Chapter 2.1

With still no sign of rain the end of July approached. After seeing off the last patient on the afternoon of Saturday the 30th, Ritsuko pulled the curtain shut and turned towards the entryway, the cloudless blue sky still looming overhead. The strong rays of the sun scorched the scenery in white. The shadows that fell were tiny, but dark as if painted on.

Ritsuko's eyes narrowed against the brightness outdoors and pulled closed the curtain to dull the sun. Just then a wheezing like noise of the scooter came. The old worn out scooter pulled into the lot staggeringly, coming to a stop beneath the small shadow cast before the entryway.

Ristuko forced a smile as she took the closed curtain and half-opened it. From behind, she heard Isaki Satoko's voice.

"Ricchan, an emergency?"

Satoko had already changed clothes and had her bag in hand.

"It's the Obaa-chan of the Murasako household."

"Oh."

"It's all right. We're finished for today. You're going to eat with everyone right? Don't mind, go on ahead."

"You don't mind? I'm sorry!" Satoko said making an apologetic gesture, disappearing towards the back entrance just as the front entrance opened.

"Uhm... is now a bad time?"

The one who hobbled in with her helmet in one hand, the coating fading off of it, was Murasako Mieko of Yamairi. She was at an age where just seeing her straddle a scooter was cause for fear, but living out in Yamairi, she couldn't get by without at least driving a scooter.

"Come in." Ritsuko stood on the clay floor of the entryway, inviting Mieko inside. Bowing her head several times, Mieko passed by, opening the curtain again.

"On Saturdays, it's only until noon, I know. I'd gotten out of the house late. I'm so sorry."

"It's all right. Are you here for Gigorou-Ojii-chan's medicine?" Ritsuko asked as she moved around into the reception counter. As she was halfway there, Mutou poked his face out.

"Ricchan, it an emergency?"

"It's Mieko Obaa-chan. ---It's all right, please, go ahead and have lunch!"

Ritsuko said as much as she entered the reception area but Mutou came following after her.

"Sorry for the trouble." Mieko apologized across the counter, wiping away the sweat on her brow as if she had no excuse for herself.

Mutou smiled and lightly waved his hand. "Nah, don't mind it a bit. It's hot, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Gigorou-san's medicine, yes? --Ricchan, I'll go get the records," Mutou said. Ritsuko nodded and went deeper into the office towards the pharmacy.

"And how is Gigorou-san's health?"

"About that, these past few days it hasn't been good, so..."

"Oh?"

The northern community separated in the mountains, Yamairi, had only three inhabitants left, old folks who lived draped over the area. One of them was Ohkawa Gigorou, with a history of high blood pressure which he took medication for. Gigorou himself came for his medicine but on occasion the neighbors Murasako Hidemasa or Mieko would come.

"That's no good, is it? Wouldn't it be better to have the Junior Doctor have a look at him?"

"I'm thinking it's a summer cold is all. --Actually, my husband has one, himself."

"My, is he all right?" Interrupted Yasuyo. Carrying a cup of barley tea in hand, she placed it atop the counter. "It's hot, isn't it? Here, have this."

"Oh my, I'm so sorry, on top of coming in after hours."

"It's quite all right. No one wants to go out in the heat, we're all dawdling around the office still anyway," said Yasuyo. "How is Gigorou-san? Does he have a fever?"

Mieko waved her hand. "It doesn't look like he has a fever. If it's not a summer cold, maybe the summer heat is getting to him."

"She says Murasako-Ojii-chan has a summer cold," added Mutou, causing Mieko to wave her hand again.

"Oh, I don't think it's anything big. My husband doesn't have any kind of fever either. But, he's just sort of spaced out. He seems slack, always nodding off to sleep, though."

"Oh dear me," murmured Yasuyo. "Talk to the doctor, it might be best to have him take some medicine after all, don't you think?"

Mutou added in again "Yasuyo-san, I'm going to go put in a word with the doctor."

"Oh, no, my, that's..."

"It's nothing, we'll just ask him quickly," Mutou said easily as he stepped out of the receptionist's office. Watching Mutou jog off towards the residential side of the building, Yasuyo offered Mieko a seat.

"It will just be a moment. --Has Gigorou-san been eating all right, with this heat? Or is he working too hard?"

"If only he were that noble a man. But no, he himself says he's just tired from going out."

"Well, that's nice isn't it? A vacation?"

"Oh, I don't think it's anything big. A few days ago, he had a guest at his home. He came in a very nice car. I don't remember what that kind of car was called, though. But as soon as I'd said what a grand car it was, he said that he had someone to meet and went out. He didn't say who he was meeting or where he was going, though."

"Heeh?."

"It sure seemed like it'd have been a story to hear though. He left in high spirits and didn't come back all night. If he was going to stay out, he could at least stay he's going to be out before he goes, though."

Yasuyo smiled. It seemed Gigorou, who lived alone, ate dinner at the Murasako house. Even if they lived in different houses, they were practically family.

"Out all night without a word to anyone. Gigorou-san, you sly dog," said Yasuyo, raising a laugh from Mieko.

"He'd be doing well for his age to come home well. But the next day, when he came back, he looked like the life was drained out of him, spacing out. If he hadn't said himself he was worn out, I'd think it was a summer cold, just like I'd been saying. I mean really, he's become so sluggish it's unbearable. Since then, he's just been hard and fast asleep."

"Well dear me. That's worrisome."

"He doesn't have a fever. In fact, he's almost cool to the touch. His color's no good, but it doesn't seem like his blood pressure's high or anything."

"And your husband, Mieko-san, is he the same way?"

"Why he is, he is just like Gigorou-san, indeed. Maybe he'd gotten Gigorou's summer cold, I'd thought to myself, but. If my husband weren't like that himself, I'd have had him bring me by car, after all."

"I wonder if that doesn't sound like something the doctor should look at for you after all."

"Of course not. If he sleeps, he'll recover."

"--Poor guy. Getting an amateur's diagnosis."

The one whose voice was tinged with a laugh was Toshio.

"Oh, Doctor. I am sorry for today," Mieko said bowing her head deeply as if profoundly ashamed for troubling him from the very bottom of her heart.

"And? What's up with Gigorou-san?"

Toshio invited Mieko back towards the examination room to check her over as Yasuyo went into the medication room. Ritsuko was just finishing putting a rubber band around the medicine.

"Did the doctor come back in?"

"Mmhm. Say what they will about him, that man is a diligent doctor."

Ritsuko smiled. "He is. ---But it'd still be better if he could watch that mouth of his."

"Never happening, never happening. I've worked here since that one was a child so I'm alllll too familiar with him, he's always been contrary. The more you tell him to watch what he says to the people around him, the more he wants to say the worst."

Ritsuko smiled, offering no comment.

It wasn't long before the Toshio they were speaking of came out with Mieko.

"Ricchan, I gave her her medicine," Toshio said, handing her the file before turning back to Mieko. "Anyway, if it looks bad, have him come in for an exam. If he can't make it in, I'll come give one, so call me."

"I'm truly sorry for the trouble."

"Whether it's a cold or the heat, don't take it lightly. Old people can drop dead in no time flat."

Yasuyo raised her brows as if to chide him for saying something unnecessary again as Ritsuko sputtered out a laugh. But still, as Toshio headed back towards the main wing of his house, Mieko saw him off with a polite bow of her head.