The time Nick Zappetti was driven to attempt suicide over a lost love

TOKYO — I’d never met anyone so willing to talk about the most intimate details of his life. As Nick Zappetti, the protagonist of Tokyo Underworld.  He would say anything.

For example, one afternoon in 1989 in a session in his restaurant, he told me the most bizarre story of the time he attempted to commit suicide over a lost love — an account that was later confirmed by representatives from the Tokyo police who wound up involved with the matter — in the inimitable way he had of using the English language.

“Did I ever tell you the story about the time I committed suicide?” he said during one session.

“What? Committed suicide?” I said, intrigued, “Committed suicide and then came back to life?”

“No, no, almost committed suicide. Tried and failed. How do you say it?”

“Attempted suicide?”