Hiroshima----the-Liveliest”-city-in-Japan

“Hiroshima!Everybodyoff!”ThatmustbewhatthemanintheJapanesestationmaster'suniformshouted,asthefastesttrainintheworldslippedtoastopinHiroshimaStation.Ididnotunderstandwhathewassaying.Firstofall,becausehewasshoutinginJapanese.Andsecondly,becauseIhadalumpinmythroatandalotofsadthoughtsonmymindthathadlittletodowithanythingaNipponrailwaysofficialmightsay.Theveryactofsteppingonthissoil,inbreathingthisairofHiroshima,wasformeafargreateradventurethananytriporanyreportorialassignmentI'dpreviouslytaken.WasInotatthesceneofthecrime?TheJapanesecrowddidnotappeartohavethesameHi!Hi!saidthecabdriver,whosedoorJustasIwasbeginningtofindtheridelong,thetaxiscreechedtoahalt,andthedrivergotoutandwentovertoapolicemantoasktheway.AsinTokyo,taxidriversinHiroshimaoftenknowlittleoftheircity,buttoavoidlossoffacebeforeforeigners,willnotadmittheirignorance,andwillacceptanydestinationwithoutconcernforhowlongitmaytakethemtofindit.AtlastthisThankstohismap,IwasabletofindataxidriverwhocouldtakemestraighttothecanalAtthedoortotherestaurant,aHewasatall,thinman,sad-eyedandserious.Quiteunexpectedly,thestrangeemotionwhichhadoverwhelmedmeatthestationreturned,andIwasagainTheintroductionsweremade.MostoftheguestswereJapanese,anditwasdifficultformetoaskthemjustwhyweweregatheredhere.ThefewAmericansandGermansseemedjustasEveryonebowed,includingtheWesterners.AfterthreedaysinJapan,theGentlemen,itisaverygreathonortohaveyouhereinHiroshima.Therewerefreshbows,andthefacesgrewmoreandmoreseriouseachtimethenameHiroshimawasrepeated.Hiroshima,asyouknow,isacityfamiliartoeveryone,”continuedthemayor.Yes,yes,ofcourse,”murmuredthecompany,moreandmoreSeldomhasacitygainedsuchworldIwasjustabouttomakemylittlebowofHiroshima–oysters?Whataboutthebombandthemiseryandhumanity'smostWell,ImustconfessthatIdidnotexpectaspeechaboutoystershere.IthoughtthatHiroshimastillfelttheNoonetalksaboutitanymore,andnoonewantsto,especially,thepeoplewhowerebornhereorwholivedthroughit.Doyoufeelthesameway,too?Iwashere,butIwasnotinthecenteroftown.ItellyouthisbecauseIamalmostanoldman.Therearetwodifferentschoolsofthoughtinthiscityofoysters,onethatwouldliketopreservetracesofthebomb,andtheotherthatwouldliketogetridofeverything,eventhemonumentthatwaserectedatthepointofimpact.TheywouldalsoliketoWhywouldtheywanttodothat?Becauseithurtseverybody,andbecausetimemarcheson.Thatiswhy.ThesmallJapanesemansmiled,hiseyesnearlyclosedbehindtheirthicklenses.Ifyouwriteaboutthiscity,donotforgettosaythatitisthegayestcityinJapan,evenitmanyofthetown'speoplestillbearhiddenwounds,andburns.Likeanyother,thehospitalsmelledofIamafishermanbytrade.Ihavebeenhereaverylongtime,morethantwentyyears,saidanoldmaninJapanesepajamas.“Whatiswrongwithyou?”Somethinginside.IwasinHiroshimawhenithappened.Isawthefireball.ButIhadnoburnsonmyfaceorbody.Iranalloverthecitylookingformissingfriendsandrelatives.IthoughtsomehowIhadbeenspared.Butlatermyhairbegantofallout,andmybellyturnedtowater.Ifeltsick,andeversincethentheyhavebeentestingandtreatingme.Thedoctoratmysideexplainedandcommentedupontheoldman'sstory,Westillhareahandfulofpatientsherewhoarebeingkeptalivebyconstantcare.Theothersdiedasaresultoftheirinjuries,orelseWhydidtheycommitsuicide?ItisHangingoverthepatientwasabigballmadeofbitsofbrightlycoloredpaper,foldedintotheshapeoftinybirds.What'sthat?Iasked.Thosearemyluckybirds.EachdaythatIescapedeath,eachdayofsufferingthathelpstofreemefromBecause,thankstoit,Ihavetheopportunitytoimprovemycharacter.Onceagain,outsideintheopenair,ItoreintolittlepiecesasmallnotebookwithquestionsthatI'dpreparedinadvanceforinterviewswiththepatientsoftheatomicward.Amongthemwasthequestion:DoyoureallythinkthatHiroshimaistheliveliestcityinJapan?Ineveraskedit.ButIcouldreadtheanswerineveryeye.earthlycares,Imakeanewlittlepaperbird,andaddittotheothers.ThiswayIlookatthemandcongratulatemyselfofthegoodfortunethatmyillnesshasbroughtme.humiliatingtosurviveinthiscity.Ifyoubearanyvisiblescarsofatomicburns,yourchildrenwillencounterprejudiceonthepartofthosewhodonot.Noonewillmarrythedaughterorthenieceofanatomicbombvictim.Peopleareafraidofgeneticdamagefromtheradiation.Theoldfishermangazedatmepolitelyandwithinterest.committedsuicide.formaldehydeandethere.Stretchersandwheelchairslinedthewallsofendlesscorridors,andnurseswalkedbycarryingStretchersinstruments,theverysightofwhichwouldsendshiversdownthespineofanyhealthyvisitor.Theso-calledatomicsectionwaslocatedonthethirdfloor.Itconsistedof17beds.demolishtheatomicmuseum.impactoftheatomicimpact.heinouscrime?WhilethemayorwentonwithhisspeechinpraiseofsouthernJapaneseseafood,Icautiouslybackedawayandheadedtowardthefarsideoftheroom,whereafewmenweretalkingamongthemselvesandpayinglittleattentiontothemayor'sspeech.Youlookpuzzled,saidasmallJapanesemanwithverylargeeye-glasses.assent,whenthemeaningoftheselastwordssankin,joltingmeoutofmysadreverie.renown,andIamproudandhappytowelcomeyoutoHiroshima,atownknownthroughouttheworldforits---oysters.agitated.spinalcolumnbecomesextraordinarilyflexible.inhibitedasIwas.Gentlemen,saidthemayor,IamhappytowelcomeyoutoHiroshima.crushedbythethought