Middle SonThe custom of placing full responsibility for younger siblings on the shoulders of the eldest son is particularly revered in the Fujii family. Spencer's father felt so duty-bound to his childless younger brother that he gave him one of his own children. The same deep sense of duty and sacrifice was expected of Taizo, who proved by age eleven that he had learned the eldest brother's role all too well. Haunted by their roles in Taizo's death, Spencer and youngest brother, William, pledged silence as little boys: "I looked straight at him and my face tightened. 'No tell nothing,' I told him sharply. 'I not going tell nothing,' he said." Now, twenty years later, their mother, upon whom the loss fell like a knife, is dying, and Spencer, her middle son, must break his silence. |
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already altar arms asked Auntie Auntie's baby beer began beneath bowl brother Buddhist camera cane fields Caroline centipede Chinese Camp chopsticks church door eyes face father feel fingers floor front going hair Haleakala hand Haole Hawaii Hawaiian Hiroshi hurried inside Japan Japanese Camp kalua pig kiawe kimono kitchen knees knew laughed leaned legs lifted looked luau lychee manapua mango marbles Maui milk covers mother mouth Never mind nodded Oahu Obon Okamoto parents parlor picture plantation plenty plumeria porch pulled pushed reached road rows Sachi Saigon Sato shake shook his head shoulders side slippers smell smile soy sauce Spencer stay steps stood sugar sugarcane Taizo Taizo's death talk tell thought tofu told took tree turned Uncle Toshi voice Wailuku Wainoa waiting walked watched William window worry