Touring the Land of the Dead (and Ninety-Nine Kisses) by Maki Kashimada

Author:Maki Kashimada [Kashimada, Maki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Europa Editions
Published: 2020-11-29T22:00:00+00:00

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Taichi’s electric wheelchair test took place the following day. A public health nurse from the welfare office, a young man called Nakayama, came to their apartment. He was a little tactless, his attitude that of someone fresh out of university. As he helped Taichi into a manual wheelchair, he kept telling him over and over how much he loved him, treating him like a younger brother despite his being the elder.

The test would be at the Shinjuku Ward Disability Welfare Center. It was a bit of a distance, the nurse explained, near the last stop on the streetcar line.

Taichi, however, looked happy.

The nurse pushed the wheelchair down the road. Judging by the conversation, Taichi seemed to have already met him several times before. And of course, he showed not the slightest hint of humility or embarrassment.

The three of them boarded the streetcar. Taichi kept on asking all kinds of questions. From what he and the nurse were saying, it sounded like it would be a practical test. When Natsuko asked what would happen if her husband failed, the nurse responded only by saying that it shouldn’t be too difficult, that so long as Taichi didn’t bump the wheelchair into anyone, he would pass.

Taichi and the nurse were still talking when they arrived at the Disability Welfare Center. The three of them sat through all the formal procedures, followed by an interview with a doctor, before finally moving on to the test. Natsuko watched over her husband from behind as the wheelchair began to move.

The test was more difficult than she had expected. As he made his way up the hill and across the road at the pedestrian lights, Taichi seemed about to bump into the myriad passersby more times than Natsuko could count.

They didn’t have to wait long for the results. Why don’t we practice a little more? the examiner said. In other words, Taichi had failed. However, he would still be able to use the electric wheelchair so long as he had someone accompanying him, and from the sound of it, they would still be able to buy one. Taichi didn’t seem particularly disappointed, but the nurse insisted on trying to comfort him, telling him over and over again that it wasn’t a disastrous outcome.

One month later, the electric wheelchair finally arrived. They set it up in the bicycle lot next to their apartment building. Shall we leave it here? You’re a big guy, so we had to have it custom-made, the clerk from the nursing care equipment shop told Taichi. The seat was fitted with a large, soft cushion, an optional add-on that Taichi seemed to have ordered without consulting his wife. That was just like him. There was no mistaking, however, that it looked comfortable to sit in.

“Have a go,” Natsuko urged him.

Taichi lowered himself into the seat, before quickly taking off and driving in circles around her.

“With this, I’ll be able to go and buy sweets in no time at all!” Taichi exclaimed, brimming with excitement.

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