Rising Sun

“Oh?”

“Yeah. First thing he says to me, do I know your phone number or should he give it to me. I say I know the number. I’m thinking, I don’t need some Japanese to tell me the phone numbers of people on the force. Then he says, you know, Captain Co

“Interesting,” Co

“So I called Pete Smith, and told him to swing by and pick you up. And that’s all I knew. I mean, this is all in the context of some political problem they’re having at Nakamoto. I knew Graham was unhappy. I figured other people were unhappy, too. And everybody knows Co

“Tell me about the shit,” Co

“It starts maybe eleven o’clock last night, when the chief called me about Graham. Why did I assign Graham. I tell him why. But he’s still not happy. Then right at the end of my watch, maybe five a.m., there is the business about how Co

“I’m sure it is,” Co

“Damn right I did. I heard it about an hour ago. Why?”

“Did the voice that called in sound like Mr. Nishi?”

Hoffma

“Well, that’s very helpful. Get some rest.” Co

13

“Okay, Senator, now look this way, please… a little more… that’s it, that’s very strong, very masculine, I like it a lot. Yes, bloody good. Now I will need three minutes, please.” The director, a tense man wearing a bomber jacket and a baseball cap, climbed down off the camera and barked orders in a British accent. “Jerry, get a scrim there, the sun is too bright. And can we do something about his eyes? I need a little fill in the eyes, please. Ellen? You see the shine on his right shoulder. Flag it, love. Pull the collar smooth. The microphone is visible on his tie. And I can’t see the gray in his hair. Bring it up. And straighten out the carpeting on the ground so he doesn’t trip when he walks, people. Please. Come on now. We’re losing our lovely light.”

Co

“Should we recognize that name?” Co

“He’s the most expensive and most sought-after commercial director in the world. He is a great artist. Edgar did the fantastic Apple 1984 commercial, and… oh, lots of others. And he has directed famous movies, too. Edgar is just the best.” She paused. “And not too crazy. Really.”

Across from the camera, Senator John Morton stood patiently while four people fussed with his tie, his jacket, his hair, his makeup. Morton was wearing a suit. He was standing under a tree with the rolling golf course and the skyscrapers of Beverly Hills in the background. The production crew had laid down a strip of carpet for him to walk on as he approached the camera.

I said, “And how is the senator?”

Debbie nodded. “Pretty good. I think he has a shot.”

Co

“Yeah. Especially if Edgar can do his magic. I mean, let’s face it, Senator Morton is not exactly Mel Gibson, you know what I mean? He’s got a big nose, and he’s a little bald, and those freckles are a problem because they photograph so prominently. They distract you from his eyes. And the eyes are what sell a candidate.”

“The eyes,” Co

“Oh, yeah. People get elected on their eyes.” She shrugged, as if it was common knowledge. “But if the senator puts himself in Edgar’s hands… Edgar is a great artist. He can make it happen.”

Edgar Ly

“Okay,” the cameraman said.

The production assistant excused herself and we waited, watching. Senator Morton was still some distance away, being worked over by the makeup and wardrobe people.

“Mr. Co

“You’re welcome,” Co

“I know the senator is eager to talk to you,” Woodson said. “I’m sorry, this seems to be ru

Co

Someone shouted, “Run-through! Run-through for sound and camera, please!”

The cluster around Senator Morton vanished, and Woodson turned his attention to the camera.

Edgar Ly

Woodson said, “I hope he doesn’t make him look too old.”

Debbie, the production assistant, said, “It’s just for the shot. It isn’t reading for the shot, so we add some gray. See, Ellen is just putting it at the temples. It’ll make him distinguished.”

“I don’t want him old. Especially when he’s tired, he sometimes looks old.”

“Don’t worry,” the assistant said.

“All right now,’ Ly

Senator Morton said, “Where does this begin?”

“Line?”

A script girl said, “ ‘Perhaps like me…’ “

Morton said, “Then we’ve already done the first part?”

Edgar Ly

“Okay,” Morton said.

“Remember. Think masculine. Think strong. Think in control.”

Morton said, “Can we shoot it?”

Woodson said, “Ly

Edgar Ly

Senator Morton walked toward the camera. “Perhaps like me,” he said, “you’re concerned about the erosion of our national position in recent years. America is still the greatest military power, but our security depends on our ability to defend ourselves militarily and economically. And it is economically that America has fallen behind. How far behind? Well, under the last two administrations, America has gone from the greatest creditor nation to the greatest debtor nation the world has ever seen. Our industries have fallen behind the rest of the world. Our workers are less educated than workers in other countries. Our investors demand short-term gain and cripple our industries’ ability to plan for the future. And as a result, our standard of living is declining rapidly. The outlook for our children is bleak.”

Co