Summary

In “The Bus Advertising Job,” the narrator met with Mrs. Masakado about another job. She searched “for an excuse as to why” she had not renewed her contract, citing “personal reasons” (68, 69). Mrs. Masakado urged her to explain more. She lied, saying she did not like all of the sitting. She worried Mrs. Masakado would not take her seriously.

Mrs. Masakado found the narrator a job “writing audio advertisements to be aired on a particular bus route” (72). The narrator’s new boss Mr. Kazetani said he also wanted her to keep her eye on Ms. Eriguchi, the employee “responsible for training” the narrator (72). She should inform him if she noticed anything strange about Ms. Eriguchi. The narrator did not like this responsibility. It was vague, invasive, and unsettling. Ms. Eriguchi had some odd habits, but was otherwise innocuous.

The bus advertisements Ms...