As known in the first 6 paragraphs, the narrator arrived at the Hiroshima railway station. His original expectation is that the Japanese were still distressed by the catastrophe in Hiroshima. However, what he actually saw conflicted with his expectation. The following part will focus on the reception by the city mayor. Before we proceed to a detailed study of this part, think over the following two questions:

What will be the reception be like?

Were the people of Hiroshima still traumatized by the calamity in Hiroshima?