Page 78 - I Live in the Slums: Stories (The Margellos World Republic of Letters)
P. 78
demolished. The shed didn’t even have a chair, much less a kerosene lamp.
“Listen, they’re coming in!” the old guy said.
“What?”
“Piglets. They’re a bunch of spiritual creatures, going from door to door.”
Ayuan heard the pigs’ breath and stretched out a hand to touch them—and
felt their drenched and warm bodies. There were five or six of them. Slimy and
sour-smelling, they were presumably very dirty. Coming into physical contact
with them made Ayuan happy.
“They’re from the swamp. They’re the only ones who can go back and forth
frequently. If an ordinary person goes there just once, he’ll end up half-dead
from exhaustion, but they go back and forth . . .”
“Can you tell me how to get there? I don’t mind exerting myself.”
“No one can tell you. Something like this can’t be taught.”
“Is it under the theater?”
“Yes. And also under the playgrounds and each and every building. In ancient
times, this city of ours was a swamp. Now it’s only these piglets that can locate
the road that runs through there. But tonight they’ve come back, so you’d better
wait for another opportunity.”
The old guy had stood up and gone outside. The piglets huddled around
Ayuan for warmth. As Ayuan petted them, he felt a deep sense of brotherly
affection. Leaning against the wall, he sat on a board and let the piglets wriggle
around his legs. He planned to keep his eyes on these piglets and follow them to
the place where he longed to go. After a while, he fell asleep. Halfway through
the night, the piglets made a ruckus when two people entered the room. But the
people, who seemed to be beggars, left soon, and the piglets clustered around
Ayuan again.
When he awakened at dawn, the piglets were gone, leaving no trace of their
ever having been in the room. Ayuan recalled what the old trash collector had
said: “They’re a bunch of spiritual creatures, going from door to door.”
Another night, when Ayuan was in a brothel, the prostitute named Fragrance
whispered to him, “Ayuan, if you die so young, what will people think?”
“I never said I was planning to die,” Ayuan retorted.
“Maybe not, but you’re acting like someone who will die tomorrow.”
“You’re mistaken, Fragrance. I still haven’t gone to the swamp. Why would I
want to die?”
As soon as he mentioned the swamp, Fragrance looked blank. She stole
quietly out of the bed and sat to one side.
She told Ayuan to pay up.
Handing her some money, Ayuan left her room without a word and walked
out of the brothel.