He did, however, manage to wrap things up on a forward- looking note. Today's unfortunate, indeed tragic, accidental fire should be understood as merely a momentary setback. Nothing that had happened would in any way diminish his program of capital infusion and open-market acquisition in America's high-tech sector. Wall Street need not worry; Senator O'Donnell's "harassment" notwithstanding, Dai Nippon's money was here to stay. We were now partners. His grand new alliance, Nipponica, would shape the world to come.
"That's what he thinks." She laughed. "Wait till he wakes up tomorrow and discovers he just donated all his high-tech acquisitions to their employees. Don't think that fits the big strategy. One thing, though, America's overpaid, golf-playing senior executives could have some wild and woolly board meetings ahead."
"Life's full of surprises." I pulled her over and slipped my arm around.
"And the biggest one for me, this week at least, has been you." She turned and kissed me softly on the mouth, then again. My heart skipped.
Whereupon she abruptly rose and dove headfirst into the pool. Without her suit.
Looked to be a second chance coming up this year, for us all.
AFTERWORD
Contemporary tales of technology and economics engage a moving target, which means they must necessarily include an element of forecasting. Inventing the world to come is always more an art than a science, and the results can never be precise. Trends, however, do have a way of continuing. Sometimes, in fact, you look into the crystal ball and hope what you see never happens. This fable is offered in that spirit.
Those who have critiqued this manuscript all or in part include agent, editors, and friends. Special thanks are due, in alphabetical order, to Virginia Barber, Susan and Norman Feinstein, Joanna Field, Linda Grey, Joyce Hawley, Fred Klein, and, perhaps most importantly, Gary Prideaux, who introduced this writer to the magic of Japan two decades ago. Others who were kind enough to offer suggestions include N. R. Kleinfield, Pamela McCorduck, Ellen Solomon, Anna Stern, Karen Sunde, Christopher Martin, Eric Allison, Susan Stoller, Michael Cavallo, Makiko and Kazuyoshi Morikawa, Jim Piper, Tim Richards, Paul Bove, Eric Bove, Charles Gordon, Janet Miller, David Palmer, Arthur Blatt, and Malcolm Bosse. If this story succeeds in any measure, it is because of them. Its faults are the author's alone.