mc.risingsun-第32节

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hey　seemed　to　realize　I　was　listening。　They　stood　up　and　moved　out　of　earshot。　I　heard　the　first　man　say　something　about　〃assurances　that　the　State　of　Montana　favors　and　approves　。　。　。〃　and　the　second　man　was　nodding；　slowly。　The　first　man　punched　him　in　the　shoulder；　cheering　him　up。
　〃Lieutenant　Smith？〃
　A　woman　was　standing　beside　my　chair。　〃Yes？〃
　〃I'm　Kristen；　Dr。　Donaldson's　assistant。　Kevin　over　at　JPL　called　about　you。　Something　about　tapes　you　need　help　with？〃
　〃Yes。　I　need　them　copied。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　I　wasn't　here　to　take　Kevin's　call。　One　of　the　secretaries　took　it；　and　she　didn't　really　understand　the　situation。〃
　〃How's　that？〃
　〃Unfortunately；　Dr。　Donaldson　isn't　here　right　now。　He's　making　a　speech　this　morning。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃And　that　makes　it　difficult　for　us。　With　him　not　in　the　lab。〃
　〃I　just　want　to　copy　some　tapes。　Perhaps　someone　else　in　the　lab　can　help　me；〃　I　said。
　〃Ordinarily　yes；　but　I'm　afraid　it's　impossible　today。〃
　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：　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：　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：　〃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：　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　Japanese　corporations　is　very　intense。　Very　intense。　T