date? Oh, heck, I’m sorry to bother you!”
“No, it’s all right, I’m glad you called. You didn’t look well when I left you last night. I was worried.”
“I’m okay now, and I’m really sorry for all the trouble I caused you. Today it feels like my brain is regenerating like crazy. I can tell a whole lot of new brain cells are being produced, and I can’t wait till tonight, tonight I want to have sex for sure!”
“Frank, could you tell me your room number at the Hilton? In case there’s an emergency and I need to get in touch with you?”
“What do you mean, emergency? Like what?”
“I don’t know, nothing major, but if there’s a mix-up on where to meet or if something happens and I’m going to be late, wouldn’t it be better if I had your—”
“Oh. Right. Well, actually I haven’t checked in yet. I made a reservation and left my luggage there, but the room’s not ready.”
“Will you call me again when you know the number, then?”
“Of course. Oh but wait, I’ll probably be out all day and might not have a chance to call. And if I’m out you wouldn’t be able to get me anyway.”
“Do you mind if I ask the front desk?”
“Um, I’m afraid that’s no good, I’m staying under a different name—I mean, not Frank. You know how it is. I plan to have some fun the next couple of nights—naughty fun, if you know what I mean—so I didn’t want to use my real name. But as for where to meet tonight, how about out in front of the batting center?”
“I’m sorry, what did you just say?”
“Out in front of the batting center we went to last night. The batting cages were on the second floor, right? Not there but at street level, remember the game center? Right around there. I liked that place.”
“Frank, I’ve never arranged to meet anybody in a spot like that before. I prefer to go to the client’s hotel. Why don’t we meet in the lobby of the Hilton?”
“Well, I was there earlier, and it’s not really my kind of place. I don’t feel at ease there. What can I say? It’s so crowded and noisy and kind of snobbish, don’t you think? I don’t like it there so much. I’m a country boy originally, you know, and I just can’t relax in a place like that.”
So why did he change hotels? A minute ago he’d told me he wanted to move to a nicer place because he only had two nights left.
“Frank, I’m coming down with a bit of a cold. I don’t want to be outside any more than I have to. Can’t we meet somewhere inside a building? Besides—” I was going to add that a lot of dangerous characters hang out in that area, but he interrupted me.
“All right, of course, you’re right, it’s stupid to meet outside, what the hell was I thinking? I’m sorry, Kenji, but, you know, I really had fun yesterday. I had a little episode at the end there, but I’ll never forget how nice you were to me. That batting center will always be one of my best memories, I just want you to know that. But never mind, let’s meet somewhere else, but not the lobby of the Hilton.”
“How about your hotel from last night, the Shinjuku Prince? It’s near Kabuki-cho. Or would you rather check out some other—”
“No problem,” Frank said. “I love that place.”
“All right. I’ll see you at nine o’clock in the same cafeteria off the lobby.”
I was about to hang up when Frank said something that stopped me again.
“Kenji, why don’t you bring your girlfriend?”
“ What ?” I said a little too loudly and looked up at Jun’s face. She was still stirring her cappuccino—hadn’t even taken a sip yet—and watching me with a worried look.
“Maybe I misunderstood you just now, Frank. Did you say why don’t I bring my girlfriend?”
“Yeah, that’s what I said. I was thinking the three of us could hang out together. Is it a bad idea?”
Asking your nightlife guide to bring his girlfriend with him—it’s just plain unthinkable. Did he imagine I’d already told Jun
“No, it’s all right, I’m glad you called. You didn’t look well when I left you last night. I was worried.”
“I’m okay now, and I’m really sorry for all the trouble I caused you. Today it feels like my brain is regenerating like crazy. I can tell a whole lot of new brain cells are being produced, and I can’t wait till tonight, tonight I want to have sex for sure!”
“Frank, could you tell me your room number at the Hilton? In case there’s an emergency and I need to get in touch with you?”
“What do you mean, emergency? Like what?”
“I don’t know, nothing major, but if there’s a mix-up on where to meet or if something happens and I’m going to be late, wouldn’t it be better if I had your—”
“Oh. Right. Well, actually I haven’t checked in yet. I made a reservation and left my luggage there, but the room’s not ready.”
“Will you call me again when you know the number, then?”
“Of course. Oh but wait, I’ll probably be out all day and might not have a chance to call. And if I’m out you wouldn’t be able to get me anyway.”
“Do you mind if I ask the front desk?”
“Um, I’m afraid that’s no good, I’m staying under a different name—I mean, not Frank. You know how it is. I plan to have some fun the next couple of nights—naughty fun, if you know what I mean—so I didn’t want to use my real name. But as for where to meet tonight, how about out in front of the batting center?”
“I’m sorry, what did you just say?”
“Out in front of the batting center we went to last night. The batting cages were on the second floor, right? Not there but at street level, remember the game center? Right around there. I liked that place.”
“Frank, I’ve never arranged to meet anybody in a spot like that before. I prefer to go to the client’s hotel. Why don’t we meet in the lobby of the Hilton?”
“Well, I was there earlier, and it’s not really my kind of place. I don’t feel at ease there. What can I say? It’s so crowded and noisy and kind of snobbish, don’t you think? I don’t like it there so much. I’m a country boy originally, you know, and I just can’t relax in a place like that.”
So why did he change hotels? A minute ago he’d told me he wanted to move to a nicer place because he only had two nights left.
“Frank, I’m coming down with a bit of a cold. I don’t want to be outside any more than I have to. Can’t we meet somewhere inside a building? Besides—” I was going to add that a lot of dangerous characters hang out in that area, but he interrupted me.
“All right, of course, you’re right, it’s stupid to meet outside, what the hell was I thinking? I’m sorry, Kenji, but, you know, I really had fun yesterday. I had a little episode at the end there, but I’ll never forget how nice you were to me. That batting center will always be one of my best memories, I just want you to know that. But never mind, let’s meet somewhere else, but not the lobby of the Hilton.”
“How about your hotel from last night, the Shinjuku Prince? It’s near Kabuki-cho. Or would you rather check out some other—”
“No problem,” Frank said. “I love that place.”
“All right. I’ll see you at nine o’clock in the same cafeteria off the lobby.”
I was about to hang up when Frank said something that stopped me again.
“Kenji, why don’t you bring your girlfriend?”
“ What ?” I said a little too loudly and looked up at Jun’s face. She was still stirring her cappuccino—hadn’t even taken a sip yet—and watching me with a worried look.
“Maybe I misunderstood you just now, Frank. Did you say why don’t I bring my girlfriend?”
“Yeah, that’s what I said. I was thinking the three of us could hang out together. Is it a bad idea?”
Asking your nightlife guide to bring his girlfriend with him—it’s just plain unthinkable. Did he imagine I’d already told Jun
Similar Books
