A PROUD FUROSHA By Andrej Koymasky © 2010 Written on July 1, 2002 Translated by the Author English text kindly revised by
USUAL DISCLAIMER
"A PROUD FUROSHA" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.
Chapter 8 - A furosha can also be happy
We had to dismantle our tent and find another place to assemble it. The police, possibly because the city authorities were not happy having got such a limited success in their "humanitarian" initiative, decided to make the furosha's life difficult, without really using a heavy hand. They were just forcing us to continuously dislodge.
The cold season was also coming, therefore it was difficult and tiresome every time to dismantle, carry away everything with our two carts overfilled, and to remount our tent elsewhere, muffled in our heavy clothes.
I already went several times to visit "grandpa" Akiba. He was rather happy in his new settlement in the "Assistance house for homeless", as the municipal centre was officially called, that anyway all of us, including the guests of the house, were going on calling the "furosha's kennel".
After I had finally made love with Saburo, and after that night we did it quite often, when I went to see grandpa Akiba, he understood at once.
"Oh, Ken! Finally you did it! Good!" he said to me.
I didn't understood at once, so I said, "I would have come earlier to see you, but we have been dislodged already four times, and this kept us rather busyÉ"
He smiled with a sly expression, "Come on, don't pretend not to understand! I'm talking about you and doctor Oishi."
I blushed but smiled back, "How could you understand as soon as you saw me? I came to tell you, grandpa, but I see that you already knowÉ"
"Your face is serene like a summer sky, and this at once told me which sun makes it shine so. I am really happy, for you and for the doctor. Finally my little grandson found his man!"
"Yes, grandpa AkibaÉ ButÉ"
"Is there still a but? Still a small cloud wanders in the summer sky, and at times can hide the sun?"
"YesÉ you see, grandpa, Saburo is in love with me, but IÉ I am very fond of him, but I don't think I am in love with him, and I am sorry for that."
"Oh, I see, you are not in love."
"It is so."
"And you regret."
"Yes, it is so."
The old Akiba shook his head, "In my time, marriages were always and only decided by the families. The so-called love marriage didn't exist. It was a pact, an alliance, something advantageous for both the spouses. At times, even though not so often, at times gradually between the spouses love was also born. Anyway quite seldom marriages crumbled down. Now you youths want to do like you see in the American movies - a love marriage. But after a while the spouses live together, they become aware they don't really love each other, that they deceived themselves, and the number of marriages that fall to pieces dramatically increased."
"You are therefore saying that between Saburo and me can be born loveÉ But he is already in love with me."
"Do you like him?"
"Of course."
"Do you respect him?"
"Sure."
"Are you fond of him?"
"Yes, I'm very fond."
"So, then, let time do its work. Don't be in a hurry. Love is never a starting point, but a point to reach. Or, to better say, not even a point to reach, it is a road walked together, day after day, year after year. Doctor Oishi is a really good and smart man."
"Yes, indeed."
"And you, Ken, are a very good and smart boy."
"I would like to be really soÉ"
"You are. Trust your old grandpaÉ even though just acquired."
"You are my grandpa more than my grandpa, Akiba."
"And you more my grandson than my grandsons, my boy. And how is business going?"
"I followed your advice. It works."
"Very good. Ah, I forgot to thank you for the fruitÉ"
"If you need anything elseÉ"
"No, here they give us almost everything. It is not so bad, here. I just regret a little the freedom I was enjoying before. As long as you can, you are right, wanting to remain free."
"But they chase us away from everywhere, we are forced to have a nomadic life. It is somewhat heavy and tiresome."
"Yes, they are trying to get you tired. But in my opinion they will get tired before you. Just hold on, my boys."
On January 15th, in the Hanazono shrine of Shinjuku was held, like every year, the Dondo Yaki festival. All the decorations for the new year, like the pine branches, the rope and straw festoons, are gathered and burned on a fire that is also used to roast the mochi, small rice cakes pounded in a mortar, which are then eaten as a good wish for health and a happy life for the rest of the year.
On that occasion on the land owned by of the shrine, dozens and dozens of small stalls appear which sell food, souvenirs, toys and plenty of other items. Saburo and I decided to go there to also have our stall of old items we had gathered, and sell them.
While we were waiting for some customers to come, passed by one of the kannushi of the shrine, who in that moment was free from the rites, who was having a look at the stalls. He was a tall and thin man, about of the same age as Saburo. He was elegant in his traditional kimono showing his rank and his role.
He looked at the items we exposed, then raised his eyes and smiled to Saburo, "Aren't you the furosha's doctor?"
"I am the furosha who is the furosha's doctor." Saburo answered with a smile.
"Yes, I well remember your interview on the TV. You spoke with wisdom. And you are doing a useful and needed workÉ"
"I am only doing my duty and nothing more." Saburo answered.
"If everybody did only his duty and nothing more, we would live in a much better world." the kannushi said, then added, "I've heard that the police don't leave you in peaceÉ"
"It is really true. We have to continuously move away. And we are lucky that they don't requisition our few belongings."
"You lived in a shelter made with plastic sheets in a park, if I well remember."
"Yes. And since then we, my friend and I, had to change the place where we raise our tent at least four times." he said pointing towards me with a movement of his head.
"You live together." the kannushi said, acknowledging the plural used by Saburo.
"Yes. We didn't accept to go into the house that the Tokyo mayor built for us. There, if needed, they have medical assistance. Not here. Unhappily here there is only me with my small means."
"I understand. Therefore you would like to remain hereÉ and free."
"Exactly so."
The kannushi nodded, greeted us and went on to look around. A few hours later we saw him come again. This time he wasn't stopping at the several stalls to look, but was walking directly towards our stall. I again admired the elegance of his white kimono.
"I took the liberty of talking with our Elder. Behind the shrine there is a grove of sugi trees and bambooÉ It is always open, few people pass there; it is in the shrine compound, it is not a public place. There is a sheltered corner with possibly enough room for your tent. Nobody can make you move away from there, and you can thus have your full freedomÉ Would you be interested in moving there?"
Saburo and I looked at each other, agreeably surprised, and Saburo said, "Your offer is really generous. This would solve our problem. When could we go and look at that place and eventually move there?"
"I think you had better wait until it is time to close the stalls, so you won't lose customers. Then come to the shrine and ask for me, my name is Aoyagi Tetsufumi. Even if it is already dark, I will bring a lampÉ if you like the place, if it suits you, tomorrow morning you can come and raise your tent there and stay there in peace."
"I really don't know how to thank you. Give my thanks also to your Elder. AndÉ if I spread the news amongst the other furosha, can they come to call me or to be treated?"
"That place, although not public, is open day and night. Therefore anybody can come there." the kannushi answered. "I will therefore wait for you later." he added and we said goodbye.
"This is a real stroke of luck, Saburo, isn't it?" I said, radiant.
"Yes, it will finally give us some peace. Let's hope that the place is suitable to raise our tent there."
Later, we dismounted our stall, loaded everything on our carts, and went to look for the kannushi. He brought us at once to look at the place. He brought with him a big emergency torch with a neon light that perfectly lighted the place. On one side there was the enclosing wall, and around there were bamboos and cypresses as the priest said. Saburo measured the free space with paces.
"Yes, our tent will easily fit in this space. So, then, can we come tomorrow morning as you said?"
"Surely. And if you need anything, you know where to find me. Good night, therefore."
The day after, early in the morning, we dismounted everything, loaded our carts and reached that place. Passing behind the shrine we found the access and the place that the gentle kannushi showed us. We fixed the ropes at the right level, hung on them the wall sheets, then the roof sheet, then the floor that blocked the walls at the ground level. Then we put at the centre of the floor the metallic dish and on it the pole ending with the small cushion, to keep the centre of the roof well up.
Finally we brought all our belongings inside, carefully setting them up. We had by then good practice, therefore at mid morning all was settled. We went then to greet the kannushi and thank him again. He wanted to come and see how we had settled, made nods of approval, then took out of his sleeve a wooden tablet covered with paper, and handed it to Saburo.
"A lucky charm for your tent." he said.
Saburo thanked him with a bow. On the paper were traced in an elegant calligraphy the ideograms of the lucky charm formula and under it the red seal of the shrine. Saburo went at once to hang it on the pole holding up the roof. It was beautiful, it fitted well in that place.
After we settled, we resumed doing our usual rounds. During one of them I saw in the corner of a street used to gather waste, a dozen rolls of "sudare", that is the mats made with horizontal stripes of bamboo tied by three vertical double strings, that are hung in summer time in front of the windows to screen the sun rays. I loaded all of them on my cart.
When at evening I was back to our tent, I called out to Saburo, who was already back.
"Look what I found!" I said, triumphant.
"What do you think to do with them?" he asked me.
"I thought that they can have a double use, if we hang them all around our tent. One is that when people pass through this park, it is not nice that they see our green, orange and yellow plastic sheets. Hanging these sudare in front of them they would not be so visible, and would not disturb the sight. Moreover, if we hang them about one meter away from the plastic walls, they would be like a double wall around our tent, granting us greater privacy. Don't you agree?"
Saburo nodded, "Yes, a very good idea. I think I still have enough rope to fix between the trees to hang themÉ" He unrolled one of the sudare and said, "Ah, they are not the short ones for the windows, but the long ones for the verandas. Very good, so they will hide the roof also. Help me to find the ropes and tie them between the trees at the right height!"
We at once busied ourselves. In less than one hour we placed them on three sides of the tent, as the fourth was already sheltered by the shrine enclosure wall. On the two sides we left only half a metre of space, but in front we left a wider free space so that we could park our carts between the sudare and the tent. We were really satisfied.
We fixed our supper and ate it. It was getting quite cold and there was snow in the air. After supper we sorted out what we had gathered during the day. Then we decided to get some sleep. We were now using the two futons one on top of the other, so we were best protected from the cold coming up from the ground, and also two blankets, one on top of the other, kept us warmer. We got used to always sleeping embraced, therefore even on the width of a single futon there was enough room for us.
Saburo started to caress and kiss me with tender desire. I of course didn't step back, I was wanting to make love at least as much as him. Staying under the covers, we undressed each other to enjoy the contact of our bodies. It was really great being in the arms of Saburo, against his strong body, I liked it very much. I liked feeling his desire strengthen together with mine, his passion lit, our pleasure increase to the explosion of all our senses.
While Saburo was giving me all his love nectar, softly moaning all the pleasure he was feeling, for the first time a thought raised in me luminous like a star, exploded like a firework inside me, "I love you, Saburo!"
I was about to say it, but I kept it hidden in my heart. It became more difficult to hold back that magic sentence, that I didn't know when and how would gush out of my heart, when Saburo brought me to orgasm as he was so good at doing.
We hugged tightly, we tugged our covers well over us and, happy and sated, we let ourselves cuddle in the arms of sleep. But as long as I remained conscious, in my heart was going on to sing that sentence, "I love you, Saburo! I love you, Saburo!"
The day after, we parted to do our usual rounds. I went to visit three, four department stores, until I found all I wanted. I possibly spent too much money, butÉ I was sure that for that occasion Saburo would not complain.
I went back to our tent earlier than usual, to be sure to get there before my man. I then started to carefully prepare everything, for Saburo coming back.
First of all I hanged out the three tissue paper garlands representing green leaves and white flowers, and on each of them I hanged three red hearts big like two hands side by side. Before hanging them, I wrote on each of them with a black felt pen "I love you!" I then placed the candles in a heart shape all around on top of all the boxes and lit all of them. Finally I unrolled our futons and on them I put a wide sheet of handmade paper scattered with golden specks where I traced wide the love symbol - a traditional stylised umbrella like a big arrow pointing up, and at the left and the right of its handle the ideograms of our names - Saburo and Kenzaemon. I put on it a key holder ring where I had strung nine coins of five yen each, the ones that have a hole at their centre.
I looked satisfied at the result - yes, I loved it. I switched on Saburo's pocket radio, tuning it on a station where they were broadcasting only good music.
I then went out of the tent to wait for my man to come back home. How good it was thinking of him as "my man"! It gave me a feeling of serenity, of safety, of incredible joy. He was my man and I his boy! I looked back and, from outside the sudare mats, the flickering light of the candles was not visible. Very good!
Finally I saw him come.
"Hi. What are you doing here out in the cold?" he asked me, smiling at me joyfully.
"I was waiting for you."
"Outside? And why?"
"Because now you have to leave your cart here, then shut your eyes, and let me take you inside."
"A surprise?" he asked me, smiling merrily.
"Yes. I hope you appreciate itÉ " I said. "Leave the cart outside, I will pull it inside. Wait here, but don't look. Rather, turn your back to the tent."
He, obedient, did as I told him. I raised the sudare mat and pushed Saburo's cart to its place. Then went outside again.
"Keep your eyes well shut and don't try to look before I tell you. All right?"
"Yes, all right."
I seized his arm and led him. Raised the sudare and made him pass over, then in front of the tent I said, "Take off your shoes, but still with your eyes shut."
He again did as I told him. I then moved aside the entrance sheet and pushed him inside the tent.
"Stop hereÉ GoodÉ Now you can open your eyes."
I looked at him. He opened his eyes and looked around astounded, then looked at the wide white paper lying on our futons. I wish I had then my old digital camera to immortalize the emotions that were alternating on his face.
He turned towards me - his eyes were glossy with emotion.
"Ken?" he said, with a broken voice.
"Yes, Sabu-chan?"
"Really?" he asked, not unbelieving but emotional.
"I would never tell you a lie, above all on this subject."
"You reallyÉ"
"I love you, Sabu-chan. I want you to be my man, I want to be your boy."
He was there, still. He looked again towards the futon and noticed the metal ringlet with the coins strung on it.
"And that? What does it mean?"
"Count them."
He bent down and counted the coins, "There are nine of them. What does it mean? Am I worth so little?"
"No, silly man. Nine coins of five yen, makeÉ"
"Forty-five yenÉ So, then?"
"Don't you know what they mean?"
"NoÉ"
"Say it slowlyÉ"
"Shijugo enÉ"
"YesÉ"
"So, then?"
"Ages ago my grandmother explained it to meÉ Shijugo en, that is forty-five yen, if you write it with different ideograms, becomes shi-ju goenÉ"
"A wonderful relationship forever!" he said then, triumphant, catching the word play. "This then, will always hang from my belt, it will be my lucky charm!" he exclaimed.
He stood up and finally embraced me, "We have to mark this day on the calendar, my Ken-chan, my love! Do you know that you are making me the happiest man in the world?"
"Yes, MY man!"
"And you MY boy!" he said and hugged me tightly to him and kissed me with an incredible transport, raising me from the floor and rocking me lightly right and left as he cuddled me.
His overwhelming happiness made me happy as I never had been before. And I thought that after all, I had been lucky having been thrown out of my home by my father, I luckily became a furosha, I luckily fell ill, I luckily met "grandpa" AkibaÉ because so I found Saburo, my man!
When he let me again onto the floor, I gently parted from him.
"Now we will eat our supper and thenÉ then we will make love, to celebrate as we shouldÉ"
"NoÉ we rather now make love, then we have our supper. The most important things are to be done first, aren't they?" he said, tenderly caressing my cheek.
We took the coins and the paper sheet off of the futon, we undressed each other, almost in a hurry, urgently, he then pushed me to lie on the futon and came on top of me. I embraced him, wrapping him with my arms and legs, he again kissed me and his eyes were bright as never before, and the little flames of the candles were reflected on them, making me think of a starry sky.
We started making love, and it was so beautiful to make my heart almost ache from too much joy, almost taking my breath away from the extreme intensity of the emotions I was feeling.
And while he was taking me with all his passion, with all his desire, I thoughtÉ
"YesÉ even a furosha can be happy!"
THE END
In my home page I've put some more of my stories. If someone wants to read them, the URL is
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If you want to send me feed-back, or desire to help revising my English translations, so that I can put on-line more of my stories in English please e-mail at
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