murakami, haruki - Norwegian wood

36 good twists by the time I've got up, brushed my teeth, shaved, eaten
breakfast, changed my clothes, left the dorm, and arrived at the
university. I tell myself, "OK, let's make this day another good one." I
hadn't noticed before, but they tell me I talk to myself a lot these days.
Probably mumbling to myself while I wind my spring.
It's hard not being able to see you, but my life in Tokyo would be a lot
worse if it weren't for you. It's because I think of you when I'm in bed
in the morning that I can wind my spring and tell myself I have to live
another good day. I know I have to give it my best here just as you are
doing there.
Today's Sunday, though, a day I don't wind my spring. I've done my
laundry, and now I'm in my room, writing to you. Once I've finished
this letter and put a stamp on it and dropped it into the postbox, there's
nothing for me to do until the sun goes down. I don't study on
Sundays, either. I do a good enough job on weekdays studying in the
library between lectures, so I don't have anything left to do on
Sundays. Sunday afternoons are quiet, peaceful and, for me, lonely. I
read books or listen to music. Sometimes I think back on the different
routes we used to take in our Sunday walks around Tokyo. I can come
up with a pretty clear picture of the clothes you were wearing on any
particular walk. I remember all kinds of things on Sunday afternoons.
Say "Hi" from me to Reiko. I really miss her guitar at night.
When I had finished the letter, I walked a couple of blocks to a
postbox, then bought an egg sandwich and a Coke at a nearby bakery.
I had these for lunch while I sat on a bench and watched some boys
playing baseball in a local playground. The deepening of autumn had
brought an increased blueness and depth to the sky. I glanced up to
find two vapour trails heading off to the west in perfect parallel like
tram tracks. A foul ball came rolling my way, and when I threw it
back to them the young players doffed their caps with a polite "Thank
you, sir". As in most junior baseball, there were lots of walks and
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