Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro by When We Were Orphans (txt) Page B

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usual amusing small-talk, and normally he would have had me laughing in no time, but on that occasion - only days after my discussion with Akira -1 was not in that sort of mood. Uncle Philip soon saw this and said: ‘So, Puffin. We’re rather glum today.’
    I saw my chance and said: ‘Uncle Philip, I was just wondering.
    How do you suppose one might become more English?’
    ‘More English?’ He stopped whatever it was he was doing and looked at me. Then, with a thoughtful expression, he came nearer, pulled a chair up to the desk and sat down.
    ‘Now why would you want to be more English than you are, Puffin?’
    ‘I just thought… well, I just thought I might.’
    ‘Who says you’re not sufficiently English already?’
    ‘No one really.’ Then after a second I added: ‘But I think perhaps my parents think so.’
    ‘And what do you think, Puffin? Do you think you ought to be more English?’
    ‘I can’t tell really, sir.’
    ‘No, I suppose you can’t. Well, it’s true, out here, you’re growing up with a lot of different sorts around you. Chinese, French, Germans, Americans, what have you. It’d be no wonder if you grew up a bit of a mongrel.’ He gave a short laugh. Then he went on: ‘But that’s no bad thing. You know what I think, Puffin? I think it would be no bad thing if boys like you all grew up with a bit of everything. We might all treat each other a good deal better then. Be less of these wars for one thing. Oh yes. Perhaps one day, all these conflicts will end, and it won’t be because of great statesmen or churches or organisations like this one. It’ll be because people have changed. They’ll be like you, Puffin. More a mixture. So why not become a mongrel? It’s healthy.’
    ‘But if I did, everything might…’ I stopped.
    ‘Everything might what, Puffin?’
    ‘Like that blind there’ -1 pointed - ‘if the twine broke. Everything might scatter.’
    Uncle Philip stared at the blind I had indicated. Then he rose, went to the window and touched it gently.
    ‘Everything might scatter. You might be right. I suppose it’s something we can’t easily get away from. People need to feel they belong. To a nation, to a race. Otherwise, who knows what might happen? This civilisation of ours, perhaps it’ll just collapse. And everything scatter, as you put it.’ He sighed, as though I had just defeated him in an argument. ‘So you want to be more English.
    Well, well, Puffin. So what are we to do about it?’
    ‘I wondered, if it’s all right, sir, if you didn’t awfully mind. I wondered if I might copy you sometimes.’
    ‘Copy me?’
    ‘Yes, sir. Just sometimes. Just so that I learn to do things the English way.’
    ‘That’s very flattering, old fellow. But don’t you think your father’s the one to have this great privilege? About as English as they come, I’d say.’
    I looked away, and Uncle Philip must immediately have sensed he had said the wrong thing. He came back to his chair and sat down again in front of me.
    ‘Look,’ he said quietly. ‘I’ll tell you what we’ll do. If you’re ever worried how you should go about things, anything, if you’re worried about the proper way to go about it, then just you come to me and we’ll have a good talk about it. We’ll talk it all through until you know exactly what’s what. Now. Feel better?’
    ‘Yes, sir. I think I do.’ I managed a smile. ‘Thank you, sir.’
    ‘Look here, Puffin. You’re a right little horror. You know that, of course. But as little horrors go, you’re a pretty decent specimen.
    I’m sure your mother and father are very, very proud of you.’
    ‘Do you really think so, sir?’
    ‘I do. I really do. So, you feel better?’
    With that, he sprang to his feet to resume his wanderings around his office. Reverting to his lighthearted tone, he began some nonsensical story about the lady in the office next door, which soon had me in stitches.
    How fond I was of Uncle Philip! And is there any

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