Although there are people who constantly have the need to be on the 'go' like an ex-roommate/friend (reclaiming the cunt (part 5)) and always feel that they were wasting time if their entire weekend was not completely booked, I have always enjoyed days with blank slates...no appointments, no plans, no hurry. Since college, lazy Sundays, while rare when I was younger, rejuvenated my soul. I read. I nap. I explore neighborhoods while soaking in vitamin D. One of my favorite pastimes though is meeting random people and/or entertaining ourselves with cerebral discussions (to err is human, to forgive, divine).
As I stopped by a local stomping ground for a late lunch today with book in tow for a bowl of chicken pho. The bartender/waiter that tends the counter noticed the book that I was reading by Haruki Murakami. I am regular enough that the waiters that cover the bar/counter usually know at least my drink of choice from their brunch menu - boba tea. So as we were discussing Murakami, one of the other waiters prepared boba tea without me ordering, and as he placed it in front of me, we shared a knowing smile.
Murakami was first recommended to me years ago, and during some promotion, I found myself purchasing three of his books. Over the years, I read two of them but had difficulties appreciating his themes of surrealism and fantasy. The woman from (wo)man in the mirror gifted me with Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, one of her favorites, with the following note:
Please enjoy this dual narrative - a mirror of disparate lines, connected by theme & moment. I think it's an apt gift for the synchronicity of what we're all developing currently.
This turns out to be the first Murakami book that the bartender read. While we were chatting, I shared with him that it turns out to be one of the more enjoyable ones, and he noted that it is probably the easiest one to transition into Murakami themes of 'alienation and loneliness'. It turns out that Japanese literature usually focuses on the family so Murakami explored the independence where "a man values freedom and solitude over intimacy". The main character usually travels some parallel universe to explore some individual darkness. Perhaps given my on introspection last year, like Jung ((wo)man in the mirror), I finally have an appreciation of Murakami's works.
His favorite Murakami book is Dance Dance Dance, which was the first one I read since it was the one that was highly recommended to me. It was also Murakami's favorite book to write. As the bartender was quoting parts of the book and the various themes from the story, it occurred to me that I entirely miss some of the salient points. Perhaps from a different lens, a story turns out to be entirely different than how we experienced it at the time or a form of argument to moderation...then again, perhaps that is unjustly simplifying Murakami's genius.
