eninraggedT-shirtsandskirts,carrying
smallerchildren."Theyallcometotownwhenthere'saJapanesepictureon,"Mrs.Chusaid.
"Oh,dotheyspeakJapanese?"
"Verywell."
ManyofthebuspassengerstalkedJapanese.TheyweretheearlyChinesesettlers,andasurprisingnumberoftheiryoungpeoplestillspokeJapanese.Thebusstoppedatwhatseemedtobethemiddleofnowhereandayoungmangotoff.Theconductorfollowedhim.Suddenlytherewasafight,thetworollingoverandoveronthewayside."Chigaruyo!Chigaruyo!"IcouldmakeouttheoneJapanesewordtheyoungmankeptshouting:"Mistake!Mistake!"Thedrivergotofftohelpbeathim.Thepassengerlearnedthatthismanwasalwaysstealingrides.Ithoughthowun-Chinesethesepeoplewere.InHongKongIhadseenastreetcarconductorfollowingafreeridertothestreetandgradholdofhisnecktie,inplaceofthepigtailwhichusedtobethefirstthingreachedforinabrawl.Butthatwasjustascuffleandexchangeofwords.Lastyearabusconductorwastakentothepolicestationonthecomplainofawomanhehadhitwithhisticketpuncher,amurderoustoolconductorswereforeverrattlingtoremindpeopletobuytickets.Buttherewereneveranyrealfightslikethis.
Finallythedriverandconductorletthemango.Hegotonhisfeetpantinganddustinghimself.Theydroveoff.Hestoodatattentioninhistornkhakishirtandsalutedthebusasitpassed.HedidnotlookoldenoughtohavebeeninthearmyinJapanesedays,butthatreverencewasdistinctlyJapanese.Oddlyenough,italsoremindedmeoftheCommunistChineseliningupalltheporters,sweepers,andpeddlersontherailwayplatform,eachpresentinghisbroom,pole,andbasketlikearmsasthetrainpulledout.Workershavebeentoldtolovetheirmachine,buttohavethempaytheirrespectstoitinthislittleritualseemedstrange.
FromFormosaIwentontoHongKong,whichIhadnotseenforsixyears.Thecitywasbeingtorndownandrebuiltintohighapartmentbuildings.Wholestreetsweredugup,withapostboxburieduptoitsneck,stillfunctioning.Therefugeesweresettleddown,hopingonlytoliveouttheirlivesinHongKong.TheyoungergenerationspeakCantoneseinschoolandrefusetospeakanythingelseathome