“There must be some kind of story or legend behind it[=entrance
stone]. Maybe it’s famous and on display at a shrine or
someplace.”
“It could be, I suppose.”
“Or maybe it’s just in
some house, and people use it as a weight when they make pickles.”
“No, that’s not possible.”
“Why not?”
“Because nobody can
move the stone.”
“Nobody except you, you mean.”
“Yes, I
think Nakata probably can.”
“After you move it, then what?”
Nakata did an uncharacteristic thing––he pondered this for a good long
time.
At least he looked like he was, briskly rubbing his short,
salt-and-pepper hair.
“I don’t really know about that,” he
finally said. “All I know is it’s about time somebody moved
it.”
Hoshino did some pondering himself. “And that somebody’s
you, right? At least for now.”
(Kafka on the Shore, tr. by Philip
Gabriel)Why is moved a past form; is it a kind of subjunctive?
Answer
It’s not a past form, it’s subjunctive.
Another way of putting it is, “It’s about time somebody should move it.”
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : Listenever , Answer Author : Tom Au
