14th December 2004, 6:01 PM
Quote:Michiko had Yoko invite Minoru to dinner at the Yamauchi home. Because of the terrifying portrait Yoko had painted of her father, Arakawa felt as if he were preparing to visit Don Corleone.
Dressed in a conservative suit, he arrived at the Yamauchis'. After the introductions were made, he joined the family at the low dining table, where Michiko and Yoko served the meal. Hiroshi sat back in his chair and studied his daughter's suitor.
The evening wore on and Yamauchi fired questions at Minoru as if he were conducting a job interview. He had to be convinced that Minoru was not a heavy drinker or a playboy.
"You went to Harvard, eh?" Yamauchi asked. "That is a good school."
Mino politely explained that he had gone to MIT.
"I have never heard of it," Yamauchi said.
Yoko and Mino had to convince him that MIT was okay too.
After the meal, the family withdrew to the living room for tea. There, Yamauchi looked at Arakawa and said, without emotion, "If you are going to marry my daughter, you should marry quickly."
Yoko and Minoru exchanged glances, and the young man nodded politely. "Yes, sir," he said.
Hiroshi ribbed Arakawa, saying he was a good choice because a woman shouldn't marry a man who was too good-looking. "If you have a nice-looking man, the girls won't leave him alone," he told his daughter.