Pathway to Japanese Literature
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A Day at the RacesAuthor: Makino Shinichi
| Original Title | 競馬の日 |
|---|---|
| Author | 牧野 信一 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | A man awakens in a haze of forgetfulness, haunted by his tendency to blunder through life half-asleep. After breaking a promise to watch baseball with his friend Mori, he flees domestic tensions—his wife’s quiet disapproval, Yukiko’s sharp reproaches—and stumbles into a chaotic day at the racetrack. There, he’s swept up by a drunken bar owner’s gambling frenzy and drawn into the orbit of two captivating women: Yuri, a gentle hostess entangled in her father’s reckless bets, and Fuyuko, a spirited equestrian whose brother owns an underdog horse named Traveler. As bets are placed and secrets unravel, the man’s foggy mind clears amid the adrenaline of the race—only to collide with his wife’s unexpected arrival. Whispers of infidelity, marital quarrels, and dashed hopes swirl around him, yet a fragile camaraderie emerges in the aftermath. With vivid characters and wry humor, this opening immerses readers in a world where impulsive choices and tangled relationships blur the line between escape and self-discovery—all set against the vibrant chaos of 1930s Japan. |
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