     I couldn't sleep. I heard the twleve o'clock be ring. I don't know how long after that it was - - I was starting to drift off and everything was hazy - - when I mercilessly shaken awake. I opend my eyes and saw that the whole room was already in a state of tumult, like a battlefield. The same bell that had rung the night before had rung again, causing chaos. Once the bell stopped ringing, I heard the clock downstairs chime twice. I hadn't even slept for two hours and my head felt fuzzy and heavy.

     Everyone tidied up their blankets and hurried downstairs. Rubbing my heavy eyelids, I followd Tanaka downstairs where There were people already folding newspapers. Some people were rubing their face with dry hand towels, some were rubbing their fingers across their teeth. There were no washbasins, nor any toothpowder. Bewildered, I looked around at everyone - - although we were living in a civilized part of Tokyo, we were living a primitive, backward life. I hadn't brought a face cloth with me either.

     I splashed cold water on my face and wiped it dry with my sleeve. Then I hurriedly joined Tanaka who was folding newspapers. The first newspapers I folded weren't folded quite right, but after a little while I caught on, and I was able to keep up with everyone else. The room was once again filled with the swishing sound of folding newspapers. My mood matched the rhythm of the sound. I hadn't slept enough but my fuzzy mind was beginning to clear.

IV.
     The people that finished folding newspapers early gathered up bundles of papers, fastened them onto their shoulders with string and left. Tanaka and I were the third to leave. Outside, the peiceing cold wind blew against my face. Although I was wearing all the clothing I owned, I was so cold my teeth were chattering. Three days worth of snow had accumlated; the snow was piled as high as my knees. Althoguh it was three o'clock in the morning, the moonlight reflecting off the snow made it seem as bright as daytime. We were walking through a residential section of suburban Tokyo. We took several shortcuts, which meant that we walked down many small roads, where the snow was piled up even higher than my knees. The snow had just started to melt. Underneath the accumulated snow, there was a lyaer of thick, miry mud. As I walked, the mud seeped through the holes in my shoes. Before long, my feet were frozen.

     I started thinking to myself about how many false paths I'd follow in this first month while looking for a job. Although my feet were aching and numb from the cold, the road I was walking on now gave me a feeling of hope.

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