murakami, haruki - Norwegian wood

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somehow to the East India Company?' "Does smashing the educational-industrial complex mean we're not supposed to work for a company after we graduate?' And stuff like that. But nobody was willing to explain anything to me. Far from it - they got really angry. Can you believe it?" "Yeah, I can," I said. "One guy yelled at me, "You stupid bitch, how do you live like that with nothing in your brain?' Well, that did it. I wasn't going to put up with that. OK, so I'm not so smart. I'm working class. But it's the working class that keeps the world running, and it's the working classes that get exploited. What kind of revolution is it that just throws out big words that working-class people can't understand? What kind of crap social revolution is that? I mean, I'd like to make the world a better place, too. If somebody's really being exploited, we've got to put a stop to it. That's what I believe, and that's why I ask questions. Am I right, or what?" "You're right." "So that's when it hit me. These guys are fakes. All they've got on their minds is impressing the new girls with the big words they're so proud of, while sticking their hands up their skirts. And when they graduate, they cut their hair short and march off to work for Mitsubishi or IBM or Fuji Bank. They marry pretty wives who've never read Marx and have kids they give fancy new names to that are enough to make you puke. Smash what educational-industrial complex? Don't make me laugh! And the new members were just as bad. They didn't understand a thing either, but they pretended to and they were laughing at me. After the meeting, they told me, "Don't be silly! So what if you don't understand? Just agree with everything they say.' Hey, Watanabe, I've got stuff that made me even madder than that. Wanna hear it?" "Sure, why not?" "Well, one time they called a late-night political meeting, and they 214
told each girl to make 20 rice balls for midnight snacks. I mean, talk about sex discrimination! I decided to keep quiet for a change, though, and showed up like a good girl with my 20 rice balls, complete with umeboshi inside and nori outside. And what do you think I got for my efforts? Afterwards people complained because my rice balls had only umeboshi inside, and I hadn't brought anything along to go with them! The other girls stuffed theirs with cod roe and salmon, and they included nice, thick slices of fried egg. I got so furious I couldn't talk! Who the hell do these ,revolution'-mongers think they are making a fuss over rice balls? They should be grateful for umeboshi and nori. Think of the children starving in India!" I laughed. "So then what happened with your club?" "I left in June, I was so furious," Midori said. "Most of these student types are total frauds. They're scared to death somebody's gonna find out they don't know something. They all read the same books and they all spout the same slogans, and they love listening to John Coltrane and seeing Pasolini movies. You call that "revolution?"' "Hey, don't ask me, I've never actually seen a revolution." "Well, if that's revolution, you can stick it. They'd probably shoot me for putting umeboshi in my rice balls. They'd shoot you, too, for understanding the subjunctive." "It could happen." "Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I'm working class. Revolution or not, the working class will just keep on scraping a living in the same old shitholes. And what is a revolution? It sure as hell isn't just changing the name on city hall. But those guys don't know that - those guys with their big words. Tell me, Watanabe, have you ever seen a taxman?" "Never." "Well I have. Lots of times. They come barging in and acting big. "What's this ledger for?' "Hey, you keep pretty sloppy records.' "You call this a business expense?' "I want to see all your receipts right now.' Meanwhile, we're crouching in the corner, and when suppertime 215
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HARUKI MURAKAMI was born in Kyoto i
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First published as Normeei no marl
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The stewardess came to check on me
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a kick to some part of my mind. Wak
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"I just know," she said, increasing
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along the path. "I'm sorry," she sa
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Once upon a time, many years ago -
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national anthem, too, of course. Yo
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for ashtrays held mounds of cigaret
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anything about the others myself, I
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"But that's impossible," he said ma
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Almost a year had gone by since I h
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eally wouldn't be any bother to you
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occupying that central position. Tr
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wiper. Kizuki had left no suicide n
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Naoko called me the following Satur
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somebody in the dorm had taken down
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answers they wanted. And so I went
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hesitation. "Not exactly fashionabl
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he said. "Swallowed 'em whole." "Wh
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and while she was putting on her st
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That winter I found a part-time job
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arrived at Naoko's room the cake wa
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trying to go on, but had come up ag
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I picked up my clothes and dressed.
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at the end I added: Waiting for you
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etter. As you say, this is probably
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Maybe this firefly was on the verge
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During the summer holidays the univ
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dust covered his desk and radio. Hi
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she said. "I had a perm this summer
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omantic company? New women in far-o
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lecture. When it was over I went to
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Watanabe, I have this feeling like,
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problems far more urgent and releva
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ain." "Shouldn't you go home and ge
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expensive school trips. For instanc
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esting on her lap. "That was the pr
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you." "I'd like that," I said. Mido
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the shutter and stepped a few paces
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"Thanks," I said. It suddenly dawne
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I nodded, swallowing a mouthful of
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"You're very clear about what you l
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"I'd go and have a look around at l
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unning away." "Even if this place b
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"It's true. Don't you think I'm ter
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different from other people's. I'm
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call," I said. 'As long as lunch is
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At 11.30 Nagasawa was ready to give
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"So find a vending machine and a ni
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the events had undoubtedly happened
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this time I am very, very calm. Cle
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We eat freshly picked fruits and ve
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to the Ami Hostel. A woman receptio
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still taste my morning coffee. By t
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PRIVATE NO TRESPASSING. A few clues
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merely a nice person but whose nice
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my question. "The first thing you o
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"What should I do, then? Give me an
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I nodded. "I think the three of us
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we can ask a staff member to buy fo
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"I'm sure I'll be fine." "So, that
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With Naoko gone, I went to sleep on
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weightlessness on the secretion of
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"It's lovely, though," said Naoko.
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never plays it unless I request it.
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laughing. "How many girls has he sl
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"I couldn't get wet," she said in a
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Reiko sat alone on the carpet, play
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She picked up the basketball again,
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it in hot water, taking a few days
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I said I liked him and thought he w
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all this talk about me. You came he
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have negative thoughts about her be
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draw people - or draw me, at least
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her, outside work, or sports. She h
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est side, I'd say he succeeded. His
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anana; if we got lonely, we'd go to
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the window. She had drawn her knees
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changes to be reborn in utter perfe
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feed and a garden hose. Naoko screw
Page 164 and 165: "We'll be back before lunch." The t
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Page 170 and 171: "It feels like ancient history," sa
Page 172 and 173: "Well, it depends how you look at i
Page 174 and 175: "She was the kind of person who too
Page 176 and 177: something inside me had died. I jus
Page 178 and 179: dining hall. "Is he a doctor or a p
Page 180 and 181: "Fine," said Reiko. "But if we keep
Page 182 and 183: most. Then I'd have her play the pi
Page 184 and 185: to go on with her story. "Well, any
Page 186 and 187: and saying "There there,' and she's
Page 188 and 189: There was nothing I could say, and
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Page 192 and 193: Of course. I told him everything th
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Page 196 and 197: night before, Naoko was the usual N
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Page 200 and 201: her body in my hands. In the darkne
Page 202 and 203: "You see what?" "Nothing. Just "I s
Page 204 and 205: I'd make lots of babies for you as
Page 206 and 207: "Hmm ..." "And I'm just spacing out
Page 208 and 209: Midori came for me at 9.30 on Sunda
Page 210 and 211: "I don't know, I've never done it w
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Page 216 and 217: comes we have to treat them to sush
Page 218 and 219: Watanabe." "Glad to meet you," I sa
Page 220 and 221: "No, I guess not. It's complicated,
Page 222 and 223: "I really can't say until the time
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Page 226 and 227: At 1.30 she left the hospital to do
Page 228 and 229: "After I do my laundry tomorrow mor
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Page 232 and 233: make people get really vicious all
Page 234 and 235: worry, I'd take care of both you an
Page 236 and 237: "Will you really take me to a porno
Page 238 and 239: stolen bases. After noon I went bac
Page 240 and 241: made myself a cup of tea with a tea
Page 242 and 243: "I do." "Look, the world is an inhe
Page 244 and 245: Eventually a waiter came and took o
Page 246 and 247: "What do you mean "that kind of tal
Page 248 and 249: "You know, Toru," she said, "I have
Page 250 and 251: "I can leave," I said. "No," said H
Page 252 and 253: of loving anybody. There's always s
Page 254 and 255: "Do you know somewhere we could pla
Page 256 and 257: "Or is it that you don't like being
Page 258 and 259: anybody's said to me in the past ye
Page 260 and 261: quadrangle. I began by telling Naok
Page 262 and 263: There was no sign of Midori at the
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I sipped my whisky and soda, then s
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open a pistachio, "the whole time I
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"You know," she said, "I have this
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"There aren't any trees around here
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early." "Wait a minute, I thought y
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"Me, too," I said. "Every once in a
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situation conducive to sexual excit
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eyond the window cast a soft white
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so painful for me to write letters.
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Thinking back on the year 1969, all
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shovelling snow when there was time
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over this, and then climbed into he
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great couple." "Yeah, right!" I sai
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I went to a phone box and dialled h
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gardeners in the area and because h
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you to one of our sessions if possi
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A letter came from Midori on 6 Apri
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eginning of October." "Whew! That c
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ago. My sister helps out there thre
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even noticed that my hairstyle had
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Saturdays and Sundays: waiting on t
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of letters like this, but from Naok
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whisky. Itoh said I could spend the
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it for you soon. I went to the univ
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"I've been really lonely these past
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you don't know the answer to someth
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eak, without a sound, soaking her h
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"But really, Watanabe, you don't wa
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her bed. I had no doubts about thos
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The fourth thing I have to say is t
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Reiko wrote to me several times aft
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nails being driven into the lid of
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The wind tore along the sand beach
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However I might phrase it, though,
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On the train out to Kichijoji, Reik
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tiny flowers in the grass, the subt
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"The jacket and trousers are hers,
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her why she was burning stuff like
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stroked her hair. "Don't worry,' I
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amount of cash. So don't worry. I w
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the point. I can't forgive myself.
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"So play it terribly." I brought ou
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myself inside her. "You're not goin
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you: you'll do fine wherever you go
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TRANSLATOR'S NOTE Haruki Murakami w
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murakami, haruki - Norwegian wood

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