This next story of Let's Meet in a Dream is somewhat special. It is a story written by Shigesato Itoi which takes his coauthor Haruki Murakami as its subject. It is not anything like a biographical sketch, as you'll notice, but rather Itoi's impression of Murakami.
(The stories posted here are my own translations for purposes of study only.)
Haruki Murakami - Shigesato Itoi
In a model train set, you can always see some old couple sitting up proper on one of the long benches waiting for the engine, or even the kind of people wearing red caps shouldering heavy luggage. It's these models of people that strike me as more interesting than the train or its tracks.
Haruki Murakami really has an atmosphere, just the kind that seems like he might appear in this type of place, playing the part of one of the travelers.
It's very likely that the finger-sized, enameled zinc figurine is just now holding his leather suitcase, waiting for the train.
But his suitcase is far too small, so there's no way of knowing what its contents could be. And as to where his travel objectives lie, they are suspect and unclear.
I imagined that he was just now preparing to go for a round of the entire circuit. But the little plaything himself only answered:
-Maybe.
-But didn't you make this model yourself?
-I'm thinking so, since its lies close to my interests.
-So after you board the train, you might not know when you'll come back around？
-Yup. All I need is to board the train, and after that I wont be bored.
And so we wait for the day when he is sick of the gigantic fake scenery and stands on yet another platform of the train set, waiting again for the engine.
-You made another set?
-No, the ground is still the same. It's just that now I've moved house.
The little zinc figurine's mouth moved without the least hurry.
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