A spangled Cub Scout in his short pants and neckerchief
check out a book, holding
little sister’s hand
Elder lady clutching armload of books her shirt says
“please please protect the love“
Posters for the J2 futbol club (with a solid blonde import out in front) sponsor laden jerseys on display
(the sign reminds you not to touch, inexplicably
But instead
write celebratory messages of
support on a preformatted card)
a message for Italian pheasants
oh look! kid with a jumper covered with excavators, mixers and cranes (just like mine wears)
Pamphlets to play baseball, or table tennis or some kind of martial art… I know none of these things
Magnets attaching, all right angles, no overlap, tidy
“Literature Okayama 2023” - some kind of event I missed? (Momotaro and his monkey companion gaze nonchalantly holding a banner I can’t read)
I should pay better attention, on second thought…
Or rather festival at a temple which involves a large bonfire
And now my little guy comes running out with a book to check out
later, outside the boy with spectacles, a bright vest straps on his backpack, does 20 Achilles tendon stretches before unlocking his bicycle
we walk past and purchase three pieces of Chilean salmon from a man in a converted kei-truck
¥800
