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some extent。 Like the way a magpie collects bits of glass in a hollow
tree。〃
〃Does it serve some purpose？〃
〃I wonder。 It probably makes it easier to do some things。〃 〃What kind
of things？ Give me an example。〃 〃Metaphysical thought； say。
Mastering several languages。〃 〃What good does that do？〃
〃It depends on the person who does it。 It serves a purpose for some；
and not for others。 But mainly it's training。 Whether
it serves a purpose or not is another question。 Like I said。〃 〃Hmm；〃
said Midori； seemingly impressed。 She led me by
the hand down the hill。 〃You know； Watanabe； you're really
good at explaining things to people。〃
〃I wonder；〃 I said。
〃It's true。 I've asked hundreds of people what use the
English subjunctive is； and not one of them gave me a good；
clear answer like yours。 Not even English teachers。 They either
got confused or angry or laughed it off。 Nobody ever gave me
a decent answer。 If somebody like you had been around when
I asked my question； and had given me a proper explanation；
even I might have been interested in the subjunctive。 Damn！〃 〃Hmm；〃
I said。
〃Have you ever read Das Kapital？〃
〃Yeah。 Not the whole thing； of course； but parts； like most
people。〃
〃Did you understand it？〃
〃I understood some bits； not others。 You have to acquire the
necessary intellectual apparatus to read a book like Das Kapital。
I think I understand the general idea of Marxism； though。〃 〃Do you
think a first…year student who hasn't read books
like that can understand Das Kapital just by reading it？〃 〃That's pretty
nigh impossible； I'd say。〃
〃You know； when I went to university I joined a folk…music
club。 I just wanted to sing songs。 But the members were a load of
frauds。 I get goose…bumps just thinking about them。 The first thing
they tell you when you enter the club is you have to read Marx。 〃Read
page so…and…so to such…and…such for next time。' Somebody gave a
lecture on how folk songs have to be deeply involved with society and
the radical movement。 So； what the hell； I went home and tried as hard
as I could to read it； but I didn't understand a thing。 It was worse than
the subjunctive。 I gave up after three pages。 So I went to the next
week's meeting like a good little scout and said I had read it； but I
couldn't understand it。 From that point on they treated me like an idiot。
I had no critical awareness of the class struggle； they said； I was a
social cripple。 I mean； this was serious。 And all because I said I
couldn't understand a piece of writing。 Don't you think they were
terrible？〃
〃Uh…huh；〃 I said。
〃And their so…called discussions were terrible； too。 Everybody would
use big words and pretend they knew what was going on。 But I would
ask questions whenever I didn't understand something。 〃What is this
imperialist exploitation stuff you're talking about？ Is it connected
somehow to the East India pany？' 〃Does smashing the
educational…industrial plex mean we're not supposed to work for a
pany 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
plex？ 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
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； plete with
umeboshi inside and nori outside。 And what do you think I got for my
efforts？ Afterwards people plained 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 e 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
es we have to treat them to sushi deluxe … home delivered。 Let me
tell you； though； my father never once cheated on his taxes。 That's just
how he is； a real old…fashioned straight arrow。 But tell that to the
taxman。 All he can do is dig and dig and dig and dig。 〃Ine's a little
low here； don't you think？' Well； of course the ine's low