THE LILLIAN INTERVIEWS
Chapter Ten: Noriko's Story: A Story in Two Parts
Open Boundaries, Brave New World (Part One)
One year after the outbreak of influenza in Indonesia.
One year before the Lillian Interviews.
In Noriko's voice.
Yoshino had me thinking. Something was up.
In the course of two weeks, Yoshino had been particularly interested in discussions about the A(H1N1) influenza vaccinations and was asking all kinds of questions unusual for someone not within the medical, microbiology and virology circles. Given that Yoshino was now Deputy Chair of the Regional Disaster Monitoring Council and had made great strategic and tactical strides towards containing the outbreak within Asia last year, I thought that it was only because the assertive Yellow Rose wanted to verify the reports coming to her agency offices. But the line of questioning seemed more and more investigative in tone and Yoshino was employing a more business-like approach to the long out-of-office meetings she requested with me. Almost always Yoshino reminded that it might not be best if anyone knew of our discussions. Not even the Yamayurikai.
Shimako was travelling and was about to go home tomorrow. It had been quite sometime since I last saw her and I had missed her a lot. Often she would send long emails and would write about the many wonders of the human spirit and her daily adventures as the region's foremost field surgeon. Sei-sama once said that Shimako is like the Asian version of the beautiful Jane Seymour in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Inside, she really reminded me of Hermione Granger of that Harry Potter series. I've never read any of the books and have relied much of my comparison with the on-screen portrayal of Emma Watson in the movies. Nevertheless, every time I see Hermione, I see Shimako.
Often she would write to tell how she had learned many things in her experience with Doctors Without Borders than all of her medical schooling years had offered. Not that she was being ungrateful of her own mentors who encouraged her fast rise in the medical field and all of whom have taught her all the technical knowledge of being a doctor. But Shimako often would remind me and herself that experience has enabled us to be humbler. The joint incidents about Tokage and Chuetsu five years ago had changed her. Admittedly, it had changed all of us.
Yesterday on a phone call, she again proceeded to tell me about her experiences in Indonesia and the recent travels she had been taking for the organization. She sounded content but a certain kind of sadness prevailed within Shimako. It was that sadness wherein she felt she is not doing nearly enough. Afterwards she started telling me about a known tidbit in the pharmaceutical circles recently.
"One of the nurses in that local homeless shelter in Grudziadz who is a friend of one of my medical staff has been stripped of her nursing license because of the Novartis incident in Poland."
I had worked for Novartis for a couple of years before starting out with my own lab.
Last year, a controversial story came out involving three doctors and six nurses who caused the deaths of 21 homeless people following a clinical trial of an H5N1 bird flu vaccine. The experimental vaccine during that time was tested on 350 homeless and poor people after being offered £1-2 (Polish pound) per person. Despite the doctors and the nurses asserting that the victims were well informed that it was a trial vaccine for a highly contagious virus, investigators said that the participants thought that it was just a conventional flu vaccine. Novartis had since claimed that they were also deceived by the medical staff on proper administration and risk reporting. The Minister of Health in Poland had said that the medical staff involved should not go back to their profession and should be punished despite authorities not having a direct evidence between the deaths and the medical staff.
"You think they got a fair trial?" I asked this of Shimako.
"I don't know. It's just I have often wondered why they would do clinical trials on homeless people? It was a paid incentive that perhaps the system in it of itself needs review. Who monitored their progress on a prescribed period? Would they even know how to record their medical condition?"
"Have you ever wondered if the pharmaceutical companies should have had ensured that medical staff got trained on risks and reporting first before having them administer clinical vaccine tests on people?"
"Yes. Although there are procedures, sometimes people seem to ignore them for speed." Shimako sighed.
We dropped that piece of the conversation and moved on to other things. But the thought seemed to have lingered both in my mind and in Shimako's. I placed the thoughts in the back of my head and made arrangements on how to pick her up from the airport tomorrow.
"It's always nice to go home and see you, Noriko."
Long after I placed down the phone, I remembered this one enjoyable evening. Some time six years ago. Events before the typhoon and the earthquake.
***
One year before the Tokage typhoon.
Seven years before the Lillian Interviews.
Winter. In Noriko's voice.
I picked her up quite early at her father's old temple house. Thirty minutes before the appointed time. I was deciding whether I should just stay in the car and wait there for a few more minutes and was vacillating on a decision. For five minutes I was sitting inside the car contemplating on whether I'd bring her inconvenience by showing up early. But my mobile phone rang.
And it was her.
"Noriko."
"Moshi moshi Shimako."
"Noriko, it's okay to get out of the car. Please come in."
She had a nice small giggle at the end of the line. All I could say was yes. I went out of the car and carried the warmth of her voice as I walked along the front path of the temple garden.
I caught the light in her eyes long before she was able to fully open the sliding door. Her smile was gentle but excited. She was happy to see me. My heart leaped a million times like a child awaiting secret gifts on a New Year.
"Noriko."
Without taking her eyes away from mine, she approached me and gently placed both her hands on my cheeks.
"Don't you know that every time I'm home, I can't wait to see your lovely face? My dear Noriko."
At that point, for the very first time, my solemn prayer to the gods was let this be the night. The night where my lips will meet Shimako's.
.
***
We first had dinner at this out-of-the-way fine dining Japanese restaurant in a suburb near Tokyo. Rei-sama recommended the place and said that the food was exquisitely great. I was slightly surprised how she could even recommend any place other than the Dojo Bar. However the Olympiad said to me over the phone that the Dojo Bar "is not known for its romantic setting." It was one of those Yamayuri subtle hints of meddling but not quite. Even Rei-sama who had not frequently dispensed her share of the Yamayuri trademark (not as often as the other older Rosas) did not all together dismiss the classic OG trick.
Like always, she was beautiful. There is a certain kind of grace that is Shimako. It's as if she is conscious of the living space surrounding her, an aura of respect for polished charm and deep substance.
"You are hardly eating, Noriko." She dabbed the side of her mouth with the table napkin. Shimako was doing it ever so enchantingly slow that I was captivated. I wished I were her table napkin.
"It's just that it's been a while." Her gaze searched my eyes. She was trying to find a deeper meaning to my statement.
"Yes, I missed you too." Then she looked down on her plate. It was her way of trying to hide a blush.
After a few moments of silence, Shimako prodded me to eat and finally I did.
***
Shimako gasped as we arrived at our next destination for the night. The billboard said: A Philharmonic Night on Ice with Michelle Kwan. She had always loved to watch figure skating. Sometime in the past during our Lillian years she had been a big fan of the Chinese-American four-time world figure skating champion Michelle Kwan.
"Oh, Noriko."
"Happy Birthday, Onee-sama."
As I produced the tickets in front of her, she grabbed me and held me tightly.
"This is the best birthday gift I have ever had."
Actually, it was Sachiko-sama who gave me the tickets and who also made sure we had the best seats to watch the performance. It was a production of The Ogasawara World Cultural Foundation – a personal foundation built by Sayako-oba-sama of which the Young Kyoto Philharmonic Orchestra is managed. Sachiko-sama, Touko-chan and Shimako's cousin were also playing with the orchestra that night.
We were greeted by Sachiko-sama's elegant mother as soon as we were seated.
"I'm glad that you both have come. Shimako, my greetings to a wonderful birthday."
"Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Sayako-oba-sama."
Youko-sama was already seated with Sei-sama & Kashiwagi-san at the row before us. So was Eriko-sama and Yamanobe-sensei who were on vacation from Paris. Yoshino-chan and Rei-sama were seated near us together with Yuuki-san, Yumi-chan, Nana-chan and Kei-san.
They hugged and greeted Shimako on her birthday and an after-event party was to be held for her at the Ogasawara Mansions. It was the Yamayurikai surprise to my cherished Onee-sama.
Shimako's esteemed cousin was conducting tonight's first performance for the orchestra.
The Yamayurikai in all these years has had a mad love affair with an eclectic range of music. Sachiko-sama together with Shimako and Touko-chan had similar tastes in classical orchestral music while Eriko-sama, Sei-sama and Rei-sama had their tastes bent on the more adult contemporary tunes. Yumi-sama, Nana-chan and I were adaptable. Yoshino-sama was totally avant-garde's.
The performance started with a group performance, a figure skating choreography of an original Joe Hisaishi composition taken from the animated movie Princess Mononoke. The supporting figure skaters in what seemed to me were beautiful fluttering butterfly dresses accompanied the talented Michelle Kwan. It was an exhilarating choreography and the music was riveting, energetic, haunting, and then melancholic. They were playing the Princess Mononoke Symphonic Suite. (A/N: See reference notes on where to access the music included in this fan fiction work).
Touko-chan was guest lead violinist. Sachiko-sama had a piano solo during second score of the Princess Mononoke theme. There was a Yamayurikai version of this music that got played by Sachiko-sama and her friend, Shimako and Touko-chan at the funeral of the old Ogasawara patriarch, the late grandfather of Sachiko-sama a few years back.
At the end of the performance, people were stunned. That it took time before they could clap. It was that kind of performance. Bewildering. Sayako-obasama was crying at the end of the piece.
"Kindly join us in giving a stunning applause to stage actress Matsudaira Touko for her violin solo." The audience applauded once more and with increased fervor.
However the performance that topped the night was Shimako's personal favourite and a trademark Michelle Kwan performance. It was the last performance of the night. The genius conductor looked at our box who with her long silvery flowing hair bowed. She spoke into the microphone.
"This one is for Shimako-san. To our dear friend, you are one extraordinary generous light for our age. May your kind continue…" She paused after a respectful applause came from the audience especially those coming from the Yamayurikai section of the theater.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in behalf of the Lady Sayako, Ogasawara Sachiko and the Young Kyoto Philharmonic Orchestra…..we give you Michelle Kwan in East of Eden."
A thunderous applause was heard. The audience had probably waited for this the entire night. It was Sachiko-sama who conducted this piece with Shimako's cousin playing the lead flute.
Then the orchestra started to play Lee Holdridge's East of Eden. Michelle Kwan danced like a graceful bird. There were tears in Shimako's eyes. I had then taken her hand and she laced fingers with mine. Like it was always meant to be, us holding hands. Like two birds soaring in the sky, forever together in triumphs and hardships. The music was not just Shimako's. It was ours.
As the final segment of the score was being played, white petals were then scattered by the supporting figure skaters and it made a very beautiful effect on the skating rink. It actually looked like snow swirling gracefully with the music – rising, falling and gently receding. The soft blue lighting of the skating rink was the only thing that was lighted brightly in the theatre. It was like being in a fairy tale land.
"Noriko, thank you for bringing me here. I will never forget today for the rest of my life."
Shimako wiped her tears gently as she was one of the first people in the audience to stand up. The applause was long and booming. When Michelle Kwan pointed to the orchestral section of the theatre, another long applause was given. Shimako's cousin was holding Sachiko-sama's hand. They were both beaming in silent jubilation and bowed elegantly together. In perfect time.
***
When the after-party celebration was over, Shimako and I held hands on the way to the car. Shimako thanked me and said that she has thoroughly enjoyed everything.
"I've always wished for peace, Noriko. And I'm glad that you are the part that brings me peace."
We had stopped walking. I felt her fingers squeeze into mine and as I held her hand to my chest. We stared into each other eyes and a kind of longing that I've always carried with me felt wanting to burst out of my heart. The wind blew through Shimako's hair that momentarily she softly closed her eyes. The time was right. I was about to kiss her.
"Shimako-chan! Noriko-chan!"
Someone was running towards us. It was Yoshino-sama. "Can Rei-chan and I hitch a ride?"
***
Author's Notes:
Gokigenyou.
To my dear readers, to the effect of building suspense, and also to create a more lingering impression of the musical components in this chapter, the decision to put it in two parts became of paramount creative importance to this author. The story angle which forms Noriko's 2-part perspective on Open Boundaries, Brave New World is broken down into 2 major themes: the romantic theme and the medical mystery theme. The first theme is encapsulated in this chapter. The second theme forms part of the next chapter although a brief foreshadowing was indicated in the first segments of this chapter.
The skating rink birthday date was an original concept that was derived from Shamazing in her "Cups of Tea" FFNet series. I humbly dedicate this 2-part chapter series to her.
As indicated in my previous chapter, I have created a MediaFire public account so that all of you can listen to the music that has been included in this fanfiction work. Kindly visit the link: h t t p : / / w w w . mediafire . com / LillianPlease do away with the spaces. To aid you in finding the songs, a listing after the reference terms section of this A/N is provided for you.
It is the great hope of this author that readers of this fanfiction work would take time out to download the mp3 songs in the link. There are just some things that one cannot put into words that a healthy dose of music to stir up the imagination can. Even if you are not a big fan of contemporary orchestral music, my great wish is that you at least get to appreciate its wondrous effect on the human spirit.
Sachiko would have appreciated the thought too, I suppose. By the way, Touko did play the violin once in Marimite during a solo performance written in passing at the Vacation of the Lambs episode of the anime.
All musical references make mention of their original composers. You are highly encouraged to purchase the original CDs.
Michelle Kwan (for those of you who have are not into figure skating) is a highly renowned award winning figure skater and in her 1995 US performance skated to the music of East of Eden – soundtrack from the 1981 min-series of the same title starring Jane Seymour. (Note that references to Jane Seymour are done twice in this chapter.) East of Eden is originally a novel from John Steinbeck.
Lee Holdridge is an American composer who has written beautiful tv / movie soundtracks for East of Eden, Mists of Avalon, Splash, Old Gringo, Beastmaster, the Beauty and Beast TV series and several more. He is a personal favorite of this author.
Princess Mononoke is one of the highest grossing animation movies in Japan. It was written, designed and directed by the great Hayao Miyazaki. Joe Hisaishi is a highly acclaimed composer and orchestral conductor who often collaborates with Miyazaki. Hisaishi has written musical scores for the great animation movie Spirited Away, Final Fantasy and many other. Readers will get to know more of his music as the chapters progress.
The H5N1 Novartis clinical trial incident in Grudziadz in Poland is a fact. Even the numbers mentioned here are accurate. The rest form part of Noriko and Shimako's opinion. (i.e if they were given a fair trial, etc.)
Gokigenyou.
***
Musical Listings per Chapter:
In Chapter Three - Shimako's Story: Hope and Kindness.
Katakura Mikiya – Pastel Pure (Full Version). Note that fictional musicians include Sachiko on piano, Shimako on lead violin and Sachiko's friend on flute. (From the Pastel Pure OP+ED Album of Maria-sama Ga Miteru.)
Katakura Mikiya – Sonata Blue (Full Version). Fictionally played by the Young Kyoto Philharmonic Orchestra during a castle restoration flashback conversation with Sachiko and Shimako. (From the Pastel Pure OP+ED Album of Maria-sama Ga Miteru.)
In Chapter Four- Rei & Yoshino's Story: Tiptoes & Mad Dashes.
Workshy – Lately. Sachiko played this on the car while driving Rei after their having morning tea. (From the album, The Best of Workshy.)
In Chapter Six - Sei's Story: A Penchant for Name Calling.
Sarah McLachlan – Blackbird. A classic Beatles original. Guitar & Lead Vocals by Sei with backing vocals from Rei. Sung during Youko's send-off party to Cambridge. (From the soundtrack of the movie, I Am Sam.)
In Chapter Eight - Yumi's Story: Funny Accidental Fortunes.
Morning Musume – Morning Coffee. Music from the bus Yumi took and it stuck in her head. Sachiko does not like this type of music a lot. (From the first album release of Morning Musume in 1998.)
In Chapter Nine - Touko's Story: The Tapestry Project.
Pizzicato Five – Drinking Wine. Music Youko and Suguru were singing to during the garden party at the Matsudaira mansion. (From the album International Playboy & Playgirl.)
Pizzicato Five – Playboy, Playgirl. Yoshino sang this on karaoke to taunt Rei. (From the album International Playboy & Playgirl.)
In Chapter Ten - Noriko's Story: Open Boundaries, Brave New World (part 1).
Joe Hisaishi – Princess Mononoke Symphonic Suite. Orchestral music fictionally played by the Young Kyoto Philharmonic. Piano accompaniment & solo by Sachiko. Conducted by Shimako's cousin. (From the live album performance of Joe Hisaishi for the Princess Mononoke soundtrack. You can find the live performance video on YouTube.)
Lee Holdridge – East of Eden. Orchestral music fictionally played by the Young Kyoto Philharmonic. Shimako's cousin on lead flute. Conducted by Sachiko. (From the album, Holdridge by Holdridge.)