out a package of cigarettes from her purse. I nodded and struck a match to light it for her. That was another thing she didn't do in front of Grandmotherâsmoke. She gave the waitress our orderâa dish of sweet and sour pork, fried wontons, and some Chinese greensâand turned to me.
"So, what is on your mind? I know you didn't come just to say hello."
"I wanted to talk to you before, Mother, but I didn't want to do it in front of Grandmother."
"I'm listening."
"Do you know who Noro Shinpei is?"
"What a funny name. I think I've heard it before."
"He's a cartoonist."
"Oh, yes, I remember. Didn't you have some of his books?"
"Yes, the same one. He's my teacher."
"What do you mean? Is he teaching at your school?"
"No, Mother, he's a famous cartoonist. I went to him and asked if I could be his pupil. He said yes."
"You went to see him, just like that?"
"Yes. You see, he took on an apprentice last year. I read about it in the paper and thought he might take me on, too. I didn't tell you anything before because I wasn't sure if he was going to say yes."
"So it's the tuition, is it?"
"No, Mother, there's no tuition. He gave me a test to see how well I draw and I passed it. That was all. He says if I mention anything about tuition he's going to throw me out. Do I have your permission to study with him?"
"Well, you've already committed yourself, haven't you? I know
how important drawing is for you, Koichi, but so is your education. How are you going to manage your schoolwork?"
"I'll study hard, Mother, very hard, I promise. And if my grades go down I won't see Sensei till I'm doing better. I promise, Mother."
"Tell me more about your master."
I told her all I knew about Sensei. I also told her something about Tokida, leaving out his
yakuza
background. I talked about him as if he was a genius. But the thing that seemed to please her the most was that Sensei was a family man with a wife and two children.
"Does his wife use perfume?" asked Mother.
"I don't know, but it might be nice for a New Year's gift or something," I said, sensing things were going well for me.
"He must be an extraordinary person, taking on young men like you and your friend. He must think very highly of you. I'm glad."
"It's all right if I study with him then?"
"As, long as you keep your promise, I don't see why not."
"You really don't mind if I become a cartoonist?"
"Koichi, when you were a small child, I used to worry about you constantly. You were always disappearing, running away from home when you could hardly walk, and we lived so near the beach. I used to worry about you drowning or falling down the staircase or being run over. Then the war came. And we survived it. After that I knew I could survive anything. The war has taught me something: Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. No, I don't worry anymore, Koichi. I'm only grateful that we're alive. And if you want to be an artist, then you must study art. You were drawing before you learned to walk, and it isn't for me to change that."
"What about Grandmother?" I said. "She won't think a cartoonist is respectable. I just know it."
"Grandmother comes from a proud family, Koichi. A little old-fashioned perhaps, but she means well. After all, you're her only grandchild. Don't be too hard on her."
"Will you talk to her?"
"Yes, I will, and I'll be tactful. Eat your lunch."
Mother showed more concern about my not eating than about my future, and I'd worried sick about breaking the news to her. What would Father have said in the same situation? I wondered. I was glad I didn't have to deal with him.
When we were finished with lunch, Mother paid the waitress and gave me some money. When Grandmother gave me my monthly allowance it was always businesslike, but with Mother I felt like a small boy again, receiving my pocket money and running out to buy whatever I wanted with it.
I didn't go back to the shop with Mother but said good-bye to her in front of a trolley
"So, what is on your mind? I know you didn't come just to say hello."
"I wanted to talk to you before, Mother, but I didn't want to do it in front of Grandmother."
"I'm listening."
"Do you know who Noro Shinpei is?"
"What a funny name. I think I've heard it before."
"He's a cartoonist."
"Oh, yes, I remember. Didn't you have some of his books?"
"Yes, the same one. He's my teacher."
"What do you mean? Is he teaching at your school?"
"No, Mother, he's a famous cartoonist. I went to him and asked if I could be his pupil. He said yes."
"You went to see him, just like that?"
"Yes. You see, he took on an apprentice last year. I read about it in the paper and thought he might take me on, too. I didn't tell you anything before because I wasn't sure if he was going to say yes."
"So it's the tuition, is it?"
"No, Mother, there's no tuition. He gave me a test to see how well I draw and I passed it. That was all. He says if I mention anything about tuition he's going to throw me out. Do I have your permission to study with him?"
"Well, you've already committed yourself, haven't you? I know
how important drawing is for you, Koichi, but so is your education. How are you going to manage your schoolwork?"
"I'll study hard, Mother, very hard, I promise. And if my grades go down I won't see Sensei till I'm doing better. I promise, Mother."
"Tell me more about your master."
I told her all I knew about Sensei. I also told her something about Tokida, leaving out his
yakuza
background. I talked about him as if he was a genius. But the thing that seemed to please her the most was that Sensei was a family man with a wife and two children.
"Does his wife use perfume?" asked Mother.
"I don't know, but it might be nice for a New Year's gift or something," I said, sensing things were going well for me.
"He must be an extraordinary person, taking on young men like you and your friend. He must think very highly of you. I'm glad."
"It's all right if I study with him then?"
"As, long as you keep your promise, I don't see why not."
"You really don't mind if I become a cartoonist?"
"Koichi, when you were a small child, I used to worry about you constantly. You were always disappearing, running away from home when you could hardly walk, and we lived so near the beach. I used to worry about you drowning or falling down the staircase or being run over. Then the war came. And we survived it. After that I knew I could survive anything. The war has taught me something: Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. No, I don't worry anymore, Koichi. I'm only grateful that we're alive. And if you want to be an artist, then you must study art. You were drawing before you learned to walk, and it isn't for me to change that."
"What about Grandmother?" I said. "She won't think a cartoonist is respectable. I just know it."
"Grandmother comes from a proud family, Koichi. A little old-fashioned perhaps, but she means well. After all, you're her only grandchild. Don't be too hard on her."
"Will you talk to her?"
"Yes, I will, and I'll be tactful. Eat your lunch."
Mother showed more concern about my not eating than about my future, and I'd worried sick about breaking the news to her. What would Father have said in the same situation? I wondered. I was glad I didn't have to deal with him.
When we were finished with lunch, Mother paid the waitress and gave me some money. When Grandmother gave me my monthly allowance it was always businesslike, but with Mother I felt like a small boy again, receiving my pocket money and running out to buy whatever I wanted with it.
I didn't go back to the shop with Mother but said good-bye to her in front of a trolley
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