Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 00:51:33 -0400
From: Joseph Burns <xactivist@earthlink.net>
Subject: Yoshi and Tomoko

Yoshi and Tomoko

by Dustyn Thyme

Yoshi and Tomoko were young when their mother died. Yoshi, the younger
by four years, was devastated and cried all day and much of the night in
the arms of his tenderhearted brother.

After the funeral, his father said to Yoshi, "We have no mother now in
this house, but your brother, who is tenderhearted will care for you
while I working in the city. He will do the cooking and watch over you
while I am gone, and I will return to be with you every night, though you
may be asleep when I come home."

Yoshi did not miss his mother so much as might be thought, as Tomoko took
such care with him, nursing him when he skinned his knees and elbows, and
holding him for comfort when he fell out of trees, for Yoshi was an
active child who risked much and hurt often. His brother held his hand
when they said prayers at night before bed.

In addition to taking the mother's part with him, Tomoko spent time with
Yoshi. playing ball and teaching him to hunt. Yoshi passed from being a
child to being a healthy boy who needed not so much the tender part, but
loved the attention he got from his brother. They became good hunters.

Once, on their way home from school, they were joined by Tomoko's friend
and classmate, Ashi, who lived nearby. Ashi spent the afternoon with
them playing ball and tag. The next day and the next, Ashi, joined them
until it became a habit that Ashi would spend his free time with the
brothers.

One day, Tomoko told Yoshi to go and play by himself for a while, that
Tomoko and Ashi had it in mind to hunt for bear, which could be
dangerous, and they wanted not to be distracted by worrying about the
smaller boy. Yoshi protested that he was a good hunter, but Tomoko said
he was not strong enough yet to draw the bow on a bear, and if things got
tight it would make all the difference if he could shoot to kill. Yoshi
was hurt by his brother's words, but stayed home alone.

When the hunters came home, they were happy, not because they killed a
bear, but because they had enjoyed their day alone together in the
woods. They held hands and smiled happily at Yoshi in the evening light.

Thereafter it became more frequent that the older boys sent Yoshi away
from them so they could be alone together. Yoshi grew jealous of his
older brother's friendship.

When Yoshi heard nasty stories in the schoolyard about his brother and
Ashi, he knew they could be true for he had once seen his brother and
Ashi kissing at a distance. When he got home alone with Tomoko, Yoshi
accused his brother of doing the things the schoolyard stories said,
which Yoshi said he knew to be true because Tomoko was tender-hearted and
could have feelings for a man like a woman felt for a man. For his part
Yoshi said he was deeply and forever shamed by them and wanted never to
be seen with the older boys again. It broke Yoshi's heart when Tomoko
confessed how much he loved Ashi and cried in his bed through the night.
But, Yoshi hardened his heart and gave no comfort or forgiveness to his
brother.

In the school yard Yoshi told his own stories of people like those his
brother was accused of being and joined in taunting Ashi and Tomoko who
were silent and embarrassed in their shame. That night Yoshi kept apart
from Tomoko and Ashi except to take the meal his brother had prepared for
them. Yohsi ate in silence, ignoring his brother's pleading eyes.

In the morning Tomoko's bed was empty. In his place was a note that
said. "If you ever need me, climb to the top of the tallest tree in the
forest for an hour in the afternoon and I will see you there and I will
come to you." Heavy- hearted Yoshi went to school by himself and spent
his evening alone waiting to tell his father of Tomoko's disappearance,
and of Ashi who was also missing, though Yoshi was too ashamed to tell
his father why the two had departed. The days that followed left Yoshi
feeling ever lonelier.

In time rumors reached the village that Tomoko and Ashi had established
reputations as fine young hunters in a village a way on the other side of
the forest. Yoshi hunted the forest by himself, wandering often by the
tallest tree, wondering if his brother ever came there.

Then one day the news came that Tomoko had been killed by a charging
bear. That day Yoshi climbed the tallest tree to nurse his sorrow. Ashi
came to the tree, and together they grieved.

--- Dustyn Thyme
--- dustynthyme@hotmail.com