¡¡It¡¡was¡¡the¡¡Japanese¡¡wall¡£¡¡Very¡¡polite£»¡¡but¡¡a¡¡wall¡£¡¡I¡¡sighed¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡probably¡¡unrealistic¡¡to¡¡imagine¡¡a¡¡Japanese¡¡research¡¡pany¡¡would¡¡help¡¡me¡£¡¡Even¡¡with¡¡something¡¡as¡¡neutral¡¡as¡¡copying¡¡tapes¡£
¡¡¡¨I¡¡understand¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Nobody's¡¡in¡¡the¡¡lab¡¡this¡¡morning¡¡at¡¡all¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡all¡¡working¡¡late¡¡on¡¡a¡¡rush¡¡project¡¡last¡¡night£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡guess¡¡they¡¡were¡¡here¡¡to¡¡all¡¡hours¡£¡¡So¡¡everybody's¡¡late¡¡ing¡¡in¡¡today¡£¡¡That's¡¡what¡¡the¡¡other¡¡secretary¡¡didn't¡¡understand¡£¡¡People¡¡are¡¡ing¡¡in¡¡late¡£¡¡So¡£¡¡I¡¡don't¡¡know¡¡what¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡you¡£¡¨
¡¡I¡¡made¡¡one¡¡last¡¡attempt¡£¡¡¡¨As¡¡you¡¡know£»¡¡my¡¡boss¡¡is¡¡the¡¡chief¡¡of¡¡police¡£¡¡This¡¡is¡¡the¡¡second¡¡place¡¡I've¡¡stopped¡¡at¡¡already¡¡this¡¡morning¡£¡¡He's¡¡really¡¡riding¡¡me¡¡to¡¡get¡¡this¡¡duplicated¡¡right¡¡away¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨I'd¡¡love¡¡to¡¡help¡¡you¡£¡¡I¡¡know¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Donaldson¡¡would¡¡be¡¡happy¡¡to¡£¡¡We've¡¡done¡¡special¡¡work¡¡for¡¡the¡¡police¡¡before¡£¡¡And¡¡I'm¡¡sure¡¡we¡¡can¡¡duplicate¡¡whatever¡¡material¡¡you¡¡have¡£¡¡Maybe¡¡later¡¡today¡£¡¡Or¡¡if¡¡you'd¡¡care¡¡to¡¡leave¡¡it¡¡with¡¡us¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£
¡¡¡¨I'm¡¡afraid¡¡I¡¡can't¡¡do¡¡that¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Okay¡£¡¡Sure¡£¡¡I¡¡understand¡£¡¡Well£»¡¡I'm¡¡sorry£»¡¡Lieutenant¡£¡¡Perhaps¡¡you¡¡can¡¡e¡¡back¡¡later¡¡in¡¡the¡¡day£¿¡¨¡¡She¡¡gave¡¡a¡¡little¡¡shrug¡£
¡¡I¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Probably¡¡not¡£¡¡I¡¡guess¡¡it's¡¡just¡¡my¡¡bad¡¡luck¡¡that¡¡everybody¡¡had¡¡to¡¡work¡¡last¡¡night¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Yes¡£¡¡It's¡¡a¡¡pretty¡¡unusual¡¡situation¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨What¡¡was¡¡it£»¡¡something¡¡came¡¡up£¿¡¡Research¡¡problem£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨I¡¡really¡¡don't¡¡know¡£¡¡We¡¡have¡¡so¡¡much¡¡video¡¡capability¡¡on¡¡site£»¡¡occasionally¡¡we¡¡get¡¡a¡¡rush¡¡request¡¡for¡¡something¡¡unusual¡£¡¡A¡¡TV¡¡mercial¡¡that¡¡needs¡¡a¡¡special¡¡effect£»¡¡or¡¡something¡¡like¡¡that¡£¡¡We¡¡worked¡¡on¡¡that¡¡new¡¡Michael¡¡Jackson¡¡video¡¡for¡¡Sony¡£¡¡Or¡¡somebody¡¡needs¡¡to¡¡restore¡¡tape¡¡that¡¡has¡¡been¡¡ruined¡£¡¡You¡¡know£»¡¡rebuild¡¡the¡¡signal¡£¡¡But¡¡I¡¡don't¡¡know¡¡what¡¡came¡¡up¡¡last¡¡night¡£¡¡Except¡¡it¡¡must¡¡have¡¡been¡¡a¡¡lot¡¡of¡¡work¡£¡¡Something¡¡like¡¡twenty¡¡tapes¡¡to¡¡be¡¡worked¡¡on¡£¡¡And¡¡a¡¡real¡¡rush¡£¡¡I¡¡hear¡¡they¡¡didn't¡¡finish¡¡until¡¡after¡¡midnight¡£¡¨
¡¡I¡¡thought£º¡¡It¡¡can't¡¡be¡£
¡¡I¡¡was¡¡trying¡¡to¡¡think¡¡what¡¡Connor¡¡would¡¡do£»¡¡how¡¡he¡¡would¡¡handle¡¡it¡£¡¡I¡¡decided¡¡it¡¡was¡¡worth¡¡a¡¡stab¡¡in¡¡the¡¡dark¡£¡¡I¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Well£»¡¡I'm¡¡sure¡¡Nakamoto¡¡is¡¡grateful¡¡for¡¡all¡¡your¡¡hard¡¡work¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Oh£»¡¡they¡¡are¡£¡¡Because¡¡it¡¡turned¡¡out¡¡real¡¡well¡¡for¡¡them¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡happy¡£¡¨
¡¡I¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨You¡¡mentioned¡¡that¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Donaldson¡¡was¡¡giving¡¡a¡¡speech¡¡¡¡¨
¡¡¡¨Dr¡£¡¡Donaldson£»¡¡yes¡¡¡¡¨
¡¡¡¨Where¡¡is¡¡he¡¡doing¡¡that£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨At¡¡a¡¡corporate¡training¡¡seminar¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Bonaventure¡¡Hotel¡£¡¡Management¡¡techniques¡¡in¡¡research¡£¡¡He¡¡must¡¡be¡¡pretty¡¡tired¡¡this¡¡morning¡£¡¡But¡¡he's¡¡always¡¡a¡¡good¡¡speaker¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Thanks¡£¡¨¡¡I¡¡gave¡¡her¡¡my¡¡card¡£¡¡¡¨You've¡¡been¡¡very¡¡helpful£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡there¡¡is¡¡ever¡¡anything¡¡you¡¡think¡¡of£»¡¡or¡¡want¡¡to¡¡tell¡¡me£»¡¡call¡¡me¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Okay¡£¡¨¡¡She¡¡glanced¡¡at¡¡my¡¡card¡£¡¡¡¨Thank¡¡you¡£¡¨
¡¡I¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡go¡£¡¡As¡¡I¡¡was¡¡leaving£»¡¡an¡¡American¡¡in¡¡his¡¡late¡¡twenties£»¡¡wearing¡¡an¡¡Armani¡¡suit¡¡and¡¡the¡¡smug¡¡look¡¡of¡¡an¡¡M¡£B¡£A¡£¡¡who¡¡reads¡¡the¡¡fashion¡¡magazines£»¡¡came¡¡down¡¡and¡¡said¡¡to¡¡the¡¡other¡¡two¡¡men£»¡¡¡¨Gentlemen£¿¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Nakagawa¡¡will¡¡see¡¡you¡¡now¡£¡¨
¡¡The¡¡men¡¡leapt¡¡up£»¡¡grabbing¡¡their¡¡glossy¡¡brochures¡¡and¡¡pictures£»¡¡and¡¡followed¡¡the¡¡assistant¡¡as¡¡he¡¡walked¡¡in¡¡calm¡¡measured¡¡strides¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡elevator¡£
¡¡I¡¡went¡¡back¡¡outside£»¡¡into¡¡the¡¡smog¡£
¡¡
¡¡£¿
¡¡The¡¡sign¡¡in¡¡the¡¡hallway¡¡read¡¡WORKING¡¡TOGETHER£º¡¡JAPANESE¡¡AND¡¡AMERICAN¡¡MANAGEMENT¡¡STYLES¡£¡¡Inside¡¡the¡¡conference¡¡room£»¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡one¡¡of¡¡those¡¡twilight¡¡business¡¡seminars¡¡where¡¡men¡¡and¡¡women¡¡sit¡¡at¡¡long¡¡tables¡¡covered¡¡in¡¡gray¡¡cloth£»¡¡taking¡¡notes¡¡in¡¡semigloom¡¡as¡¡a¡¡lecturer¡¡drones¡¡on¡¡at¡¡the¡¡podium¡£
¡¡While¡¡I¡¡was¡¡standing¡¡there£»¡¡in¡¡front¡¡of¡¡a¡¡table¡¡with¡¡the¡¡name¡¡tags¡¡of¡¡lateers£»¡¡a¡¡bespectacled¡¡woman¡¡came¡¡over¡¡to¡¡me¡¡and¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Have¡¡you¡¡registered£¿¡¡Did¡¡you¡¡get¡¡your¡¡packet£¿¡¨
¡¡I¡¡turned¡¡slightly¡¡and¡¡flashed¡¡my¡¡badge¡£¡¡I¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨I¡¡would¡¡like¡¡to¡¡speak¡¡to¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Donaldson¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨He's¡¡our¡¡next¡¡speaker¡£¡¡He's¡¡on¡¡in¡¡seven¡¡or¡¡eight¡¡minutes¡£¡¡Can¡¡someone¡¡else¡¡help¡¡you£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨It'll¡¡just¡¡take¡¡a¡¡moment¡£¡¨
¡¡She¡¡hesitated¡£¡¡¡¨But¡¡there's¡¡so¡¡little¡¡time¡¡before¡¡he¡¡speaks¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Then¡¡you¡¡better¡¡get¡¡going¡£¡¨
¡¡She¡¡looked¡¡as¡¡if¡¡I¡¡had¡¡slapped¡¡her¡£¡¡I¡¡don't¡¡know¡¡what¡¡she¡¡expected¡£¡¡I¡¡was¡¡a¡¡police¡¡officer¡¡and¡¡I'd¡¡asked¡¡to¡¡speak¡¡to¡¡somebody¡£¡¡Did¡¡she¡¡think¡¡it¡¡was¡¡negotiable£¿¡¡I¡¡felt¡¡irritable£»¡¡remembering¡¡the¡¡young¡¡fashion¡¡plate¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Armani¡¡suit¡£¡¡Walking¡¡in¡¡measured¡¡steps£»¡¡like¡¡a¡¡person¡¡of¡¡weight¡¡and¡¡importance£»¡¡as¡¡he¡¡led¡¡the¡¡real¡¡estate¡¡salesmen¡¡away¡£¡¡Why¡¡did¡¡that¡¡kid¡¡think¡¡he¡¡was¡¡important£¿¡¡He¡¡might¡¡have¡¡an¡¡M¡£B¡£A¡££»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡was¡¡still¡¡just¡¡answering¡¡the¡¡door¡¡for¡¡his¡¡Japanese¡¡boss¡£
¡¡Now£»¡¡I¡¡watched¡¡the¡¡woman¡¡circle¡¡the¡¡conference¡¡room£»¡¡moving¡¡toward¡¡the¡¡dais¡¡where¡¡four¡¡men¡¡waited¡¡to¡¡speak¡£¡¡The¡¡business¡¡audience¡¡was¡¡still¡¡taking¡¡notes¡¡as¡¡the¡¡sandy¡haired¡¡man¡¡at¡¡the¡¡podium¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨There¡¡is¡¡a¡¡place¡¡for¡¡the¡¡foreigner¡¡in¡¡a¡¡Japanese¡¡corporation¡£¡¡Not¡¡at¡¡the¡¡top£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡perhaps¡¡not¡¡even¡¡in¡¡the¡¡upper¡¡echelons¡£¡¡But¡¡there¡¡is¡¡certainly¡¡a¡¡place¡£¡¡You¡¡must¡¡realize¡¡that¡¡the¡¡place¡¡you¡¡hold¡¡as¡¡a¡¡foreigner¡¡in¡¡a¡¡Japanese¡¡corporation¡¡is¡¡an¡¡important¡¡one£»¡¡that¡¡you¡¡are¡¡respected£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡you¡¡have¡¡a¡¡job¡¡to¡¡do¡£¡¡As¡¡a¡¡foreigner£»¡¡you¡¡will¡¡have¡¡some¡¡special¡¡obstacles¡¡to¡¡overe£»¡¡but¡¡you¡¡can¡¡do¡¡that¡£¡¡You¡¡can¡¡succeed¡¡if¡¡you¡¡remember¡¡to¡¡know¡¡your¡¡place¡£¡¨
¡¡I¡¡looked¡¡at¡¡the¡¡businessmen¡¡in¡¡their¡¡suits¡¡with¡¡their¡¡heads¡¡bowed£»¡¡taking¡¡notes¡£¡¡I¡¡wondered¡¡what¡¡they¡¡were¡¡writing¡£¡¡Know¡¡your¡¡place£¿
¡¡The¡¡speaker¡¡continued£º¡¡¡¨Many¡¡times¡¡you¡¡hear¡¡executives¡¡say£»¡¡'I¡¡have¡¡no¡¡place¡¡in¡¡a¡¡Japanese¡¡corporation£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡had¡¡to¡¡quit¡£'¡¡Or¡¡you¡¡will¡¡hear¡¡people¡¡say£»¡¡'They¡¡didn't¡¡listen¡¡to¡¡me£»¡¡I¡¡had¡¡no¡¡chance¡¡to¡¡get¡¡my¡¡ideas¡¡implemented£»¡¡no¡¡chance¡¡for¡¡advancement¡£'¡¡Those¡¡people¡¡didn't¡¡understand¡¡the¡¡role¡¡of¡¡a¡¡foreigner¡¡in¡¡Japanese¡¡society¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡not¡¡able¡¡to¡¡fit¡¡in£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡they¡¡had¡¡to¡¡leave¡£¡¡But¡¡that¡¡is¡¡their¡¡problem¡£¡¡The¡¡Japanese¡¡are¡¡perfectly¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡accept¡¡Americans¡¡and¡¡other¡¡foreigners¡¡in¡¡their¡¡panies¡£¡¡Indeed£»¡¡they¡¡are¡¡eager¡¡to¡¡have¡¡them¡£¡¡And¡¡you¡¡will¡¡be¡¡accepted£º¡¡so¡¡long¡¡as¡¡you¡¡remember¡¡your¡¡place¡£¡¨
¡¡A¡¡woman¡¡raised¡¡her¡¡hand¡¡and¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨What¡¡about¡¡prejudice¡¡against¡¡women¡¡in¡¡Japanese¡¡corporations£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨There¡¡is¡¡no¡¡prejudice¡¡against¡¡women£»¡¨¡¡the¡¡speaker¡¡said¡£
¡¡¡¨I've¡¡heard¡¡that¡¡women¡¡can't¡¡advance¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨That¡¡is¡¡simply¡¡not¡¡true¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Then¡¡why¡¡all¡¡the¡¡lawsuits£¿¡¡Sumitomo¡¡Corp¡£¡¡just¡¡settled¡¡a¡¡big¡¡antidiscrimination¡¡suit¡£¡¡I¡¡read¡¡one¡third¡¡of¡¡Japanese¡¡corporations¡¡have¡¡had¡¡suits¡¡brought¡¡by¡¡American¡¡employees¡£¡¡What¡¡about¡¡that£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨It¡¡is¡¡perfectly¡¡understandable£»¡¨¡¡the¡¡speaker¡¡said¡£¡¡¡¨Any¡¡time¡¡a¡¡foreign¡¡corporation¡¡begins¡¡to¡¡do¡¡business¡¡in¡¡a¡¡new¡¡country£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡likely¡¡to¡¡make¡¡mistakes¡¡while¡¡it¡¡gets¡¡used¡¡to¡¡the¡¡habits¡¡and¡¡patterns¡¡of¡¡the¡¡country¡£¡¡When¡¡American¡¡corporations¡¡first¡¡went¡¡multinational¡¡in¡¡Europe¡¡in¡¡the¡¡fifties¡¡and¡¡sixties£»¡¡they¡¡encountered¡¡difficulties¡¡in¡¡the¡¡countries¡¡they¡¡entered£»¡¡and¡¡there¡¡were¡¡lawsuits¡¡then¡£¡¡So¡¡it¡¡is¡¡not¡¡remarkable¡¡that¡¡Japanese¡¡corporations¡¡also¡¡have¡¡some¡¡period¡¡of¡¡adjustment¡¡ing¡¡into¡¡America¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡necessary¡¡to¡¡be¡¡patient¡£¡¨
¡¡A¡¡man¡¡said¡¡with¡¡a¡¡laugh£»¡¡¡¨Is¡¡there¡¡ever¡¡a¡¡time¡¡when¡¡it's¡¡not¡¡necessary¡¡to¡¡be¡¡patient¡¡with¡¡Japan£¿¡¨¡¡But¡¡he¡¡sounded¡¡rueful£»¡¡not¡¡angry¡£
¡¡The¡¡others¡¡in¡¡the¡¡room¡¡continued¡¡to¡¡make¡¡notes¡£
¡¡¡¨Officer£¿¡¡I'm¡¡Jim¡¡Donaldson¡£¡¡What¡¡is¡¡this¡¡about£¿¡¨
¡¡I¡¡turned¡£¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Donaldson¡¡was¡¡a¡¡tall£»¡¡thin¡¡man¡¡with¡¡glasses¡¡and¡¡a¡¡precise£»¡¡almost¡¡prissy¡¡air¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡dressed¡¡in¡¡collegiate¡¡style£»¡¡a¡¡tweed¡¡sport¡¡coat¡¡and¡¡a¡¡red¡¡tie¡£¡¡But¡¡he¡¡had¡¡the¡¡nerd¡¡pack¡¡of¡¡pens¡¡peeking¡¡out¡¡of¡¡his¡¡shirt¡¡pocket¡£¡¡I¡¡guessed¡¡he¡¡was¡¡an¡¡engineer¡£
¡¡¡¨I¡¡just¡¡had¡¡a¡¡couple¡¡of¡¡questions¡¡about¡¡the¡¡Nakamoto¡¡tapes¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨The¡¡Nakamoto¡¡tapes£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨The¡¡ones¡¡in¡¡your¡¡laboratory¡¡last¡¡night¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨My¡¡laboratory£¿¡¡Mr¡££»¡¡ah¡¡¡¡¨
¡¡¡¨Smith£»¡¡Lieutenant¡¡Smith¡£¡¨¡¡I¡¡gave¡¡him¡¡my¡¡card¡£
¡¡¡¨Lieutenant£»¡¡I'm¡¡sorry£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡don't¡¡know¡¡what¡¡you're¡¡talking¡¡about¡£¡¡Tapes¡¡in¡¡my¡¡lab¡¡last¡¡night£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨Kristen£»¡¡your¡¡secretary£»¡¡said¡¡everybody¡¡in¡¡the¡¡lab¡¡was¡¡working¡¡late¡¡on¡¡some¡¡tapes¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Yes¡£¡¡That's¡¡true¡£¡¡Most¡¡of¡¡my¡¡staff¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨And¡¡the¡¡tapes¡¡came¡¡from¡¡Nakamoto¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨From¡¡Nakamoto£¿¡¨¡¡He¡¡shook¡¡his¡¡head¡£¡¡¡¨Who¡¡told¡¡you¡¡that£¿¡¨
¡¡¡¨She¡¡did¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨I¡¡assure¡¡you£»¡¡Lieutenant£»¡¡the¡¡tapes¡¡were¡¡not¡¡from¡¡Nakamoto¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨I¡¡heard¡¡there¡¡were¡¡twenty¡¡tapes¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨Yes£»¡¡at¡¡least¡¡twenty¡£¡¡I'm¡¡not¡¡sure¡¡of¡¡the¡¡exact¡¡number¡£¡¡But¡¡they¡¡were¡¡from¡¡McCann¡Erickson¡£¡¡An¡¡ad¡¡campaign¡¡for¡¡Asahi¡¡beer¡£¡¡We¡¡had¡¡to¡¡do¡¡a¡¡logo¡¡transformation¡¡on¡¡every¡¡ad¡¡in¡¡the¡¡campaign¡£¡¡Now¡¡that¡¡Asahi¡¡beer¡¡is¡¡the¡¡number¡¡one¡¡beer¡¡in¡¡America¡£¡¨
¡¡¡¨But¡¡the¡¡question¡¡of¡¡Nakamoto¡¡¡¡¨
¡¡¡¨Lieutenant£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said¡¡impatiently£»¡¡glancing¡¡at¡¡the¡¡podium£»¡¡¡¨let¡¡me¡¡explain¡¡something¡£¡¡I¡¡work¡¡for¡¡Hamaguchi¡¡Research¡¡Labs¡£¡¡Hamaguchi¡¡is¡¡owned¡¡by¡¡Kawakami¡¡Industries¡£¡¡A¡¡petitor¡¡of¡¡Nakamoto¡£¡¡petition¡¡among¡¡the¡¡Japanes