An Okinawan Affair

by Herb Blanchard

  It had been a long time since either of them had brought up the subject of marriage and Brad’s heart skipped and his stomach gave a flip.

  “I have thought about marriage many times since we knew you might have to leave Okinawa. It doesn’t change my thoughts very much about going to the states, but I would if you want me, Brad.”

  Tomi threw a bare leg across his thighs and snuggled closer to him. What would we do if I get pregnant, my Love?”

  “We would become parents, Tomi.”

  “Would we have to get married, no matter what? And would I have to go wherever with you?”

  “Things would change, but I could never make you go where you didn’t want to. We would get married only if we both agree it will be the thing to do. If you wanted to stay here and raise the kid on Okinawa, I would be fine with that.”

  “Have you ever wondered why I have not got pregnant? I’m still young enough. I still have periods. Though I have never been as most women who have one every 28 days, like by the calendar. Sometimes I go one or two or even three months without a period. We have never talked about it.”

  “I have thought about it, but not obsessively. If you got pregnant, it would be good as long as you wanted it to happen. I know that you are not regular and maybe that is why you have not got pregnant. I talked to a Navy doctor last year when I took my physical and he suspects that it is because of how you ate and didn’t eat when you were growing up and when you reached puberty.”

  “You never worried that it was your fault? That maybe you couldn’t be a father? I don’t want you to think that, Brad. An Okinawan doctor told me the same thing about my body. I went after we were together a few months and I wasn’t getting pregnant.

  What is puberty, Brad.”

  “It is the time of life when you became a woman. When your period started.”

  “It is juushichhachi tushiguru in Okinawan, Brad.”

  “Oh sure, I knew that.” Brad answered and they both started to laugh. “Like I could ever say that or even remember it.”

  “That is okay. I won’t say that you have sukoshi chinbun because of it.”

  “Gee, thanks. You don’t know how good that makes me feel knowing the love of my life doesn’t think that I’m stupid.”

  “I just said that I would not say it.”

  “But it is okay that you think it? How you hurt me Tomi.”

  “That doesn’t feel like you are very hurt to me.”

  “That is because you are rubbing on my bare body with your bare skin and other parts.”

  “If we were in the states together, and they sent you somewhere, I could come back to Okinawa, neh?”

  “Hai. Definitely yes. I wouldn’t want you to be someplace that you didn’t want to be.”

  “Even if we had an aka-chan?”

  “Even if we had an aka-chan.”

  “Do you want a baby, Tomi?”

  “It would be nice to have a little Brad. But I am happy to have you if that is to be.

  Are you okay? Do you need to be a father?”

  “I’m thinking like you are. If it is to be, it will be.

  I think it’s a good idea to get married when I come back from Vietnam. We will have the money and as you said, we will have a lot of time for the paperwork.”

  "I’m sorry, Brad, I didn’t think about White Beach and if Mr. Winters liked it. I was thinking too much about shipping over and what we were doing.”

  “That’s alright, Tomi. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it also.”

  “So? What happened? Tell me, dozo?” Tomi insisted and rolled over against Brad with a hand under her chin so she could look into his eyes even in the dim light of their apartment.

  Brad stuck his tongue out at her, then raised his face up until they were nose to nose. Her tongue flicked his lips twice before she kissed him passionately pushing him down onto his pillow.

  “Do you want me to tell you about my day, or are you going to seduce me again?”

  “Eeee. I am not seducing you. I never seduce you. It is always you who seduces me.”

  “Okay. Have it your way.” Brad rolled over on top of her, but before he could do anything else, she had wrapped her legs around his waist and started to squeeze.

  “Tell me Brad-san, or I will not let you go.”

  “It was a long ride to White Beach this morning with Chief Warrant Officer Winters and Mrs. Chief Warrant Officer Winters.”

  “Arlene went with you? To White Beach? Honto?”

  “Hai. She also bought me lunch and a glass of wine. And told me what a great job that we did for her club.”

  “We?”

  “Hai. I told her that you helped me with great moral support and keeping me supplied with biru all weekend.”

  “You lie. You didn’t tell her that?”

  “Hai. I did. She thinks that I was drunk all weekend while I was doing the job.”

  “You are so, so bad a liar.” You can never fool me. I know the minute that you lie to me.”

  “I can’t get away with anything can I?”

  Tomi released him and rolled over on to her side still holding his hand which she kissed lightly. “Iie, I will always know. Now tell me what really happened.”

  “We talked a lot about how they like Okinawa, and getting ready to retire. And we talked about you and me and how we have decided to deal with the Navy and our life together.”

  “What did they say? About us and our decisions?”

  “They both agree with us and think that we are handling it very good. They also offered any help that they could give us, now or in the future.”

  “But if they retire, we will lose them, neh?”

  “Actually, Don gave me some phone numbers where we can always get a message to them and said they would give us their new address when they leave the island.”

  “The job? It was right? Good?”

  “Of course it was right. I did it, didn't I? They knew it was great.

  Oww. Why did you hit me?”

  “Sometimes your head swells up and I need to make it smaller. Does that make sense in English?”

  “Hai. I get the message.”

  “When are you going to send in your request for an extension and transfer?”

  “Not before I have to. I think the first week in August should be soon enough.”

  “How long is that?”

  “About 80 days. Almost three months.

  Did you hear me Tomi?”

  Brad heard and felt her breathing change and felt the little snuggle thing that she did against his side when she fell to sleep every night.

  “Good night my Love.” He said softly as he settled against her.

  THIRTY-NINE

  Brad again looked at the speed message he was holding dated on Friday, 12 August 1966, sent three days before from North Island Naval Station in San Diego. It was the approval of his extension of 12 months and a transfer to MCB-8 in Port Hueneme, CA. He decided to wait until after they got home from the coffee house before showing it to Tomi.

  It is just like we expected. No surprises here. He thought before tucking the single flimsy piece of paper under a place mat on the table. He finished changing out of his working uniform and put on a pair of civilian slacks and a new short sleeve shirt that Tomi had bought for him on Sunday when they prowled Black Market Alley together seeking bargains of things they really didn’t need.

  As had become his habit, Brad went around to the back of the building and entered through the kitchen. Waved to the cooks and kitchen help before grabbing an icy cold San Miguel beer from the cooler.

  “Brad-san.” The new cook that Tomi had hired last week hollered. “I am making some tempura. Would you like some?”

  Hai, dozo. A lot of fish and rice with it. Arigato Papa-san.” Brad answered just as he went into Tomi’s tiny office.

  Tomi swiveled her chair and stood when she heard him outside. A sh
ort step and she was across the office and in his arms. “Konbanwa my Love.” She said before kissing him passionately on the lips and hugging him hard.

  “Whoa, what is this? Did I do something I don’t know about to deserve such a loving greeting?”

  “Iie. Nothing. I just felt the need to hold you and in my very sukoshi office I cannot do anything else. Really, I have waited since about 3 this afternoon to do that.”

  Brad studied her face. Made eye contact and saw love and a touch of sadness in them. Jesus. She knows. I went to pick up the speed letter at 1500. This is spooky.

  “Brad? Something wrong? You are looking strange. You got our orders didn’t you?”

  “Hai. I picked them up at about 1500 just before I left the base.” He watched her face. She did pick up on the time. This is getting spookier by the minute. He had watched her expression go from a little sad, to a bit scared and sadder still.

  Brad pulled her tighter against him and she responded by tightening her arms around his neck and lifting herself slightly up in his arms.

  “It’s just like we knew it would be. I’ll be checking out on 30 August and check-in aboard MCB-8 30 days later”

  Tomi stepped back so she could look into his eyes. Hers were wet, but no tears had run down her cheeks.

  Gently Brad wiped the corner of each of her eyes with his thumbs. He took her hand and started out the door. “Let’s go sit in the back corner. Papa-san is fixing us some tempura and besides, my biru is getting hot.”

  Tomi laid her head against his arm and followed him.

  “I don’t think that your beer is that warm. You are just hungry and the thought of Papa-san’s cooking is more than you can stand.

  It was very strange.” Tomi went on as they sat at the table reserved for the help in the back corner of the coffee house. It was actually Brad’s favorite table from before he fell in love with Tomi and she made it the employee's table when she became manager of the coffee house.

  “What do you mean? What is so strange?” Brad asked knowing full well what she was talking about.

  “That I knew our orders had come, and what they were. All of a sudden I felt you holding a piece of paper. I needed to touch you. To have you hold me and me you. I needed a kiss and a hug. The feeling got stronger until the door to my office opened and you walked in. I knew that you were here and you were about to hold me and kiss me. I felt your body against me. I really felt the hot from your skin."

  ”Then what, Tomi? What’s the matter? I’m here. Everything is all right now.”

  “It’s alright. I felt very good the minute you touched me. It was like I knew in my head that you were here and I could see you, but my body had to feel you.

  Do I sound stupid? Or crazy?”

  “Not at all. You love me and right now we need each other to get through life.”

  She smiled, reached across the small table to hold his hand before getting up. “I will get our dinner and you another beer, neh?”

  “I’ll pass on the beer, Tomi. How about ocha? Want me to help you?”

  “I will do it. Relax it is my honor to serve the man that I love.”

  “You are crazy, but I won’t complain. At least for the moment.”

  As soon as they got into their apartment, Tomi headed for the shower as she usually did. Brad opened the glass slider and stood watching a tanker moving slowly along the coastline towards Naha Port. As the ship passed from view, he laid out their futon bed and changed into his nemaki. Sipping on an icy Coke, he picked up the flimsy speed message and reread his orders.

  What is that?” Tomi asked coming out of the bathroom wrapped in a big towel. Her hair was still wet and she started to fluff it dry with a smaller towel. “I love these towels that we got at BX. I’m glad you talked me into getting them. I have never felt anything so soft and warm.”

  Tomi reached for the flimsy and slowly read it. Brad watched her sounding out the more difficult words. Proud of her for her perseverance in learning to read a lot of English in such a short time.

  “I know my English is not very much, but some of this makes no sense, Brad. What does it all mean?”

  “I’m to go to MCB-8 in Port Hueneme for Sea Duty, (read Vietnam for that,) with 30 days delay-in-route, (I can take 30 days of leave here before I go stateside) and I have 12 months of obligation left to the Navy. I'll have to leave NAF Naha on or about 1 September, 1966.”

  “You are sure about the times? I can’t read that. And I thought we would have more time than that.”

  “We do if I take 30 days of what the Navy calls delay en route.”

  Tomi let the towel drop from around her and stood quietly studying Brad’s orders.

  “What that means is that I can take a month leave here. With you. And if you keep standing there, I’ll be taking more than that.”

  Tomi looked at Brad, down at her naked body and her mischievous smile lit up her face for the first time all evening. “I’m comfortable this way. And I do like the look on your face. I think that it is a look of hunger.

  Wakarauai? If they say you must leave around the first of September, how can you stay here for another month?”

  “They will let me checkout of NAF Naha on or about September 1, but my airplane ticket won’t be good for another month after that. Like October 1. Wakarimasu ka?”

  “Hai.” She answered and slid down onto Brad’s lap. “I’m cold, warm me up, dozo.”

  “You can’t be cold. It’s August and the breeze is small and warm.” Brad said and turned his face away from her so she couldn’t see the smile spread across his face.

  “Eeee. Sometimes you are so stupid.” She laughed and slid onto the top of their futon lying on her back as the mischievous smile spread across her face.

  They lay sleepily in each other’s arms. The glow from an almost full moon spread across them. “Turn out the light, Brad. I want to see the moon and the boats.”

  Brad slipped back under the light blanket next to Tomi.

  “Everything will be okay. You know that?”

  “Hai. You just made me pregnant.” She said sleepily as her breathing changed and she snuggled against her one true love.

  FORTY

  LETTERS

  10/7/66

  Konnichi wa my Love,

  I am still trying to gather my thoughts and recover from the time changes. It is not helping that my days have been quite full of military stuff. I did arrive as we thought on Tuesday evening and I checked into a motel for a night's sleep.

  It was very strange and unsettling to sleep alone without my love to snuggle against. I kept waking up reaching for her, or to feel her warmth next to me. How I do miss you and it has not even been one week since we last slept together.

  I am concerned that you are okay knowing that you are not pregnant. I didn't think that you seriously believed that you were, but was pretending for the love it added to our love making. I have trouble waiting for your first letter to tell me all is okay.

  On Wednesday morning I checked into MCB-8 and never stopped running until late Friday afternoon. Then I took a shower before going to the Acey-Ducey Club to get dinner which I never made it to.

  When I woke up it was very dark and quiet out. This letter I had started to you still sat on the desk with yesterday's date on it. As far as I got. I staggered down the hall to the drink machine for a Coke and got some cookies out of a snack machine. My first supper after returning to the States.

  How about some sushi? Can you bring some home to me? Or better yet, stay at the Kokusai Coffee House and eat some of Papa-san's yakamesa?

  Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I spent checking-in to MCB 8. I had to get an issue of Seabee greens, our work uniforms, draw my weapon and get scheduled for a new course in jungle warfare as well as two weeks of weapons training. One boring week of weapons training in the classroom then a week on the live firing range. At least that will be
fun.

  I was surprised at how many of the men here that I know, and have been stationed with before. I guess there aren't that many Seabees in the world. At least it seems like a very small world. One old friend is Dan Storer. We were together in Alaska where I worked for him. And again I shall be working for him when I get through with the military stuff.

  MCB-8 will start leaving Port Hueneme for RVN the last week of November and then be spread out through the middle of December. Dan thinks that we will be leaving the week of 12/4. Not sure which day yet.

  Dan has a nesan in Japan, who also has a typewriter and she writes regularly with no translation necessary. You Oriental women are just so very smart. I'm jittery waiting to get your first letter. I want to know that you are okay and all is well with the apartment, coffee house and all of our friends.

  Enough for now. I'll write as often as I can and hopefully it will be at least every other day.

  I love you so very much and miss you with all of my being.

  Love Brad

  10/20/66

  My Dearest Tomako,

  I just finished reading my very first letter from you. I am so proud of you. Your English is great and so readable.

  I feel a lot better now that I know that I was right about your thoughts of being pregnant. You do not have to apologize for anything. I am just a loving, caring man in your life who worries about such things. If we were together at home and seeing each other everyday, I would know that you were all right and would worry less.

  It is such a secure feeling that our letters are now passing back and forth between us.

  I have to limit this letter so I can study for a test that I have to take at 0800 tomorrow morning. But I do want to say how much I miss you and love you. How much your letters mean to me.

  I'll make up for this short letter tomorrow, Saturday. I expect it will be a quiet day with little to do so I am planning on writing letters to a nesan I know on Okinawa and reading an entertaining book instead of something on jungle warfare or military tactics.

  Good night my love.