What most moved me in his letter was the sense of frustration that permeated the lieutenent's words: the frustration of never quite being able to depict or explain anything to his full satisfaction.

“Listen--God only exists in people's minds. Especially in Japan, God's always be…”

“Happiness is an allegory, unhappiness a story”

“In the spring of her twenty-second year, Sumire fell in love for the first time…”

“That backpack's like your symbol of freedom," he comments."Guess so," I say."Ha…”