THE FLOATING WORLD
The quiet.
Penetrating the rock,
Voices of locusts.
Matsuo Bashō
Mariko sat on the tatami mat with her legs curled under her, her kimono beautifully arranged, and waited for the shamisen player to finish. She looked around her, there were high-level Japanese businessmen and consultants here at the zashiki (geisha banquet). She sat quietly; she wasn’t expected to say much. It was enough to look elegant and pour sake, although she wasn’t as quiet as the maiko (geisha in training) to her left.
She sighed and tried to get more interested in the customers around her. She was an independent geisha, and lived in an apartment near the Toyko geisha district, but still had to stay on good terms with her okasan (geisha house manager) and didn’t want to offend anyone. She looked around the table of customers; one of them in particular looked interesting. Probably a snake year man, her favorite. Handsome, very dynamic, a man of few words and great power. She tried to engage him in conversation, but he was very quiet and she didn’t have much success. As the evening more on though, she caught him looking at her several times and she always kept his sake glass filled.
When the banquet was winding down, he asked Keiko, her okasan, about her. Keiko didn’t seem surprised; Mariko was attractive and charming, and it was not unusual for her to attract attention. Keiko told her later that he would like to see her the next night for a private dinner, and asked Mariko if she were available. She told Keiko she was and Keiko arranged it with him. His name, Keiko told her, was Mori Haikada.
Mariko excused herself from the banquet when some of the group went to a hostess bar after the dinner. She was tired and didn’t want to stay up late again. Besides, she wanted to look her best for dinner tomorrow night. She was curious about this man, more than she has about any of her customers for some time…ever since her last danna (patron) had to move from Tokyo to Osaka three years ago. She hadn’t had a danna since, and had been lonely.
The next night he took her out to a wonderful dinner at an upscale, quiet restaurant. They had a lot to drink, cocktails and then sake. She had her kimono on, but wore no face make-up and looked very natural and pretty. He told her all about his life, his job. He was the head of a medium-sized electronics firm in Toyko, married with three children. He intimated that he wanted company, her company, and told her his wife was too busy with the children all the time. At one point she reached across the table and read his palm. As she did this she held the sleeve of her kimono up. Many men, she knew, found an exposed arm of a geisha irresistibly erotic. His palm showed a long, eventful life, full of adventure. When he took his hand back, he was staring at her. She realized she was very attracted to him, but didn’t want to lose control. She was more quiet, and let him talk again.
When the dinner was over, he asked if he could see her again. She said yes, coyly, and could feel her face blushing. Damn, without the heavy make-up on, all her emotions were so easy to read. He started taking her out once or twice a week, sometimes alone, sometimes with a few business associates. She was always charming, he was a perfect gentleman; but when they were out alone, he began coming back to her apartment. They made love after they went out a few times; the first time and every time it was intoxicating for both of them. She had even cried a little once, then had laughed with the intense pleasure of it. He started to give her gifts and money, and although she was still working as a geisha, she was intimate only with him. He became her danna and she was able to work less and spend more time with him.
The months and then years went by; and they were very happy together and loved each other, although it was hard when he traveled and she missed him; but she had her friends at the geisha house and other loyal customers.
Five years went by. He started to see less and less of her; she realized he was probably tiring of her. She was after all getting a bit old to still be a geisha and was starting to work less and less. There were still some loyal customers, but her engagements were getting fewer and fewer. When her money started to be short, she asked Keiko if she could work at the okiya (geisha house) part-time to help make ends meet. Fortunately she had never been a spendthrift, unlike a lot of other geisha; she realized some day her geisha days would be over. She had saved her money through the years, and was able to get by.
Finally she stopped hearing from Mori altogether.
She had a bad spell for a few days, and didn’t go out, but stayed in her apartment, drinking tea and listening to the radio, but finally after several days she went for a long walk and told herself to get over it.
She had to get back to life again, and that life for her was the okiya.
She started to work there full-time, helping Keiko train the maiko, keeping busy, doing whatever needed to be done, from helping with someone’s makeup to doing some bookkeeping. During the days she would often daydream, or when she was going to sleep, she would have her memories.
Like when Mori took her for a walk after one of their first dinners together, along the river lined with cherry blossom trees in full bloom. She was a little tipsy and he held her hand, and was flirting with her. She had felt so wonderful in his presence, so alive. She was alone now, and getting older, but she had no regrets.
The quiet.
Penetrating the rock,
Voices of locusts.
Matsuo Bashō
Mariko sat on the tatami mat with her legs curled under her, her kimono beautifully arranged, and waited for the shamisen player to finish. She looked around her, there were high-level Japanese businessmen and consultants here at the zashiki (geisha banquet). She sat quietly; she wasn’t expected to say much. It was enough to look elegant and pour sake, although she wasn’t as quiet as the maiko (geisha in training) to her left.
She sighed and tried to get more interested in the customers around her. She was an independent geisha, and lived in an apartment near the Toyko geisha district, but still had to stay on good terms with her okasan (geisha house manager) and didn’t want to offend anyone. She looked around the table of customers; one of them in particular looked interesting. Probably a snake year man, her favorite. Handsome, very dynamic, a man of few words and great power. She tried to engage him in conversation, but he was very quiet and she didn’t have much success. As the evening more on though, she caught him looking at her several times and she always kept his sake glass filled.
When the banquet was winding down, he asked Keiko, her okasan, about her. Keiko didn’t seem surprised; Mariko was attractive and charming, and it was not unusual for her to attract attention. Keiko told her later that he would like to see her the next night for a private dinner, and asked Mariko if she were available. She told Keiko she was and Keiko arranged it with him. His name, Keiko told her, was Mori Haikada.
Mariko excused herself from the banquet when some of the group went to a hostess bar after the dinner. She was tired and didn’t want to stay up late again. Besides, she wanted to look her best for dinner tomorrow night. She was curious about this man, more than she has about any of her customers for some time…ever since her last danna (patron) had to move from Tokyo to Osaka three years ago. She hadn’t had a danna since, and had been lonely.
The next night he took her out to a wonderful dinner at an upscale, quiet restaurant. They had a lot to drink, cocktails and then sake. She had her kimono on, but wore no face make-up and looked very natural and pretty. He told her all about his life, his job. He was the head of a medium-sized electronics firm in Toyko, married with three children. He intimated that he wanted company, her company, and told her his wife was too busy with the children all the time. At one point she reached across the table and read his palm. As she did this she held the sleeve of her kimono up. Many men, she knew, found an exposed arm of a geisha irresistibly erotic. His palm showed a long, eventful life, full of adventure. When he took his hand back, he was staring at her. She realized she was very attracted to him, but didn’t want to lose control. She was more quiet, and let him talk again.
When the dinner was over, he asked if he could see her again. She said yes, coyly, and could feel her face blushing. Damn, without the heavy make-up on, all her emotions were so easy to read. He started taking her out once or twice a week, sometimes alone, sometimes with a few business associates. She was always charming, he was a perfect gentleman; but when they were out alone, he began coming back to her apartment. They made love after they went out a few times; the first time and every time it was intoxicating for both of them. She had even cried a little once, then had laughed with the intense pleasure of it. He started to give her gifts and money, and although she was still working as a geisha, she was intimate only with him. He became her danna and she was able to work less and spend more time with him.
The months and then years went by; and they were very happy together and loved each other, although it was hard when he traveled and she missed him; but she had her friends at the geisha house and other loyal customers.
Five years went by. He started to see less and less of her; she realized he was probably tiring of her. She was after all getting a bit old to still be a geisha and was starting to work less and less. There were still some loyal customers, but her engagements were getting fewer and fewer. When her money started to be short, she asked Keiko if she could work at the okiya (geisha house) part-time to help make ends meet. Fortunately she had never been a spendthrift, unlike a lot of other geisha; she realized some day her geisha days would be over. She had saved her money through the years, and was able to get by.
Finally she stopped hearing from Mori altogether.
She had a bad spell for a few days, and didn’t go out, but stayed in her apartment, drinking tea and listening to the radio, but finally after several days she went for a long walk and told herself to get over it.
She had to get back to life again, and that life for her was the okiya.
She started to work there full-time, helping Keiko train the maiko, keeping busy, doing whatever needed to be done, from helping with someone’s makeup to doing some bookkeeping. During the days she would often daydream, or when she was going to sleep, she would have her memories.
Like when Mori took her for a walk after one of their first dinners together, along the river lined with cherry blossom trees in full bloom. She was a little tipsy and he held her hand, and was flirting with her. She had felt so wonderful in his presence, so alive. She was alone now, and getting older, but she had no regrets.