Read Online War of the Eagles by Eric Walters - Free Book Online Page A

such little pests. And it’s always worse when you’re around.”
    â€œYou’re blaming me?”
    â€œNot you, but Midori. It wouldn’t be so bad if she hadn’t taken such a shine to you.”
    â€œA shine!”
    â€œYeah, she thinks you’re real dreamy. Can’t you tell how she’s always giving you cow eyes and laughing at your jokes?”
    â€œEverybody laughs at my jokes. I’m a funny guy.”
    â€œNot that funny, and not everybody,” Tadashi re–sponded.
    â€œWell, everybody except Toshio.” Toshio and an–other kid from Sikima were walking up ahead of us. Like always he was talking too loud. I’d rather walk with Tadashi’s sisters then be around him. He and his family had only just moved to the village this past summer and he’d taken an instant dislike to me. His English was getting better, but even in the beginning, when he couldn’t do much more than grunt, he made it pretty clear he wanted to fight me. He was two years older than me, but I was a full head taller and out–weighed him.
    â€œToshio might think you’re funny too, but he’s too busy being jealous of all the attention Midori shows you.”
    â€œJealous? Of me and Midori? She’s just a kid. What is she, eleven years old?”
    â€œShe’ll soon be twelve,” Tadashi replied as he picked up a stick from the ground.
    â€œEleven, twelve, big difference.”
    â€œIt is to Toshio. I think he’d like to make Midori his bride some day.”
    I could see what old Toshio might be thinking. I wouldn’t admit it to anybody, heck.
    I hardly admitted it to myself, but I could see where he could take a shine to Midori. She had big brown eyes, soft round features and was really pretty. She also had a sense of humor. But, she was years younger. I had my eye on a couple of girls at school. Girls my age. At least now it all made sense why this guy didn’t like me.
    â€œCome on, let’s speed up and I’ll give Toshio my blessing. Heck, I’ll even get them a wedding present.
    Maybe then he’ll go easy on me.”
    â€œIt’s my father’s blessing he’ll be asking. But he probably still won’t feel any different towards you,”
    Tadashi said.
    â€œWhat else? Is he jealous of our friendship? Tell him he can marry you too,” I joked.
    â€œOther reasons,” he replied quietly and I knew there was more beneath his somber expression.
    â€œWhat other reasons?”
    â€œYou gotta understand, Jed, these Japanese can be a little strange.”
    â€œThese Japanese? What do you mean ‘these Japa–nese?’ What do you think you are, an Eskimo?”
    â€œYou know what I mean. The Issei .”
    Issei are the people who were born in Japan. Mostly those were just the older people, like parents and grandparents. Almost all of them were now naturalized Canadian citizens. Those born in Canada, like Tadi and most of the other kids, are the Nisei .
    â€œWhat sort of strange ideas?” I asked.
    â€œI don’t really want to talk about it.”
    â€œThen you shouldn’t have started what you don’t want to finish. Explain it to me.”
    â€œThey just don’t think a Japanese should marry somebody other than another Japanese.”
    â€œYeah, well I think we both have it figured out I’m not planning on marrying your little sister.”
    â€œBut it’s more than that. They don’t think that any–body should ever … look I told you I don’t want to talk about this any more.”
    â€œSounds like you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    â€œYeah, I know what I’m talking about. You can’t get me to tell you by giving me a hard time. I’m not stupid you know. I’m no Toshio.”
    â€œOkay, okay,” I admitted. “Although someday you may have a bunch of half-Toshio little nieces and neph–ews