p. 232

Osfour and S reach a relatively bright avenue of the city. Osfour suggests S. to look carefully at the goods for sale so it looks like they have a reason to be outside at that time in the city. However, Osfour warns S. not to talk to anyone else and attempt to purchase anything and look anyone in the eye. the stalls are in a long line in the narrow street and are lit by dim, flickering bulbs attached randomly to metal equipments fixed in buildings or somewhere stable. There are baskets full of spices, powders and leaves and pastes, and finches in a cage, which are all for sale and are displayed on shaky tables and worn blankets.

In the marginalia, Eric and Jen just talk about something Jen has to do for work and she tells Eric that she is tires of pretending to care about it. Eric suggests there is no need to pretend and to care. He suggests Jen to just do what need to be done and nothing more.

I am so tired of all this. I can’t keep pretending that I care.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO PRETEND. YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO CARE. IT’S A JOB-JUST A THING THAT NEEDS TO GET WRITTEN. NOTHING MORE. ONE SENTENCE AT A TIME.