     I waited for a long, long time?and then a real light appeared. The first newsboy returned and switched on the electric lights. The newsboys appeared on after another. The cold, empty room became lively, and I finally left my fantasy and came back to reality. I wanted to find Tanaka, so I grabbed a person at random, and asked for him.

     "Tanaka!" The boy I asked didn't answer me, but he yelled upstairs to Tanaka for me. "What? Who's calling me?" Tanaka called, as he came down the stairs. He didn't look too bad. He was wearing a school uniform. Since I was determined to work in Tokyo to make enough money to finance my education, I always felt a special feeling towards people wearing school uniforms.

     "Ah, are you Mr. Tanaka? I just started working here - - the boss told me to work with you." I bowed respectfully and tried my best to explain my intentions.

     Tanaka blushed and looked away. "Ah, we're the same." He must have felt uncomfortable because nobody has ever bowed so respectfully to him before. "Well, let's go upstairs," he said, turning to run up the stairs. I followed him upstairs. It wasn't an ordifnary second floor. If you tried to stand up straight, you would bump your headf on the ceiling - - it was more of a "half floor."

     Up until now I'd always stayed in the cheapest hotels.2 I remember one time when some university students came by to look around - - when they saw our living quarters they walked around exclaiming, "What a terrible place!" How can so many people sleep in such narrow space!" Actually, the second floor of the newspaper agency was ten times worse than the other palce. It really wasn't suitable for people to live there. The tatami mats were all stripped bare, revealing the filthy black rice straw - - and we were supposed to sleep on them. There were some people gathered together talking to each other, but almost everyone else had already crawled under the covers. I counted three people to each mat. Everyone has crowded together in rows, starting from foot of the wall.

     I grew up in a small town in Taiwan. My father was a diligent, hardworking farmer. Although we weren't ruch, we lived in a spacious roomy place. I love cleanliness. I lived in a room by myself and cleaned it thoroughly every day. But, I thought to myself, even emperors goad themselves on by depriving themselves of daily comfort. I was determined to get through this difficult time.

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