All I Asking For Is My Body - Part II

Why does Kiyoshi believe Obaban is a substitute for his mom?

     During his mother’s illness, Kiyoshi had brought up (bachi) or retribution; in other words, revenge or karma. He felt his family had done nothing bad enough to deserve punishment. Kiyoshi’s mother is a very superstitious woman. she explained to him that a person who did something wrong during a lifetime does not necessarily have to be the one who gets punished for their mistakes, but a close family member may suffer as a substitute in the wrongdoer’s place.
     According to the conversation Obaban had with Kiyoshi, she explained to him that if his mother believed enough in the superstition of a being a substitute she can be relieved of the punishment only if she can find another substitute. It so happened coincidently that Obaban had passed suddenly the next day, which made Kiyoshi believe that his mother had pass the substitution on to Obaban. “But Obaban was the logical substitute, she was old and lived a full life, Mr.Kitano and Anshan who was about thirty wouldn’t miss her that much” (Murayama 23). Kiyoshi felt guilty for feeling happy about Obaban’s death. Because he believed so much that Obaban was his mother’s substitute, it was the only way it would keep his mother well.
     I enjoyed this part of reading in the book. It reminded me very much of my own mother and grandmother. I’ve never heard of so much superstitious talk any more than anyone other than my own mother and grandmother. It must have something to do with both being so religious. In our language, karma or retribution is called mai. Though they do not speak in the same sense about bachi/mai as Kiyoshi, I was always reminded that anything I do wrong, any kind of punishment will come back at me. And I have always felt that was true only because I do not believe that bad luck falls on you alone, it has a sister called karma.