My grandfather lived in Itami city, Hiyougo prefecture, and
ran a store. He was a fat, kind and energetic man. Here are some
good stories that explain my grandfather's character.
At the time of the Pacific War, a red-colored draft card was
sent to his house, which meant he had to go to the military. But
of course he did not want to. He thought, "It is better to die
from drinking soy sauce than die for the war." He drank up a
large bottle of soy sauce, and fell down and had to be carried to
the hospital. The doctor banned him from going to the war. A
person may think this his weakness, but this is wrong. He had a
clear creed that he was not obliged to the power of the country,
and by drinking soy sauce, he fought the evil of the war.
Because he gave me a lot of presents at Christmas and on my
birthday, I used to look forward to those days. He was very kind
to me, though I do not remember these days very well because I
was very small at that time. In addition, he lived very far from
my house, so we could meet only once or twice a year. I remember
on the cold winter day when my family arrived at his house, he
welcomed us and gave me a quiz derby game. This had been my
favorite.
When I was eight years old, I went to bed to sleep one night.
Then I heard someone calling my name. It was a small and feeble
voice. I could not understand who this voice was coming from. So
I went to my mother's room, because she was the only person in
the house except me at that time.
"Did you call my name?" I asked her.
"Why do you ask me such a thing?" my mother replied.
I returned to my room and began to think the voice I heard was
just an illusion. So I went to bed again, but again I heard this
voice. Again I asked my mother. The answer again was "No!"
I heard this voice four or five times that night. I did not
know this at that time, but my grandfather died that night.
Perhaps he came to me to say "good bye."
by Osamu Matsubayashi
