murakami, haruki - Norwegian wood

know if I can keep going to university for another three-and-a-half
years, and there's no way my sister can afford a wedding ceremony at
this rate."
"How many days a week do you come here?" I asked.
"Usually four," said Midori. "This place claims to offer total nursing
care, and the nurses are great, but there's just too much for them to do.
Some member of the family has to be around to take up the slack. My
sister's watching the shop, and I've got my studies. Still, she manages
to get here three days a week, and I come four. And we sneak in every
now and then. Believe me, it's a full schedule!"
"How can you spend time with me if you're so busy?"
"I like spending time with you," said Midori, playing with a plastic
cup.
"Get out of here for a couple of hours and go for a walk," I said. "I'll
take care of your father for a while." "Why?"
"You need to get away from the hospital and relax by yourself - not
talk to anybody, just clear your mind."
Midori thought about it for a minute and nodded. "Hmm, you may be
right. But do you know what to do? How to take care of him?"
"I've been watching. I've pretty much got it. You check the
intravenous thing, give him water, wipe the sweat off, and help him
spit phlegm. The bedpan's under the bed, and if he gets hungry I feed
him the rest of his lunch. Anything I can't work out I'll ask the nurse."
"I think that should do it," said Midori with a smile. "There's just one
thing, though. He's starting to get a little funny in the head, so he says
weird things once in a while - things that nobody can understand.
Don't let it bother you if
he does that."
"I'll be fine," I said.
Back in the room, Midori told her father she had some business to take
care of and that I would be watching him while she was out. He
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