[Okinawa] A Day Spent with My Mom During a Tsunami Alert

🛒 Heading to Kyozuka San-A Amid a Tsunami Alert

I’d been running the washing machine since early that morning, so even though a tsunami alert was in effect, I headed to Kyozuka San-A, which is located on higher ground, to dry my laundry. My mother said she wanted to go to Matsumoto Kiyoshi, so we decided to go there to do some shopping as well.

Even though it was a Monday, the parking lot was crowded, but the rooftop was empty, and since it wasn’t raining yet, we were able to park in a covered spot near the elevator.

👵 Making Arrangements to Move Inside the Store with My Mother

Holding my mother’s hand, I looked for a shopping cart. At the entrance, I told her, “Wait here,” then went back to the car to retrieve the laundry. I loaded the laundry into my mother’s shopping cart, and we took the elevator down to the first floor together.

My mother said she needed to use the restroom, so I guided her to the accessible restroom. While she was in there, I went to the coin-operated laundry and loaded the laundry into the machine. I set a 30-minute timer on my smartphone and waited for my mother to come out.

“We have 30 minutes, so let’s go shopping at Matsumoto Kiyoshi first, stop by the grocery section, and then go pick up the laundry,” I suggested, and my mother agreed.

🧴 A Heartwarming Moment at Matsumoto Kiyoshi

As we walked through the store pushing the cart, a new employee asked, “Are you looking for something?”

But my mother said, “I forgot what I was going to buy. I’ll remember as I walk.” The clerk couldn’t help but smile. “Take your time looking,” she said kindly, and we enjoyed a heartwarming moment together.

In the end, we bought body soap, facial soap, and cosmetics. When I asked, “Is this okay?” she replied, “I’ll buy more if I remember.” It was the typical answer I’d expect from my mom.

After that, just as we finished buying groceries in the food section, the timer went off, so we went to the laundromat to pick up the laundry.

🍽️Enjoying Lunch at the Food Court

When we went to the food court, it was crowded even though it was a weekday, and there were quite a few middle school students. Apparently, schools had been evacuated due to a tsunami warning, and parents had come to pick them up and stopped by San-A on the way.

When I asked my mother, “What do you want to eat?” she gave her usual reply: “Anything is fine.” This is always the hardest part, but as we talked, I narrowed it down to “rice, bread, or udon,” and she replied, “Rice.”

I suggested the “Hamburger Steak and Croquette Set” at Mini Joyfull, but she seemed like she wanted to try other things too, so I proposed, “Let’s order the set meal and the meat doria and split them.” She agreed to that.

When the food arrived, I handed my mother half a croquette and a third of the hamburger steak, saying, “I’ll eat whatever’s left, so take your time.”

In the end, she ate half the doria, half the croquette, one-third of the hamburger steak, and half the miso soup—I was relieved to see she ate so well today.

☕A Relaxing Time After the Meal

After the meal, my mother said, “I need to use the restroom,” so I told her, “Take your time, and please use the accessible restroom,” and let her go by herself. In the meantime, I ordered coffee and orange juice at A&W.

I sat my mother down when she returned, and when the bell rang, I went to get our drinks, and we spent some quiet time together. Since the tsunami warning was still in effect, we relaxed in the food court until around 2:30 p.m.

After we got home, my mother seemed tired and took a nap. She woke up in the evening, and we folded the laundry. For dinner, we had tomato pasta and a bean salad. My mother said she wanted rice, so I served her rice with a little pasta sauce on top. I had a lighter dinner with extra pasta.

🌅 Summary: A Peaceful Day Despite the Tsunami Warning

It was a slightly unsettling day due to the tsunami warning, but

I’m grateful that we were able to shop together, enjoy a meal,

and stay safe on the high ground at Kyozuka San-A.

Even amidst the small events of daily life,

seeing my mother eat well, laugh often, and return home safely was the greatest source of peace of mind.