Hiroshima

Hiroshima--theLiveliest”CityinJapan“Hiroshima!Everybodyoff!”ThatmustbewhatthemanintheJapanesestationmaster'suniformshouted,asthefastesttrainintheworldslippedtoastopinHiroshimaStation.Ididnotunderstandwhathewassaying.Firstofall,becausehewasshoutinginJapanese.Andsecondly,becauseIhadalumpinmythroatandalotofsadthoughtsonmymindthathadlittletodowithanythingaNipponrailwaysofficialmightsay.Theveryactofsteppingonthissoil,inbreathingthisairofHiroshima,wasformeafargreateradventurethananytriporanyreportorialassignmentI'dpreviouslytaken.WasInotatthesceneofthecrime?TheJapanesecrowddidnotappeartohavethesamepreoccupationsthatIhad.Fromthesidewalkoutsidethestation,thingsseemedmuchthesameasinotherJapanesecities.Littlegirlsandelderlyladiesinkimonosrubbedshoulderswithteenagersandwomeninwesterndress.Seriouslookingmenspoketooneanotherasiftheywereobliviousofthecrowdsaboutthem,andbobbedupanddownre-heatedlyinlittlebows,astheyexchangedtheritualformulaofgratitudeandrespect:Tomoaligatogozayimas.Otherswereusinglittleredtelephonesthathungonthefacadesofgrocerystoresandtobaccoshops.Hi!Hi!saidthecabdriver,whosedoorpoppedopenattheverysightofatraveler.Hi,orsomethingthatsoundsverymuchlikeit,meansyes.CanyoutakemetoCityHall?Hegrinnedatmeintherear-viewmirrorandrepeatedHi!Hi!’WesetoffattopspeedthroughthenarrowstreetsofHiroshima.Thetallbuildingsofthemartyredcityflashedbyaswelurchedfromsidetosideinresponsetothedriver'ssharptwistsofthewheel.JustasIwasbeginningtofindtheridelong,thetaxiscreechedtoahalt,andthedrivergotoutandwentovertoapolicemantoasktheway.AsinTokyo,taxidriversinHiroshimaoftenknowlittleoftheircity,buttoavoidlossoffacebeforeforeigners,willnotadmittheirignorance,andwillacceptanydestinationwithoutconcernforhowlongitmaytakethemtofindit.Atlastthisintermezzocametoanend,andIfoundmyselfinfrontofthegiganticCityHall.Theusherboweddeeplyandheavedalong,almostmusicalsigh,whenIshowedhimtheinvitationwhichthemayorhadsentmeinresponsetomyrequestforaninterview.Thatisnothere,sir,hesaidinEnglish.Themayorexpectsyoutonightfordinnerwithotherforeignersor,therestaurantboat.See?Thisiswhereitis.”Hesketchedalittlemapformeonthebackofmyinvitation.Thankstohismap,Iwasabletofindataxidriverwhocouldtakemestraighttothecanalembankment,whereasortofbargewitharooflikeoneonaJapanesehousewasmoored.TheJapanesebuildtheirtraditionalhousesonboatswhenlandbecomestooexpensive.TheratherarrestingspectacleoflittleoldJapanadriftadriftamidbeigeconcreteskyscrapersistheverysymboloftheincessantstrugglebetweenthekimonoandtheminiskirt.Atthedoortotherestaurant,astunning,porcelain-facedwomanintraditionalcostumeaskedmetoremovemyshoes.Thisdone,Ienteredoneofthelow-ceilingedroomsofthelittlefloatinghouse,treadingcautiouslyonthesoftmattingandexperiencingatwingeofembarrassmentattheprospectofmeetingthemayorofHiroshimainmysocks.Hewasatall,thinman,sad-eyedandserious.Quiteunexpectedly,thestrangeemotionwhichhadoverwhelmedmeatthestationreturned,andIwasagaincrushedbythethoughtthatInowstoodonthesiteofthefirstatomicbombardment,wherethousandsuponthousandsofpeoplehadbeenslaininonesecond,wherethousandsuponthousandsofothershadlingeredontodieinslowagony.Theintroductionsweremade.MostoftheguestswereJapanese,anditwasdifficultformetoaskthemjustwhyweweregatheredhere.ThefewAmericansandGermansseemedjustasinhibitedasIwas.Gentlemen,saidthemayor,IamhappytowelcomeyoutoHiroshima.Everyonebowed,includingtheWesterners.AfterthreedaysinJapan,thespinalcolumnbecomesextraordinarilyflexible.Gentlemen,itisaverygreathonortohaveyouhereinHiroshima.Therewerefreshbows,andthefacesgrewmoreandmoreseriouseachtimethenameHiroshimawasrepeated.Hiroshima,asyouknow,isacityfamiliartoeveryone,”continuedthemayor.Yes,yes,ofcourse,”murmuredthecompany,moreandmoreagitated.Seldomhasacitygainedsuchworldrenown,andIamproudandhappytowelcomeyoutoHiroshima,atownknownthroughouttheworldforits---oysters.Iwasjustabouttomakemylittlebowofassent,whenthemeaningoftheselastwordssankin,joltingmeoutofmysadreverie.Hiroshima–oysters?Whataboutthebombandthemiseryandhumanity'smostheinouscrime?WhilethemayorwentonwithhisspeechinpraiseofsouthernJapaneseseafood,Icautiouslybackedawayandheadedtowardthefarsideoftheroom,whereafewmenweretalkingamongthemselvesandpayinglittleattentiontothemayor'sspeech.Youlookpuzzled,saidasmallJapanesemanwithverylargeeye-glasses.Well,ImustconfessthatIdidnotexpectaspeechaboutoystershere.IthoughtthatHiroshimastillfelttheimpactoftheatomicimpact.Noonetalksaboutitanymore,andnoonewantsto,especially,thepeoplewhowerebornhereorwholivedthroughit.Doyoufeelthesameway,too?Iwashere,butIwasnotinthecenteroftown.ItellyouthisbecauseIamalmostanoldman.Therearetwodifferentschoolsofthoughtinthiscityofoysters,onethatwouldliketopreservetracesofthebomb,andtheotherthatwouldliketogetridofeverything,eventhemonumentthatwaserectedatthepointofimpact.Theywouldalsoliketodemolishtheatomicmuseum.Whywouldtheywanttodothat?Becauseithurtseverybody,andbecausetimemarcheson.Thatiswhy.ThesmallJapanesemansmiled,hiseyesnearlyclosedbehindtheirthicklenses.Ifyouwriteaboutthiscity,donotforgettosaythatitisthegaye