The Real World Intrudes

At 2:46 PM on March 11 Japan suffered a 9.0 magnitude earthquake under the sea off Tohoku, about 130 kilometers from Sendai. This was the harshest earthquake to strike Japan in recorded history. The energy transmitted to the surface is thought to have exceeded half a billion atomic bombs of the type that hit Hiroshima. It is feared the death toll will hit 25,000. The eventual cost is estimated to be over $300 billion.

Sigmund says he will write more about this incredible tragedy later. He was in Tokyo with Jenny at the time.

Needless to say I did not go to Tokyo on March 12, as originally planned, to meet Sigmund, Jenny and Yu-na for dinner. Even though Tokyo business was not seriously affected until a few days later when authorities initiated scheduled rolling blackouts. When rumors of the nuclear reactor meltdown emerged my Japanese executives cancelled our meetings. My team and I were diverted to Seoul. I parked there while we waited for news on what would happen in Tokyo.

I will continue with my story about Yu-na. But I wanted to acknowledge the tremendous disaster in Japan in the backdrop of the narrative.