Memoirs of a Geisha Chapter 13 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • It's time for Pumpkin's official debut as an apprentice geisha.
  • Her new geisha name is Hatsumiyo, but everyone "just called her Pumpkin as we always had" (13.3).
  • Meanwhile, Mameha dresses Chiyo up in fine kimono and parades her around town to get people talking about her.
  • She teaches her to be more expressive with her eyes. Perhaps Tyra learned to smize from Mameha.
  • One afternoon, Mameha gives Chiyo a test: make an unsuspecting boy drop a tray, with only her feminine wiles.
  • By simply making eye contact, Chiyo makes the boy drop his tray.
  • She's well on her way to becoming a geisha, and she hopes to one day meet the Chairman again and use her new tricks on him.