One good thing come outta it anyway. Xiuquan and Mui finally start act like they brother and sister. Every day now they gone out the street somewhere together. They gone up the US navy base, or they fishing off the wharf, or they gone swimming with Hampton at Hellshire Beach or over Lime Cay. It a pleasure for me to see the two of them go down the street hand in hand even if they just go roam ’round town and come back.
It seem like we got a family. Tilly still come every day, Zhang got Round Chin and Tartan Socks, and sometime Judge Finley play dominoes. Ma got her mah-jongg friends three times a week. Every now and again she take the children to temple with her, and Zhang busy telling them the same stories him tell us when we young, ’bout the revolution and Sun Yat-sen and Mao Zedong, and the counter-revolutionary Chiang Kai-shek.
We settled now. We not got nobody disrupting the place coming in and out like she can’t make up her mind if she staying. I read the newspaper and I smoke a cigar which is a regular thing for me now when I feel relax and happy and content with life. Although I don’t do it over Gloria’s because she don’t like the smell.
I say to her, ‘This here is a real good Havana cigar. I would have thought you would like the smell of that,’ because more and more Gloria looking to Cuba and praising all the changes going on over there with education and health and employment.
I start take the children with me when I make the weekly pick-up ’round town on a Saturday. I introduce them to the shopkeepers and market traders; to people in grocery stores and laundries and pharmacies; hardware stores, barber’s; people who just stand on the street with me and talk and smile and bow their heads; and who happy to see me. People who want to make a fuss of Mui and Xiuquan, to give them gifts and pamper them, and tell Mui how beautiful she is like her mama and Xiuquan strong like his papa. I start teach them tai chi and I tell them that Yang Lu-Ch’an who founded and develop Yang-style tai chi during the Manchu dynasty was my great-grandfather. But Ma tell them it not true. We just share our name with the great master.
But Zhang don’t like it. He think that maybe them coming with me not such a good idea. So I remind him that he done the same thing when me and Xiuquan young and him say, ‘That long time back. Now maybe it set bad example.’
I not paying him no mind because I want the children to know Chinatown and Chinatown to know them. I want them to have run of the place just the same way it was for us when we young. Zhang say times changing, that it not the same as when he first come to Jamaica. Back then it was because Chin ask him, and he was doing a service.
‘Things different now. Everybody worried ’bout what legal and how they show taxman what they doing. People think different ’bout you protecting them. They think different ’bout favour they ask you. You not Uncle no more. You Mr Fixit. In old days they happy you call in to share a bowl of tea. Now you need appointment so they can clear all their fancy guests out the way before you turn up. Now they worried maybe one day you ask them do something for you. In old days they looking what to do for you before you ask.’
Maybe Zhang got a point. Anyway I think it time the children meet Gloria. Fay gone and who knows what going happen next. But Gloria no think it such a good idea because she dunno how I going explain to them who she is, and I say it no matter, we can just meet by accident. So that is what we plan to do. Me and the children going to be walking down King Street and stop outside Times Store just at the moment when Gloria step outta the shop like she been doing some shopping in there. And then everybody get introduce and we go get a ice cream together. And this place is good because it got a soda fountain right upstairs in there. Gloria not so keen on the plan but she go along with it anyway.
So Saturday come and I take the children with me on the weekly collection ’round Chinatown and afterwards I say to them ’bout how they fancy going down to Times Store for a ice cream and they say yes. We walk down King Street and just as we reach Times Store Gloria see us coming and step outta the shop right there in front of us. It work perfect.
I act surprise and I say to her, ‘Hello, Gloria. It such a surprise to see you.’
And she say, ‘Yes, quite a surprise.’ And then she look down at the children standing either side of me and she say, ‘And these must be your children? I have heard so much about you.’
And right then Mui just put out her hand and take Gloria’s and shake it and say, ‘I’m Mui.’
Gloria stand there shaking Mui’s hand and then afterwards she turn to Xiuquan and say, ‘You must be Xiuquan?’
But Xiuquan just stare at her. Him no offer no hand for no shaking and him face look vex. Then him say to her, ‘My name is not Xiuquan. It is Karl.’
I grab him by the hand and drag him into Times Store while I saying to him, ‘Yu twelve years old and yu so rude already?’
The four of us sit down with the ice cream. Mui got this big mountain of banana and ice cream and nuts and syrup and god knows what while Xiuquan got to make me force him to have two scoop of vanilla. Gloria order a cup of coffee and I just take some ice water.
So we sitting there squeeze into this little corner table and Mui say, ‘You are a friend of Papa’s?’
‘Yes, a very old friend.’
‘How do you know him?’
‘Your papa helped me when my sister had some trouble. He helped us to sort things out.’
Mui sitting next to Gloria and she look ’cross the table at me. Then she take a spoon of ice cream and say, ‘Yes, my papa is good at helping people.’ And then she pause, and then she say, ‘Do you have any children, Miss Gloria?’
‘I have a daughter. She is called Esther. She is about the same age as Karl.’ Gloria look at Xiuquan, but he got his back half turn to her with the ice-cream dish in his hand.
‘Yu nuh look at somebody when they talking to yu? And put the dish on the table. Yu not just going sit there eating the thing out yu hand.’
But Gloria try hush me down. Maybe she think it not so good me chastising the child like that first time she meet him. So she say, ‘How is school, Karl?’
But before Xiuquan answer Mui start talk. She talk ’bout everything that she do at school like all the singing and the spelling, and she paint picture and read storybook, and write her composition, and how the nuns strict, and how she go to church every morning and say the rosary on her knees, and how she go to Mass at the cathedral on Sunday, and how at the catechism class she learn why God made her, and how she love Father Michael.
And then she start ask Gloria ’bout what her daughter do at school, and if she go to church, and if she know Father Michael. So Gloria have to explain to her that Esther not a Catholic.
‘Not a Catholic?’
‘No.’
‘And you are not a Catholic, Miss Gloria?’
‘No, Mui, I am not. I was brought up Baptist by my mama.’
Then Mui turn to me and say, ‘Papa, do you know that Esther is not a Catholic?’
Well I think the child gone too far now. I just can’t decide what to say to her in case Gloria think I overreacting. But right then before I fix anything in my mind Xiuquan turn ’round and say, ‘Yes he does.’ And then he get up from the table and walk off.
When we get back to Matthews Lane I say to him, ‘How come yu so rude to a woman yu just meet? Yu think she do something to yu?’
But him not answering me. Him just standing there willing me to go do something or say something else to him. Then him say, ‘I may be twelve years old but I am not deaf and blind. I hear and I see, and I have heard that woman’s name before. Many, many times. And I have seen the upset it causes my mother.’
‘This is the way yu talk to me?’
‘I am not afraid of you.’ And he just walk off.
Mui stand there. And then after Xiuquan gone she say, ‘What I don’t know, Papa, is anything about Esther.’ She stand there staring up at me for a good long while, and then she turn ’round and walk off. I look at her strong little legs going up the yard and her hair in them two plaits hanging down her back and I think to myself well I don’t know nothing ’bout Esther neither. I know she older than Mui and taller and darker, and she got the African hair like her mother, even though she got a little Chinese round the eyes. And I know she quieter than Mui and less like she think she can say anything to me she want to. And that is it. But then I think, she a child. What you supposed to know?
Another thing that happen about two weeks after the fight with Fay was Michael telephone me and say he want talk to me. That never happen before. Michael never summon me like that before and I didn’t take to it. I go see him anyway because we still not get over the business ’bout Mui and the catechism classes.
When I get to Bishop’s Lodge he tell me to come walk with him in the garden. He walk ’round a long time without saying nothing, and I just follow on next to him. The garden full of poinsettia and bird of paradise and them little wild banana plant. It beautiful and peaceful. It remind me of the botanical garden up Old Hope Road except Michael garden not got no bandstand.
After some long time he say to me, ‘We have known each other for many years, Pao, and in all of that time I have made it a rule not to discuss Fay with you. Or you with her for that matter. But she came to see me two days ago and, well, her face is very badly bruised and her left eye is black and turning yellow. She told me her version of what happened and I wanted for us to talk to see how we can find a peaceful resolution to the situation.’
I didn’t say nothing at first because I not sure that he come to a stop. And then I didn’t say nothing because I didn’t know what to say to him. I just walking along and asking myself which side he on. And then I look at him walking so slow with his hands clasp in front like he praying, and wearing this long black cassock and I think well maybe he not on any side. Maybe he just genuinely trying to sort this thing out.
‘There nothing to resolve, Michael. Fay decide to leave and that is what she done. I feel bad ’bout her face though. I really do. I regret it the moment I do it. But you have to understand it was some brawl that went on there that night.’
‘I understand that. It is not my intention to reproach you about it. Fay admits she was equally responsible for what happened. The problem is that as long as you have the children the situation is not resolved.’
Right then I just stop, because I suddenly realise that is she put him up to this. And him only get me come over here so he can plead for her and get me give her the children. Well, Xiuquan for sure anyway.
‘I not going give her the children, Michael. So if that all you got to say to me I think I will be going about me business.’ And I turn and walk off.
I get halfway down the path when him shout after me, ‘Pao, I know there is something you want to resolve otherwise you would not have come here today.’
I turn ’round, and I walk back to where he still standing.
‘I still angry with you, Michael, over all this thing with Mui.’
‘I am a priest. I want everyone to find God and share in His glory, including you, Pao.’
‘You got no right doing it behind my back like that. If Fay bring Xiuquan to you so as you can turn him into a Catholic then that is one thing. But I didn’t bring Mui to you for that.’
Michael just look at me like he got no idea what I am talking about.
‘When you ask me that day at Port Royal about her, you get me wondering ’bout all the time you spend with Fay, and all the hours of day and night at Lady Musgrave Road, and how Miss Cicely not happy ’bout whatever she think going on between the two of you. So I think maybe, when it come to Mui, you have your own personal reason for being interested in her.’
And then something happen that I never seen before. Michael blush. I didn’t know before that a black man could colour up like that. Even though he a bit on the light side. Right then the back door of the lodge open and when me and Michael turn ’round we see the housekeeper come out and start walk towards us.
Then Michael say to me, ‘A long time ago, before Mui was born, Fay asked me to write to Rome to request special dispensation for her to divorce you. They declined and without a divorce she cannot file for legal custody of the children.’
I dunno why him telling me all this right now. I dunno if Fay know him telling me or if he just decide himself to go for broke trying to get me to give up the children.
When the housekeeper get up to us she say the archbishop on the telephone. I tell Michael is OK, go get the phone. We finish this another time.
And another thing since the fight with Fay is that Henry Wong start spending all him time down Chinatown. Him sitting in Barry Street from dawn till dusk and playing mah-jongg till all hours. When I ask him what going on him say him can’t stand it at Lady Musgrave Road no longer. Since Fay come back she and Miss Cicely do nothing but argue morning, noon and night. Argue, argue, argue. Anything they find they can argue over. They can even argue over the fact that a couple hours pass and them no cuss. Henry say it bad.
‘All I do is leave the house before Fay get up and stay out till after Cicely gone to bed. And even then it not always work out, because sometime when Fay come in early morning Cicely get up out her bed and they get started. If the neighbours closer I sure they call the police by now.’
So I wait for Ethyl to come tell me what going on up there. Because even though I been paying for shorthand and typing lessons all this long while Ethyl can’t pass the test yet so she still the Wongs’ housemaid. I tell her is OK, we can just keep carry on till she get there. And she happy with that because she like the idea that one day she going work in a nice cool air-condition office.
‘Mr Philip, it like a war zone in that house up there. Every day Miss Cicely playing the piano and singing at the top of her voice. Her favourite one at the moment is “Sinners, Turn: Why Will You Die?” I know it by heart myself now because Miss Cicely play it a hundred times a day, especially when Father Michael visiting. She thump down on them keys, because she play it loud but she no play it too good, and she sing, Dead, already dead within, Spiritually dead in sin, Dead to God while here you breathe, Pant ye after second death? She play it over and over. Will you still in sin remain, Greedy of eternal pain? O you dying sinners, why, Why will you forever die? She sing all fourteen verses of Mr Wesley’s song just like she learn it when she was a Methodist before she turn Roman Catholic, so I dunno what Father Michael make of that.
‘Then all the time Miss Cicely quoting the Bible like she say, He that soweth to his flesh shall of flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting . She love say things like that when she know Miss Fay can hear her. So they argue ’bout that and how Miss Fay running to Bishop’s Lodge all the time and how Father following her from one end of town to the other. And when Miss Fay tell her Father Michael her counsel Miss Cicely say, You should let the word of the Lord be a lamp unto your feet, and a light unto your path .
‘But truth is I never see nothing going on with the Father. I never even see him stand close to Miss Fay or touch her or anything like that. He just always got his hands clasp in front of him or resting in his lap. And he always keep so still. You never see him like make no sudden movement. None of the help say they notice anything so I dunno what go on but for sure Miss Cicely not happy ’bout it.
‘Then when they not arguing ’bout the Father Miss Cicely say it not seemly for a married woman to be constantly running between her husband and father and dragging the children with her, and going out with her friends every night, going to every nightclub and party in town.’
And then Ethyl sorta lower her voice and look down and say, ‘Because Miss Fay go out at night a lot.’
And then she carry on, ‘And Miss Fay say it not her fault she have a lot of friends and it better than if she running ’round town with some jock. Well that word now, “jock”, really get Miss Cicely started on some long speech that she finish off by saying, You too busy fretting about your social standing when you should be saying to yourself the Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer .
‘And even in the middle of them arguing Miss Cicely will just stop and say something like, We pay all that money for your schooling and you can’t even stand up straight. Why you need to lean on the doorpost? And then she tell Miss Fay to act like she a respectable woman. Another time she say to her, Take your hands off your hips! What you think this is? You think you big enough now to be standing there akimbo scowling at me? And if Miss Fay interrupt her, Miss Cicely say, I am talking. I am talking to you here if you don’t mind .
‘But the worst time was when Miss Fay say that Mr Stanley run off to England just to get away from her, Miss Cicely that is.’
Ethyl talking so fast I have to put my hand up like a policeman say stop so as I can ask her who Stanley is because I got no idea who she talking ’bout.
‘Mr Stanley Miss Cicely’s firstborn.’
‘Miss Cicely got another child?’
‘Yes, sah. But Mr Henry not him father. I dunno who him papa except I hear Miss Fay say something ’bout Mr Johnson marrying Miss Cicely off to Mr Henry. And that make Miss Cicely vex ’cause she say, Mr Johnson was your grandfather, God rest his soul, and you will talk about him with a civil tongue in your head. He didn’t do nothing to you . So I dunno what all that about, except it seem like Mr Johnson Miss Cicely’s papa.’
‘So what ’bout Stanley going to England?’
‘Miss Fay say Mr Stanley run off to England to get away from Miss Cicely hounding him every day ’bout how he stupid and lazy and irresponsible, and how he never going ’mount to anything. And Miss Cicely say it not true, Mr Stanley go to join the Royal Air Force, to serve his Queen and country in a time of need. And Miss Fay say no, Mr Stanley sick and tired of Miss Cicely because no matter what he do Miss Cicely never forgive him for being as black as her.
‘The latest thing is a letter come from England for Miss Fay. It come from Mr Stanley and it say he can make arrangements for her to go there. She write a reply to him and she say she need a divorce so she can get the children from you, but the Church not going give it to her. I know it bad of me but I been taking the liberty to steam open the envelope when they come and when she give me the letter to take to the post office.’
Then she stop and she just sit there and look at me. And then she say, ‘I think that all I got to tell you right now, Mr Philip.’
So I say, ‘Thank you, Ethyl. You must be hungry you come here straight from work. Maybe you go get ’ but before I finish talk Hampton jump up and start mumble something and shake out him legs and brush down him shirt and pants, look like him trying to make an impression.
And then finally him say, ‘I can take Miss Ethyl for some dinner and drive her home after if that alright with you?’
I just look at him. And then I say, ‘Yah, man.’
After the two of them leave I lock up the shop and walk ’round to Matthews Lane. When I get there, there is a big commotion going on. Mui talking so fast I can’t make no sense outta what she saying. Ma trying to get her calm down when the telephone ring. It Clifton Brown.
‘I got Karl down here at the police station.’
‘What you got him doing down there?’
‘He get arrested by accident. I just trying to sort things out now and I bring him over the house in a hour or so.’
When Clifton turn up he got Xiuquan and two police constables with him that I never seen before. He say they young, they new to the neighbourhood, they didn’t know no better. They make a mistake. I reckon everything they do must be a mistake the two of them look so dimwitted. And with one of them so tall and the other one so short they just like Mutt and Jeff out on another one of them get-rich-quick scheme. I almost expect one of them to say ‘Oowah!’
But these two constables not no comic strip, because when they see Xiuquan lifting the bow and arrow outta the store they shout at him to stop, and when he start running, they chase him till they finally catch up with him halfway down Barry Street and they take him back to the station.
When I ask Xiuquan what him think he doing he say they frighten him when they start shout, and him just in a hurry to run back home.
So I say to him, ‘But you no pay for the things you take outta the shop?’
‘Pay? We never pay for anything. It was a gift. It is always a gift.’
‘So if it a gift how come yu start running when yu see the police coming?’
But before he get to answer Mui say, ‘Because you cannot always trust the police to understand your situation.’
I think to myself yes, she right. But I also know another Xiuquan that take off just like that when the police turn up.
Just then I look ’round and catch Zhang walking off up the yard to his room.
Clifton push the constables forward to come apologise to me, and they both tell me them sorry. They nuh know who Xiuquan is. They nuh know him my boy. Arresting him a mistake they regret and they promise it never happen again.
I tell them is OK, these things happen. No harm done. And I open some Red Stripes and pass them ’round. The constables sit down and drink the beer, and they smile at me, but I can tell they none too happy ’bout the whole situation.
Sun Tzu say, ‘ When without a previous understanding the enemy asks for a truce, he is plotting .’