no star motel business convention room.
Cigarette smoke is heavy in the air and Yoshio's
delegation including Cindy and Mindy are all
wearing gas masks and Stonefish's delegation
are all wearing aqualungs.)
Yoshio - Please accept apologies for Toshiro's
absence. Oja mumbled something yesterday
and is showing some signs of improvement.
Stonefish - I admire Toshiro's undying loyalty.
At the same time, everyone knows he's to retire soon,
and that you are his natural successor. Explain
the fluff.
Yoshio - This is Cindy, this Mindy, they're our
antipodean eyes and ears and as such have
observer status. Cindy will be writing the minutes.
Stonefish - Only with this gold nibbed fountain pen.
Cindy - I was chosen especially for my busted
Japanese and poor handwriting.
Mindy - I'm shortsighted and my contact lenses
would be laughed out of any court of law.
Stonefish - In poor faith I accept your minutes as
torn, blotted, wrinkled, mispelt and grammatically
incorrect. Takanabe X and his ilk must always be
sold short.
Takanabe X - It keeps me out of mischief.
Stonefish - I want the old video tape first, and second,
nothing less than the criminalisation of big tobacco.
The black market is stagnating in all sectors.
Complacency and make do are setting in among
wholesalers.
Takanabe X - You don't have to show me the figures.
SPADES DIAMONDS CLUBS HEARTS
