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be a pasture。 Far away on the other side； I caught sight of a few horses
grazing。 We followed the fence line； and a big dog came running over
to us； tail wagging。 It stood up leaning on Reiko； sniffing her face；
then jumped playfully on Naoko。 I whistled and it came over to me；
licking my hand with its long tongue。
Naoko patted the dog's head and explained that the animal belonged to
the pasture。 〃I'll bet he's close to 20；〃 she said。 〃His teeth are so bad；
he can't eat anything hard。 He sleeps in front of the shop all day； and
he es running when he hears footsteps。〃
Reiko took a scrap of cheese from her rucksack。 Catching its scent； the
dog bounded over to her and chomped down on it。
〃We won't be able to see this fellow much longer；〃 said Reiko； patting
the dog's head。 〃In the middle of October they put the horses and cows
in trucks and take 'em down to the barn。 The only time they let 'em
graze is the summer； when they open a little caf茅 kind of thing for the
tourists。 The 〃tourists'！ Maybe 20 hikers in a day。 Hey； how about
something to drink？〃
〃Good idea；〃 I said。
The dog led the way to the caf茅； a small； white house with a front
porch and a faded sign in the shape of a coffee cup hanging from the
eaves。 He led us up the steps and stretc hed out on the porch；
narrowing his eyes。 When we took our places around a table on the
porch； a girl with a ponytail and wearing a sweatshirt and white jeans
came out and greeted Reiko and Naoko like old friends。
〃This is a friend of Naoko's；〃 said Reiko； introducing me。 〃Hi；〃 she
said。
〃Hi；〃 I answered。
While the three women traded small talk； I stroked the neck of the dog
under the table。 It had the hard； stringy neck of an old dog。 When I
scratched the lumpy spots； the dog closed his eyes and sighed with
pleasure。
〃What's his name？〃 I asked the girl。
〃Pep茅；〃 she said。
〃Hey； Pep茅；〃 I said to the dog； but he didn't budge。
〃He's hard of hearing；〃 said the girl。 〃You have to speak up or he can't
hear。〃
〃Pep茅！〃 I shouted。 The dog opened his eyes and snapped to attention
with a bark。
〃Never mind； Pep茅；〃 said the girl。 〃Sleep more and live longer。〃 Pep茅
flopped down again at my feet。
Naoko and Reiko ordered cold glasses of milk and I asked for a beer。
〃Let's hear the radio；〃 said Reiko。 The girl switched on an amplifier
and tuned into an FM station。 Blood； Sweat and Tears came on with
〃Spinning Wheel〃。
Reiko looked pleased。 〃Now this is what we're here for！ We don't have
radios in our rooms； so if I don't e here once in a while； I don't
have any idea what's playing out there。〃
〃Do you sleep in this place？〃 I asked the girl。
〃No way！〃 she laughed。 〃I'd die of loneliness if I spent the night here。
The pasture guy drives me into town and I e out again in the
morning。〃 She pointed at a four…wheel drive truck parked in front of
the nearby pasture office。
〃You've got a holiday ing up soon； too； right？〃 asked Reiko。
〃Yeah； we'll be shutting up this place soon；〃 said the girl。 Reiko
offered her a cigarette； and they smoked。
〃I'll miss you；〃 said Reiko。
〃I'll be back in May； though；〃 said the girl with a laugh。
Cream came on the radio with 〃White Room〃。 After a mercial； it
was Simon and Garfunkel's 〃Scarborough Fair〃。
〃I like that；〃 said Reiko when it was over。
〃I saw the film；〃 I said。
〃Who's in it？〃
〃Dustin Hoffman。〃
〃I don't know him；〃 she said with a sad little shake of the head。 〃The
world changes like mad； and I don't know what's happening。〃 She
asked the girl for a guitar。 〃Sure；〃 said the girl； switching off the radio
and bringing out an old guitar。 The dog raised its head and sniffed the
instrument。
〃You can't eat this；〃 Reiko said with mock sternness。 A grass…scented
breeze swept over the porch。 The mountains lay spread out before us；
the ridge line sharp against the sky。
〃It's like a scene from The Sound of Music；〃 I said to Reiko as she
tuned up。
〃What's that？〃 she asked。
She strummed the guitar in search of the opening chord of
〃Scarborough Fair〃。 This was apparently her first attempt at the song；
but after a few false starts she could play it through without hesitating。
She had it down pat the third time and even started adding a few
flourishes。 〃Good ear；〃 she said to me with a wink。 〃I can usually play
just about anything if I hear it three times。〃
Softly humming the melody； she did a full rendition of 〃Scarborough
Fair〃。 The three of us applauded； and Reiko responded with a
decorous bow of the head。
〃I used to get more applause for a Mozart concerto；〃 she said。
Her milk was on the house if she would play the Beatles' 〃Here es
the Sun〃； said the girl。 Reiko gave her a thumbs up and launched into
the song。 Hers was not a full voice； and too much smoking had given
it a husky edge； but it was lovely； with real presence。 I almost felt as if
the sun really was ing up again as I sat there listening an d
drinking beer and looking at the mountains。 It was a soft； warm
feeling。
Reiko gave back the guitar and asked to hear the radio again。 Then she
suggested to Naoko and me that we take an hour and walk around the
area。
〃I want to listen to the radio some more and hang out
with her。 If you e back by three； that should be OK。〃
〃Is it all right for us to be alone together so long？〃
〃Well； actually； it's against the rules； but what the hell。 I'm not a
chaperone； after all。 I could use a break。 And you came all the way
from Tokyo； I'm sure there's tons of stuff you want to talk about。〃
Reiko lit another cigarette as she spoke。
〃Let's go；〃 said Naoko； standing up。
I started after her。 The dog woke up and followed us for a while； but it
soon lost interest and went back to its place on the porch。 We strolled
down a level road that followed the pasture fence。 Naoko would take
my hand every now and then or slip her arm under mine。
〃This is kind of like the old days； isn't it？〃 she said。
〃That wasn't 'the old days'；〃 I laughed。 〃It was spring of this year！ If
that was 'the old days'； ten years ago was ancient history。〃
〃It feels like ancient history；〃 said Naoko。 〃But anyway； sorry about
last night。 I don't know； I was a bundle of nerves。 I really shouldn't
have done that after you came here all the way from Tokyo。〃
〃Never mind；〃 I said。 〃Both of us have a lot of feelings we need to get
out in the open。 So if you want to take those feelings and smash
somebody with them； smash me。 Then we can understand each other
better。〃
〃So if you understand me better； what then？〃
〃You don't get it； do you？〃 I said。 〃It's not a question of what then'。
Some people get a kick out of reading railway timetables and that's all
they do all day。 Some people make huge model boats out of
matchsticks。 So what's wrong if there happens to be one guy in the
world who enjoys trying to understand you？〃
〃Kind of like a hobby？〃 she said； amused。
〃Yeah； I guess you could call it a hobby。 Most normal people would
call it friendship or love or something； but if you want to call it a
hobby； that's OK； too。〃
〃Tell me；〃 said Naoko； 〃you liked Kizuki； too； didn't you？〃 〃Of
course；〃 I said。