grandchildren dance in the festival.
Across the dining table, Ron was also doing his homework. He finished before I did, and I watched him putting away his notebooks. He was neat in all his movements— maybe from all that kung fu training.
That's when I was struck with a brilliant idea: Ron could take my place in the Scottish dancing! After all, Ron was the one Grandpa really wanted for the dance troupe, and that beautiful kilt was his in the first place. Being quick and light on his feet, Ron wouldn't find the steps of the dances too hard to learn.
“Ron,” I called before he reached the door, “how would you like to take my place and join the Scottish dance troupe?”
“What?” he squawked. Actually, “squawked” isn't the right word. He squeaked. Ron's voice had changed, and most of the time it sounded deep. But once in a while, his voice still broke into a high squeak. “You're not …”—he stopped, took a breath, and got his voice back down again—”serious.”
“It'll be perfect!” I said. “You can take my place at therehearsal tonight and start learning the steps. We'll be having our final rehearsal tomorrow night, so you'll get enough practice to master the dances in plenty of time for the performance.”
“I've never taken dancing lessons in my life,” Ron said between his teeth, “and I don't intend to start now!”
“Look, Ron,” I said, “you'll be able to wear your kilt at last.”
“That kilt!” said Ron. “You saw what happened at school today!”
“When we were talking about the Manchu qipao just now,” I reminded him, “you said yourself that what you wear doesn't matter. It is what you do that matters.”
“I don't want to spend the rest of the school year flipping people around the lunchroom,” said Ron.
“Look, nobody's going to bother you after what happened to Joel, and it will make Grandpa so happy to see you wearing the kilt,” I coaxed. “Plus, I'll be able to wear Nainai's costume and be in Dad's show.”
“Don't you think about anything except what to wear?” demanded Ron. “First it's the kilt, and now it's that silk costume!”
I realized too late that we hadn't kept our voices down. I peeped into the living room and saw Grandpa and Grandma sitting stiffly upright on the sofa, their eyes looking straight ahead. It was clear that they had overheard.
“Listen, Ron,” I said more quietly, “Grandpa and Grandma are disappointed and unhappy. Nainai is heart-broken because I might not wear her costume. We've got to do something!”
“Fiona, you must be totally insane if you think I'm going to put on that little skirt—I mean that wee skirt—and hop around in front of people!” snarled Ron, and he ran out before I could say anything more.
Remembering the boys in our school lunchroom, I couldn't exactly blame Ron. Hopping around in a little skirt would sound really sissy to most American kids.
Supper that night was quiet. It felt weird to have Grandpa there and not hear his booming laugh. With Nainai's help, Dad had cooked a meal that didn't include anything too strange. Maybe Nainai thought she had already made her point with the jellyfish.
We ate our way steadily through dinner, but we didn't say much. Finally Grandpa cleared his throat. “Thedancers are coming over at seven-thirty tonight for another rehearsal.”
Dad opened his mouth but decided not to say anything. I saw Grandpa glance at me, but I didn't meet his eyes. Nainai was sitting right across from me. If I said I would continue as one of the dancers, it would be the same as telling her that I wouldn't be wearing her silk outfit.
The meal lasted forever, and even the dessert seemed to take a long time to eat. Usually it takes me one nanosecond to wolf it down. At last we finished.
While Ron and I cleared the table and started the dishes, Grandpa and Grandma went out to the back patio and sat on a wooden bench. The bench was right outside the open kitchen window, and I could
Across the dining table, Ron was also doing his homework. He finished before I did, and I watched him putting away his notebooks. He was neat in all his movements— maybe from all that kung fu training.
That's when I was struck with a brilliant idea: Ron could take my place in the Scottish dancing! After all, Ron was the one Grandpa really wanted for the dance troupe, and that beautiful kilt was his in the first place. Being quick and light on his feet, Ron wouldn't find the steps of the dances too hard to learn.
“Ron,” I called before he reached the door, “how would you like to take my place and join the Scottish dance troupe?”
“What?” he squawked. Actually, “squawked” isn't the right word. He squeaked. Ron's voice had changed, and most of the time it sounded deep. But once in a while, his voice still broke into a high squeak. “You're not …”—he stopped, took a breath, and got his voice back down again—”serious.”
“It'll be perfect!” I said. “You can take my place at therehearsal tonight and start learning the steps. We'll be having our final rehearsal tomorrow night, so you'll get enough practice to master the dances in plenty of time for the performance.”
“I've never taken dancing lessons in my life,” Ron said between his teeth, “and I don't intend to start now!”
“Look, Ron,” I said, “you'll be able to wear your kilt at last.”
“That kilt!” said Ron. “You saw what happened at school today!”
“When we were talking about the Manchu qipao just now,” I reminded him, “you said yourself that what you wear doesn't matter. It is what you do that matters.”
“I don't want to spend the rest of the school year flipping people around the lunchroom,” said Ron.
“Look, nobody's going to bother you after what happened to Joel, and it will make Grandpa so happy to see you wearing the kilt,” I coaxed. “Plus, I'll be able to wear Nainai's costume and be in Dad's show.”
“Don't you think about anything except what to wear?” demanded Ron. “First it's the kilt, and now it's that silk costume!”
I realized too late that we hadn't kept our voices down. I peeped into the living room and saw Grandpa and Grandma sitting stiffly upright on the sofa, their eyes looking straight ahead. It was clear that they had overheard.
“Listen, Ron,” I said more quietly, “Grandpa and Grandma are disappointed and unhappy. Nainai is heart-broken because I might not wear her costume. We've got to do something!”
“Fiona, you must be totally insane if you think I'm going to put on that little skirt—I mean that wee skirt—and hop around in front of people!” snarled Ron, and he ran out before I could say anything more.
Remembering the boys in our school lunchroom, I couldn't exactly blame Ron. Hopping around in a little skirt would sound really sissy to most American kids.
Supper that night was quiet. It felt weird to have Grandpa there and not hear his booming laugh. With Nainai's help, Dad had cooked a meal that didn't include anything too strange. Maybe Nainai thought she had already made her point with the jellyfish.
We ate our way steadily through dinner, but we didn't say much. Finally Grandpa cleared his throat. “Thedancers are coming over at seven-thirty tonight for another rehearsal.”
Dad opened his mouth but decided not to say anything. I saw Grandpa glance at me, but I didn't meet his eyes. Nainai was sitting right across from me. If I said I would continue as one of the dancers, it would be the same as telling her that I wouldn't be wearing her silk outfit.
The meal lasted forever, and even the dessert seemed to take a long time to eat. Usually it takes me one nanosecond to wolf it down. At last we finished.
While Ron and I cleared the table and started the dishes, Grandpa and Grandma went out to the back patio and sat on a wooden bench. The bench was right outside the open kitchen window, and I could
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