The last tomato - Hiroshima told in his own words: (9)

　
(9) Write a name on the naked body in India ink

When I went down to the bank of the river, somebody was calling as "Takemoto" and "Takemoto" in my neighborhood. I looked around, thinking who was calling me. There were many people in my surrounding and I could not find the man who called me. Finally I could find him but he was a man whom I did not know. I asked him , Who are you?, he answered, Me. Me. I am Kawabata. I was surprised. Mr. Kawabata was the best friend of the same class, who was together with me till this morning.

However, his face had changed much, so I could not recognize him even if I looked him in the face. "Takemoto! I'm Kawabata! I'm Kawabata! he still shouted. Though he sat just behind me in the classroom and we met together every day, I could not recognize him. His face became about two times large. I was not able to consider him as the same person. I looked at his shoes unintentionally and found the name "Kawabata" written on them. I recognized him at last.

We should be at the Enami town after we would cross the river. There was the house of our close friend Nobuyuki Masumoto. "I understand you are Kawabata. If we cross this river, there is a house of Masumoto. We will go there. Do your best to go there!" I encouraged him and carried Mr. Kawabata on my back, and began to cross the river.

We crossed the river and climbed on the bank of the opposite side. I asked the place and knew luckily his house was close to the river. His mother and elder sister were in his house. I asked them whether Masumoto was safe or not. They answered, "He returned home before noon but he had the whole body serious burnt, so we took him to the army hospital." I needed to take Kawabata to the hospital immediately. I borrowed the bicycle trailer from Masumotos house, got the help from Masumoto's elder sister, and took him to the army hospital.

The way in front of the hospital was blocked by the fallen people, a lot of people.
Some people who lied on straw mats or doors were lucky. Other people lied directly on the ground. Some were already dead with their bodies expanded to red. Some were still alive with their eyes open, though they could not speak already. Some were crying again and again "Give me water! Give me water!"

A name of Yamanaka or Ohmachi was written on a piece of tile or a piece of wood on the side where the person lied. It was the name of the person. The names of some persons were written on their naked bodies in India ink.

As persons in charge of relief were lacking, many persons could not get relief. So, at least, their names should be heard and be written on their bodies directly while they were able to speak their names. There were also many people who died with their names unknown. Those who had a white plaster or cooking oil applied were still fortunate. Most persons unluckily lied on all the ways in front of the hospital without any care. So, we were not able to arrive at the hospital.

We entered the courtyard of the hospital. We were not able to go on from there, I handed Kawabata to someone at the entrance of the hospital.
However, I did not remember the person whom I handed him. I have not remembered whether the person was a nurse or a military man. Only this portion is not in my memory clearly. Later I tried to trace back my memory desperately, but it can never be remembered. I am very sorry to Mr. Kawabata, but I parted from him there and after all it became the last time when I met Mr. Kawabata.

In the case of Mr. Saito with whom I watched lunches together, I thought that he would die. However, Mr. Saito appeared on the class reunion party held in Shinjuku in Tokyo about 40 years later after that time. He thought also that I would die, so our reunion is really a miraculous reunion.

(To be continued)