'So, tell me about him. What's he like?'

We laugh a lot. He makes me laugh. He's layered, soulful and generous, and beguilingly difficult to read. He's wild like Michael, kind like Huey. He is the man that I might almost love.

'Come on, don't be so secretive. Tell me, what is he like like?'

'It's early days, Mum. It's early days.'

's.h.i.t...it's late. I ought to get going.'

'You're going to the restaurant, now now?'

'I have to, Robert, it's a busy night.'

'That place...it's always so busy.'

'She's turned that place around. New staff, new look. That place has turned around since she bought the lease.'

It seemed like a good thing to do. A good way to use Michael's money.

'He paid her back extra, with interest. About time he did. The little sod.'

'Did you see his new alb.u.m in the shops?'

'Yeah, I did. I saw it.'

'It had a snake on the front cover. Why a snake?'

'I couldn't tell you. I haven't the foggiest idea.'

Gabriel hands out the gla.s.ses, refilled and fizzing. Overflowing.

'Another toast,' he says, proudly.

'Another toast.'

'To family,' he says.

'To family.'

We embrace and clink our gla.s.ses together. It took an outsider to say it.

The Best Pancakes You Ever Tasted in Your Life.

Yori waves from the corner of the restaurant.

'OK, partner?'

'Yeah, partner. I'm good.'

She's deep in conversation with someone, the first hungry customer of the day. I have some papers to look through so I head for the office, next to the old TV set. A video is playing but, with the door left ajar, I can still hear most of what they're saying.

'Why do you ask me this question? I say to you already, is bad idea. A difficult journey. So hard for a person to come back.

'Yes, I understand, you unhappy. Yes, so you say, nasty wife. But I'm certain in my bones that it wouldn't suit you.

'Is it real...yes, of course it is real. Is not just a TV show, let me tell you. This Yonigeya, it really exist.

'In Tokyo mostly. Maybe all over j.a.pan. People fed up with suicide. Very high suicide rate in j.a.pan. Now some people think is maybe better to disappear. But like I say, like I said said...I'm not sure it really is so easy.

'Why not? Pah...you have no imagination. Perhaps this why your wife decide to leave you.

'OK, OK. So sorry. She left you for ski instructor. I remember. But think for a moment. Open your heart. Imagine what it is that you plan to do. How empty it would make a man feel. To dispose of everything he is. How rotten and bruised like soft autumnal fruit dropped prematurely from the tree. Everything he has become, discarded like a bowl of dirty rice water. If a person is to leave on such a journey he must die a little inside. He must walk along riverbank and look into water and be content to see no reflection.

'You don't think it is so difficult? You don't think really is is so sad? Pay attention, stupid man, I'm telling you. Don't underestimate your life. All your short time on this earthgood or bad, sad or happywhatever it is, have special value. All you are now depend on every piece that went before you. What a dense and fabulous web a man weaves; how beautiful, how complex is his life. All mistakes are like scars. Tough. Thick. Make web even stronger than before. Every time he take turn in wrong direction just make the web even bigger. so sad? Pay attention, stupid man, I'm telling you. Don't underestimate your life. All your short time on this earthgood or bad, sad or happywhatever it is, have special value. All you are now depend on every piece that went before you. What a dense and fabulous web a man weaves; how beautiful, how complex is his life. All mistakes are like scars. Tough. Thick. Make web even stronger than before. Every time he take turn in wrong direction just make the web even bigger.

'No my friend, spider's web not ugly. You are wrong, you don't look at it right. Get up to it close, with your nose and your eyes: see how ingenious it is. And every time it breaks, in the wind, in the storm, every time it is torn by some rude insectthe spider makes it over again. Mending it. Always trying to mend it. Maybe is only perfect for a second. Maybe only complete for one short hour. But happiness is like that. It breaks. It splits. You mend it. It breaks all over again. It comes in short bursts. Only moments.

'Yes. Yes. I see how you feel. You mend your web so many times, you prefer to start again and throw away. But you must must understand, it is very drastic action. To wrap old life up in a suitcase and to never open suitcase again. To leave all you love, your home and your family, to put all you are in the bin. understand, it is very drastic action. To wrap old life up in a suitcase and to never open suitcase again. To leave all you love, your home and your family, to put all you are in the bin.

'Yes, I promise you. This type of action only for exceptional people. Only for people in special trouble. I hear about one lovely couple who do this and succeed. You want that I tell you about them?

'OK, so these two special characters they are deeply in love but in their hearts they are sad. This poor bald mantalented actor so they sayis sucked dry like prune and unfulfilled. His career, through circ.u.mstances unforeseen, lie in ruins. The woman can't make this man happy so she feel ugly sometimes, and often afraid that he might leave her. This gentle man is the whole world to her. He is her family.

'One day they involve themselves in incredible escapade. They kidnap very famous person. Person knows who they are and sees their face. They are very much in trouble, is no way they can go back to their old lives.

'Lucky for them, they have one special friend who comes to rescue. Loyal friend who is there at precise precise moment when they need her, most capable and reliable person. This is her first ever job of this kind, but she pulls it off with big style. She sends them away on a...how do you say it? moment when they need her, most capable and reliable person. This is her first ever job of this kind, but she pulls it off with big style. She sends them away on a...how do you say it?

'Yes, how do you guess? She smuggle them away on board a ship. She put them in contact with lovely woman that she knows in England, very beautiful and talented chef. Talented chef helps them with next part of their journey. Give them brand new life, new ident.i.ty.

'Where they end up? Me, I don't know. Some say Australia, some say Atlanta, some clever person says Peru. Very interesting film industry in Peru, so they say. Very fine actors. Up and coming. For this man is nourishment for his soul just to act in small production in small theatre, he doesn't care for fame or for money. And his wife...

'Yes, that's right. Didn't I tell you? These two, they get marry. I hear they have child now. She has one little girl and I see in the pictures...I mean, I hear hear from some people, that she gets a little fat. Some people say she runs a karaoke bar. Some say she runs a special restaurant a little like this one. The best in whole town. Peruvians love it, she make pancake. The best pancake you ever tasted in your life. This woman very famous for her pancake. Her husband most admired for his astonishing acting. Everyone who come to see him at the theatre leave in tears; especially one extra special Peruvian film star. Maybe they plan to work together one day. This man also admired for his thick head of hair. Plugs very cheap in Peru. from some people, that she gets a little fat. Some people say she runs a karaoke bar. Some say she runs a special restaurant a little like this one. The best in whole town. Peruvians love it, she make pancake. The best pancake you ever tasted in your life. This woman very famous for her pancake. Her husband most admired for his astonishing acting. Everyone who come to see him at the theatre leave in tears; especially one extra special Peruvian film star. Maybe they plan to work together one day. This man also admired for his thick head of hair. Plugs very cheap in Peru.

'Are they happy? Yes. This is what I hear. Both are especially happy. And all arranged for them by one very special girl. Speak many languages, seven I think, and have the best contacts for escaping. Most intriguing and talented lady. These days, so they tell me, she is one of the finest fly-by-night arrangers in all the world. Very fine instincts, a true escape artist. Can get to heart of problem just like that. For a long time this lady believed her instincts were poor, for a long time she believed she was most unreliable person. In the house where she grew up the walls were funny shape, for a long time she can't get her bearings. But this girl is sharp, let me tell you. No one read a situation better than her. No one give better solution to a problem. No one give better service than she.

'Ah, Cherries Lady, there you are. This man, so insistent. I try to shake him off, but he has one question for you.'

He asks me. I listen. I answer.

'No,' I say, gently. 'I'm afraid you're mistaken. There are no Yonigeya in London.'

About the Author.

LOUISE W WENER is the author of is the author of The Perfect Play The Perfect Play and and Goodnight Steve McQueen Goodnight Steve McQueen. She was born and raised in Ilfor, East London. In the mid-nineties, after years of singing into hair brushes and working dead-end jobs, she found fame as lead singer of the pop band Sleeper, and went on to record three top-ten alb.u.ms and eight top-forty singles. She is now a full-time author.

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Also by Louise Wener

The Perfect Play

Goodnight Steve McQueen