The American Carrying a Broken Clock in Tokyo Again
For Shiina Takako
It is amazing how many people
you meet when you are carrying
a broken clock around in Tokyo.
Today I was carrying the broken clock
around again, trying to get an exact
replacement for it.
The clock was far beyond repair.
All sorts of people were interested
in the clock. Total strangers came up to me
and inquired about the clock in Japanese
of course
and I nodded my head: Yes, I have a broken clock.
I took it to a restaurant and people gathered
around. I recommend carrying a broken clock
with you at all times if you want to meet new
friends. I think it would work anyplace in the
world.
If you want to got to Iceland
and meet the people, take
a broken clock with you.
They will gather around like flies.
Tokyo
June 11, 1976
źródło: June 30th, June 30th
o źródle i prawach
tekst z archiwum "american dust" (brautiganarchives.xyz); z tomu "June 30th, June 30th" (Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence, 1978)
11.06.2026