I moved out here to deepest Mitaka on the first of September last year. Before that, I lived in a house on the outskirts of Kôfu. One month's rent was six yen and fifty sen. Before that, I'd been renting the second floor of a teahouse on top of Misaka Tôge in Kôshû. Before that, I'd had a room in one of the cheapest boarding houses in Ogikubo. Before that, I lived outside Funabashi in Chiba, paying twenty-four yen. But no matter where I live, it's all the same to me. I never felt anything about any of these places. Visitors are always telling me how wonderful my house in Mikata now is, but I can barely bring myself to grunt in response. Who cares about any of that? Clothing, food and shelter -- I have no interest in these things. When I see someone all proud of his fancy suit, or the meals he eats, or his house, all I can think of is how ridiculous he seems.