Chapter Five: Even If I had a Long Ponytail Back Then Summary and Analysis

October 3, 2005 - Cambridge, Massachusetts

There are a few summer days in Boston that are nearly unbearable. The rich escape to cooler climates leaving the city quieter and less crowded. Summer fades into autumn the season when running is most pleasant. But soon that brief period passes and the inevitable winter arrives causing runners to wear gloves and wool caps pulled down over their ears. When the weather is too harsh, runners retreat to indoor conditioning. But when weather is good, Haruki loves to run by the Charles River. He thinks it's beneficial for humans to be around large bodies of water. Lakes and rivers and oceans reflect the sky and the cloud and life.

It is just a month away from...