on being left unnoticed or being noticed and left: parked bicycle on the corner, next to the telephone booth, in front of the hair dresser, across the street from the tobacco shop. climbed to the top of the mountain and had lunch with n-sensei. walked back down the mountain two and a half hours later and discovered that bicycle was left unlocked.

on not being noticed: to disappear in the conversation, as when trying the new word learned for the first time and it going unnoticed. because it was right! this is a joy. perennially the five year old, naiveté is chosen carefully. joy, joy…on not noticing: he said he was in china in 1944. singapore, thailand. japanese navy. the sudden pang of fear i felt, wondered if he could see it through the soft milky blue of his old eyes. did not dare to ask what he was doing in china in 1944. singapore, thailand. japanese navy. he held out his hands to me. like dry, cracked landscapes. they were warmer than mine. fear and curiousity about what lies behind those milky eyes, fear and curiousity about what things my body has learned in such a short time. pangs.