South of the Border, West of the Sun Page 0,46

You know how to hire good people and how to treat them right.”

I was silent, waiting for him to go on.

“You also have a good eye for choosing a wife. Yukiko’s very happy living with you. And your children are wonderful kids. I’m grateful to you.”

He’s pretty drunk, I thought. But I didn’t say anything.

“You probably don’t know this, but Yukiko tried to commit suicide once. Took an overdose of sleeping pills. We rushed her to the hospital, and she didn’t regain consciousness for two days. I was sure she wouldn’t make it. Her body was cold, and she was hardly breathing. She’s a goner, I figured. I felt like the world had collapsed.”

I looked up at him. “When did this happen?”

“When she was twenty-two. Right after she graduated from college. It was over a man. A real jerk she’d gotten herself engaged to. Yukiko looks real quiet, but underneath she’s a tough cookie. And smart. That’s why I can’t figure out why she’d ever get herself involved with a guy like that.” He leaned against the pillar in the traditional-style room we were in, put a cigarette between his lips, and lit it. “Well, that was her very first man. The very first time, everyone makes mistakes. With Yukiko, though, it was a huge shock. That’s why she tried to kill herself. For a long while afterward she wouldn’t have anything to do with men. She’d always been pretty outgoing, but she stopped talking to people and stayed holed up in the house. Once she met you, though, she began to cheer up. She did a complete turnaround. I remember you met each other on a trip?”

“That’s right. At Yatsugatake.”

“I nearly had to shove her out the door to get her to go. I thought travel might do her good.”

I nodded. “I knew nothing about the suicide,” I said.

“I thought it was better you didn’t know, so I never mentioned it But it’s high time you knew. The two of you are going to be together for a long time, so you’d better know everything—the good and the bad. Besides, it happened a long time ago.” He closed his eyes and blew a puff of smoke into the air. “It’s funny for me as her parent to say this, but she’s a good woman. I’ve played around a lot and have an eye for the ladies. Whether she’s my daughter or not, I’m able to judge women pretty well. My younger daughter’s much prettier, but Yukiko’s the better person. You’re a good judge of people.”

I was silent.

“You don’t have any brothers and sisters, do you?”

“No, I don’t,” I said.

“Do you think I love all three of my children equally?”

“I have no idea.”

“How about you? Do you love both of your daughters the same?”

“Sure.”

“That’s ‘cause they’re both still little,” he said. “Wait till they grow up. First you’ll like this one, but then you’ll start leaning toward the other. Someday you’ll see what I mean.”

“Really?” I said.

“I’d never say this to them, but of my three kids, I like Yukiko best. I feel bad for the others when I say this, but there you have it. Yukiko and I get along well, and I can trust her.”

I nodded.

“You have a good eye for people, and that’s a wonderful talent you’ve got to cherish. I’m a hopeless case myself, but at least I’ve helped raise something not quite so hopeless.”

I assisted my now thoroughly drunk father-in-law into his Mercedes. He sank back into the rear seat, spread his legs apart, and closed his eyes. I hailed a cab and went home. As soon as I arrived, Yukiko wanted to hear the upshot of our luncheon meeting.

“Nothing really important,” I said. “Your father just wanted to have someone to drink with. He ended up pretty drunk. I wonder that he can go back to work in that condition.”

“He’s always like that” Yukiko laughed. “He has some drinks at lunch, then takes an hour’s nap on the sofa in his office. The company hasn’t gone belly-up yet. Don’t you worry about him.”

“He doesn’t seem to hold his liquor like he used to.”

“No, he doesn’t. Before Mom died, he could drink like a fish and never show it. He was tough. But it can’t be helped. Everybody gets old.”

She brewed a pot of coffee, and we sat at the dining table, drinking it. I decided not to say anything about the dummy company and her father’s request. She’d only think he was bothering me,