Then,in the winter,the Huai River Basin.Now that was no fortunate development. knew that its ports had been served up to the Russians at Yalta; in folds,so that when it should dance,well... THINGS HAPPEN THESE clear. than he had liked them,the missing being simpler.Though not to them for their having turned abstract-missing them more know where his family was?For certainly he felt more attached wasn't it still?Even if his place in it was fading like a picture home was China was to make China indeed his home.And nose at the relief act meant to help him,as though to claim his He refused to be made an American citizen.He thumbed his recognize them? How could they,when the United States wouldn't so much as that the Communists would prove unable to hold the country. he loved them the right way.Instead,he only hoped.He hoped he would have risked his life for his family and country-that Later the students would guess that the Nationalists had put everywhere-how could the Americans of all people do this? Americans,with their law and order,with their traffic lights It was a letter many students were writing,in outrage.The boats in Hawaii... training to help the Communists.People are being taken off the back,The U.S.won't let us leave;they're afraid we'll use our please listen this one time.But Ralph could not obey.He wrote his parents,his father had written,Your mother asks that you Come homte!In the last letter Ralph was ever to receive from new fashions,the greatest shock yet. Until the spring,improbable as ever,brought among its pretty
skirt. Of course,there were other sorts of times too.His first day mud and carp,laughing,their shoes unglued. His too large mother,his even larger father.He remembered Cammy,he dreamed.Still,after all these months,Cammy. pmere hei muddydoer Mao.(Sure,Mao said,he understood,after all he had parents into some kidnapper's hidden cove.Suddenly no more letters. prints! do is press a bit.He demonstrates,elegant.Mosquitoes prove at twilight,crafty,pouncing on the window screens.As a result a chicken cooked and cooling.The servants stalking mosquitoes classics.The Communist is breaking Ralph's father's neck. Ralph could also envision a different scene,though.The man Ralph was outraged.Fingerprints!The scoundrel's left finger- study,belch,spit on the floor,pick up a scroll...and already nothing.He saw a hairy Communist swagger into his father's toed one of his slippers besides,imagining his father being tor- a rug.A rug!Ralph sent his other wing tip to join the first,and tossed and.turned,he did too,he said.He wanted Ralph to buy a broom handle.High-strung,this neighbor was.When Ralph across the room. His downstairs neighbor knocked his immediate protest with Ralph,in New York,kicked one of his hard leather wing tips black gown clings,his shoes have been ruined. up-underwater,he has turned boneless,a ballet dancer.His mouthho f blub.And hsfathei But here was a thing to be happy about.Now the servants tering,chattering,chattering... the far back courtyard,with the servants,breaking a rooster's
the next day. trouble. More knocking,knocking. are dead. Sound advice for a formless time.Ralph,though,hung in his every night."He knit his smooth brow. ventured.And he hadn't been sleeping right. Ralph launched his slipper across the room brave man,tries to speak. Your father would like to give... out of the lake,plates for the gods. "Get up the same time But the only one who accepted his answer was Little Lou, Knocking.And the next thing Ralph knew,he was having visa We are alive.His voice is faraway,a sound heard through a What Ralph did think,though-that was many other things. he needs. If only Ralph had an advisor like that!But he had to be his soon has so many to choose from that he easily finds the one what you'll pay for a live one.And sure enough,the emperor people hear what you've paid for a dead horse,they'll know five hundred pieces of gold?Replies the advisor,Ab,but when dead horse he's bought.A dead borse?says the emperor.For advisor tells him,just wait-and the next day returns with a stream at dawn,he plucks from the hay arrows to last weeks. enemy-held river.It's night;the enemy shoots and shoots;down- stance,who,needing arrows,floated barges of hay down an Xiang banfa.An essential Chinese idea-he had to think of stantly,with snarling dogs,and ropes. phone again.He imagined the deportation team arriving in- forced to take a leave of absence.The chair of the Engineering off about Cammy's raises,and that as a result the dean had been an expired visa!Rumor had it that Mr.Fitt had tipped someone As if a friend of Cammy's could risk going to Mr.Fitt with "Better bring Fitt some candy." "Better go see the foreign student advisor,"said Old Chao. do nothing about it. As mysteriously as he'd let his visa lapse,he found he could supposed to succeed,that was the thing. to destroy his father's world.What son doesn't?But he wasn't own time,in the many times he'd wanted more than anything
said. tions.You understand me?" explain to you.Some mer have to watch out for their reputa- "I'm sorry."Pinkus sounded tired."But one thing I need to Ralph stood up. said."If you don't go to school,you won't get caught." Pinkus sighed."Please excuse me for pointing this out,"he Ralph hesitated."Maybe. "Maybe they'll kill you,or definitely they will?" in prison,maybe even killed. stuffed office. his shiny domed forehead.Ralph explained how he could be put bunched low on his face,as though shrinking with awe from That at least made Pinkus stroke his beard again.His features Ralph bit his lip."If I send home,Communists catch me,"he He paused."I'm just telling you what I know." luck.But excuse me,I don't like to lie.Let me tell you,even if "Not that I don't wish you good luck,"Pinkus said."Good a crack,but still the din resounded.Eeeeep.Eeeeeep. to be having trouble with its horn.The window was open only It was the sort of afternoon when every car in the city seemed "But in case they do,you want me to lie. "Probably that question no one ask it,"said Ralph. "You mean you want me to lie?"Pinkus said now,stroking Or at least used to. thesis.But Pinkus,luckily,liked him. him?Except for the professor working with him on his master's the halls,weren't chances good that people would forget about hours in the fall anyway.If he stayed out of the lobby,out of with his coursework that spring,he was only scheduled for thesis about just lying low,he thought finally,feebly.Having finished like mile upon mile of ocean.What to do,what to do.What paced around,shut the window religious.'" The month of September,Ralph held his breath.October.No- "Ah,"said Ralph."I get.You Jewish guy." "People don't like you because of your religious?" uglier for some people than for other people. Ralph shook his head. Do you know what I'm talking about?" "Not home?" "Even in their own countries,some men are not at home." "No,"said Ralph
to Ralph. His new building,on the other hand,had at one point been tenants were a more or less matched set. 6 bring bugs." Ralph moved.Ten days later,the calls started again. "I sez,I don't rent to no Chinks.So far's I'm concerned they "So I sez go blow."This was Mrs.Ritter,his current landlady. had called twice,asking for him by name. knew where he lived,or how he could be reached.Yet someone never to admit they'd ever heard of him,much less that they as his Chinese friends all knew;his landladies too he'd instructed walking a dog on his block;and yet again,after a dream about he moved once more,to a former hotel,after a tall man started Ralph moved again,this time to a building with fleas.Then in,sometimes with bodies attached.At least until Ralph fixed a day in residence was a succession of strange heads popping marked with numbers,some with letters,and some not at all) was visitors,lots of them,so that (as some of the doors were to have no business.What the various tenants did have,though, with no furniture,a man with no legs.The businesses seemed missing something.There was a family with no mother,a couple