24 Apr Radioactive Jack

I was on assignment as a journalist sent to cover the effects of radiation in the pacific. This was ground zero. I was sent to Japan. I was miserable. My observations at Nagasaki and Hiroshima made me worry about the area surrounding the most recent disaster, Fukushima. Radiation levels in plants and animals were astronomical. I had to get away.

The natural thing to do was go to a place teaming with life, human life. I got on a bus and headed to Tokyo. I wrote my observations in my journal for the 3 hour ride. I emailed them to my editor and turned off my phone. I wanted no lifeline, I wanted to disconnect and recalibrate.

I arrived at my hotel, dropped off my bags without changing and hit the town. It was cold. A friends recommended a noodle place close to where I was staying so I went in to warm up. The hostess said to sit where I’d like so I sat by the bar. A waitress came to attend me and I was caught off guard. She was American and immediately picked up I was too and said hello. I felt the weight of the past few days start to dwindle.

“Hi, my name is Grace what are you in the mood for?”. I had impure thoughts and laughed to myself then mumbled my order like an idiot. “I’m so sorry, it’s been a long week.” I said. “It’s okay, take your time. May I get you something to drink?” she responded. “I’ll have an Asahi and a glass.”. She nodded and left to get it.

She returned and I placed my order. I had some gyoza and veggie udon noodles with shrimp. She approved. As I waited I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was American but even then she was exotic to me. You can’t judge a book by it’s cover but she truly didn’t look like she was from a major city. I had to engage her.

I asked her where she was from and she said Springfield, Illinois. I’m from Miami so she may as well have been from Japan that was very foreign to me as well. I was fascinated and asked her a couple more questions. “Look, I’m really slammed and I can’t talk right now. Sorry.” She said. “I understand.” I said and she went her way. Things weren’t going my way so I finished my food, left my cash and some tip and bailed. I ordered an Uber back to my hotel.

The driver pulled up. She was a striking gal. “You’re not Greg are you?”. I asked. “No, that’s my brother. We’re splitting an account right now. My name is Ishi.” she responded. “Ballack” I responded. This was interesting. She spoke English so I picked her brain about what was going on in town tonight. She got to my hotel but the conversation hadn’t finished. I told her I was new and alone in town so I asked her if she wanted to continue chatting. She enthusiastically agreed.

I asked her where she learned English and she told me she’s from Sydney, Australia. I asked her about the night and she said she would take me out since I was new in town. Fast forward 2 hours and we were at the bar debating where to go next when a sharp pain pierced my stomach. It was acute and intense. I breathed in through my nose and out through the mouth. “Are you okay?” She asked. “Yeah I’m fine” I said. Bullshit, that pain was strange. I started to sweat.

A few minutes passed and I was perspiring heavily. “You don’t look too good.” she said. The room started to tilt and I blacked out. I woke up the next morning and she was by my side. I felt immediately at ease despite my close encounter. “What happened?” I asked. “The doctor will be back in a sec I’d rather let him brief you.” She said. I looked at my phone and there were 48 missed calls.

The doctor came back with a grim look on his face. He spoke to Ishi and she translated. “Either the cooks have odd taste in condiments or someone doesn’t like you.” She said with a worried look. “I don’t understand” was this food poisoning.” I retorted. “Not in the traditional sense.” Someone spiked your noodles with a chemical agent meant to kill you within 5 hours to look accidental. You had a few beers in the time and urinated a fair amount of it out so you only passed out and hit your head.

I was stunned, who would have it out for me? I checked my phone and the messages were all from the head of the company I work for. “Be careful, there was a hit put on you!!!” and “Don’t go anywhere alone!!!” etc. Apparently the waitress that attended me sneaked in and stole a uniform from the back of the restaurant. The place was so packed she went unnoticed. Ishi, intercepted my Uber and was sent to protect me by home base, It was too little too late but she stayed with me.

I started piecing the fragments of my night together. “My boss said I should thank you.” I said. She told me she foiled the plot a few days before and due to the sensitive nature of the information I was about to dispel, a mass fish distributor ordered the attack. I didn’t see it coming. “I love your writing.” She said. “It’s very brave of you to put yourself out there like this in the name of the truth.” She said. I pretended to agree but to be honest I didn’t know any better.

“You get some rest.” The doctor told Ishi. “We’re going to leave him here for a few nights to observe his vitals”. The doctor said. “She whispered something in his ear. “Yes, we can switch his room as often as you’d like.” She looked back at me and smiled. I was feeling weak until then. That smile gave me the strength of 10 men. I smiled back. “What movie do you want to watch?” she asked. “Pick one!” I said. She put on Finding Nemo. We laughed for a second and I was hooked.

Fin