Not there. Apparently there's one copy left, but it's been misplaced.

I checked around the main library, seeing if they might have a copy.

Not there.

I went to the used bookstore and pseudo Barnes and Noble subsidiary bookstore to get it.

Not there.

In a moment of desperation I rushed to the public library, hoping my prize would finally be neatly sitting for me on some dusty shelf.

Not only not there, the Japanese history section doesn't even exist.

I emailed my prof. frantically, asking him for mercy, any shred of advice, anything. There was only one place left to go: a neighbor on the 4th floor who is in my Japanese history class. Nathan looked bored, I was down-hearted..but then, I found out...

He had the book!

An hour long conversation later, I had socially paid the equivalent of 17 bucks to acquire it on a temporary basis.

My biggest concern now is whether or not to eat chinese to sortof carry on my thanksgiving tradition.

***the following is a weird, slightly morbid moment. You have been forewarned***

As I was charging around trying to find this book, I noticed outside of the science building what appeared to be a squirrel. As I approached it, I knew it was dead. It was a flawless corpse, with no mar or stain, perfectly preserved. I was amazed, rather intrigued even. I can't describe it adequately: it isn't because the squirrel was dead that it fascinated me. Just being able to see something up close, to study it, see how its limbs were positioned (I didn't touch the thing, just looked), every aspect of it. Normally you just see fleeting glimpses of animals or of people...but here was something that didn't move, stayed static, peaceful. It just lay perfectly still while I looked at it for awhile. I can't say what I saw in it, except that it reminded me of a museum piece.

I'm strange, what can I say.

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