Fireworks at the Drugstore (2024.08.27)

On my way home from work, my wife asked me to pick up some eggs.

Come to think of it, the egg I used for my egg-on-rice breakfast this morning was the last one. Since I eat egg-on-rice almost every morning, my egg consumption is by far the highest in the family, so I can't refuse when asked to buy some.

I stopped by my usual drugstore.

Perhaps due to the approaching typhoon, the sweet bread section was completely empty. The Yamazaki chocolate bread that the kids eat almost every morning was also sold out. The eggs weren't in their usual spot either, so I asked a clerk, who told me they were being sold in a different place than I expected.

I also bought barley tea, coffee, and milk while I was at it. These are the heavy-duty beverages our family consumes every day. Three 2L bottles of barley tea, two 950ml bottles of coffee, one 1000ml carton of low-fat milk, and for myself, one 720ml bottle of "Delicious Wine to Enjoy with Ice," for a total of seven items. The total weight is about 10kg.

I bought them and moved to the packing counter. The clerk pleasantly said, "Thank you very much." The staff at this drugstore are always very polite.

I started packing the seven bottles vertically into my reusable bag. I packed them in order from largest to smallest. First the barley tea, then the coffee.

Since each bottle of barley tea weighs 2kg, they made a "thud" sound every time I stood one up in the bag. With the subsequent "thud" and "thud" sounds, I thought, "It's like fireworks."

The final fireworks of the end of summer. Come to think of it, I saw a lot of fireworks this summer. From near and far, big and small. I saw colorful fireworks in various places.

Thinking, "I am setting off those final fireworks right here at the drugstore's packing counter,"made me feel a mix of amusement and loneliness.

The sounds of the fireworks—the barley tea, coffee, milk, and wine—got quieter and quieter, unlike the real thing. Finally, I placed the eggs on top of the drinks, and the plastic carton made a creaking sound.

The typhoon is coming soon. The long summer is coming to an end.