Kerry Young - Pao

‘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.