同窓会 Reunion

五月晴れの今日、旭中学校卒業以来35年ぶりの同窓会がある。チエ子はなぜかこれまでほとんど参加することが無かった。今回、幼馴染ひな子の誘いもあって仕方なくの参加になったが、最初は正直あまり気がのらなかった。実家である料亭の若女将として多忙な日々を過ごしていたが、娘の明日子が嫁ぎ、夫の直（すなお）も東京単身赴任中もあって時間に余裕ができたのもあるが、五十路を迎え、チエ子自身が母、妻、女として心の余裕、何かしらの自信が芽生えていたことが、参加を決心した一番の理由であった。チエ子にとっては同窓会は辛い思い出しかなかった。チエ子25歳、初めての同窓会で同級生からの差別とも取れる言動に深く傷ついたのだった。

It’s a sunny day today, Chieko is going to a junior high school reunion for the first time in 35 years.  She hasn't ever joined and enjoyed it. However, Hinako, who is her best friend, takes her to a junior high school reunion. To be honest, she felt confused about that at first. Actually, Chieko has still been busy running her own business which is a Japanese restaurant. Otherwise, she has some time as her daughter got married and her husband lives alone in Tokyo with his work. The main reason is that she feels more confident as an independent woman, a wife and a mother. That exactly made her change her mind that she should go there. Chieko has a sad memory about the last reunion. Some old classmates bullied her when she first took part in the reunion. She was 25 years old that got hurt by their harsh words.

プロローグ Prologue

昭和29年日本、第2次世界大戦は終わったが地方は依然貧困に苦しんでいた。戦後第1次ベビーブーム(1947-49)の影響もあってか、どこも子供たちであふれかえり、小中高と1クラス50人近い生徒が在籍、同学年8クラスもあれば、卒業するまで会話を交わすことのない同級生が居たり、現代少子化問題や学校事情とは全く違う光景をみることができた。「公務員初任給8,700円/月」「1世帯あたり5人平均」の時代、家庭事情も現在とはるかに異なることが想像できる。舞台はこのような時代背景から始まり、主人公の村田チエ子、幼馴染のひな子、2人の女性が「女、妻、母」として生きてきた物語であり、70年間のそれぞれの人生を振り返り、令和を生きる女性たちへ贈りたいメッセージでもある。20代、40代と年齢を重ねるごとに人生の選択、ターニングポイントが異なる、しかし昭和から平成、令和と時代背景が変わっても人の考えや行動は何ら変わらないということ。「昨日より今日、今日よりあした。」人はただより良い自分、しあわせを、求めながら人生を歩んでいくのです。

The Showa era, 1954 in Japan. Although it was after World War Ⅱ, people were suffering from poverty in particular local areas. Since the post-war baby boom, there were a lot of children everywhere and schools were packed with students. It's hard to imagine that situation at the present as the number of children have been getting less and less even though the income has been increasing lately. This story focuses on two women, who are best friends, have lived through the period of time with each other as a woman, wife and mother for 70 years. You have to make your decision and choose your life with age. However, It never changes your value and way of thinking whatever you're young or not. It would believe that you'll better today than yesterday and better than tomorrow by two women in this story which makes you more encouraged.