Over and over, I ran at the sea, beating it until I was so tired I could barely stand. And then the next time I fell down, I just lay there and let the waves wash over me, and I wondered what would happen if I stopped trying to get back up. Just let my body go. Would I be washed out to sea? The sharks would eat my limbs and organs. Little fish would feed on my fingertips. My beautiful white bones would fall to the bottom of the ocean, where anemones would grow upon them like flowers. Pearls would rest in my eye sockets.
I stood up and walked back to where old Jiko was sitting. She took the small towel from her head and handed it to me.
"Maketa", I said, throwing myself down into the sand. "I lost. The ocean won."
She smiled. "Was it a good feeling?"
"Mm," I said.
"That's good," she said. "Have another rice ball?
I stood up and walked back to where old Jiko was sitting. She took the small towel from her head and handed it to me.
"Maketa", I said, throwing myself down into the sand. "I lost. The ocean won."
She smiled. "Was it a good feeling?"
"Mm," I said.
"That's good," she said. "Have another rice ball?
( Ruth Ozeki )
[ A Tale for the Time Being ]
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