Episode

Five months had already passed quickly in Mandalay. The weather had already changed. The path of sun had changed to south. The sun shone the whole day at the corridor in front of the room. The environs were full of the changes which could be seen. The days when I was not well, had a cold and had a bowel disorder had become less. There were more days on which I could set my mind at ease. At last, the situation had come to normal again.

By the way, I would like to tell you about an incident which broke out recently. Although breading out a fire is a serious matter which can cause great losses, this one ended without any such losses in the knowledge of three of four people.

My next door neighbour is a Myanmar, Japanese language teacher. On that day, I had lunch with him at the university. After lunch he went to the hostel and knew that the kettle in my room was burned. When I think what would happen if didn't happen to go to ht hostel, I feel very afraid. We were in great luck. I know that the main reason is that for my carelessness such kinds of things often happen. I become rather forgetful these days. And the rate of forgetfulness is great. Leaving the tap running in the bathroom and etc happen innumerable times in my middle age. While I am doing something if I continue to do another thing, I completely forget the first which I am doing before. I have to boil water very often because I use boiled water in cooking. If I read or write while water is being boiled, I automatically forget it. There were times when I saw the kettle with water boiling if I remember something. But now, after judging myself, I try to stick to boiling when I am doing so without doing anything. This incident happened unexpectedly. It also can be said that this showed the lonely life of a forgetful old man.

On that day, the Myanmar messenger was reporting to me something important. But I wasn't able to figure out what he was saying. Japanese language teacher, a Myanmar, translated it to me that "Please rush to the hostel there is a fire at the hostel". Then, I lost my head. I have go to out of the front gate, make a left turn and go straight to get to park place for bicycles. I was thinking what were happening and other unpleasant things. While I was rushing to the parking place I met the man who first saw the incident. He was also the who asked permission to me to go back to the hostel. He said; "You are tired. Everything is OK at the hostel." Then, I can set my mind at ease for a moment. By judging the situation that he could get out of the place where the fire broke out, I think everything might be under control. But I kept thinking it really was a fire. I could take a sigh of relieve when I was the hostel and the room. The gatekeeper was sleeping at the gate as usual. I, after unlocking, entered the room which was not changed at all in outer appearance. A Myanmar from a room which is three or four rooms away from mine came to me and said that he had to enter the room through the transom for it was not locked and removed the kittle from the oven. Because of language barrier, I didn't understand what he was saying before that. The transom and it was closed. This incident ended with nothing bad happening as I thought before. I now come to realize that custom and traditions in this country are not the same with that of ours.