2019年6月21日
A Dosage of Medicine(13) by Akihisa Ogino, translated by J.Kageyama
Genzo left, and the room suddenly became quiet.
I went upstairs, washed up and got into bed but could not fall asleep. Genzo’s tale strangely lingered within me. I began to seriously ponder the question of pleasure through fantasy.
My shoulders began to ache with a stiffness. I pulled at the chain on the lamp, to put it on, and pressed an electric massaging device against my shoulder. The device wailed with its vibration, sounding like a war plane circling above.
I went under the covers. It was hard to breathe. I stuck out my head and saw on the blanket, tucked under my chin, thick wrinkles, like huge waves on my chest. I pulled the chain again, extinguishing the light and concentrated on trying to sleep.
Genzo had to walk home for six whole kilometers. Right before his village, there lay a deep and sizable swamp. Below, there was thick mud, so that, rumors went, once caught in the swamp, even the best swimmers could not escape. Last year, an old man, who had gone fishing for carp, had slipped and drowned, in the presence of his fishing companions. There was quite an uproar because the corpse could, not be found. Finally, after two months, the corpse floated to the surface. The swamp was dangerously situated, right by the road. I thought I should have let Genzo spend the night.
