Hibukasha

Tsutomu Yamaguchi stood in his office, explaining to his boss what had happened to him.  “Three days ago, I was in Hiroshima for that meeting you sent me to.  I was just getting off the train in downtown when the bomb went off.  The thunder ruined my hearing, and the flash would have destroyed my sight if I hadn’t been facing in the other direction.  Even though I was shielded by the train, I could see my shadow cast by the brilliant light.  The pain of these burns knocked me off my feet.  As I laid there, I didn’t know what had happened.  This is the Land of the Rising Sun, but in that moment it seemed that the sun had descended into Hiroshima.  I count myself lucky to be alive.”

“Incredible,” said the supervisor.  “If only we had known, you could have stayed here in Nagasaki and avoided this altogether.  As it is, I’m just glad you survived.”

Six miles overhead, Major Charles Sweeney gave the order to his crew.