Status Updates From After the Quake

What the hell is happening in the third story? The protagonist’s relationship with his mother doesn’t seem necessary at all. But I must admit that it has some interesting parts, especially toward the end. I guess this is just Murakami being Murakami again.

Anyway, I feel like the stories have been quite on the serious side of Murakami so far, maybe except for the third story, which has a tinge of comedy to it.