Alien Rice; A Novel. by Ichiro Kawasaki

were also told to be present, as they had known the Talbots in London. It was indeed the first time Alice had been invited to a company's expense-account feasting. Up to that time any such parties were strictly stag affairs and only Saburo reveled in wining and dining with his male colleagues. So Alice looked forward to that evening.
    The restaurant was a gorgeous place, authentically Japanese in every detail. As one entered the compound of the establishment, there was a tiny garden with bamboo shrubs, a pebbled pathway and a stone lantern, softly lit at night. The garden was tidy and most enchanting.
    On the threshold of the Japanese house, one took off his footwear and stepped onto the straw-matted floor of the entrance hall. There the woman manager and the girl servants greeted the guests with deep bows. After walking along a narrow corridor for some time, accompanied by the girls, the guests were ushered into a large room, covered with immaculately clean straw matting. The decor of the room was sternly austere; there was no furniture save for a low, long lacquered table and an alcove in one corner, where a big scroll was hung and a vase of flowers was placed as a soft accent.
    The participants-there were twelve all told that evening-had to sit all around the long black table, and John Talbot and his wife were invited to take seats in front of the alcove, the place of honor.
    All of a sudden, out of nowhere, fluttered half a dozen young geishas, all dressed in gorgeous kimonos, each of different design and coloring. These were professional waitresses, who sat by the guests, poured sake, or rice wine, and engaged them in small talk and jokes. The food, also Japanese-style, was similar to the first dinner Alice had had with Saburo in the Japanese Club in London. Clear fish soup was served, with raw fish, broiled fish, and boiled vegetables, all arranged artistically on each different plate, bowl and saucer, with the inevitable plain cooked rice and bean soup.
    Alice was struck by the symplicity and refinement of everything she saw in this establishment. It was a product of Japanese culture of the last millennium, so unique and superb.
    In the meantime Director Sasaki rose ceremoniously to make a speech of welcome.
    "I deem it a great pleasure to welcome you here, Mr. and Mrs. Talbot of our London office. You have worked assiduously for our company for the last twenty-five years and we greatly appreciate your unstinted service. Dinner this evening, as you see, is a humble one but I hope you both will relax and enjoy the evening."
    John Talbot responded suitably. After that the conversation around the table lapsed into awkward stiffness. Only the host occasionally spoke to the Talbots and asked commonplace questions as to the visitors' impression of the country and their intended itinerary. All the other participants refrained from taking part in the conversation, for fear that their boss might think ill of them for being too talkative and frivolous. So it was largely up to Talbot to keep the conversation going and the Japanese hosts listened passively.
    Toward the end of the meal an elderly geisha woman enacted a solo dance with a gilded fan in her hand, to the accompaniment of a quaint Japanese string instrument. The rhythm was somewhat slow but the dance was beautifully executed.
    Since she arrived in Japan Alice had seen only all-pervading ugliness, gaudy modernity and cheap imitation of everything Western—hotels, amusement centers and the company apartment where she lived. Now she was in the midst of a truly Japanese ambiance which was stunningly harmonious and artistic. Why did the Japanese try to do away with all this fine cultural heritage of their own? Alice wondered.
    When the party was over and just before parting, John Talbot came to Alice and whispered to her anxiously.
    "Alice, how are things treating you? Are you happy in Japan?"
    "Yes and no," was her reply.
    The end of the year was a busy time, not only