Summary

The next morning, Guylain encountered the old man, this time without his dog Balthus. He tearfully told Guylain that Balthus was at the vet with a problem in his legs, and while Guylain comforted him, he doubted such an old dog would make a recovery. As usual, once at the train he sat down and began reading a journal entry out loud. In this one, Julie explained her Saturdays. They were the busiest days at the mall, with hordes of shoppers who descended on her lavatory and made a mess. Sometimes she would listen to them, amused by the universal nature of human bathroom noises. On occasion her customers would try to chat with her, exchanging pleasantries and sorrows, and Julie installed a visitor’s book where people could leave a message. The entries varied from compliments to insults to extended critiques. When...