An excerpt from Murakami - A "Poor Aunt" Story

All names fade away, of course. We can say that much for sure.

But there are many ways for this to happen. First there are those whose names fade the moment they die. They're the easy ones. We mourn their deaths: "The river ran dry and the fish died out," or "Flames covered the forest, roasting every bird within it." Next there are those who go out like an old television, leaving white flickers that play over the face of the tube until suddenly, one day, it burns out completely. These aren't bad, either: sort of like the footprints of an Indian elephant that's lost its way. No, definitely not bad. And finally there's the type whose names fade even before they die- the poor aunts.

I myself fall into this poor aunt state of namelessness now and then. Suddenly, in the bustle of a terminal, my destination, my name, my address will no longer be there in my brain. But this never lasts long: five or ten seconds at most.

And then you have this:
"For the life of me, I can't remember your name," someone says.

"Never mind. Don't let it bother you. It's not much of a name, anyway."

An interesting idea

Haruki Murakami writes in A Wild Sheep Chase, 

Women with their clothes off have a frightening similarity. 

Have you read Murakami?

Haruki Murakami is one of my favourite authors.

The last book I read from him was Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage (2014). A quote I have copied into my journal: It hurt to see that she no longer had that burning something she used to have. That what had been remarkable about her had vanished. That the special something would no longer be able to move me the way it used to (p. 211).

 My first Murakami book was After Dark (2007) as per recommended by my grade 12 English teacher.

 I have read Norwegian Wood* (2000), Kafka on the Shore (2005), Sputnik Sweetheart* (2001), 1Q84 (2011), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1997), and South of the Border, West of the Sun* (2000).

 I had a Murakami quote cut out of old magazines and taped to my bedroom wall when I was at university. From Sputnik Sweetheart, the quote was: Was the Earth put here just to nourish human loneliness?

My next Murakami book will be A Wild Sheep Chase (1989).

 *Denotes my favourite Murakami novels.