ボーアタルジ 久子 Boa Tarde, Hisako！（Hello, Hisako！）

Part II Hisako's Note (2) Robbery at my Brazilian residence (everything has been taken away)

2 Robbery at my Brazilian residence

My home was also robbed. I will never forget the event, which occurred before I came to Japan. I was cooking a meal when there was a knock on the door. No sooner had I asked who it was than a group of black men and the white men rolled in. I and the second son Jiro were thrown on the futon in a full nelson. Then we were gagged. Cannot breathe! It's trying!

My daughter Mayumi worked as an accountant during the day and studied at university night classes. I prayed desperately in the heart: do not let her come home now, dear God. Please make it after they have left.

One of the robbers watched us and the rest carried out the furniture, clothes, and any other things in the room in full swing: the chests, television set, radio, refrigerator, etc. They took the car too. Unfortunately, Kazuo visited our place on his way home from work. He was all at once held by the robbers and forced by a gun to be rolled in futon. When the robbers had gone, we removed each other's gags. At the totally empty house we could not cry enough. All were astounded. While, I thanked God because Mayumi had not come home during the robbery.

The Brazilian police visited the house later but would not search for robbers. They said, "Lucky not to have been killed or injured." Thereafter, I often had panic attacks and thought I was going mad. So, I even consulted a psychiatric clinic. I am still sensitive to an unexpected sound.

The refrigerator was stolen. The television set and the car were taken. What shall I do? How shall I live on? Clothes and stocked foodstuff were all taken. My salary could not afford the damage.

For the first time in my life, I had to borrow for our day-to-day expenses.

The dept grew larger under Brazilian inflation where prices became higher day by day. * (*Refer to the end of this section.) I asked my two children who went to university, Jiro, and Mayumi, to lend me 5,000 yen equivalent to pay the rent for March which I could not come up with. I asked my physically handicapped elder brother who lived in the same house but naturally he did not have it. The situation in Kazuo's household also worsened with marital argument becoming more frequent.

My parents had emigrated to Bazil in the early Showa period. According to their story Japan is a safe country to live in. Could I not rebuild up our life if I only to go to Japan? I had heard Japan is peaceful and there is abundant job opportunity. Moreover, one can get a lot of salary. Many friends have gone there crossing the ocean. I began to think about going to Japan seriously.

Kazuo thought about going to Japan right away. [Why don't I go to Japan? Yes, I will start right now!]

So far, I had worried about Kazuo's recklessness and quick decision making. In the past, I had worried about his hasty marriage. This time, too, Kazuo quickly had submitted application for a passport as soon as he decided to go to Japan. Despite not being able to speak Japanese, he has gone by himself to the other side of the earth, to grandparents' land, Japan. He went without thinking of the waiting family or even of his own living.

I, too, decided to go to Japan, but I could not sleep when I think of the family who would be left behind.

* Note

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The quantity of necessity purchased in one month for five members of family and four watch dogs (1992 Suzuki Hisako, in Sao Paulo)

Salt 1.5 kg

Sugar 25 kg

Rice 20 kg

Rape oil 13 -14 bottles (a liter per bottle)

Olive oil 2 cans (18 liter per can)

Focus beans 5 kg

Flour 4 kg

Meat for four dogs 16-20 kg (Cheap parts: head, foot, green stuff of cattle or

pigs)

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