The Replacement Helper: Part 3

Cont. from last post...


Mrs Dohmoto returns home after a visit to the family doctor. 'Mrs Dohmoto, rest good okay? Wear clothes more and don't anyhow go out okay? I got time I find you. Bye bye,' said Atchara as she struggles with what is comprehensible to Mrs Dohmoto in Japanese. After that, she takes her leave and closes the door behind her. Mrs Dohmoto returns to her bed and lies down to rest. 'Doctor Philip's medicine always makes me so drowsy...'


Evening has come to the Dohmoto household. The Dohmoto family includes Mr Dohmoto and his wife; their children are studying overseas in America. So both husband and wife are currently living by themselves. Mrs Dohmoto is sleeping soundly, covered by the thick, warm blankets. As the main door knob is turn and the door pushed open, Mr Dohmoto shouts, 'Honey, I'm home. Honey?' 'Yes, my dear. Im right here. No need to shout...' Replied Mrs Dohmoto, awakened by his shouting. 'Honey, are you well? You don't seem very well to me.'

'I have caught a mild flu. Went to see Doctor Philip in the afternoon before coming home. After taking the medicine he gave me, I fell asleep fast. Are you hungry? Do you want me to cook dinner for you?'

'No no... You are sick, you should rest more. I will settle dinner by myself. Go back to sleep if you want. If there is anything you need just let me know.' Nodding her head, she went back to her bed.


Mr Dohmoto is a man who takes things seriously. His job as a senior accountant in a huge company explains his personality, follow the rules and nothing will go wrong. Those junior staff under him seldom question him or defies his order. One look at him and all you have is fear for him. He is very strict on the rules set, never bending them or giving leeway. Most people do not see Mr Dohmoto smiling, that's why they always regard him as unfriendly, uptight and even, menacing. Even his wedding photos taken 20 years ago do not see him smiling. His physical appearance is appalling, with his dark skin, towering height, broad shoulders and large square shaped face. It was rumoured that he once was a bodybuilder. But the truth only lies in himself and his wife.


Mr Dohmoto changed into some loose clothing and went out again. He is out to purchase his dinner. While walking down to the convenience store, events from his workplace jolt back to his mind. Two weeks ago, the human resource department says that they are downsizing the entire company, including the accounting department. To those who worked more than 5 years in the company will be given compensation of their contribution to the company. Two weeks from then, Mr Dohmoto received the letter that he is retrenched. He is given three months of salary, six months of free medical consultation and a recommendation letter from the finance director. Mr Dohmoto was sad that he has to leave the company but he had to accept the retrenchment. It was time for him to move on...


Inside the convenience store, Mr Dohmoto grabs a cold bento and asked the counter staff to heat it up for him. As he pays for the bento, he ponders on how is he going to support the family? Who is going to pay for the bills? How about his children's expenses? Worse of all, how is he going to break the news to Mrs Dohmoto? As he strolls back to his home, he thought of a great idea. At least for the time being... He would break both the bad news and the good news to her. Hoping that she would support him for his idea... His crazy idea...

The Replacement Helper: Part 2

Cont. from the last post...

It is the sixth day of winter. Everywhere on the streets you can see people wearing their winter clothing with their scarves, gloves and hats or caps. It does not snow in this town but the cold winds more than covers up for it. Rain or shine, warm or cold. Tanaka would open his store for business unless it's a rest day or in the event of weather disasters. Once he was stuck at home with a category three thunderstorm. When he came back, the store glass was shattered and almost all the things inside were destroyed. If it wasn't covered by the insurance company, Tanaka would declare bankrupt the next day.


Mrs Dohmoto as usual reports to work. She does not seem alright today. She is caught sneezing badly by Tanaka. 'Mrs Dohmo, if you are unwell take the day off and go back rest. Shiori can cover your duties for today.'

'I'm alright, just a little flu. Nothing much will happen to me. Thank you Mr Tanaka,' was her reply.


Tanaka just merely smiled and replied, 'if you feel that it is getting worse please let any of us know and I get a taxi to send you home. Here.' Tanaka pass a cup of hot green tea to Mrs Dohmoto, 'finish this and keep your body warm. It's another cold day today.' 'Thanks Mr Tanaka, I will.' She takes the cup of tea from Tanaka and takes small sips from the cup.


Mornings are usually not crowded as people seldom buy bentos as breakfast. Most of the customers in the morning are students who are late for school or late for their exams. They would than proceed to school on bus or train while eating the bento to settle their hunger. Mrs Dohmoto is hanging on to her flu while serving the stores' customers. Customers are able to see that she is sick but the smile and friendliness is still present.


When Atchara comes in for the afternoon shift, she sees Mrs Dohmoto sick like a dog. She is trying to stay strong and greeted Atchara with a weak smile. 'Mrs Dohmoto, are you okay? You forehead hot. Very very hot. Mr Tanakaaa!' She screamed. 'Mrs Dohmoto head hot. You touch,' she grabs Tanaka's hand and places it on top of Mrs Dohmoto forehead. Tanaka is caught unaware of the hot forehead and quickly takes away his hand. 'Mrs Dohmoto, you are burning up! Please go home and rest. Shiori today will take care of your duties. Atchara.' He passes a couple of cash notes from his pocket to her. 'Get Mrs Dohmoto a cab and makes sure she gets home safely. Need be, follow her to the doctor. Thank you Atchara.' 'Okay, I bring Mrs Dohmoto home. I come back later.'


Tanaka gave a sigh and moved back to his kitchen. He was worried about his business, who would take the cash register now that Mrs Dohmoto is sick. Oniji and Shiori are too shy and they do not know how to operate the cash register. Atchara is still struggling with her Japanese, who would take the counter...

The Replacement Helper

Tanaka is an owner of a boxed meal(bento) store. A hard working man but has a soft side in him. 'A customer retained is better than getting a new customer.' He lived by that motto ever since he started this bento store. He would wake up early and start his business way before any of the other shops open for business. He is a of small build with spectacles. Unlike those big boss who treats his employees with an iron hand, Tanaka treats them like his family, sometimes too close to even reprimand them. Such is the soft side in him. It's kinda sad that Tanaka is not married, his cooking can be compared to those big name chefs working in hotels and restaurants. Any lady who is married to him will definitely enjoy his wonderful cooking.


There are a total of four people working there. Tanaka himself as the head chef of the bento store. Mrs Oniji and Ms Shiori, the former wife of Mr Oniji and the latter their daugther, are both his kitchen helpers. They help Tanaka with his preparation of the ingredients of all his bentos. Then there is Mrs Dohmoto, a friendly and lovable person who mans the counter of the store. She is in-charge of the cash register since Tanaka trusts her the most. But its not just the trust that Tanaka has for her, its her smile and friendliness that brings in customers daily. Customers always comment on her friendly approach and her smiles to everyone, it makes them feel good to buy from her. As business is picking up, Tanaka decides to hire one more helper just to assist him in the lunch hour orders. He puts up a sign outside his store, 'Part-timer Wanted'.


Ms Atchara, a young girl of 21 years. A rounded face with almond eyes and a nice tanned skin tone. She is a foreign student from India, she arrived in Japan to study. But her family is poor and her school fees are paid by some company that will hire her on a 10-year contract when she finishes her studies. If not, she have to pay a fine for breaking the contract. So for monthly expenses she decided to take up a part-time job in the district near her place. She ate at Tanaka's place once and decided to work there, due to his amazing fried chicken bento. So morning she will have her classes at the university, during afternoon she helps out at Tanaka's bento shop. When evening comes, she buys a dinner bento and proceeds to her Japanese language class. Sometimes she works at the pub to serve drinks during the weekends. What a hardworking girl she is...


Everyday Tanaka would open the store, his employees would arrive later and they will start to make bentos of all kinds. In the afternoon, Atchara would come and help out in the kitchen. The afternoons are always chaotic with people lining up his store to purchase those tasty bentos he makes. The cash register would ring non-stop with cash going in and change going out. At the kitchen, sounds of pot and pans clanging, water running from the tap to wash used utensils, sizzling sounds from the oil on the pans and the frying of prawns, chicken patties and other things fills the kitchen. When evening comes, a special bento is made for Atchara and she leaves the shop for her language class. As for the rest, they help Tanaka to pack up his store before heading home to prepare dinner for their family. Tanaka would be the last to leave, he counts his daily earnings and inspect the kitchenwares before locking up everything and heads for home. His dinner is simple, a packed bento cooked by himself. Life is simple for Tanaka. So as he thought when chains of events assualt him faster than he can react...

The Missing Rib

In the Bible, it was said that God saw that Adam was lonely. So during his sleep; God took one of Adam's rib and created Eve.


Every man has been searching for his missing rib, only when you find the woman of your life; you'll no longer feel the lingering ache in your heart.

In life, everybody wants to find their perfect love. That is what i believe and possibly what everybody does the same. The man would want to find that missing rib in to cure the ligering ache in the heart. While the woman would want to be matchin missing rib of the man he loves. Together they will be whole... That is, what is suppose to be believed...


But... How many do really have that perfect love? The world haved changed from the natural world to the material world. Love have changed in meaning through time. Even though the word in the dictionary says warm liking or affection, it has changed to 5Cs and tai tai life. Two centuries ago, love means when your partner(wife) dies, i(husband) will build a castle made entirely of marble for you. Two centuries after that, love means when you(husband) die, i(wife) will inherit all your cars, your bangalows, your business, etc.


This is what is portrayed as love in this age and era. Sometimes i do hope that i was born in two centuries ago. Not that i dislike the future, but people in the past have less worries and more smiles. And love is a most beautiful thing to happen between two people of the opposite sex. But reality always slap me back to the present age. So i guess im pretty stuck here unless i build a time machine, which i guess will never happen...

I have returned...

Finally... After two months of strenous training, im back to my normal life again. Actually not so normal if you get what i mean... But at least the end of the course marks my one year aniversary of my army life. Finally, i have been finished up half my liability. Now as i sit and use my computer, i realise that i need to plan my next move...


Applied for a degree at Monash and i wondered if i really wanted to go there or just want the degree. Having second thoughts... But what the heck, i guess i just take it when it comes. Maybe going back to school to study might be sudden change to my life. Hope i can revert back to student life easily. But i guess the most important thing is that how am i going to be financially self-supported again? My parents are going to give me monthly allowance again, but i doubt im gonna get what i receive from my army pay. Guess i will take up tuition jobs to curb my spending. Haha...