Yoshi and Tomoko
by Dustyn Thyme
Yoshi and Tomoko were young when their mother died. Yoshi, the younger by four years, was devastated and cried all day and much of the night in the arms of his tenderhearted brother.
After the funeral, his father said to Yoshi, "We have no mother now in this house, but your brother, who is tenderhearted will care for you while I working in the city. He will do the cooking and watch over you while I am gone, and I will return to be with you every night, though you may be asleep when I come home."
Yoshi did not miss his mother so much as might be thought, as Tomoko took such care with him, nursing him when he skinned his knees and elbows, and holding him for comfort when he fell out of trees, for Yoshi was an active child who risked much and hurt often. His brother held his hand when they said prayers at night before bed.
In addition to taking the mother's part with him, Tomoko spent time with Yoshi. playing ball and teaching him to hunt. Yoshi passed from being a child to being a healthy boy who needed not so much the tender part, but loved the attention he got from his brother. They became good hunters.
Once, on their way home from school, they were joined by Tomoko's friend and classmate, Ashi, who lived nearby. Ashi spent the afternoon with them playing ball and tag. The next day and the next, Ashi, joined them until it became a habit that Ashi would spend his free time with the brothers.
One day, Tomoko told Yoshi to go and play by himself for a while, that Tomoko and Ashi had it in mind to hunt for bear, which could be dangerous, and they wanted not to be distracted by worrying about the smaller boy. Yoshi protested that he was a good hunter, but Tomoko said he was not strong enough yet to draw the bow on a bear, and if things got tight it would make all the difference if he could shoot to kill. Yoshi was hurt by his brother's words, but stayed home alone.
When the hunters came home, they were happy, not because they killed a bear, but because they had enjoyed their day alone together in the woods. They held hands and smiled happily at Yoshi in the evening light.
Thereafter it became more frequent that the older boys sent Yoshi away from them so they could be alone together. Yoshi grew jealous of his older brother's friendship.
When Yoshi heard nasty stories in the schoolyard about his brother and Ashi, he knew they could be true for he had once seen his brother and Ashi kissing at a distance. When he got home alone with Tomoko, Yoshi accused his brother of doing the things the schoolyard stories said, which Yoshi said he knew to be true because Tomoko was tender-hearted and could have feelings for a man like a woman felt for a man. For his part Yoshi said he was deeply and forever shamed by them and wanted never to be seen with the older boys again. It broke Yoshi's heart when Tomoko confessed how much he loved Ashi and cried in his bed through the night. But, Yoshi hardened his heart and gave no comfort or forgiveness to his brother.
In the school yard Yoshi told his own stories of people like those his brother was accused of being and joined in taunting Ashi and Tomoko who were silent and embarrassed in their shame. That night Yoshi kept apart from Tomoko and Ashi except to take the meal his brother had prepared for them. Yohsi ate in silence, ignoring his brother's pleading eyes.
In the morning Tomoko's bed was empty. In his place was a note that said. "If you ever need me, climb to the top of the tallest tree in the forest for an hour in the afternoon and I will see you there and I will come to you." Heavy- hearted Yoshi went to school by himself and spent his evening alone waiting to tell his father of Tomoko's disappearance, and of Ashi who was also missing, though Yoshi was too ashamed to tell his father why the two had departed. The days that followed left Yoshi feeling ever lonelier.
In time rumors reached the village that Tomoko and Ashi had established reputations as fine young hunters in a village a way on the other side of the forest. Yoshi hunted the forest by himself, wandering often by the tallest tree, wondering if his brother ever came there.
Then one day the news came that Tomoko had been killed by a charging bear. That day Yoshi climbed the tallest tree to nurse his sorrow. Ashi came to the tree, and together they grieved.
--- Dustyn Thyme --- dustynthyme@hotmail.com