That morning at about seven o'clock, our neighbor brought us long slender and glossy eggplants, as many as ten of them. I said to my eldest daughter, Fusako, "Look at these nice eggplants, Fusako. That old man in our neighborhood brought them to us. Isn't he a nice man?" She said, "Yes, he is, Mummy." "I'll cook them for supper this evening." "Great! I really can't wait!" Fusako grinned at me and left for school, saying "See you later." Her smile and wave good-bye has been burned into my memory.
I am very sorry that I gave birth to her in such terrible times, during the war. She never ate delicious food in her life. She never had a full stomach. I am awfully sorry for her.