When the chapter opens, the protagonist tells his friend Tamura that he's going back to Japan to look for a job. He doesn't know how long it'll take him to pass the written test to become an astronaut, but he does know that he won't be able to find a job anywhere else in the world for at least a few years. He's not sure if he'll ever make it to the moon or not. Tamura, however, is convinced that the protagonist's dream of going to space isn't a dream at all. He tells the protagonist not to give up on his dream, even if it means giving up his life. He says that he will leave for Japan the day after the test, and if he fails, he plans to return the next day. The protagonist tells Tamura about a man who's been scaring the town with his presence. The man is called the "fire extinguisher man" and is feared by all the people in the town because he can't get out of his hiding place.