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Show 42 of years bsfora the war he enlistad, and thsrsaftar found that "going out" involvsd a toughsr customsr than he had expected; so ha settled back in astonishment. Since than thsrs had bsan little opportunity for a dasp attachment, and when he cams to Japan hs looksd around anew. Lika most of ths soldisrs hs went out a time or so, partly to chsck on JfetKf famous but erroneous theory, though the specimens he observed resembled those he had met in the States, and ha withdrew once more. If they were ths rewards of sex, celibacy had its attractions. He triad to work off his energy by hunting, fishing, playing pok8r with the other S8rgsants, or, whsn all slss failed, stopping by ths NCO club for a bear. Odd, ha was to think later, how long it took for Kimiko's face to maks its way into his consciousnsss, and how long it lay thsrs -- like a crocus bulb in winter soil -- before putting forth that shy but spectacular bloom. For he merely sat at his accustomsd table, jawing with Larson or Perkins or Bragg -- his syss lifting casually to nots a newcomer, a raucous ola-timar or - with ths regularity, hs rsalized now, of a lighthouss bsacon -- Kimiko. In thoss days shs worksd behind ths countsr, and he gauged hsr nsat, quiet gestures and hsr grave syss, and saw with what dslicacy shs forsstallsd ths remarks with which ths non-coms tended to great any woman, particularly one behind a bar. (She hatsd the job, shs told him latar, but on the back side of Japan, in ths devastation of thoss ysars, who turned down work?) Usually shs msrsly looked up, considarsd the soldisr |