Человек в высоком замке

           Thatwasallsogoddamlongago,likelisteningtoFredAllenorseeingaW.C.Fieldsmovie.Since1947hehadprobablyseenortalkedtosixhundredthousandJapanese,andthedesiretodoviolencetoanyorallofthemhadsimplynevermaterialized,afterthefirstfewmonths.Itjustwasnotrelevantanymore.

           Butwait.Therewasone,aMr.Omuro,whohadboughtcontrolofagreatareaofrentalpropertyindowntownSanFrancisco,andwhoforatimehadbeenFrank’slandlord.Therewasabadapple,hethought.Asharkwhohadnevermaderepairs,hadpartitionedroomssmallerandsmaller,raisedrents…Omurohadgougedthepoor,especiallythenearlydestitutejoblessex-servicemenduringthedepressionyearsoftheearly‘fifties.However,ithadbeenoneoftheJapanesetrademissionswhichhadcutoffOmuro’sheadforhisprofiteering.Andnowadayssuchaviolationoftheharsh,rigid,butjustJapanesecivillawwasunheardof.ItwasacredittotheincorruptibilityoftheJapoccupationofficials,especiallythosewhohadcomeinaftertheWarCabinethadfallen.

           Recallingtherugged,stoichonestyoftheTradeMissions,Frinkfeltreassured.EvenWyndam-Matsonwouldbewavedofflikeanoisyfly.W-MCorporationownerornot.Atleast,sohehoped.IguessIreallyhavefaithinthisCo-ProsperityPacificAlliancestuff,hesaidtohimself.Strange.Lookingbacktotheearlydays…ithadseemedsuchanobviousfake,then.Emptypropaganda.Butnow…

           Herosefromthebedandunsteadilymadehiswaytothebathroom.