Kino no Tabi:Volume17 Chapter3
“Land of Wristwatches” — Memento Mori —[edit]
There was once a road inside a forest in the middle of summer.
The road, which was too narrow for a car to pass through, stretched amidst the luxurious growth of deciduous trees.
It twisted like a snake to avoid the numerous swamps that dotted the flat landscape.
The bare, brown terrain was dry but was left bumpy by the rains, while gigantic clusters of white clouds floated in the blue sky.
Kino and Hermes rode in a relaxed pace on this road.
Kino was in her usual summer getup—a black vest over a white shirt. The black vest was actually a jacket with its sleeves removed.
A wide belt was fastened at her waist, and a holster rested on her right thigh.
Hermes was as usual, packed with traveling luggage. There were boxes on both sides of his rear wheel, on top of which were a satchel and a sleeping bag.
Hermes spoke up to his rider. “Hey Kino.”
“What is it, Hermes?” Kino asked as she avoided a huge hollow in the road.
“In eighteen seconds, it will be exactly twelve o’clock. The two hands of the clock will precisely overlap each other.”
“Oh? Thanks, but that’s not particularly of importance to me right now.”
“Three, two, one, zero! There! Now it’s been four hours and forty-two minutes since we started running this morning. Also, you spent a total of one hour and nine minutes drinking tea and resting along the way.”
“It’s great that you can keep track of time so accurately, but I don’t really need a watch. Besides, there’s really no need to count starting from midnight. The day begins the moment I wake up at dawn just when the sky’s becoming brighter, and ends once the sun sets. It’s not bad to think of it that way.”
“In short, you’re using a ‘sun clock’. The foundation from which all clocks were made. For some reason, you chose a very ancient method to keep time, Kino.”
“Well, you can say that.”
“But you also have another accurate clock with you.”
“Oh? What else?”
“Your body clock. Even if the sun is away or hidden by rainclouds, you can always tell when you’re hungry, right?”
“Oh, I see,” Kino said, and stroked her belly admiringly.
“Hey Kino, what things have you heard about the next country?”
“It’s a rather remote country. That’s why, as you can see for yourself, the road leading to it is so narrow. And because of the lack of exchange with other people, there’s not much information about it,” Kino started the explanation. “According to rumors, they kept their traditional lifestyle, and seems to be a pretty laid-back country.”
“In short, they shied away from developing technology to ease their lives, and are continuing their inconvenient lifestyles, right?”
“To put it bluntly, yes.”
“What else?”
“They don’t interact much with other countries, and take pride in their own culture.”
“In short, they are an obstinate people who don’t get along well with nearby countries.”
“To put it bluntly, yes. There, I see it.”
Kino and Hermes turned around a big curve, upon which the road turned perfectly straight once more. And just ahead, the grey walls interspersed between the leaves and branches of the forest, appeared.
“What would it be like in there?” Hermes asked in delight.
“What would it be like indeed?” Kino answered the question with another question.
The walls were so high that one would hurt his neck if he looked up at its top. It surrounded the country in a perfect circle. One could tell how big a country is from the curvature of the walls. A moderate curve means a big country, and a steep curve means a small country.
“This one’s medium-medium-sized. Leaning to the smaller side of medium, I think.”
“That’s very confusing, Hermes.”
Kino stopped Hermes in front of the gates.
Naturally, the walls had gates for coming and going. And of course, these were shut to keep strangers out. There was also armed guards and an immigration officer.
In a country with advanced technology, guards would carry a persuader (Note: A gun), while immigration officers would use computers.
But here, the guards wore old-fashioned armor and carried long spears and big swords.
As usual, Kino requested for a three-day stay. The immigration officer, who used a pencil, said, “There are no tourist spots in this country. Also, there are also no dishes of particular interest to travelers. Is that all right with you?”
Kino answered that she doesn’t mind.
“Quite a strange one, aren’t you? Well, if you wish.” And with these words, the officer gave his permission.
Kino pushed Hermes through the entrance.
“Hey, did you see their arms, Kino?”
Kino nodded. “Yeah, I noticed. The guards and the officer all wore wristwatches.”
“Wasn’t this a laid-back country? Do they have jobs that require keeping track of every minute and every second?”
Kino answered the question to which she knew not the answer.
“I’m sure we’ll find out once we’re inside the country.”
Upon exiting the tunnel through the walls, Kino and Hermes laid eyes on the scenery inside the country.
As it was not too big of a country, they could dimly see the other side of the walls. Fields of wheat and vegetables spread throughout the flat terrain.
The houses that could be seen here and there were log houses made of lumber. And because it was almost evening, the thin smoke from cooking fire could be seen rising from the brick chimneys.
“Yep, it’s a laid-back country all right,” Hermes remarked.
Kino nodded. “Indeed. Now then—”
“Yes? What’s next?”
“Let’s go look for our lodgings.”
“I knew it.”
There were no hotels in this country, but there are facilities to accommodate guests. At least that’s what the immigration officer told them. And so, Kino sought this place.
Horse carriages leisurely went back and forth through the road between the fields. There was not a single vehicle that used an engine like Hermes.
The citizens coming back home from farm work wore modest clothing. They looked on curiously at the traveler and the motorrad. At times, they would wave their hands at them.
Kino and Hermes looked at their arms.
And saw wristwatches strapped on their right or left wrists.
When they neared the country center, the fields diminished while the number of buildings increased.
Right before the center was the facility that they have been told about. There were lined up a couple of log houses, one of which was loaned to Kino and Hermes.
Kino pushed Hermes along and went in one of the houses.
It was by no means a big place, but it had walls, a roof, and a bed with white sheets.
“No complaints,” Kino said, visibly pleased, for this was plenty for someone who normally sleeps in a sleeping bag inside a tent.
“There’s no TV, but maybe you can request one with a room service?” Hermes joked despite knowing perfectly that there was no electricity in the country.
Kino conducted herself to the dining hall to eat dinner.
“I’m sure you’ve come a long way just to get here, traveler. But this is the only kind of food we have here,” a middle-aged lady said as she presented a dish of steamed chicken and vegetables sprinkled with salt.
When she returned to the log house, Kino informed Hermes of her impressions on the food.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted something that delicious.”
“Good for you. By the way, do they have it too?” Hermes asked.
Kino answered with a nod. “Yes. Every single one of them wore wristwatches. Anyway, let’s ask about it tomorrow. For now I’ll sleep. Good night, Hermes.”
“Good night, Kino.”
The next morning, Kino woke up at dawn as usual.
Kino did her warm-up exercises amidst the morning mist. Then she performed her daily practice and maintenance on her persuaders before returning them to their holsters.
After having her breakfast of bread and vegetables, Kino proceeded on literally beating some sense into the still asleep Hermes. Once the sun arose, they went to tour the country.
Farm work has already begun, and many of the citizens are working up a sweat in the fields. An occasional glint can be seen from their wrists.
Kino and Hermes arrived at the center of the country. The wide main street was lined up left and right with buildings packed close together. The big windows and signboards advertised the fact that they were stores. There were also people making preparations for the opening of the shops.
Kino slowly rode Hermes through the road.
“What are you looking for, Kino?” Hermes asked Kino, who moved her head left and right.
“A watchmaker. Since everyone here wears watches, I thought stores selling watches should be very popular here.”
“Oh right.”
So Kino and Hermes went through the country’s sole shopping district.
“There’s none.”
“Not a single one.”
Having no other choice, Kino turned Hermes around and traced their way back to the main street.
“Let’s go to one store and ask someone.”
“Kino what about that fruit shop? It’s related to wristwatches.”
Though she had no idea what kind of link Hermes found between wristwatches and fruits, Kino abided and stopped Hermes by the store. The middle-aged man who managed the fruit shop looked curiously at them and came out.
“Good morning. I’m Kino and this here is my partner, Hermes. I arrived here yesterday.”
Kino removed her hat and greeted. Hermes also said hello.
The shopkeeper stared at Hermes up and down for a while.
“Oh, the strange things you see if you live long enough,” the man voiced out his thoughts. Then he glimpsed at his wristwatch. Kino looked intently at the man.
“Um, there’s something I would like to ask about this country. Will now be all right? I can come back if it’s still before opening hours,” Kino asked, and received an answer that she did not expect to hear.
“What do you mean by ‘opening hours’?”
“Huh? Um…, opening hours is… you know… the time when the shop is opened?” Kino answered the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper only became more confused with this, and leaned his head to one side.
“But don’t shops open… during the morning?”
“What?”
As both humans are now confused, Hermes barged in. “Um, we know it’s in the morning, but isn’t there an exact hour when you open the shop?”
“Hour…? Doesn’t that refer to the flow of time? I’m not mistaken or anything, right?”
“Yes,” Kino nodded.
“What time is it right now?” Hermes asked.
“Let me see… right now it’s…”
The man looked at the watch on his left wrist once more. And then,
“Forty-eight years, one month, four days, three hours and forty-three minutes.”
“…”
“…”
“Is that not what you wanted to know, traveler?”
Receiving a completely different answer, Kino changed the question.
“Um, what is that thing you’re wearing on your left wrist? I see everyone’s wearing something like it.”
This time the man responded confidently to Kino’s words. Delight replaced the confusion in his face, and he angled the dial of the watch for Kino and Hermes to see.
“That’s right. It’s called a wristwatch. Neat thing, eh? This one’s mine.”
It had a black leather strap and a circular metallic case. The dial had one long and one short hand, and six tiny windows from which numbers could be seen.
And the hands are pointed to indicate forty-four past three. It might indicate fifteen forty-four, but either way, it was not a time that indicated morning.
“We were just curious because we saw that everybody in this country wears one. Is there a store that sells these?”
The man was surprised at Kino’s question. He drew back his hand and shook his head.
“Heavens no! It’s a pity, but a traveler can’t have one. It’s because you’re not from this country.”
“Oh that’s too bad. So it’s not for sale? It’s some sort of identification for the citizens?”
“That’s right. Besides, even if you immigrate here, you still can’t have one.”
“Oh, why is that?” Hermes asked.
“Because you don’t know exactly when you’re born right?”
“When I’m born…?”
“Yes. Only your parents or your doctor can keep track of that.”
Just when the conversation is beginning to get muddled up again, a woman who seemed to be the shopkeeper’s wife appeared.
“Oh my, you’re the traveler who came yesterday, I suppose? When did a foreigner last came here, I wonder?”
The woman said. Kino observed once more the fact that the woman wore a wristwatch, and asked.
“If it’s not so rude of me, will you tell me what ‘time’ it is?”
The woman readily consented.
“My watch says, forty-four years, eight months, nine days, fifteen hours, and three minutes.”
“I see now…”
“I get it!”
Kino and Hermes now understood how their watches work.
“Those watches indicate how long it’s been since a person was born. In short, a person’s age.”
For a moment, the couple gave Kino a blank stare, then said.
“Why traveler, you didn’t know what a wristwatch is for?”
“I guess it can’t be helped because you’re not from this country.”
The shopkeeper then explained to the clueless Kino and Hermes.
“You see, these wristwatches are made by the best engineers in our country, and are only given to parents when they have a child. Upon a certain age, the parents will hand it over to their children, who will have to wear it for life. As long as it is worn, the mainspring inside it will be wound by the movement of the wearer’s arm.”
“And it will indicate how many years, months, days and hours a person has lived.”
“Exactly. Our wristwatches are our lifetime.”
Now that one riddle has been solved, Hermes asked about another.
“If the time on everyone’s watches are different, then how about the common time in this country? Like the exact hour and minute when you have to meet someone, or the time in the morning when you should wake up? Do you have a special watch for those?”
The shopkeeper tilted his head once more.
“Common time? I don’t quite understand. Don’t everyone wake up in the morning? Work during the day? And once it is evening,don’t we all go home and sleep once the sun sets?”
“You mean… the people here do not share a ‘common time’?” Kino asked to confirm.
“There’s no such thing. Besides, if something like that exists—”
The shopkeeper peered into Kino’s eyes.
“Won’t every single day be troublesome? For example, having to do something on the exact hour or minute? Won’t you have to look at your watch and think ‘I’ve got to hurry,’ or ‘I won’t make it’? Won’t doing that everyday be a huge burden? Won’t your mind eventually break down from that?”
After learning about wristwatches,
“If you like, you can have something to eat,”
They were treated to some of the grapes sold in the store.
“It’s not fair, Kino.” As he couldn’t eat, Hermes complained while Kino continued to feast on the delicious grapes.
When they were about to leave the shop, the shopkeeper told Kino and Hermes this,
“If this is your first time to know about wristwatches, I have a good idea. A bit ways off the north lies the cemetery were everyone in this country rests. It would be nice if you can drop by. With that metallic vehicle, I’m sure you’ll reach it quickly. There are plenty of wristwatches there too.”
“I don’t really understand, but we’ll go see it.”
“I don’t really understand, but let’s go see it.”
Kino and Hermes headed north.
They idly traversed the perfectly straight road between the green fields while enjoying the scenery around them.
Eventually, the northern walls came into view, and they found their destination.
It was the cemetery that looked like a huge park.
Kino and Hermes looked at it from the entrance.
On the beautifully maintained bright green lawn spread before them were the gray tombstones, lined up in neat rows.
“It’s a pretty cemetery, but where are the wristwatches?”
“I guess we have to look inside, Kino.”
There was a tiny building labeled with the words ‘Management Office’ at the entrance.
When they approached it, they saw an old woman seated by the ticket window.
“Excuse me. I’m a traveler. Is it all right for me to go inside?” Kino asked.
“Of course. You can have a long look at their times,” the old woman said with a smile, and stroked the time-worn wristwatch on her right arm.
Kino slowly rode Hermes inside the empty cemetery.
Then they entered the path before the lined up tombstones.
Kino cut off Hermes’ engine and pushed him along.
After walking for a while, they could look at the tombstones from a closer distance.
“I see.”
“I get it!”
Kino and Hermes understood the words of the shopkeeper and the old woman.
The tombstones had various shapes.
There were squares and circles, and shapes that looked like food. There were even those formed after the likeness of the person that rested beneath it. They were designed in whatever form they desired.
However, all of the tombstones had one thing in common.
All of the tombstones had a small hole at the center.
Inside that hole is a cylindrical piece of stone.
And on this stone, there was a single wristwatch strapped.
The times on the wristwatches have stopped.
The hands are still, and the number of years, months, and days no longer increased.
No two dials shared the exact same numbers and position of hands. The threadbare wristwatches have finished one task and are serving another.
“When the citizens come here, they would look at the wristwatches on the graves and would be reminded how much time their loved ones spent on this world. And at the same time…”
Hermes continued Kino’s words.
“They would appreciate the fact that the ones they’re wearing on their wrists will definitely stop moving someday.”
“‘Remember that you will die,’ huh?” Kino whispered vacantly.
“So how about it? Shall we keep track of a ‘Kino-time’ from now on? From the moment when you became Kino up until now?” Hermes interrupted Kino’s thoughts.
Kino smiled. “I’ll have to decline that offer, Hermes.”
“It will be fine! I can keep count even when I’m asleep!”
“That’s not it. I’m fine with my time. You don’t need a watch when traveling. More importantly, you should keep an Hermes-time instead.”
“Eh, why?”
“So you can wake up on time without me having to beat you up.”
“Ah, that’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“I don’t think I could keep track of time properly while I’m asleep.”
“That’s not what you said a while ago!”
“Past is past. Present is present. ‘No two moments are exactly the same,’ right? Do you get it, Kino?”
“No, not at all.”
“Same here.”
“But I do know that the time we spend talking like this together is great.”
“Same here.”
The next day, Kino and Hermes left the country.
While looking at the traveler and the motorrad riding away, one of the guards talked to the other.
“We get to see this scenery every day, so I didn’t expect one tiny thing to make such a huge difference.”
“You bet. It’s the strangest thing if ever I’ve seen one.”
And then the two looked at their wristwatches at the same time.
And gazed at different times.
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