This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker.

I'm Deborah Treasman, fiction editor at The New Yorker.

On this week's episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear Brian Washington read his story, Hattagaya Lore,

from the March 31st, 2025 issue of the magazine. A winner of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for

Literary Excellence, the International Dylan Thomas Prize, and the Lambda Literary Award,

Washington is the author of three books of fiction, including Memorial and Family Meal. A new novel,

Palaver, will be published later this year.

Now here's Brian Washington.

How do Guy Lour?

We moved to Tokyo from Dallas because of my husband's job, an unexplainable tech gig.

When Craig told me about the promotion, he swore it would change his life.

I didn't want anything to do with it. I had no interest in Japan. Couldn't find the country on a

map, couldn't speak a lick of Japanese, but I loved him, basically.

And he fielded most of our expenses.

It'll be an adventure, Craig said.

Most travelers don't survive their journeys, I said.

Always a well of optimism, Craig said, laughing.

I worked at a tutoring center, ghostwriting college admissions essays for rich kids.

Craig had his computer thing.

Every few weeks, he murmured something about more cash, and half a year later we landed at Hauda.

Our apartment was a tiny little thing in Hattagaya, deeply residential, a few stops away from

Shinjuku, and a long fucking Wong from the city proper. When I asked why Craig's company

...