Preparedness Makes a Mother Strong

Tomorrow is finally the day, July 5th, mentioned in Ryo Tatsuki's book, 'The Future I Saw'.

The book contains a prophecy-like statement: 'If the dreams I saw become reality, the next major disaster will occur on the morning of July 5, 2025'.

What if a major disaster really does happen? If I were to lose my life tomorrow, would I have any regrets? I ask myself this question.

Suddenly, I think of my parents back home. Since I got married and moved out, I only go back once or twice a year. As time passes like this, the day will eventually come when I can no longer see them.

However, knowing that 'the world might end tomorrow' makes me realize that 'someday' might arrive before I know it.

Perhaps I might never be able to contact my parents again.

—I want to hear my mother's voice.

Thinking this, I called my mother for the first time in a while. Through the receiver, my mother said,

'What is it? Did something happen?'

She sounded carefree. Perhaps she doesn't know that the world is about to end. Although a global-scale problem is looming, I don't have any problems for now—it's peaceful.

The only problem I have right now is that my shirt gets soaked from the summer heat while dropping off my child at daycare. But even if I told her that, my mother would surely reply in a tone like Marie Antoinette,

'If you don't have a shirt, why don't you just change?'

There wouldn't be much room for the conversation to grow from there. Feeling like I wanted to minimize the back-and-forth, I replied,

'Nothing.'

Even if the conversation with my mother had gotten lively, I decided to casually bring up the topic of 'the end of the world.' Now is definitely not the right time for that.

Come to think of it, I really don't have any business. The only things I have to tell my mother are things like 'it's hot' or 'I'm sleepy.' Having nothing to say is proof that things are peaceful right now. But that peace is about to be threatened.

'Whenever you call me, it's usually because you're in trouble, isn't it?'

My mother said that in a tone as if she were lecturing me.

'That's true, I guess.'

It was so accurate that I felt frustrated with myself for having no comeback. Come to think of it, have I ever even once called my mother or father just to worry about them?

Of all things, to think that the reason I called my parents was because of a "suspicion of the world ending." I should have been more filial before the world ended. As soon as I heard my mother's voice, I felt ashamed of my own heartlessness.

"I haven't heard from you in a while, so I figured you were doing fine. So, what is it?"

"It seems the Earth is in trouble."

Actually, I had intended to drag out the "world ending" topic a bit more. But I had no more material left. I decided to tell her the truth about why I had called.

"Why is that?"

My mother asked in a calm tone, unfazed by my confession. And honestly, that is what I wanted to know, too.

"It's a prophecy. There's someone predicting that a great disaster will visit us on July 5th."
"Is the Earth in trouble?"
"Yes, it is."
"That's terrible. By the way, my lower back hurts. And I'm having trouble with spam emails."
"Are you still getting spam emails?"

Come to think of it, she had previously consulted me about being troubled by frequent spam emails claiming to be from Sho Hirano.

Of course, they were fake, but my mother had believed them a little, saying, "Mr. Hirano is in trouble."

For now, I told her, "The real one is busy, so he doesn't have time to contact random strangers. Those are just scam emails from imposters."

"That's right. When I went to consult the mobile phone company, they said they'd charge 3,000 yen from next time. Everything is about money, isn't it?"

My mother started to steer the conversation far away. It seems she isn't very interested in the prophecy. According to her, she recently installed a virus buster app as a countermeasure against mobile viruses.

It seems my mother is more concerned about the giant viruses lurking on the internet and the repeated spam emails than the end of the world.

"Mobile phone companies are businesses, too. It can't be helped that they charge money."
"But it was free until just recently. It's so stingy."

Setting things to be free up to a certain point is just to attract customers. After all, there is nothing scarier than something free. That is the structure of society. However, my mother doesn't realize that.

"Oh, right, back to the prophecy. Many people on social media are stocking up on supplies. Maybe you should prepare some too, Mom."
"Prepare what?"
"Food."

It will be too late after the disaster happens. First, I have to make sure she has food ready—.

"Heh. If I have time to be eating food when the Earth is in trouble, that would be fine. But if that happens, I won't be able to eat."

My mother sounded proud as she said that. Come to think of it, if a meteorite hits the Earth, it might be blown to smithereens in an instant, and in that case, there would be no time to eat a meal.

I see. I hadn't thought of that. You can gain new insights when you talk to people. Wait, is this really the time to be impressed?

Even so, why is my mother so unfazed by the prophecy?

Then, I suddenly remembered the existence of the "countless cardboard boxes" that were kept in the alcove of the Japanese-style room at my parents' house.

My mother always bought plastic bottles, snacks, rice, and emergency supplies by the box so that she would be ready whenever an earthquake struck. As for Pocari Sweat and mineral water, there were always about three or four cardboard boxes of them. She knew where the nearby evacuation sites were and had a clear grasp of the evacuation routes.

She was well-prepared, but since disasters never happened, every time I visited my parents' house, she would tell me to "take some with you" and give me large amounts of snacks and juice.

Preparedness makes a mother strong. It is precisely because she is always prepared that my mother remains unfazed by anything.

There is only a little time left until the fateful day. Will that prophecy really come true?

Even if it doesn't happen as prophesied, my mother is always doing her best with what is right in front of her. There is no point in worrying about global-scale events. I think I will also start by focusing on what I can do myself.

[End]