“Japanese police don’t have the experience that you do. This country is so safe. I don’t even think the police carry guns—at least not the ones you normally see on patrol. The threats on this CEO are unusual. I think their executive team is panicking.”
“The police don’t carry guns? What do they do, carry sticks and knives to a gunfight?” Cain asked with a grin.
“I’ve never felt scared here. This isn’t like New Orleans, where I carried my Mace with me everywhere I went.”
“Sis, every place has its dark side.”
Just then, a young Japanese man walked up to their table.
“Perfect timing, Tanaka,” Bonnie said. To Cain, Tanaka looked like every other Japanese businessman in a dark suit, a dark tie, and a crisp white button-down shirt.
Cain stood to shake Tanaka’s hand. “It looks like you stole my tie.”
“I’m sorry?” Tanaka’s face immediately projected worry. “Can you please say that again?”
“He’s just joking, Tanaka-san,” Bonnie said. “My brother likes to joke.”
“I like to joke, too,” Tanaka said. “But you seemed so serious.”
Cain laughed. “That’s my poker face. I’ve been working on it.”
Tanaka smiled. “Okay. Because there are probably one hundred million ties like this in my country.”
All three of them laughed. Cain grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it to their table so Tanaka could have a seat.
“Please don’t judge me for being at Starbucks literally right after my flight,” Cain said. “What can I get you? It’s my treat.”
“Thank you very much, but I have this,” Tanaka said as he lifted a plastic bottle and showed Cain the label.
Cain looked at the green label and saw some English among the scattered Japanese characters. “‘Japan’s number one green tea brand,’” Cain read aloud. “I’ll have to try that sometime.”
“Tanaka, I was just giving my brother some backstory on Mr. Sato, the CEO,” Bonnie said. Then, addressing Cain: “Mr. Sato is acting very counter to usual Japanese culture, both by refusing to step down in the midst of a PR scandal and by actually hiring you, an outsider, to protect him. This is a very rare opportunity for you.”
I left one international scandal to be part of another? “Tell me more about this scandal,” Cain said.
Bonnie continued. “The news is reporting that the auto company falsified emissions controls. This is a huge embarrassment, and Mr. Sato is worried that angry stockholders may attack him because they’ve lost so much money. And it’s not just about money. The CEO has shamed these people—betrayed them.”
“Shame is worse than death,” Tanaka interjected. “Death comes to us all, but you choose to bring shame onto someone. In Japan, it is customary for a boss to resign when he has shamed the company. Sato-san, our CEO, refuses to resign. He is adamant that he has done nothing wrong. But there are many people who lost their jobs and their savings because of the news of this scandal.”
“You’ll see what we’re talking about the longer you are here. The Japanese culture is like nothing I’ve seen anywhere else in the world,” Bonnie said.
Cain took another swig of his water. “Do you think anyone will really attack this CEO?”
Tanaka said nothing; Bonnie filled the silence. “I’d be surprised if someone did. But I imagine Mr. Sato is scared. That’s why he wanted a gaijin.”
“A what?” Cain asked.
“You’re going to hear that word a lot here. It means ‘foreigner.’ Right, Tanaka-san?”
“Yes. Today gaijin means ‘foreigner.’”
“Today?” Cain asked, surprised. “What did it mean yesterday?”
Bonnie laughed. “You’re going to stick out like a sore thumb here.”
“It’s an old word. It means ‘barbarian.’”
Cain chuckled. “I’ve been called lots of things, but never a barbarian.”
Bonnie continued. “Mr. Sato thinks an American will protect him the best since Americans will do anything for money. After all, most Japanese think Americans have no culture or honor. Greed is what motivates America. Ironically, it’s most likely greed that got him into this mess anyway.”
“What do you think, Tanaka?” Cain asked.
“We are honored to have you here. We are only a few security guards, but we are excited to work for you.”
“When do I meet the big boss?”
“Sato-san?”
“Yes,” Cain replied. “That’s why I’m here.”
“Tomorrow. First, I will take you to Yokohama. This is where everything is. Your apartment, our company. I would like to introduce you to the city a little bit before you start work tomorrow. Japan is very different from the United States.”
“I can already see that,” Cain said. “But I’m used to adapting. Plus, Louisiana can’t be too much different from Japan.”