The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami

Author:Hiromi Kawakami
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, pdf
Publisher: Europa
Published: 2017-05-02T04:00:00+00:00

‘Also need a scrubbing brush,’ Takeo said.

A scrubbing brush? I asked.

‘For cleaning.’

‘But don’t we have a deck brush?’

‘You can work into it better with a scrubbing brush.’

The cleaning we were talking about involved scrubbing the cat pee from the front of the shop. Lately the cat had been peeing there more and more frequently, marking no fewer than three times a day. At the entrance to the alley right beside the Nakano shop, where the asphalt was cracked, tufts of foxtail grass were growing, and it appeared that stray cats were using it as a toilet.

‘Who’s going to use this scrubbing brush?’

‘You, me, I don’t know.’

‘Ugh, not me.’

‘Okay, then, I’ll take care of it myself.’

Takeo looked at me with an upward glance.

‘I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it, did I? Just that I don’t want to use the scrubbing brush. I do just fine with the deck brush.’

‘I got it.’

Even with his upturned eyes, his gaze was intense. Was he scowling at me, this guy? I was suddenly annoyed.

‘Hey, are you still feeding it?’ I asked. Despite the problem with the cat pee, Takeo was always leaving cat food at the back door.

‘Cat who comes to eat is not the same cat who is pissing here.’

How can you tell? I retorted coolly. Takeo clamped his lips together. His shoulders stiffened. Instantly I regretted what I’d said.

We were making a shopping list. Masayo had written, Planters, size #5 (two), clay pebbles. Below that was Mr. Nakano’s writing, Gummed linen tape, three rolls; black Magic Marker, broad tip; curry-flavored curls. The hardware store doesn’t sell curry-flavored curls, does it? I tried saying to Takeo, but he remained tight-lipped.

The phone rang. Takeo was closer to the phone so I waited and let it ring four times, but Takeo made no move to answer it. Hello, I said as I brought the receiver to my ear, and after a brief silence, there was a click as the line went dead.

‘They hung up,’ I said as brightly as I could manage, but Takeo still kept silent. The heat of Indian summer had finally ended, and the days had been clear and bright. The clouds were high in the sky. Mr. Nakano was at another dealer’s market that was being held in Kawagoe. I’ll find out what the market price for Seiko is, he had said as he drove away in the truck.

‘Cats are cute, aren’t they?’ It was a struggle to keep the conversation going, but I tried aiming for cheerfulness.

‘Think so?’ At last Takeo spoke.

‘They’re cute.’

‘Not so much.’

‘So why do you feed them, then?’

‘No reason.’

What is this about? I cried. What is it that I said?

A bee had flown into the shop, through the front door that had been propped open, and it was buzzing around. With his face still lowered, Takeo was watching the bee’s flight out of the corner of his eye. It soon found its way back outside.

‘No reason,’ Takeo repeated. Then he quietly folded up the shopping list and put it in his back pocket, turning his back on me.

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