rse.Maybeitsjustme,"Isaid,andsmiled.

    Shedidnotsmile.

    "No,itsnotyou,"shesaid.

    "Okay,supposedyht.Supposeitisacurse.WhatIdoaboutit?"

    "Attaotherbakery.Rightaway.Now.Itstheonlyway."

    "Now?"

    "Yes.Now.Whileyourestillhungry.Youhavetofinishwhatyouleftunfinished."

    "Butitsthemiddleofthenight.Wouldabakerybeopennow?"

    "Wellfiokyosabigcity.Theremustbeatleastoneall-nightbakery."

    WegotintomyoldCorollaandstarteddriftingaroureetsofTokyoat2:30a.m.,lookingforabakery.Therewewere,meclutgthesteeringwheel,sheinthenavigatorsseat,thetwoofussireetlikehungryeaglesinsearchofprey.Stretchedoutonthebackseat,longandstiffasadeadfish,wasaRemingtonautomaticshotgun.Itsshellsrustleddrylyinthepoywifeswindbreaker.Wehadtwoblackskimasksintheglovepartment.Whymywifeownedashotgun,Ihadnoidea.Orskimasks.herofushadeverskied.ButshedidntexplainandIdidntask.Marriedlifeisweird,Ifelt.

    Impeccablyequipped,wewerehelessuofindanall-nightbakery.Idrovethroughtheemptystreets,fromYoyogitoShinjuku,ontoYosuyaandAkasaka,Aoyama,Hiroo,Roppongi,Daikanyama,andShibuya.Late-nightTokyohadallkindsofpeopleandshops,butnobakeries.

    Twiceweenteredpatrolcars.Onewashuddledatthesideoftheroad,tryingtolookinspicuous.Theotherslowlyovertookusapast,finallymovingoffintothedistahtimesIgreuhearms,butmywifestrationneverfaltered.Shewaslookingforthatbakery.Everytimesheshiftedtheangleofherbody,theshotgunshellsinherpocke