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

running around being confused.”
    Tadashi laughed. I liked to hear him laugh almost as much as he liked laughing. Tadi seemed to be almost always happy. Even when he was acting serious, I could usually catch a hint of laughter in his dark eyes. He was shorter and thinner than me, most of the Japanese were, but he was already bigger than his father. It was funny, but the kids born in this country usually became bigger than their parents, and if Toshio was any indication, bigger than those kids still being born in Japan.
    â€œSo, are you going to tell me?” I asked.
    Tadashi gave a big sigh and slowly nodded his head.
    â€œLook, Jed. I want you to understand this isn’t me or my family but some of the older, real Japanese. You know, the Issei .”
    â€œOkay, I get the message, go on,” I said, suddenly apprehensive.
    â€œThey figure everybody should stay in their own race.
    Not just the Japanese, but everybody. Japanese should marry Japanese. Chinese should marry Chinese. Whites should marry whites …”
    â€œAnd Indians should marry Indians,” I said, complet–ing his sentence.
    â€œYeah,” he confirmed, looking down at his shoes.
    â€œSo, they just don’t understand about people like me, half white and half Indian.”
    â€œYeah,” he agreed, still looking down.
    I’d been in lots of fights during my life over being called a “half-breed.” It seemed like there was some ya–hoo in everyplace I ever lived. Funny thing was, I didn’t even think of myself as part Indian. It wasn’t like I didn’t know my mother was native, but I thought of myself as being like my father.
    â€œWell, anytime Toshio wants to have a run at me, I’ll be ready for him. I’m a lot bigger than he is,” I said, mo–tioning up ahead at him. “Look at the little shrimp.”
    â€œBigger doesn’t matter if he knows judo.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œIt’s a form of self-defense that uses holds and throws.
    Lots of schools in Japan teach it to the students.”
    â€œI’ll teach him a few things if he tries anything with me,” I said. “Like how far he can fly.” I laughed.
    â€œIt’s no joking thing, Jed. Judo uses leverage and it’s better to be smaller than the guy you’re fighting.”
    â€œSounds pretty stupid to me. I always figured it was better to be bigger … a lot bigger.” I started to laugh again.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?” Tadashi asked.
    â€œSome ways it’s good to know that Japanese can be as stupid as anybody else.”
    â€œEverybody’s got their share of stupid. You just have to look at Toshio to know that. I gotta talk to my father, though. I can’t bear the thought of half-stupid, half-Toshio nieces and nephews.”
    I laughed but there was one more question I needed to ask. “What about you?”
    â€œWhat about me, what?”
    â€œYou’ve told me how Toshio would feel and how the old Japanese would feel, but how would you feel about me marrying your sister?”
    â€œYou and my sister? No way. Not a chance.”
    â€œWhy not? You don’t think I’m good enough because I’m a half-breed?”
    â€œWell,” Tadashi shrugged, “Jed, old friend, you’re a half-breed who’s half right. I actually don’t think one of you is good enough for the other. You can do better than my bratty little sister, that’s all.”
    â€œBetter?”
    â€œYeah, better. If you’re going to risk getting the Japanese mad at you, aim for the moon. Go after Kiyoka Azuma.”
    â€œKiyoka!” She was almost eighteen, beautiful and engaged to be married. “Are you crazy?” I snorted.
    â€œMy father always says he came to this country because you could shoot for the moon. Anything is possible.”
    â€œAnything, Tadpole?”
    â€œAlmost anything, but … come to think