Chapter 38: Doing One’s Duty

October 28, 1983, McKinley, Ohio

"You look cute in a skirt, Mike," Melody teased.

"It's a «袴» (hakama)!" Kimiko protested.

"Ignore Melody," I chuckled. "And besides, the vestments I wear in church are very much like a dress, and so is my cassock! In fact, I'm wearing my cassock underneath this outfit to protect the Japanese clothes from skin oils because we didn't have a complete kimono available."

"Where did you get the outfit for Mike, Kimiko?" Sandy asked.

"The hakama, or what Melody called the 'skirt', came from a martial arts store that sells uniforms for kendo and aikido. It's not truly Japanese, in that it was made here and mass-produced, but it serves the purpose."

"And the top?"

"The «法被» (happi)? From the same place, as it's worn in formal situations if the person can't get an authentic kimono from Japan. The sword came from a costume shop. It's a replica of a Civil War sword because I couldn't find a proper replica samurai sword!"

"And your outfit?" Melody asked.

"It's a «小紋» (komon), which is a casual kimono to be worn around town. The only other one I have is very formal and would be worn at a tea ceremony. It's VERY difficult to put on, and VERY difficult to move in, and VERY difficult to clean! If I were a few years older, I would have a «振袖» (furisode), which signifies that I am single and of age and available for marriage proposals."

"You're eighteen, though, right?"

"Yes, but traditionally, in modern Japan, girls get them at twenty. My father is very traditional, so we follow the Japanese custom."

"I can't believe you got Mike to dye his hair!" Sophia laughed.

I chuckled, "All she had to do was remind me of You Only Live Twice and I agreed. It's theatrical dye I borrowed from Deb. It'll wash out in the shower with hot water. I didn't go for dyeing my skin or rubber prosthetics to make me less of a 'round eye'!"

"That's a rude saying," Kimiko said. "You would never call me a 'slant eye'!"

"No, of course not, but they made a point of that in the movie, which is why I said it. I think your eyes are beautiful!"

Sandy, Clarissa, Marie, Jeannette, Sophia, Kristin, and Melody all made fake gagging sounds, coughed, or did something else to tease me.

"Laying it on pretty thick!" Sophia laughed.

"He was just being sweet," Kimiko replied.

"Boy, does he have HER fooled!" Robby teased, laughing.

"Yeah, yeah," I deadpanned. "You guys are a barrel of laughs! Though I have to say, Robby and Lee, as cheerleaders in short shorts, skirts, and sweaters, are a sight to behold!"

"Did you guys see Jason and Fran?" Pete asked.

"A priest and a naughty nun?" Sandy laughed. "I thought those two were WAY too straitlaced for that!"

"Kind of the opposite of Melody," Jeannette laughed. "She's the mousey librarian, well, with massive cleavage!"

"Sophia," Melody asked, "where did you get the football helmet, pads, and uniform?"

"They belonged to my older brother when he played Pop Warner," she replied. "Once I decided on this costume, Lee had the idea for the cheerleader costumes. Clarissa, where did you get your outfits?"

"A costume shop in Columbus. Glenda and I went looking, and when we saw the 'Wicked Witch of the West' outfit, we asked about a 'Good Witch of the South' outfit, and here we are!"

"How did you decide who would be Glinda and who would be the Wicked Witch?" Sophia asked with a smirk.

Glenda cackled, "Everyone knows I'm the wicked one!"

"Any idea what Milena is wearing?" Clarissa asked.

"She's coming as Jeannie, and Joel is coming as Major Nelson!" I replied.

"Yes, but does she show her belly button?" Melody asked. "The network wouldn't let Barbara Eden show hers!"

"Idiots," Marie, who was wearing a Cincinnati Reds #14 Pete Rose replica uniform, declared.

"Hey, they banned The Outlaw in Cincinnati because it showed Jane Russell's cleavage!" Melody added.

"Prudes, all of them!" Jeannette, who was dressed as a VERY naughty nurse, stated firmly.

We arrived at Milena's house, and the party was just getting into swing. Milena was looking VERY sexy indeed in her 'Jeannie' outfit, and Joel looked quite handsome in his replica Air Force uniform. Her friend Deb was dressed as the 50s 'bobbysoxer,' complete with a poodle skirt, saddle shoes, and a ponytail.

"Shall I kick off my shoes?" Deb asked as she greeted me.

"I don't have a pink carnation, nor do I drive a pickup truck, but I think I can dance with you!"

"That's a great song," she said. "Have you ever tried to figure out all the references?"

"I have, but I'm not so sure of my interpretations. I read once that Don McLean refused to provide any hints, except to acknowledge that 'The Day the Music Died' refers to the deaths of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper in the plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa."

"That one I knew!"

"But did you know Waylon Jennings was supposed to be on the flight but gave up his seat to The Big Bopper because The Big Bopper was ill? And Valens won a coin toss for the third seat."

"Wow. No, I hadn't heard that. I don't think he won."

"I'd say not. And if you want something really spooky, there's a story Waylon Jennings tells about when Holly found out Jennings had given up his seat, Holly made a joke about the terrible condition of the buses they were using by telling Jennings, 'Well, I hope your old bus freezes up.' Jennings responded 'Well, I hope your old plane crashes'."

"Holy shit! What a thing to have to live with."

"No kidding! Anyway. I think I'm going to get the sheet music for that song. I know the lyrics by heart."

The gang went into the house, and I saw a wide variety of costumes, including the traditional witches, skeletons, and ghosts, to a couple who were dressed as Luke and Leia from Star Wars.

"They have the incest fantasy thing going on there!" Clarissa whispered.

"Gross, Lissa!" I replied under my breath.

I took Kimiko to the great room and we had our first dance, then went to get something to drink and circulate. The evening was a blast and included everything from bobbing for apples to a costume contest, which, to nobody's surprise, Milena and Joel won. I had the chance to dance with most of the girls, and Milena and I sang a couple of duets, with the party finally beginning to wind down around 1:00am.

"I need to get back," I said to Milena. "I have to be up for my 5:00am shift in the lab, and I need at least a few hours of sleep!"

"See you Sunday?" she asked.

"Sure."

We hugged, then Kimiko and I left the party, accompanied by Clarissa and Glenda. Kimiko and I bade the other two 'goodnight', and she came into my room with me to help remove the Japanese-style clothing and ensure it was folded properly. I was wearing my cassock underneath, so removing the makeshift kimono didn't leave me naked.

"Thanks," I said. "I need a shower to rinse this dye out of my hair, then I'm going to say my prayers and get some sleep."

"Would you like some help washing your hair?" she asked quietly.

"I would," I said gently, "but if you stay to help, I won't get any sleep at all."

"You're still unsure?" she asked.

I took her in my arms and looked into her eyes, "I'm completely sure, but this isn't the night."

Kimiko nodded, and we exchanged our three usual soft kisses. She gathered the clothing and left the room. I quickly stripped off my cassock and underwear, showered with very hot water and lots of shampoo to remove the theatrical dye, dried off, said my prayers, and climbed into bed.

October 29, 1983, McKinley, Ohio

I'd foolishly agreed to do the Saturday morning checks at the lab so one of the grad students could go home for the weekend. On the plus side, it was $20 in my pocket, which helped make up for the expensive sushi dinner. But that meant I had to be up early the morning after the party, and the ringing alarm was like a klaxon horn inside my head.

I groaned, reached over, and roughly smacked the snooze button. I slowly sat up, stretched, yawned, and then reached over and properly turned off the alarm. I got out of bed, took a cold shower, which jolted me completely awake, dried off, dressed, and said my morning prayers. I grabbed an apple from the bowl on top of the fridge and munched it on the way to the lab where, before I did anything else, I turned on the coffeemaker.

Bleary-eyed, I began my tasks, keeping one eye on the coffee. As soon as the pot was brewed, I poured myself a cup, sipped some of the steaming liquid, then refilled the cup. I didn't think the caffeine would prevent me from taking a nap because I was so tired.

At 6:00am, I downed the last of my coffee, handed in my work to the grad student, and then headed back to the dorm. When I arrived, I kicked off my shoes, stripped off my pants, shirt, and socks, set the alarm for five minutes before we were supposed to meet for breakfast, climbed into bed, and quickly fell asleep.

When the alarm rang at 8:05am, I felt much better than I had when it had gone off at 4:35am, reached over, turned it off, then got out of bed. I quickly dressed, gargled with some mouthwash, then went out into the hallway. Only Clarissa and Kimiko were there, so the three of us headed to the cafeteria for breakfast.

"I wonder what time they all got in?" I said.

"I saw Fran this morning and she said around 3:00am," Clarissa replied. "She was up and not feeling very well."

"You don't think..." I asked.

"You know, I hadn't even thought about that, but I think it was just how much she drank last night. I can't imagine Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver making that mistake!"

"I wonder if she ever went on the Pill?" I said. "Back during Freshman year, she made a comment about Midol taking care of her monthly discomfort."

"No clue," Clarissa said. "I told you they put me, the lesbian, on the Pill to regulate my cycle!"

"I was surprised at how easy it was to get birth control pills here," Kimiko said. "They're illegal in Japan."

"What the fuck?!" Clarissa gasped. "Uh, sorry, Kimiko. I was just surprised."

Kimiko smiled, "I've heard that word a few times, though it's not one I would use."

"You're serious about the Pill being illegal in Japan?"

"For birth control? Yes. You can get it if you have serious troubles with your monthly cycle, but it's the one with a very high dose. Prescribing it for birth control is completely illegal. I think it was illegal in some places in the US until the 1970s."

"I remember hearing that from Melody," I said. "It took two Supreme Court cases to solve that, first for married women, then about seven years later for unmarried ones."

"Do they have a reason why it's illegal?" Clarissa asked.

"The problem with blood clots and the fear people would stop using sheaths which would spread diseases, though mostly that is a concern around American military bases."

I chuckled, "I bet!"

"I know why you laugh, but it's no laughing matter in Japan. American soldiers are not known to be nice, and they make use of prostitutes. In Japan, it is only illegal to sell intercourse, but around the military bases, it's only enforced if there are other troubles, such as drunkenness or fighting. Sadly, there are rapes which occur, too."

"Uhm, not to be indelicate, but ONLY intercourse is illegal?" Clarissa asked.

"Yes. The law is very specific. Similarly, the age of consent is technically eighteen, but that is only for intercourse, and anything else may be done once a girl or boy turns thirteen. And even intercourse is permitted if the parents give their blessing for a proper romantic relationship. Sex is not so taboo in Japan as it is in the United States."

I was somewhat amazed at how open Kimiko was on the topic of sex despite having seemed so reserved. Her last comment, though, along with the fact that she was becoming more comfortable with both Clarissa and me, certainly explained it.

"It really depends on who you ask," I said. "There's a very wide variation of opinion here in the US. It's not so, uhm, insular."

"I don't know that word," Kimiko replied as we walked into the cafeteria.

"It means reflecting a narrow, communal view, and comes from the same root as 'island', which actually applies, now that I think about it."

"You mean the very consistent Japanese culture, as opposed to the more chaotic nature of the US?"

"Yes," I replied. "Though I'd use that term to describe where I live as well — it's insular, and everyone is expected to conform. I think the bigger the city, the more likely you are to have a visible counter-culture. I'm sure it exists in Harding County; it's just not public. But I think, too, you mentioned things are different in your city from how they are in Tokyo."

"You mean what I said about it being much more conservative and traditional where I live?"

"Yes. Which matches the difference between Harding County and New York City, for example."

"I think that difference is actually much bigger," Kimiko observed.

We got our food and sat down at a table to eat. As usual, I said my silent prayer, and Kimiko whispered her Japanese one.

"You think the differences between Harding County and New York City are bigger than those between Tokyo and Oguni?" I asked.

"Yes, because the basic parts of Japanese culture are still practiced in the big cities; there is just more variation. I think where you live and San Francisco, for example, are two completely different cultures."

I nodded, "I can see why you would say that, and now that I think about it, I would tend to agree."

"Did you guys enjoy the party last night?" Clarissa asked.

"Other than lack of sleep, yes," I replied.

"Me, too," Kimiko said, "but I got more sleep than Mike!"

"So did I; Glenda's still sleeping."

"Wore her out, did you?" I asked with a smirk.

"You do realize it's not an athletic competition between us, right?"

"No, actually, I don't," I smirked. "I think I'd need to observe to know for sure. You know, purely for medical research purposes."

"Michael!" Kimiko said sharply. "That's rude!"

"Just ignore him when he acts like a pig," Clarissa laughed. "He doesn't ACTUALLY mean it."

I was tempted to reply, 'Says you!' but decided Clarissa's defense of me for Kimiko was probably for the best.

"I didn't mean to offend you," I said.

"Me? It's Clarissa who should be offended!"

Clarissa smiled, "I'm used to him teasing me at this point. I tease him as well. I take it this kind of teasing isn't common in Japan?"

"Not in public, except perhaps when a boy asks a girl's father for permission to marry her. Her father will usually say it is up to her, and then it's traditional for her to torment him for a time before she agrees."

"At that point, would a girl disagree?" I asked.

Kimiko nodded, "Yes. Sometimes, if two families wish to conclude a union, a boy may ask to marry a girl without what you would call dating. If she's not interested, she insults him and tells him 'no'. I have seen it happen one time with an older friend whose father wished to make a business deal with someone who was much wealthier and had a much higher social station."

"He offered his daughter?" Clarissa asked.

"No, not really. He simply said he would not object if she agreed and gave permission for the boy to ask. But my friend already had a boyfriend, and she wasn't interested, even though the other boy was much wealthier and more socially respected."

"Is that common?"

"More in the wealthiest of families, but I think that's true here and even more true in England. It's not exactly arranged, but the wealthy kids or aristocratic kids are put together with the hopes they will marry at their station."

"She has an answer for everything," Clarissa said with a gentle smile. "I think we may be blind to our own culture. She has the advantage of seeing ours from the outside, plus being able to compare directly. Maybe medical school in Europe isn't a bad idea!"

"Except that increases the difficulty of getting into a good Residency program here even more, and if we were to do our Residency overseas, getting licensed here would be much more difficult."

"Bummer. Glenda has lots of great stories from her travel around Europe by train."

"When did she do that?" Kimiko asked.

"Over the Summer. I was hoping to be able to do it before medical school, but I wouldn't want to go alone, and Mike is constrained by finances."

"Your parents didn't stop paying for your school?"

"Surprisingly, no," Clarissa replied. "I was prepared to take out student loans to cover what my scholarships and grants don't cover, but my parents sent me the usual amount."

"But told you not to come home?"

"That's true. I guess we'll see what happens when I get my tuition bill for the Spring. I'll have the loan paperwork filled out and ready to go if I need it. The school can process it quickly because of the circumstances."

"And medical school?"

"Same as Mike — I'll borrow what I need for tuition. I have money I saved, plus some from my grandfather's will, which will cover my living expenses. I haven't touched that for the same reason Mike works and saves — there's basically no way to work during the last two years of medical school. Well, you COULD, but I think you'd be dead of exhaustion, not to mention having no time to study."