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掏摸(スリ) Home Thread
Week 6
Start Date: Nov 22
Previous Part: Week 5
Next Part: Week 7
Reading:
| Week |
Start Date |
Chapter |
Start Page |
Page Count |
| Week 6 |
Nov 22 |
Chapter 10 - 11 |
88 |
24 |
Discussion Rules
- Please use spoiler tags for major events in the current chapter(s) and any content in future chapters.
- When asking for help, please mention the chapter and page number. Also mention what version of the book you are reading.
- Don’t be afraid of asking questions, even if they seem embarrassing at first. All of us are here to learn.
- To you lurkers out there: Join the conversation, it’s fun!
Participants
Mark your participation status by voting in this poll.
(Please feel free to update your status whenever you like!)
- I’m reading along
- I have finished this part
- I’m still reading the book but I haven’t reached this part yet
- I am no longer reading the book
Proper Noun Readings
Previous Proper Nouns
| Name |
Reading |
Notes |
Proof |
| 石川 |
いしかわ |
ch. 1, former pickpocket partner (Week 1) |
|
| 立花 |
たちばな |
ch. 2, wants to be a partner |
|
| 新美 |
にいみ |
ch. 4, 石川’s new name (Week 2) |
|
| 佐江子 |
さえこ |
ch. 5, woman of the past |
|
| 木崎 |
きざき |
ch. 6, strange man in the office (Week 3) |
|
| 棚部 |
たなべ |
ch. 6, gang boss |
|
| 西村 |
にしむら |
ch. 6, narrator’s real name |
|
4 Likes
This was certainly a week. I’m really looking forward to seeing the discussion this week (haha).
Man, all their lives are sooo fucked up. At least now we know the whole 佐江子 situation was
4 years ago. And she is actually dead. I much expected something like this with his allusions, but it was never outright confirmed until the end of chapter 10.
Not sure if I understand their conversation to be honest. Her whole stick with 価値を駄目にする、価値を踏みつける etc. didn’t really click with me what she meant? Which values is she talking about exactly? And her dream was wild man. Being so deep down, it reminds me of hell, essentially being constrained and pleasured by a bed and going up in smoke, only to realize she can’t go to something that seems likely to symbolize heaven?
I’m so interested in if anybody has any coherent interpretation of her ramblings there.
A tip for readers: keep looking for 女 (he uses it for the mother) and 彼女 (which he uses for 佐江子) to keep them apart in that section. At least that’s how I read it.
I always like the interactions with the kid. They seem like such a great duo. I’m sad for the kids’ situation. Being beaten, sneaking a peak during his mother’s job etc… But I smiled a little with the whole: Yeah, he’s about as skilled as I was at that age. If he doesn’t fuck up, he won’t be caught. 「前線駄目だ」と俺はいった。
I could need some help with their conversation on page 109 あいつじゃなくて、おじさんが I don’t get how that part of the conversation connects to the previous bit. Can someone help?
And finally 木崎 is back in our present as well 
I expect some people to be tripped up in this week, so keep the questions coming, for we can all probably learn something here.
Yes this conversation was pretty tough for me as well. Luckily I had decided early on to read this book together with my language partner, which helped tremendously! 
!!! Sorry the following comment ended up in the wrong week 
Will move it as soon as the matching week is up !!!
Hey thanks for the attempted help. But I’m not sure you are in the correct week. The conversation I was talking about is between the kid and our protagonist.
Maybe it is a mix up of page numbers but 109 shouldn’t be at the end of chapter eleven. 木崎 is just present for less then a page at the end of the chapter.
1 Like
Oh damn! Sorry. I didn’t remember 木崎 had appeared before that conversation I was referring to.
I had some trouble to find this quote, as I am reading on kindle and its search function in Japanese is not good. I suppose the kid means that he would prefer the main character being with his mother rather than the other guys he has seen visiting her.
The kid and his mother don’t seem to have names. They are always referred to as あのこ and あの女.
By the end of this book we will have all the theoretical knowledge for pickpocketing. We will only need some practice before making it a profession.
2 Likes
Haha I was recently on a crowded train and all of a sudden I thought “what if I slip my hand into that other person’s jacket?” 
I think I’m on my way of taking the practical exam as well 
4 Likes
