I graduated elementary school (Jinjyou Kotou Shogakkou) at March in 1931 and started fishing by belonging to Mr. Skaichi Nakayama who was my uncle. When my grandfather would not go fishing and was at home, he waited for me to come back to home and took meals. Even though he was waiting for him even too late, he sometimes slept without meals. If somebody said to him to sleep with meals, he said I had to wait for me and slept without meals. Therefore my grandmother was also waiting for me without meals.
I don’t know a reason why my grandfather did not take any meals until I came back to home and slept without meals in case of that he could not wait. I could estimate that he intended to teach me human fundamental manner without speaking and with his attitude or behavior. I estimated that it should be a practice as a part of requirements to be a head of Yamada`s family in the future.
I will tear just now even at 80 years old when I thought about that my grandfather taught me patience, endurance, compassion and affection for every things in my life without speaking. Although I had not experience to get any complain and scold from my grandfather, he grumbled only one time.
When I decided to go out OKIKAMURO because I quarreled with my grandfather, my grandfather scolded to me that why you were going to leave OKIKAMURO while I had been educating you with all my might to let you take care of my last life. It is only one which he scolded to me until now.
There was one thing which my grandfather got angry. I remember that it was in 1929 or 1930. When OKIKAMURO fish market was established, he wanted to become a manager of fishermen`s cooperative in order for him to spend his whole life for growth of fishing in OKIKAMURO. Then he announced to every to do it. Therefore he strongly requested me to support him because he was relied on my help.
Although all of the skippers or members for BAKAN(fishing group) cooperative were supportable for that my grandfather wanted to become a manager of fishermen`s cooperative. However 4 children of him were negative him to become a manager of fishermen`s cooperative. Therefore the family meeting included relatives had been held one day. I cannot remember now who said it, but my grandfather was questioned if it was true that they heard a rumor of you to become a manager of fishermen`s cooperative. He said yes that I would like to become a manager of fishermen`s cooperative. Then somebody said to him that even though you could not read and write, how could you achieve a manager of fishermen`s cooperative.
My grandfather responded to them that no managers who had not any ability of reading and writing had achieved his performance up to now. If that ability would be needed, I was going to put a secretary to support me, he said to them.
My grandfather additionally said that Japanese president has a secretary. Therefore there was not a limitation which I could not put a secretary for a manager of fishermen`s cooperative, he said. Then uncles said to him that there was no body to become a secretary for you. Then my grandfather said to me that I was expecting you to become a secretary for me. So I agreed with him and committed to do everything for grandfather.
Then one of uncles told to me what you can do for it. My grandfather said that Shigetoshi could understand everything by searching dictionaries. Then I replied that yes, I could understand everything by dictionaries.
Therefore I never defeated any questions by bunch of even 10 uncles.
Uncles commanded to me to shut up. I said to uncles that there should not be a reason for you to make me to shut up. Because I never remembered that I asked you to give me a meal, I said. I went to your home to get a meal due to that you invited me for meals, I said. Therefore I don’t shut up unless my grandfather would suggest me, but I don’t obey your command.
Uncles said to my grandfather that we could not convince me even though we debated with me. Moreover uncles said that even though we negotiated with my father to give up to become a manager of fishermen`s cooperative, we could not convince my grandfather. There was no solution because you do whatever my grandfather said, uncles said.
I questioned to uncles a reason why you wanted to stop my grandfather became a manager of fishermen`s cooperative and what was a root cause for you to stop my grandfather. Additionally I questioned to uncles if you were concerning that a present manager of fishermen`s cooperative and a part of stuff would be loose their job.
I said to uncles that when my grandfather would be a manager of fishermen`s cooperative, my grandfather did not claim any expense for a business trip except monthly salary. It should be better that fishermen should be responsible for fishing related matter and a person not to be related to fishing could not understand a difficulty of fishing related matter, I said. Therefore I said to them that a manager of fishermen`s cooperative should be by fisherman and fisherman should become a manager of fishermen`s cooperative.
This is a policy which my grandfather ‘Matsuzo’ was always insisting.
I could estimate that my grandfather was frustrated ,at over 70 years old, because only supporter for him was me who was elementary school, but no his children supported him. So uncles felt that it was very difficult for them to convince my grandfather to give up with normal way. Therefore I could not remember who said to my grandfather it, but somebody said to my grandfather that if you wanted to be a manager of fishermen`s cooperative, we would like to break off relations for parents and children. My grandfather loudly insisted to break off relations. Although I had heard by 70s years old that parents said to children to break off relation, it was first experience for me to hear that children broken off relation. He loudly said to them that I was pleased to break off relation with you and got out here shortly. He additionally said to them that instead, I never give you even one straw. Then uncles got out house with muttering something.
My grandfather stayed in the house and said to me that everybody just wanted to get my treasure, but my treasure had been accumulated with support by all other fishermen. He said that therefore I would like to spend all of my treasure to all matter of fishermen, so I might not be able to give my treasure to you.
However I would like you to help me to achieve my best performance in my rest life, he said to me. Moreover he said to me that only the person who I could believe was just you. I said to my grandfather that I did not care of it and did not expect my grandfather`s treasure.
My grandfather proposed that even if we went to Yamaguchi prefectural government to get approval, it might not work well. Therefore we should go to Tokyo and logged in Torasuke Fukuda`s and should frequently go to the Ministry of Agriculture to get approval. He said that since I would like to negotiate with, please you should take a note during the meeting. Then while we were preparing it, a manager of fisheries at Yamaguchi prefecture government invited my grandfather to come to the Nomura Japanese style inn to discuss with my grandfather. Then my grandfather went there by himself. When he came back to home after meeting with a manager of fisheries, he said to me that he gave up to become a manager of fishermen`s cooperative with mortification. I felt that he was very regretted because he was keening on a manager of fishermen`s cooperative so far.
He stated that a manager of fisheries said to him before leaving that if one more partner for you would appear, Okikamuro could organize the best fishermen`s cooperative in Japan, but it would be impossible by only one partner.
A partner was only me for my grandfather, but I was elementary school. His children did not support him. There was not a person to follow my grandfather even in his children, therefore my grandfather was always expecting me to follow him. So he was always saying to me to grow first. Moreover my grandfather was always saying to uncles and aunts that a person to be better than him was only me. So I always said to him that I could jump over not only height of your west, but also height of your head. If some other guys would say to him the same thing, he did not respond to it. But if I said to him, he was very pleased to hear me.
When I think about what I got out OKIKAMURO, I am very sad that I broke his dream and expectation for me. However I believe that it was a good decision at that moment, because I thought very deeply and straggled seriously.
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