by Kerry Young
‘He was shot in the back of the head and his body burned. That is execution style. You think I don’t know that?’
I don’t say nothing to her.
‘One minute Samuels is working for you, the next minute he is being executed in West Kingston. And I suppose you are going to tell me that this has nothing to do with you.’
‘I not telling you anything, Fay.’
‘I married you because I couldn’t stand to live with my mother any more. She thinks that I went to board at Immaculate so I could pretend to be white, but that wasn’t it. I went up there to get away from her. I couldn’t stand her pretensions, and I couldn’t stand looking at how ashamed she is of herself and of the life she thinks she would have had if she had not married my father; if she had not elevated herself from being the descendant of an ex-slave.
‘But believe me, I had no idea of the squalor you would expect me to live in. I didn’t even know that places like this existed. And then to bring children up in it? No self-respecting person would even call this place a house never mind a home.
‘And as for you, I have no idea what it is you think you are doing. But you are nothing but a dirty little crook. You are not smart. You are not powerful. You are just a sleazy little hoodlum who thinks he is a big shot because his pocket is stuffed full of money. Yang Pao, the big man of Chinatown. You and Louis DeFreitas make a good match. You belong together with your drugs, and guns and murder.’
‘I am not a drug dealer, and I don’t run no guns, and I didn’t murder nobody.’
‘Well with your little whores then. I think you are still running her, aren’t you? Your whore in East Kingston?’
I just get up and turn ’round and launch myself at her. I knock her down and we start fight. We rolling on the ground grabbing and pushing and trying to ease away so we can get some space to land a good punch. We twisting and kicking and scratching and biting and we got elbows and knees going in every direction.
Then suddenly I realise how long it is since I touch her. How long it been since I feel her warm body next to me. And then I can’t tell if I am pushing her away or pulling her towards me. She putting up a good fight either way. She surprise me how strong and agile she get. I even forget I fighting with a woman. I just trying to defend myself. I just trying to get outta this tangle in one piece.
Then outta the corner of my eye I see Xiuquan stand up by the gate and I realise she must have leave him in the car outside. Then I see Mui in her pyjamas stand on the step. And Hampton is shouting something and Ma is running down the yard with her arms waving in the air. In the middle of all of this commotion I manage to make some distance between me and Fay so now we standing up and I got her by the shoulder at arm’s length.
And that is when she spit in my face. And I let her go. And everything stop.
Xiuquan run up to her and grab her hand. And then she walk over to Mui and take her hand as well. So now she got both children one on each side. So I say to her, ‘What you think you doing?’
And she say to me, ‘You don’t think I am going to leave them here with you, do you?’
‘You not going anywhere with them children.’
‘What, so I can leave them here to grow up with pimps and whores, and thieves and thugs and murderers? So that one day maybe they become just like you? Is that what they should aspire to? To become just like Papa? Papa’s little boy and girl?’
That is when I slap her nasty face. But I regret it straight away because I didn’t want the children to be seeing me do a thing like that. And anyway, it come ’cross a bit too heavy because it leave my handprint like a big red mark on her left cheek just so.
And she start cry. So I reach in my pocket and pull out a handkerchief and offer it to her and she take it. And just for that small little moment when she take the kerchief from me and start mop her face she look soft and gentle at me like maybe she remember another time long ago at the Jamaica Inn when she take my handkerchief just like that.
And just as she let go of the children hand, Mui step ’cross and stand up next to me. And Xiuquan look at me like him dunno what to do. Or maybe him do, but he too ’fraid to do it, because him got a sorta longing look in his eye.
So I just say to her, ‘You a grown woman, Fay. You can do what you want, but the children staying here with me.’
She look at Zhang and Ma and Hampton standing there. And then she look at the children, and then at me, and she say, ‘This isn’t over.’ And she turn and walk outta the gate. I half expect Xiuquan to run after her, but he don’t. Him just stand there watching her back as she close the gate behind her.
22
Truce
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.