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〃You're right； I am。〃
〃e with me； then。 We can talk over food in the dining hall。
Lunchtime is over； but if we go now they can still make us
something。〃
She took the lead； hurrying down a corridor and a flight of stairs to the
first…floor dining hall。 It was a large room； with enough space for
perhaps 200 people； but only half was in use； the other half partitioned
off； like a resort hotel out of season。 The day's menu listed a potato
stew with noodles； salad； orange juice and bread。 The vegetables
turned out to be as delicious as Naoko had said in her letter； and I
finished everything on my plate。
〃You obviously enjoy your food！〃 said my female panion。
〃It's wonderful；〃 I said。 〃Plus； I've hardly eaten anything all day。〃
〃You're wele to mine if you like。 I'm full。 Here； go ahead。〃
〃I will； if you really don't want it。〃
〃I've got a small stomach。 It doesn't hold much。 I make up for what
I'm missing with cigarettes。〃 She lit another Seven Star。 〃Oh； by the
way； you can call me Reiko。 Everybody does。〃
Reiko seemed to derive great pleasure from watching me while I ate
the potato stew she had hardly touched and munched on her bread。
〃Are you Naoko's doctor？〃 I asked。
〃Me？！ Naoko's doctor？！〃 She screwed up her face。 〃What makes you
think I'm a doctor？〃
〃They told me to ask for Doctor Ishida。〃
〃Oh； I get it。 No no no； I teach music here。 It's a kind of therapy for
some patients； so for fun they call me 〃The Music Doctor' and
sometimes 〃Doctor Ishida'。 But I'm just another patient。 I've been here
seven years。 I work as a music teacher and help out in the office； so
it's hard to tell any more whether I'm a patient or staff。 Didn't Naoko
tell you about me？〃
I shook my head。
〃That's strange；〃 said Reiko。 〃I'm Naoko's room…mate。 I like living
with her。 We talk about all kinds of things。 Including you。〃
〃What about me？〃
〃Well； first I have to tell you about this place；〃 said Reiko； ignoring
my question。 〃The first thing you ought to know is that this is no
ordinary 〃hospital'。 It's not so much for treatment as for
convalescence。 We do have a few doctors； of course； and they give
hourly sessions； but they're just checking people's conditions； taking
their temperature and things like that； not administering 〃treatments'
as in an ordinary hospital。 There are no bars on the windows here； and
the gate is always wide open。 People enter and leave voluntarily。 You
have to be suited to that kind of convalescence to be admitted here in
the first place。 In some cases； people who need specialized therapy
end up going to a specialized hospital。 OK so far？〃
〃I think so；〃 I said。 〃But what does this 〃convalescence' consist of？
Can you give me a concrete example？〃
Reiko exhaled a cloud of smoke and drank what was left of her orange
juice。 〃Just living here is the convalescence；〃 she said。 A regular
routine； exercise； isolation from the outside world； clean air； quiet。
Our farmland makes us practically self…sufficient； there's no TV or
radio。 We're like one of those mune places you hear so much
about。 Of course； one thing different from a mune is that it costs a
bundle to get in here。〃
A bundle？〃
〃Well； it's not ridiculously expensive； but it's not cheap。 Just look at
these facilities。 We've got a lot of land here； a few patients； a big staff；
and in my case I've been here a long time。 True； I'm almost staff
myself so I get concessions； but still 。。。 Now； how about a cup of
coffee？〃
I said I'd like some。 She stubbed out her cigarette and went over to the
counter； where she poured two cups of coffee from a warm pot and
brought them back to where we were sitting。 She put sugar in hers；
stirred it； frowned； and took
a sip。
…You know；〃 she said； 〃this sanatorium is not a profit making
enterprise； so it can keep going without charging as much as it might
have to otherwise。 The land was a donation。 They created a
corporation for the purpose。 The whole place used to be the donor's
summer home about 20 years ago。 You saw the old house； I'm sure？〃
I said I had。
〃That used to be the only building on the property。 It's where they did
group therapy。 That's how it all got started。 The donor's son had a
tendency towards mental illness and a specialist remended group
therapy for him。 The doctor's theory was that if you could have a
group of patients living out in the country； helping each other with
physical labour and have a doctor for advice and check…ups； you could
cure certain kinds of sickness。 They tried it； and the operation grew
and was incorporated； and they put more land under cultivation； and
put up the main building five years ago。〃
〃Meaning； the therapy worked。〃
〃Well； not for everything。 Lots of people don't get better。 But also a
lot of people who couldn't be helped anywhere else managed a
plete recovery here。 The best thing about this place is he wayt
everybody helps everybody else。 Everybody knows they're flawed in
some way； and so they try to help each other。 Other places don't work
that way； unfortunately。 Doctors are doctors and patients are patients：
the patient looks for help to the doctor and the doctor gives his help to
the patient。 Here； though； we all help each other。 We're all each other's
mirrors； and the doctors are part of us。 They watch us from the
sidelines and they slip in to help us if they see we need something； but
it sometimes happens that we help them。 Sometimes we're better at
something than they are。 For example； I'm teaching one doctor to play
the piano and another patient is teaching a nurse French。 That kind of
thing。 Patients with problems like ours are often blessed with special
abilities。 So everyone here is equal … patients； staff … and you。 You're
one of us while you're in here； so I help you and you help me。〃 Reiko
smiled； gently flexing every wrinkle on her face。 〃You help Naoko
and Naoko helps you。〃
〃What should I do； then？ Give me an example。〃
〃First you decide that you want to help and that you need to be helped
by the other person。 Then you are totally honest。 You will not lie； you
will not gloss over anything； you will not cover up anything that might
prove embarrassing to you。 That's all there is to it。〃
〃I'll try；〃 I said。 〃But tell me； Reiko； why have you been in here for
seven years？ Talking with you like this； I can't believe there's anything
wrong with you。〃
〃Not while the sun's up；〃 she said with a sombre look。 〃But when
night es； I start drooling and rolling on the floor。〃 〃Really？〃
〃Don't be ridiculous； I'm kidding；〃 she said； shaking her head with a
look of disgust。 〃I'm pletely well … for now； at least。 I stay here
because I enjoy helping other people get well； teaching music；
growing vegetables。 I like it here。 We're all more or less friends。
pared to that； what have I got in the outside world？ I'm 38； going
on 40。 I'm not like Naoko。 There's nobody waiting for me to get out；
no family to take me back。 I don't have any work to speak of； and
almost no friends。 And after seven years； I don't know what's going on
out there。 Oh； I'll read a paper in the library every once in a whi