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d； 〃Americans should be able to criticize Japan without being called racists or bashers。 Every country has conflicts with other countries。 It's inevitable。 Our conflicts with Japan should be freely discussed； without these ugly epithets。 My opposition to the MicroCon sale has been termed racist； but it is nothing of the sort。〃
Finally； one reporter asked him about the MicroCon sale。 Morton hesitated； then he leaned forward across the table。
〃As you know； George； I have opposed the MicroCon sale from the beginning。 I still oppose it。 It is time for Americans to take steps to preserve the assets of this nation。 Its real assets； its financial assets； and its intellectual assets。 The MicroCon sale is unwise。 My opposition continues。 Therefore； I am pleased to say that I have just learned Akai Ceramics has withdrawn its bid to purchase the MicroCon Corporation。 I think this is the best solution all around。 I applaud Akai for its sensitivity on this matter。 The sale will not go forward。 I am very pleased。〃
I said； 〃What？ The bid was withdrawn？〃
Connor said； 〃I guess it is now。〃
Morton was cheerful as the interview drew to a close。 〃Since I've been characterized as so critical of Japan； perhaps you'll let me express my admiration for a moment。 The Japanese have a wonderful lighthearted side； and it shows up in the most unlikely places。
〃You probably know that their Zen monks are expected to write a poem close to the moment of death。 It's a very traditional art form； and the most famous poems are still quoted hundreds of years later。 So you can imagine； there's a lot of pressure on a Zen roshi when he knows he's nearing death and everyone expects him to e up with a great poem。 For months； it's all he can think about。 But my favorite poem was written by one particular monk who got tired of all the pressure。 It goes like this。〃
And then he quoted this poem。
Birth is thus；
Death is thus；
Poem or no poem
What's the fuss？
All the reporters started laughing。 〃So let's not take all this Japan business too seriously；〃 Morton said。 〃That's another thing we can learn from the Japanese。〃
At the end of the interview； Morton shook hands with the three reporters and stepped away from the set。 I saw that Ishiguro had arrived in the studio； very red…faced。 He was sucking air through his teeth in the Japanese manner。
Morton said cheerfully； 〃Ah； Ishiguro…san。 I see you have heard the news。〃 And he slapped him on the back。 Hard。
Ishiguro glowered。 〃I am extremely disappointed； Senator。 It will not go well from this point。〃 He was clearly furious。
〃Hey；〃 Morton said。 〃You know what？ Tough shit。〃
〃We had an arrangement；〃 Ishiguro hissed。
〃Yes； we did；〃 Morton said。 〃But you didn't keep your end of it； did you？〃
The senator came over to us and said； 〃I suppose you want me to make a statement。 Let me get this makeup off； and we can go。〃
〃All right；〃 Connor said。
Morton walked away； toward the makeup room。
Ishiguro turned to Connor and said； 〃Totemo taihenna koto ni narimashita ne。〃
Connor said； 〃I agree。 It is difficult。〃
Ishiguro hissed through his teeth。 〃Heads will roll。〃
〃Yours first；〃 Connor said。 〃Sō omowa nakai。〃
The senator was walking toward the stairway going up to the second floor。 Woodson came over to him； leaned close； and whispered something。 The senator threw his arm around his shoulder。 They walked arm in arm a moment。 Then the senator went upstairs。
Ishiguro said bleakly； 〃Konna hazuja nakatta no ni。〃
Connor shrugged。 〃I am afraid I have little sympathy。 You attempted to break the laws of this country and now there is going to be big trouble。 Eraikoto ni naruyo； Ishiguro…san。〃
〃We will see； Captain。〃
Ishiguro turned and gave Eddie a frosty look。 Eddie shrugged and said； 〃Hey； I got no problems！ Know what I mean； padre？ You got all problems now。〃 And he laughed。
The floor manager； a heavyset guy wearing a headset； came over。 〃Is one of you Lieutenant Smith？〃
I said I was。
〃A Miss Asakuma is calling you。 You can take it over there。〃 He pointed to a living…room set。 Couch and easy chairs； against a morning city skyline。 I saw a blinking telephone by one chair。
I walked over and sat in the chair and picked up the phone。 〃Lieutenant Smith。〃
〃Hi； it's Theresa；〃 she said。 I liked the way she used her first name。 〃Listen； I've been looking at the last part of the tape。 The very end。 And I think there may be a problem。〃
〃Oh？ What kind of a problem？〃 I didn't tell her Morton had already confessed。 I looked across the stage。 The senator had already gone upstairs； he was out of sight。 Woodson； his aide； was pacing back and forth at the foot of the stairs； a pale； stricken look on his face。 Nervously； he fingered his belt； feeling it through his suit coat。
Then I heard Connor say； 〃Ah； shit！〃 and he broke into a run； sprinting across the studio toward the stairs。 I stood up； surprised； dropped the phone； and followed him。 As Connor passed Woodson； he said 〃You son of a bitch；〃 and then he was taking the stairs two at a time； racing upward。 I was right behind him。 I heard Woodson say something like； 〃I had to。〃
When we got to the second floor hallway Connor shouted 〃Senator！〃 That was when we heard the single； cracking report。 It wasn't loud： it sounded like a chair falling over。
But I knew that it was a gunshot。
SECOND NIGHT
？
The sun was setting on the sekitei。 The shadows of the rocks rippled over the concentric circles of raked sand。 I sat and stared at the patterns。 Connor was somewhere inside； still watching television。 I could faintly hear the newscast。 Of course； a Zen temple would have a television set on the premises。 I was starting to bee accustomed to these contradictions。
But I didn't want to watch TV any more。 I had seen enough； in the last hour； to know how the media was going to play it。 Senator Morton had been under a great deal of stress lately。 His family life was troubled； his teenage son had recently been arrested for drunk driving； after an accident in which another teenager had been seriously injured。 The senator's daughter was rumored to have had an abortion。 Mrs。 Morton was not available for ment； although reporters were standing outside the family townhouse in Arlington。
The senator's staff all agreed that the senator had been under enormous pressure lately； trying to balance family life and his own impending candidacy。 The senator had not been himself； he had been moody and withdrawn； and in the words of one staffer； 〃He seemed to have been troubled by something personal。〃
While no one questioned the senator's judgment； one colleague； Senator Dowling； said that Morton had 〃bee a bit of a fanatic about Japan lately； perhaps an indication of the strain he was under。 John didn't seem to think acmodation with Japan was possible anymore； and of course we all know that we have to make an acmodation。 Our two nations are now too closely bound together。 Unfortunately； none of us could have known the strain he was really under。 John Morton was a private man。〃
I sat watching the rocks in the garden turn gold； then red。 An American Zen monk named Bill Harris came out and asked