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request。 The professor replied； 〃I rather doubt that the world has
problems far more urgent and relevant than Greek tragedy； but you're
not going to listen to anything I have to say； so do what you like。〃
Grasping the edge of the table； he set his feet on the floor； picked up
his cane and limped out of the classroom。
While the tall student passed out his handbills； the round one went to
the podium and started lecturing。 The handbills were full of the usual
simplistic sloganeering： 〃SMASH
FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS FOR UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT！〃；
〃MARSHAL ALL FORCES FOR NEW ALL …CAMPUS STRIKE！〃；
〃CRUSH THE IMPERIAL …EDUCATIONAL…INDUSTRIAL
PLEX！〃
I had no problem with what they were saying； but the writing was
lame。 It had nothing to inspire confidence or arouse the passions。 And
the round man's speech was just as bad … the same old tune with
different words。 The true enemy of this bunch was not State Power but
Lack of Imagination。
〃Let's get out of here；〃 said Midori。
I nodded and stood； and the two of us made for the door。 The round
man said something to me at that point； but I couldn't catch it。 Midori
waved to him and said； 〃See ya later。〃
；Hey； are we counter…revolutionaries？〃 Midori asked me when we
were outside。 〃Are we going to be strung upon telephone poles if the
revolution succeeds？〃
〃Let's have lunch first； just in case。〃
〃Good。 There's a place I want to take you to。 It's a bit far； though。 Can
you spare the time？〃
〃Yeah； I'm free until my two o'clock class。〃
Midori took me by bus to Yotsuya and showed me to a fancy boxed…
lunch speciality shop in a sheltered spot just behind the station。 The
minute we sat down they served us soup and the lunch of the day in
square； red…lacquered boxes。 This was a place worth a bus ride to eat
at。
〃Great food；〃 I said。
〃And cheap； too。 I've been ing here since school。 My old school's
just down the street。 They were so strict； we had to sneak out to eat
here。 They'd suspend you if they caught you eating out。〃
Without the sunglasses； Midori's eyes looked somewhat sleepier than
they had the last time。 When she was not playing with the narrow
silver bracelet on her left wrist； she would be rubbing at the corners of
her eyes with the tip of her little finger。
〃Tired？〃 I asked。
〃Kind of。 I'm not getting enough sleep。 But I'm OK； don't worry；〃 she
said。 〃Sorry about the other day。 Something important came up and I
just couldn't get out of it。 All of a sudden； in the morning。 I thought
about calling you at the restaurant； but I couldn't remember the name；
and I didn't know your home number。 Did you wait long？〃
〃No big deal。 I've got a lot of time on my hands。〃
A lot？〃
〃Way more than I need。 I wish I could give you some to help you
sleep。〃
Midori rested her cheek on her hand and smiled at me。 〃What a nice
guy you are。〃
〃Not nice。 I just have time to kill；〃 I said。 〃By the way； I called your
house that day and somebody told me you were at the hospital。
Something wrong？〃
〃You called my house？〃 she asked with a slight wrinkle forming
between her eyebrows。 〃How did you get my number？〃
〃Looked it up in the student affairs office。 Anyone can do that。〃
She nodded once or twice and started playing with the bracelet again。
〃I never would have thought of that。 I suppose I could have looked up
your number。 Anyway； about the hospital； I'll tell you next time。 I
don't feel like it now。 Sorry。〃
〃That's OK。 I didn't mean to pry。〃
〃No； you're not prying。 I'm just kind of tired。 Like a monkey in the
rain。〃
〃Shouldn't you go home and get some sleep？〃 〃Not now。 Let's get out
of here。〃
She took me to her old school； a short walk from Yotsuya。
Passing the station； I thought about Naoko and our endless walking。 It
had all started from there。 I realized that if I hadn't run into Naoko on
the train that Sunday in May； My life would have been very different
from what it was now。 But then I changed my mind： no； even if we
hadn't met that day； my life might not have been any different。 We
were supposed to meet。 If not then； some other time。 I didn't have any
basis for thinking this： it was just a feeling。
Midori Kobayashi and I sat on a park bench together； looking at her
old school。 Ivy clung to the walls； and pigeons huddled under the
gables； resting their wings。 It was a nice； old building with character。
A great oak tree stood in the playground； and a column of white
smoke rose straight up beside it。 The fading summer light gave the
smoke a soft and cloudy look。
〃Do you know what that smoke is？〃 Midori asked me all of a sudden。
〃No idea；〃 I said。
〃They're burning sanitary towels。〃
〃Really？〃 I couldn't think of anything else to say。
〃Sanitary towels； tampons； stuff like that；〃 she said with a smile。 〃It is
a girls' school。 The old caretaker collects them from all the receptacles
and burns them in the incinerator。 That's the smoke。〃
〃Whoa。〃
〃Yeah； that's what I used to say to myself whenever I was in class and
saw the smoke outside the window。 〃Whoa'。 Think about it： the school
had almost a thousand girls。 So； say 900 of them have started their
periods； and maybe a fifth of them are menstruating at any one time：
180 girls。 That's 180 girls' worth of towels in the receptacles every
day。〃
〃I bet you're right … though I'm not sure about the maths。〃
〃Anyway； it's a lot。 180 girls。 What do you think it feels like to collect
and burn that much stuff？〃
〃Can't imagine；〃 I said。 How could I have imagined what the old man
was going through？ Midori and I went on watching the smoke。
〃I really didn't want to go to this school；〃 Midori said。 She gave her
head a little shake。 〃I wanted to go to an absolutely ordinary State
school with ordinary people where I could relax and have fun like an
ordinary teenager。 But my parents thought it would look good for me
to go to this fancy place。 They're the ones who stuck me in here。 You
know： that's what happens when you do well in primary school。 The
teacher tells your parents 〃With marks like hers； she ought to go
there。' So that's where I ended up。 I went for six years and I never
liked it。 All I could think about was getting out。 And you know； I've
got certificates of merit for never having been late or missed a day of
school。 That's how much I hated the place。 Get it？〃
〃No； I don't get it。〃
〃It's because I hated the place so much。 I wasn't going to let it beat me。
If I'd let it get to me once I'd be finished。 I was scared I'd just keep
slipping down and down。 I'd crawl to school with a temperature of
103。 The teacher would ask me if I was sick； but I'd say no。 When I
left they gave me certificates for perfect attendance and punctuality；
plus a French dictionary。 That's why I'm taking German now。 I didn't
want to owe this school anything。 I'm not kidding。〃
〃Why did you hate it so much？
〃Did you like your school？〃
〃Well； no； but I didn't especially hate it； either。 I went to an ordinary
State school but I never thought about it one way or another。〃
〃Well； this school；〃 Midori said； scratching the corner of her eye with
her little finger； 〃had nothing but up