THE ENEMY

Dr Sadao was a famous Japanese surgeon and scientist. His house was a low
square stone house. There were some little islands near beach. Sadaos education was the chief concern of
his father. He worried about his education only. When Sadao was twenty-two, he was sent to America to
learn all about surgery and medicine. Hana was his wife. Sadao had met her in America.
One day, Dr Sadao and his wife were standing in the verandah of their house. They
were looking towards the sea. There was mist on the sea. Suddenly they saw something black come out of
the mists. It was a man. he staggered crawling on his knees and hands. Then fell on his face and lay there.
The man was wounded. His face was in the sand. He was in wet rags. At first Sadao and his wife thought
that perhaps he was a fisherman but when they went near the man. they found that he was an American.
An old cap stuck to his head. He could read the word V.S. Navy on it. Dr Sadao searched for the wound.
He found that there was a gun wound in his lower back. It appeared that he had been shot some days ago.
Dr Sadao found that the man was bleeding. In order to stop bleeding, he packed the wound with sea moss.
Japan was at war with America. Thus if sadao and his wife Sheltered the white man
in their house, they would be arrested. And if they turned him over as a prisoner, he was sure to be killed.
Dr Sadao said to his wife that if the man were healthy, he would hand him over to the police, but the man
was injured and as a doctor, he had the moral duty to treat him . So they decided to carry the man into the
house and treat him. Dr Sadao continued giving him proper treatment and at least the man almost normal.
The American was surprised to find himself in the home of a Japanese doctor.
In the afternoon, a messenger in official uniform came. Hana went pale with fear. She
thought the man had come to arrest them. But the messenger had come from the palace. He said that the
old General was in pain and had sent for Sadao. Sadao went to see the General. He told the General about
American soldier. The General did not get angry with him. The General told Sadao that the American
would have to be killed so that the matter did not reach the police. He told Sadao that he would send his
private assassins. They would kill the American without making any noise. They would even take away
the dead body. Sadao left the Generals presence and went home.
As soon it was dark Sadao dragged his boat to the shore and put food and bottled water as well two quilts
in it. He helped the man to escape in a boat. He also gave the American a small flashlight. He asked him
to signal him two flashes if his food ran out before he caught a boat. Then American shook Sadaos hand
warmly and walked away to the shore in order to escape in the boat.
Thus Dr Sadao gets rid of an enemy without having him killed.
BY

ER. AKSHAY SHARMA