She said that if you return now, it would only cloud your future. You would sacrifice everything, and then her death would be maningless, even harmful to you. Your little brother is here with me. I will take good care of him, don't worry.

     You must never go against your mother's wishes. You should never think about coming back. It is impossible to make a living here. You must think about getting ahead in this lifetime.

     Your mother is not in this world anymore, and even if you returned, you wouldn't be able to see her, to comfort her. Take good care of yourself.- - - Youpr uncle."

Yes, it wasn't possible to se my mother again, she no longer lived in this world?KI gave up my thoughts of going home. I had no home. I decided that whatever happened, if I couldn't help the villagers in my home town when I went home, I wouldn't go home, even if I tried in Tokyo.

     While I was reading these letters, I was filled with sorrow and excitement, and my heart and mind were greatly disturbed. Tanaka sat next to me supporting me, with his eyes fixed on my face. When he saw me put the letter into my pocket, he cautiously asked me, "What did he say?"

     "My mother is dead."

     "Dead? He began to cry. "When are you leaving? Are you going right away?"

     "No. I'm not planning to go home anymore. Even if I go home I wouldn't be able to see her. She died two weeks ago. In her will she pleaded for me not to go home."

     "Two weeks ago? Does it take that long for a letter to get here from Taiwan?"

     "No. It's not that. My mother specifically asked my uncle not to tell me right away."

     "Why?"

     "She was afraid that I would blindly return home as soon as I heard the bad news. She wanted me to stay in Tokyo to work. She said if I returned home now, there would be no way out for me."