangers, either embraced her or bowed in front of her. A few feet away was Baa-chan in her oak casket, her hands, speckled with age spots, carefully arranged as if she were clasping them together. She was in her favorite gray dress.
The Nihongo Papers – Chapter 3
投稿者:editor 日付:金, 11/09/2007 - 08:15
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The Nihongo Papers
Chapter 3
By Naomi Hirahara
Haru Shishido reached out for the dashboard as their Model T truck hit some potholes in the dirt road. Papa was going much faster than usual. If Mama was in the car, she would be saying, “Papa, abunai.” Papa, danger. But Mama was at home resting with the baby. Auntie Himeko was with her. Auntie, who was visiting from Sacramento, was a stern woman who lost her patience with Haru. So when Papa rushed to the car to do some errand, Haru chased after him, eager to get away from her crying younger brother and her cranky auntie.
