From the day after the old man appeared, Heikichi's behavior began to change. First of all, he stopped going to school, which caused his parents to become very worried about him. One day his father became angry and asked him, "Why do you refuse to go to school?" Heikichi answered, "I don't have to go to school, because God told me that he will teach me everything taught in school such as reading and writing."
A teacher from Heikichi's school also became worried, and visited the Shimada home to bring Heikichi back to school. Heikichi not only refused to return to school, but he also answered with ease everything the teacher had taught during Heikichi's absence from school. The teacher was very surprised at what Heikichi knew.
Thereafter, Heikichi often disappeared for a week at a time, but would just as suddenly return home. He told his parents that God took him to either the mountains of Shizuoka or Tochigi (in Japan), or mountains in China. He brought back rare souvenirs as evidence of his travels. His father was very worried that Heikichi might have stolen these items.
A teacher from Heikichi's school also became worried, and visited the Shimada home to bring Heikichi back to school. Heikichi not only refused to return to school, but he also answered with ease everything the teacher had taught during Heikichi's absence from school. The teacher was very surprised at what Heikichi knew.
Thereafter, Heikichi often disappeared for a week at a time, but would just as suddenly return home. He told his parents that God took him to either the mountains of Shizuoka or Tochigi (in Japan), or mountains in China. He brought back rare souvenirs as evidence of his travels. His father was very worried that Heikichi might have stolen these items.
