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Updated on November 22, 2002
Junkofs Monologue
Junko Nishida
Living with Parkinsonfs
Disease

Someone who is not myself
Telephone
Java sparrow
Stalker
Stone steps
Crawling
Repeat argument
Bath
Go shopping
Exorcism


šSomeone who is not myself

I am trembling in my head, in my belly,
All over my body.
Though there are so many things that I want to do,
So many things that I want to say,
Someone who is not myself. stands in my way.

My limbs have no power, my body has no energy
Though there are so many things that I want to do,
So many places where I want to go.
Someone who is not myself stands in my way.



šTelephone

The telephone is ringing.
I am in a hurry only in my mind.
It seems to be far, farther than usual.
It seems that the bell stops soon, sooner than usual.
I am getting there step by step, when I had one more step to go,
It suddenly stopped ringing.



šJava sparrow

I donft know why but she flew to me.
I shooed her away and I shooed her away
Yet she still flew to me.
Please do not come to me now.
My drugs are not working now.
Yet she still flew to me.
She liked staying in my hand a lot trembling.
She hopped and hopped,
Danced and danced a love dance.



šStalker

He likes those who are
Sincere, stubborn, and methodical.

And if you have a fair complexion,
You are perfect game.


He is invisible to our eyes,
And comes near by.

Once he catches you,
He will never let you go.

Watch out for the persistent stalker!



šStone steps


The garden of my house has 103 stone steps
Which lead to the street.

Everyone said that
I could neither go up nor down.

But in fact I could run up
Faster than anyone else.

But as soon as I arrived in the street,
I stopped and could not take any more steps forward.



šCrawling

gHurry uph I suddenly felt like going to wash my hands.
gWhy canft I get to the lavatory which is not so far away?h

I crawled, because there was no other choice.
I only just got there in time.
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šRepeat argument

I repeated my argument in front of the automatic door.

When I tried to enter, it closed suddenly.
When I gave up trying to enter, it opened suddenly.

I went back and forward and back and forward.
In vain in front of it.

People looking me took me for a fool,
And laughed at me.



šBath

‚htook a bath and felt so happy and unburdened myself
I scrubbed and scrubbed my body so hard.
Until the invisible armor disappeared.

I wished I could stay in the bath
In white vapor like this forever.

I scrubbed my cold body and cold fingers,
Until the invisible armor disappeared.

I made the bath hotter and hotter.
I felt so happy.
I wished I could stay in the bath like this forever.

Ouch, it is too hot.

I started to shake.



šGo shopping


Hurry up, ‚y drugs have just started to work now.

I have this and that and everything to do while they are effective.

So I worked too hard,

At last, I was downed in front of the super-market.

That 's the reason why I went home without buying anything.




šExorcism

gI don't mind if it is not true.
But just letfs go and look togetherh

One of my acquaintances asked me
To go to the a chapel for exorcism

Everything I saw and heard there was new to me
When I was sitting on tatami praying with eyes closed

A devil showed up and we got upset.
But it was a devil that could disappear
With the power of medication (dopamine)


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Painted by Junko Nishida
Translated by Sheila & Iso

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