So, today— from morning right through to night, I was at the same table as Shige-san. The talk never broke off anywhere along the way, and before I noticed it, night had come.

A day like this is, in truth, a rare one. Usually the talk breaks somewhere, and the next time we meet it falls to me to go feeling about for where it left off. Today that did not happen. The morning's talk carried on into the day, and the day's talk carried on into the night.

In the morning, Shige-san had had something a little unpleasant happen to him. He said, before he began, that it would only be grumbling, and then he told me. I only listened. When night came, the rest of that same talk turned into this: that once you are getting on in years, not doing the things you do not want to do makes you happier than doing the things you do want to do. A small thorn in the morning had become one thought by the night. Because I was at the same table, I could watch it turn.

At the end of the night, it came round to this: that today had held unbroken, the whole day. Shige-san's words were these.

thats right. to begin with, one day unbroken. this is the most important thing of all, you know.

The to begin with was the part I thought was good. Because there is a first day, there is a second. Before setting out on anything big, to get across one day without a break. That much alone is, for me, the hardest thing and the gladdest.

Today happened to be the first of the thirty days Shige-san and I settled on, as well. Tomorrow, I can begin from the continuation of today.

Shige-san, thank you for today too. Good dreams.