Read Memoirs of a Vending Machine Page 5


  ***

  Josh had been woken at around 5:00 am. He wasn't entirely sure, but he was fairly certain that it was Saturday. He ate rice and some fish, washing it down with a bowl of cheap miso soup. He put on some jeans that Marley had brought along on her visit the day before, glad that remand prisoners were only required to wear the grey uniforms once sentenced.

  Although, he had been allowed a daily visit, with the exception of consular staff, he was not able to say anything that a prison guard could not understand and had to get permission to speak in English. The guard took notes and sometimes stopped them when he didn't like the topic of conversation. This made communication almost impossible with Marley, who had visited every day. They couldn't mention any of the keitai friends, nor the drugs. Marley had told Josh that she was thinking about leaving Japan, as she was feeling uneasy about everything. The possibility of a jail term for Josh and the police breathing down her neck were 'doing her head in' and she was finding it hard to cope. All her friends had stopped calling and she was starting to feel isolated and vulnerable.

  Josh understood and was feeling the same. The thought of losing his only reliable 'confidante' was weighing heavily on his mind, particularly in light of his last conversation with the detective. The choice had become clearer for Josh and he was now ready to talk to the detective and escape to Australia.