The Elephant Vanishes: Stories

The narrator reflects on when he used to mow lawns at age 18 or 19. He is a diligent worker and soon becomes the leading part-time employee at the company. After the narrator’s girlfriend breaks up with him, he does not know what to do with the extra money and decides to quit. The head of the company asks the narrator to stay on for another week until he finds people to replace him, and the narrator agrees.

The narrator describes his last assignment near Yomiuri Land. After a long drive, the narrator arrives at the address, where he finds a very well-kept lawn. He takes his time to mow the lawn to the client’s liking, taking pride in his meticulous work. The client, a gruff middle-aged woman who drinks and smokes heavily as the narrator works, is impressed. She reveals that her husband passed away and that she has a daughter who is a university student; She insists on showing the narrator her room before he leaves. The narrator drives home. He has never mowed a lawn since that day.