I Pick Up

“Is this Suki-chan?”

I paused for a moment after hearing a woman's voice on the other end. Her tone was mature and knowing, but a touch ominous. I recognized it, but didn’t at the same time. It was an uncanny thing to wake up so early and experience. I contemplated simply closing my eyes again, thinking it may be a dream, but I was curious…

“…Who’s asking?”

”Oh… Well, I’m surprised you didn’t start by asking how it was possible for me to contact you on a rotary phone that wasn’t plugged into anything. You’re a strange one.”

“Ah—“

She has a point.

“Then how—!”

“—In any case, have you been eating properly?”

“W-wha? What do you…?”

“Eating. You’re all skin and bones, aren’t you? That’s not healthy for a growing high school girl.” The voice said. “Why, I’d bet you haven’t had a proper meal in weeks, unless you count cup ramen. Which I don’t, by the way.”

“Hey, what’s wrong with cup—? WAIT, no, I mean why are you making assumptions like you know me or something??” I sat up, crossing my arms. “And how did you get the number to my grandmother’s phone?? Also, how are we even—!?“

“Ta-ta-ta, that’s enough questions, missy!” The voice chided me and I imagined her waving a finger alongside the action. “I only answer one question at a time, and only when I feel like it. First, a freebie: Everyone knows your grandmother in Hitachinaka. She ran the best confectionery in Ibaraki, maybe even in all of Eastern Japan.”

I knew this fact well. Baa-chan baked kabocha squash pies for just about every person who had wandered by her bake shop, and was enraptured by the smell and later with the award-winning flavor of her goods. Before she passed away, in any case.

“So, you knew my grandmother, I guess that makes sense.” I admitted. “But that doesn’t explain why you called me, and by such strange means. What is your business with me?“

“First things first, you’re hungry, right?” The voice continued to dart from one conversation topic to the next and back with little regard for my confused state. “Your grandmother left a small coin purse in her dresser, third drawer down on the left side, under her favorite blouses. Should be enough there for at least a few days of meals.”

“What… how in the world would you—“

“Food first, questions later. There might even be something for you by the end of this if you humor me a little longer.” The voice insisted upon me eating once again. “Besides… You’ll feel way happier with a full belly, and as a reward, I’ll answer your next question. Deal?”

I don’t know…

I supposed I could go hide the possessed phone somewhere in the house where I couldn’t hear it any longer, and put this weird business behind me. But doing so wouldn’t ease the deep sense of grief and longing I felt.

“Fine…”

For that reason, I elected to keep pretending I wasn’t going insane for another moment, if nothing else than to get a moment of fresh air. And I was feeling rather hungry…

“Great! Call me back once you’ve had yourself a filling meal, and I’ll answer.” The voice sounded elated, for some reason. “Oh, and I realize you can’t exactly call me with just the earpiece so you can simply say ‘hello’ and I’ll respond no matter what.”

“Whatever you say.”

. . . . .

After tucking the baseless phone in my handbag, and venturing out of my grandmother’s house for what felt like the first time in weeks, I had myself a filling meal of yakisoba at a local joint owned by a classmate and his family, though I hadn’t seen him there today.

That sure hit the spot.

The warm umami flavor was like medicine for my soul. And as much as it pained me to admit the voice was right, I did feel a lot better than surviving on a diet of nothing but cup ramen and convenience store snacks. I hesitantly pulled out the phone, and put it to my ear.

“Ahem… Hello?”

“Ah, there you are! And already sounding like you’re in a better mood.” Just when I half-expected to hear nothing in return, the voice emerged once again from the speaker in the same sing-song tone as before. “I told ya so, Suki-chan!”

“Jeez, you don’t have to sound so pleased about it!” I groaned. “Fine, I’ll admit it, I haven’t been eating well at all since my grandmother passed away. She used to cook all our meals, and as much as I tried to sponge off her skill in the kitchen, just being in there where she spent so much time… it was just…”

My voice trailed off as I looked down at my blue sneakers. I tapped my toes together, thinking of what else to say on the subject. I didn’t know why I suddenly felt so comfortable confiding in this nosy presence on the other end, but still.

“Baa-chan made good food for the whole neighborhood, that was for sure, but she loved to cook for you most of all.” The voice sounded weirdly nostalgic. “She said you had this special way of making even the most boring dishes look delicious. Her words, not mine.”

“Right, I’ll try to take that as a compliment…” I couldn’t help but smile a bit, thinking about her, but every smile lately was like opening up my wounds with sentiment. I had to be careful. “Now, you mentioned answering one of my questions, did you not?”

I was grateful, but I still needed answers.

“Okee—Fair’s fair! Ask away, child.”

“Good, so… How do you seem to know so much about me, and my family? And why do you care if I’m eating well or not?”

“Even though that’s technically two questions, I’ll be a good sport about it since my answer happens to cover both.” The voice said as I rolled my eyes. “I know you quite well, and it wouldn’t be dramatic to say that our destinies are deeply intertwined. Ooh, spooky~”

How dramatic, like a Shinkai movie or something.

”It’s also part of the reason why you need to start taking better care of yourself, for your sake and mine. Capeesh?”

“Whatever you say, lady, but that doesn’t make any sense at all to a normal person.”

“It wouldn’t to you, at least not yet.” The voice replied matter-of-factly. “But you’ll get it in time. OH—and in the spirit of taking care of yourself, I have another little task for you to complete in town! How about it?”

Huh??

“I can sense you’re starting to get in a question-y mood again, so I’ll promise another answer if you can do this for me.” The voice said. “I only have your best interests at heart, believe me on this.”

“We’ll see about that, but… I suppose.”

“You’re already starting to get less prickly, I knew you had it in you, Suki-chan!”

“Don’t push your luck!” I snapped back at the phone, loud enough to draw a couple of confused stares from passersby.

Oh, that’s right, I’m talking to a disconnected phone—loudly—on a public sidewalk. Maybe I should try to be more discreet.

“Don’t push your luck.” I whispered this time. “What is it you want me to do now?”

“You’ve been eating so poorly, because of money troubles and paying back debts on the family home, haven’t you been?”

“Ugh—“ I made a face as the voice touched upon a rather sensitive topic for me, my recent unemployment and the piling bills that had been left behind my grandmother’s absence.

I was nearing the end of my high school career, but in taking on as many part-time jobs as I could, I hoped to keep the family home from falling into the hands of the bank. I wasn’t having so much luck though, and my studies had been suffering for it too.

“I may have found just the opportunity for you, but we’re going to make a quick stop first.”

“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow.

“There should be a tailor a few blocks from here, let’s go get you some threads…”