A young man accompanies his cousin to the hospital to investigate an unusual hearing complaint and recalls the story of a woman who was put to sleep by tiny flies crawling into her ear. A mirror appears out of nowhere, and a night watchman is unsettled as his reflection tries to take control of him. A couple's relationship becomes unbalanced after they have eaten nothing but exquisite crabs on vacation. A man follows the instructions on the back of a postcard to apply for a job, but an unknown password stands between him and his mysterious employer. In each of these stories, Murakami sidesteps the real and sprints into the surreal. Everyday events are transcended, leaving the reader astonished by the master of his craft.