A Gift of Heart

My son sent me the book Heart of Fire written by Mazie Hirono. She is our U.S. senator from Hawaii since 2013 and yes, we did vote for her. Lately, I've really admired how outspoken she's become and showing up in national news voicing her vision for reforms she'd like to see.

Mom told me she's always voted for Mazie ever since she met her mother. That took me aback. I asked her how that could be. I'm not always 100% sure about mom's recollections. 

She told me that Mazie's mom, Chieko (Laura) worked as a typesetter for the competing Japanese language newspaper, Hawaii Hochi. Mom worked as a typesetter for the Hawaii Times. (The photo to the right is of mom taken at the Hawaii Times.) Apparently one of Laura's friends from Hawaii Hochi moved over to the Hawaii Times and told mom about Laura's many orchids that she kept in a hothouse. This was puzzling to me. 

"How did you get there? Where was the house? Who went with you? Why would she invite you in particular?"

Mom said she didn't know but suspected it was so that Laura could convince her to vote for Mazie.

Hmmm.... strange. Mazie is only two years older than me. When could this have happened?

As I read more of the book things fell logically into place. I know that though mom worked as a typesetter, she also often edited the articles written by one of the reporters who wrote her a very lovely thank you note when he retired. So it's possible, that mom was invited with the possibility that she might have a bit of influence. Maybe. 

The mutual friend had driven mom to Laura's house in Hawaii Kai where she got to enjoy all the beautiful orchids. Laura also secured mom's vote.

I guess I shouldn't have doubted what mom said even though that was a long time ago.

Laura was also born in Hawaii just like mom though she along with her family moved back to Japan when she was 15. Mom was 6 when her Buddhist priest father took his family back to Japan after ministering to patients at Kalaupapa. Laura was born in Waipahu where I actually grew up.

I was born when we lived in an isolated sugar cane field plantation home speaking only Japanese until I was 5 years old. Mazie, her mother and brother moved back to Hawaii when she was 8 years old. We both went into 1st grade barely able to speak English.

Mazie writes about her Japanese household and how we were raised to gaman (endure and persevere) and not show a lot of emotion in public. We were also raised not to show a lot of physical affection which we became accustomed to after moving to the mainland. 

She describes playing with paper dolls and marbles in the dirt. My brother and I played with what we called "eggets." I looked that up and realize now it's probably supposed to be a Hawaiian pidgin type translation of agates. I think. There was so much we didn't think about. One of the funny ones I still laugh about is not knowing "Porogee" was Portuguese. I never knew the porogee kids we played with were actually Caucasian. I thought they were just local like everybody else. 

One part of her book that really grabbed me was how she and her brother would wait at the bus stop for their mom to return home from the newspaper.

Oh my gosh! That's what my brother, Dennis and I often did. We'd walk the mile or so to the bus stop and sit on that bench outside this store, keeping an eye out for the bus to come down the street.

Sometimes, we would splurge and sit there eating an ice cake (frozen strawberry juice in a small cup for 5 cents). Store owner, Mr. Takenaka used to call us "Ishkaboo." I have no idea what that meant, but it was said in a laughing, friendly way.

One thing that I was wondering about were the stories Mazie tells about some of the people (the guys) in her life. They don't come out looking very stellar in the book. I imagine they have got to feel.... hmmmm... not great?

Trump? She thinks he's one of the worst presidents... EVER, but most people know that.

I'm not done with the book yet, but I've got several people waiting in line to read it after me.

Hmmmm... Perhaps when the pandemic is over, I can bring this book to Maryland with me so my son can read it too.