The tailor was packing my suit into a black back and zipping it up. “No. It’s a bit unlucky though. It normally doesn’t start this early. We usually have at least another month until June or so.” I knew that had to be true, because we hadn’t experienced a rainy season when we first came to Japan, but it was nearly the end of the summer.
The rain was hitting the street so loud outside that it sounded like a swarm of snakes was rushing straight at me. The people swarming by on the Hokkaido streets outside had umbrellas armed, but they were doing very little. The storm was blasting down at the awnings outside and not even the stone overhangs and bus stops were doing a good job of protecting the people rushing around.
“Is my suit going to be okay?” I asked.
“Are you walking?” the tailor asked.
I frowned at the quiet insinuation in his voice. “I was going to.”
He looked at me and raised an eyebrow, then threw on a fake, salesman’s smile. “It should be fine.”
I let out a grunt and then rolled my eyes at him. “Please double bag the suit and the shoes. I’ll pay for the extra bags if you need me to.”
The tailor shook his head. “No. It’s not needed. Extra bags will be on me.”
I figured that would be his answer given I’d provided him with over 30,000 yen in tips throughout the life of that particular suit purchase. Once he was off to pack up the suit and shoes, I stepped away from the counter and pulled out my cell phone. I clicked the first number in my favorites and put the phone to my ear.
“Boss,” my right-hand, Boone, replied.
“Hey,” I said. “I’m at the tailor’s now and I was going to walk home, but it’s torrential outside. I need you to send a car.”
“Yes, Boss,” Boone replied.
“I’m sorry, but can you make it quick? I promised Philippa I’d be home by three.”
“Of course, Boss,” and immediately the line went dead.
“Mr. Varberio.” I looked back and the tailor was holding up the suit bag and another paper bag with my shoes in it. “Here you are, sir.”
I grabbed them both. “Thank you. I’m going to stand out of the rain while I wait for my car.”
The man nodded. “Of course, sir.”
I pulled out another 1,000 yen from my pocket and handed them over to the tailor and his eyes widened. “Thank you, Mr. Varberio, sir. If you ever need another suit, please consider us again.”
“I will,” I said. “You’ve been nothing but wonderful. In fact, I’m going to need another suit for my daughter’s Christening. Can you do it?”
A wide smile crossed his face. “Of course, sir!”
My phone had a notepad where I kept a bunch of notes and things that I was thinking about in general, and I shared one of them with the email to the tailor that I’d used for the purchase of my current suit. “I’ve just sent you the details. Send the invoice to my assistant. I’ll let her know it can be paid upfront. Can it be done in two weeks?”
“Yes! I’ll make sure it’s done. Thank you!”
“No, thank you.” Before I could say anything else, my phone buzzed in my pocket and I looked out through the tailor’s windows and saw that there was a black town car stalled outside. “That’s my ride. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon, Mr. Varberio. Get home safe.”
With my suit and shoes in hand, I walked out into the downpour and rushed in the direction of the car. Boone, a taller, mixed Japanese and black man who had been a worthy partner since I got to Japan, opened the back seat car door and I slid in, suit and shoes first. As the door closed, I checked the items inside to make sure they were still dry, but everything seemed intact and I let out a sigh of relief.
“Konnichiwa, Mr. Varberio,” the driver greeted. It was a woman I’d seen before as we’d used the same car company multiple times. I was still working on developing a personal fleet, so we were still working with rentals for now.
Boone got back into the car and it threaded back into traffic. I checked my watch and saw that it was a quarter after two. Getting across Hokkaido in midday traffic was going to be tough, and it was beginning to look like I’d be getting home late.
Again.
“Keep driving,” I said, then I opened the door and hopped out.
“Mr. Varberio!” Boone barked, but I slammed the door, ignoring him.
