The Spring Of Our Destiny: Kasumi And The Ambassador The Neighbor Part 5

[Rev. Doc]

The Spring Of Our Destiny: Kasumi And The Ambassador

By Doc

The following story is based on characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.

The Neighbor Part 5

Two women sat on a bench in the compound of the American Embassy. The eldest one was crying holding a new tissue that the younger woman had supplied from her shopping bag. Each one had discouragement written on their faces. The older woman was distraught because she would be missing the marriage of her only son. The younger of the two was not only discouraged but disappointed as well.

Kasumi most of all felt bad for the fact that she had gotten Mrs. Sato’s hopes up once more only to have them dashed to pieces. Her disappointment was in the foreign country that she had held so high and admired so much. The fact that it would allow someone that she cared about a great deal to be treated in such a fashion. In a matter of minutes all that she had studied and enjoyed about the United States of America mattered very little. It all came crashing down and lay at her feet like dust.

“Excuse me.” Neither woman heard the voice at first. It was distant to them as each was deep in thought. There was the sound of someone clearing their throat and again, “Excuse me.”

It was Kasumi who looked up first sensing the presence more than hearing the voice. As she did so her eyes meet with another set of eyes. They were deep brown in color. She was startled because they were eyes that penetrated her soul. They conveyed…what was it? Sympathy? No, it wasn’t sympathy. It was concern, compassion. It was…kindness. If she had to use one word to describe them that was it. They were kind eyes.

The tall well dressed American stood before the two women. Mrs. Sato continued to dab at her eyes with the tissue. In Japanese the man asked, “Is there something that I can do for you? You seem very upset.” The question Kasumi felt was directed to Mrs. Sato. However, the gentleman was looking at her.

She had become tired of explaining the situation already. All she wanted to do now was collect Mrs. Sato, call a taxi and get back home as quickly as possible. But the man’s eyes beckoned. They were eyes she could trust. They were the eyes of a friend or a close confidant. “All right,” she reasoned to herself. “One more time.” With that Kasumi introduce both herself and Mrs. Sato.

She shared the events of the whole afternoon with the man who seemed so intent to listen. He appeared to hang on every word that she said. At first she thought perhaps he was having a hard time understanding the Japanese that she was using. So she slowed down. However, as he conversed with her he appeared to be very fluent. He seemed to have a high level of knowledge for both the language and culture of her country. His mannerisms and the way that he knew what was and was not proper etiquette betrayed his knowledge of Japan and the Japanese people.

As she finish relating to him what had just transpired with the immigration officer, his attention for the first time turned from Kasumi to the older woman sitting next to her. He smiled at her. It was a smile that said that everything was going to be all right.

“May I see your passport please?” The older woman hesitated at the request from the young American before her. She reached into her bag and produced the document that had become useless to her.

The American gently took the passport from her hands and opened it. He studied it and then looked at Mrs. Sato and returned his gaze once more to what he held in his hands. Once again he smiled and turning he requested, “Ladies will you come with me please?”

The two sat for a moment on the bench unmoving wondering what to do. Mrs. Sato was scared. Why had he studied the passport so intently? Had she done something wrong? Would she be arrested? Why had she returned here in the first place? Kasumi shared some of the same fears. Just exactly what was going on here? They watched as the American moved away from them. He turned once more and with another smile said, “This way please.” Even at a time such as this all Kasumi could think was, “He’s so polite.”

The two women followed the tall figure before them. As they recognized his destination they hesitated. Again they were headed to the immigration office. He opened the door holding it for Kasumi and Mrs. Sato to enter. They did so reluctantly. They did not stop at the receptionist’s desk. The American confidently passed by with the two women in tow. As they did so the receptionist’s face also registered worry.

The three came to a stop in front of the immigration officer whom the ladies had confronted earlier. As the two women hid behind him for fear of recognition, the gentleman set down Mrs. Sato’s passport on her desk and requested, “I need a visitor’s visa for this immediately.”

The officer looked down at it and recognized it at once. She peered around the man at Mrs. Sato who was doing everything she could to be invisible. Clearing her throat she calmly said, “I have already explained to this woman, twice to be precise, that it will take two weeks to process her visa.”

The man straightened and folded his arms. “Why?” he asked.

The officer looked startled apparently not use to having her judgment and decisions questioned, “Because that is the required time for the application process and background check,” she shot back.

Although she could understand little of what was being said now, Kasumi had the feeling that this was going to get very messy very quick.
The American nodded his head and leaned close to the immigration officer and whispered, “Does this woman appear to be a terrorist to you? Does she really look like she may be a threat to our national security?”

The officer leaned back in her chair and shook her head saying, “I will not be responsible for approving the visa for this woman.”