Discussion Group Read for May 22nd-- On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning by Hanuki Murakami

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Spideyman

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Jul 10, 2006
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Just north of Duma Key

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
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I hope no one minds if I just jump in here.

This was another very short story. Sweet and simple. I loved the opening:

"One beautiful April morning, on a narrow side street in Tokyo’s fashionable Harujuku neighborhood, I walked past the 100% perfect girl.

Tell you the truth, she’s not that good-looking. She doesn’t stand out in any way. Her clothes are nothing special. The back of her hair is still bent out of shape from sleep. She isn’t young, either - must be near thirty, not even close to a “girl,” properly speaking. But still, I know from fifty yards away: She’s the 100% perfect girl for me. The moment I see her, there’s a rumbling in my chest, and my mouth is as dry as a desert."


The fact she wasn't this barbie doll fantasy was refreshing. Not even knowing if she had a nose. I loved that she was a not good looking woman, but he still knew she was perfect for him. Of course, this is a romantic take on this. A person could go to the stalkerish weird dark side of a chance passing.

Do you think we have a 100% match out there? While none of us are perfect, a relationship can be when two puzzle pieces find each other. Even someone's quirks and imperfections, the arguments and irritations can still make someone perfect for you. (royal you). It's the way they do all those things that can change that percentage.

Do you think the story within the story was actually real? Had they met years before and separated by fate? Years later feeling a gnawing intuition going from east to west and west to east?

This also made me a little wistful and beaten down feeling, forlorn. I have never been the 100% perfect girl for anyone.

I have led a 10% life. I think I am maybe 10% perfect for someone. They don't want the 90% rest of me.
 
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Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I hope no one minds if I just jump in here.

This was another very short story. Sweet and simple. I loved the opening:

"One beautiful April morning, on a narrow side street in Tokyo’s fashionable Harujuku neighborhood, I walked past the 100% perfect girl.

Tell you the truth, she’s not that good-looking. She doesn’t stand out in any way. Her clothes are nothing special. The back of her hair is still bent out of shape from sleep. She isn’t young, either - must be near thirty, not even close to a “girl,” properly speaking. But still, I know from fifty yards away: She’s the 100% perfect girl for me. The moment I see her, there’s a rumbling in my chest, and my mouth is as dry as a desert."


The fact she wasn't this barbie doll fantasy was refreshing. Not even knowing if she had a nose. I loved that she was a not good looking woman, but he still knew she was perfect for him. Of course, this is a romantic take on this. A person could go to the stalkerish weird dark side of a chance passing.

Do you think we have a 100% match out there? While none of us are perfect, a relationship can be when two puzzle pieces find each other. Even someone's quirks and imperfections, the arguments and irritations can still make someone perfect for you. (royal you). It's the way they do all those things that can change that percentage.

Do you think the story within the story was actually real? Had they met years before and separated by fate? Years later feeling a gnawing intuition going from east to west and west to east?

This also made me a little wistful and beaten down feeling, forlorn. I have never been the 100% perfect girl for anyone.

I have led a 10% life. I think I am maybe 10% perfect for someone. They don't want the 90% rest of me.
It was a bit sad that at the end, after time had passed, it turned out the way it did (I was hoping for a different outcome).

This story was very easy to read and I enjoyed it - thanks for the suggestion!

I think maybe there are some people out there we just click with but 100%? - maybe not.

I wonder if we really have lived before and our spirit comes back to learn new lessons. I also kind of like the theory of karma that what comes around goes around.

Good story :smile:
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
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Apr 11, 2006
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Good story.

In addition to the observations above, I see it is a tale of regret. Of how we can regret the things we didn't do that we wish we had.
Good point. You made me think about regret and what else this story could convey.

It's also a tale of insecurity, cowardice. How many moments have we all let pass us by because we were too afraid to take a chance?
 

HollyGolightly

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Sep 6, 2013
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Great choice Dana Jean ! (I LOVE that your new old avatar is back )

What a sad story - full of longing and regret and insecurity! And how so perfectly true. 100% match - hmmm - maybe, maybe. Have you ever met someone and you just start "zinging"? They aren't necessarily the most handsome or give you the best smile or even have good breath - but something shifts in you both? I'm not sure I believe in 100% perfect matches but I do believe there's something in our DNA that recognizes something in someone else's DNA and off go the pheromones and hormones and you're zinging! That's not to say it will ever be a perfect relationship, but it zings!

I'm not sure that's what we're meant to feel about this story, though. When they talk and decide that yes - they would be PERFECT together - like a couple of idiots they leave it up to fate to toss them together again. Le sigh. And there goes their chance and their youth (when the DNA recognition is at it's peak, trying to reproduce that perfect match!) And when they pass by each other again, they're more beaten down and more insecure and can't force themselves to take a chance. It's very sad - but the tone of the story is very "matter of fact", just some facts about something that happened. So does it mean that it really didn't matter? We go on. "It's a sad story..."

This is one of those stories that you can just keep on peeling. I'm glad I read it, the first time I've ever read Hanuki Murakami - I've always been a little intimidated - I'm not anymore!
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
Great choice Dana Jean ! (I LOVE that your new old avatar is back )

What a sad story - full of longing and regret and insecurity! And how so perfectly true. 100% match - hmmm - maybe, maybe. Have you ever met someone and you just start "zinging"? They aren't necessarily the most handsome or give you the best smile or even have good breath - but something shifts in you both? I'm not sure I believe in 100% perfect matches but I do believe there's something in our DNA that recognizes something in someone else's DNA and off go the pheromones and hormones and you're zinging! That's not to say it will ever be a perfect relationship, but it zings!

I'm not sure that's what we're meant to feel about this story, though. When they talk and decide that yes - they would be PERFECT together - like a couple of idiots they leave it up to fate to toss them together again. Le sigh. And there goes their chance and their youth (when the DNA recognition is at it's peak, trying to reproduce that perfect match!) And when they pass by each other again, they're more beaten down and more insecure and can't force themselves to take a chance. It's very sad - but the tone of the story is very "matter of fact", just some facts about something that happened. So does it mean that it really didn't matter? We go on. "It's a sad story..."

This is one of those stories that you can just keep on peeling. I'm glad I read it, the first time I've ever read Hanuki Murakami - I've always been a little intimidated - I'm not anymore!
I faintly remember that zing! zinging was fun!
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
May we have a volunteer for next week's group read. Just post a free link and off we go.
I just read a couple of short story PDFs online by Sue Grafton but neither one seemed appropriate, unfortunately. Wish I could help!

(One was called Long Gone and the other was called Full Circle)

They are basically just short mysteries that are neatly wrapped up at the end.

Hoping someone else will find a good short story we can all read together, unless maybe we could try the one called "Long Gone"?- it's 23 pages

That one is also followed by a segment in which she described what it was like living with her parents who were both alcoholic - a bit depressing but still a pretty good story. We could skip that part and just read the main story - what do you think?

http://www.suegrafton.com/pdf/Grafton_KINSEY_AND_ME_preview.pdf
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Spideyman

Uber Member
Jul 10, 2006
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Just north of Duma Key
Oy vey - Andy has a pulmonary function test plus a CT brain scheduled for that day - but - the discussion is not until the evening, so I think I can make it work!

Okay Spidey - let's do it then :frog::encouragement:
No problem, Neesy. Either I or someone will start the thread and posting is open as long the the MB exists. Sometimes a newbies comes along and posts months later. We'll call it a go!
 

cat in a bag

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Aug 28, 2010
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I loved this story! It was quite sad, about the path not taken. Yet it made my heart swell. Hopeless romantic. :)

My take on the 100% question...I think that being someone's 100% takes a ton of work. On both sides. It doesn't just happen, you have to make it happen. The zinging part is the easy part! No one can ever be someone else's 100% all the time. Takes a lot of work.

This was my first time reading Murakami as well. Very lyrical. I wonder if his writing is that way in Japanese or if that is a product of the translation? I am going to go with he is naturally lyrical. But a very uneducated guess, off of this one piece. I very much enjoyed this story.