How It All Goes Down
- The author interjects. He has interviewed a Mr. Okamoto and a Mr. Chiba, both of the Maritime Department in the Japanese Ministry of Transport.
- While on an unrelated business trip, these two hear that a survivor of the Tsimtsum is in a hospital in Tomatlán. Their department instructs these two hapless fellows to interview the survivor and see if he can provide any illuminating details on the sinking of the ship.
- They drive down to Tomatlán but get lost on the way, their car breaks down, they misread the map, etc.
- The author informs us that what follows are excerpts from a taped conversation with Piscine Molitor Patel.