When the Cherry Blossoms Fell by Jennifer Maruno

Author:Jennifer Maruno
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dundurn
Published: 2009-05-26T16:00:00+00:00

At home Michiko talked about her day at school. “A boy in my class called me a Dirty Jap,” she said to her mother’s back as she prepared dinner.

“And what did you say?” Eiko asked without turning around.

“I didn’t know what to say.”

“What is a Dirty Jap?” Michiko asked, moving to her mother’s side.

Ted and Sadie overheard as they came into the kitchen.

“Did you do or say anything to this boy to make him angry?” her uncle wanted to know.

Michiko shook her head. “After the arithmetic test, the teacher made me sit beside him.”

“That means he’s jealous,” Sadie said. “He was used to being the smartest in the class until you came along.”

“Why did he call me dirty?” Michiko asked. “Even the teacher complimented me on my clean socks.”

Ted pulled her into his arms. “I’m afraid in the eyes of some people, all Japs are dirty.”

“Especially Hiro, when he fills his diapers,” Sadie said loudly. She laughed heartily.

“Shizukani, Sadie,” Eiko cautioned her. “This is why I didn’t want her to go to school.” She leaned against the sink. “I could have taught her here.”

“With what?” Sadie retorted. “We don’t have any books. Besides, she should know what is going on.”

Sadie pulled Michiko away from Ted. “Listen, Michiko,” she said, spinning her around to face her. “The lesson you learned at school today wasn’t about arithmetic. It was current events.”

“Stop it,” Eiko cried.

Sadie ignored her. “Canada is at war with Japan after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in the United States,” she continued. “For some reason, people think all Japanese people are enemies.”

Michiko’s eyes widened. “Enemies?” she repeated.

“That’s why we left Vancouver.” Sadie stopped holding Michiko and relaxed her arms. “Everyone who was Japanese had to move away from the coast. It is the law.” She slumped into a chair. “We left before they threw us out.”

“Stop it,” cried Eiko. “Stop it, Sadie.”

But Sadie didn’t stop talking. Her voice grew louder, as if she were telling a whole roomful of people. “The government made new laws for the Japanese every week. We weren’t to have cameras or radios. Then we couldn’t have cars or boats.”

Ted walked away to look out the window.

“We couldn’t go to certain stores. Japanese children couldn’t go to public schools or use the libraries. They even shut down the schools that taught Japanese culture and language.”

Michiko raised her fingers to her mouth. It was the government that had stopped her lessons in calligraphy?

“First, they took your uncle’s boat,” Sadie exclaimed, “then they took your father.”

Michiko ran to her mother. “You said my father was working in the mountains,” she said, searching her mother’s face.

“He is working in the mountains,” her mother replied tiredly as she smoothed the top of her daughter’s head. “He is building a road and receiving a wage.” But her voice sounded strange, as if she was unsure of what she was saying.

Michiko turned to her aunt. “Is that true?”

Sadie shrugged. “You can call it work and wages if you like, Eiko.” She walked over to the wooden box beside the stove.

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