Taisho (Major Heat) | I felt as if I had fully embraced the scent of summer with my entire body.
I intended to wake up at 4:30 AM, but I woke up at 4:00 AM instead. I wiped away my sweat and lay back down on the futon. The next time I woke up, it was past 5:00 AM. I have to hurry. I planned to take the dog for a walk, and after that, I wanted to water the black soybeans I planted in the garden and the cucumbers in the field.
The morning sun is rising hazily in the direction I am walking with the dog. Mosquitoes are persistently buzzing around my ears, so I retreated immediately.
When I looked back and up at the sky, I saw dull, undulating gray clouds. It looks like it will be another hot day.
In the garden, the black soybeans have started to sprout. They look as if they are itching to be moved to the field soon. I light a mosquito coil. I watch the smoke rise slowly. I finish watering and head toward the field. It is not even 6:00 AM yet, but I start to sweat just from walking. I prepare two watering cans and scoop up water. If I have two, one trip is enough.
Whose doing was it? A cucumber about 20 cm long was lying in the next row. I touch it with my right index finger. It is firm and solid. While watering, I found another one that looked about 5 cm longer than the previous one. It would be delicious to sprinkle some salt on it and eat it whole.
I also check the cherry tomato row. As I observe from the edge, I find some with holes and some that have split. I also found a few that look like they will ripen soon. I check them one by one—feeling the elasticity when I pinch the fruit between my thumb and index finger, and checking whether the calyx is facing upward—and pick them in order, starting with the ones I feel are ready.
Cherry tomatoes can be picked with your fingers, but it is safer to cut them with scissors.
I picked enough cherry tomatoes to fill my palm.
I bring them home and line them up in the kitchen. The scent of cherry tomatoes lingers on my fingertips.
The color of the sky. The shape of the clouds. The sound of insects flying. The smoke from the mosquito coil. The scent of the vegetables. I felt as if I had fully embraced the scent of summer with my entire body.
I took a shower, brushed my teeth, and looked at the clock while getting dressed. It was 7:35 AM. I only have 11 minutes until the train leaves.
"I'm off," I say, and leave immediately.
It might be a close call.
The motorcycle cuts through the wind, so it feels good while riding. I passed a bicycle.
The crossing gate is down at the railroad crossing. The red arrow indicating the direction of the train was bidirectional.
After work, I walk toward the station. It wasn't as hot as I had expected. I looked up at the mountain visible on my left.
When I get home, I head straight to the kitchen. I take a glass and put in three ice cubes. I add about a third of a teaspoon each of baking soda and citric acid. I add water and stir. I drank it all in one go.