The Spare Room by Kathryn Lomer

Author:Kathryn Lomer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Queensland Press

11

One Sunday some time later I arrived at Chisuko’s homestay house with a red string bag of oranges under my arm. She had wanted me to come for lunch for ages, but my life was so busy, what with class and work and the boat. When she opened the door I handed the oranges to her. I was nervous. I hadn’t been to another Australian home before. She looked at the oranges quizzically.

I bringed them for your homestay family, I said.

She smiled.

Brought. You’re a sweetheart, she said.

There were times when Chisuko’s way of speaking alarmed me. She spoke English so well and so colloquially that I had to remember it was like speaking to an Australian, but the fact that she was Japanese got in the way sometimes. Sweetheart? I thought. What did that mean?

Are they okay? I asked. Daisy told me to bring something.

Oranges are lovely, Akira. Come and meet my homestay parents.

There was a twinkle in Chisuko’s eye which made me uneasy, but I followed her into the house. It was quite different from my homestay house. This one was very modern and open with a bright living area and floor-to-ceiling windows which looked over the city. In the kitchen, two women were standing laughing amid the makings of lunch, with big glasses of red wine in their hands. They made a toast just as we came in, clinking their glasses together.

To us!

To us!

Chisuko called out, Here he is! and they put down their glasses and came towards us, grinning.

I’m Louise, said one, and shook my hand.

And I’m Christine, said the other, also shaking my hand.

I was quite adept at handshaking these days. I didn’t have to count or concentrate.

I am pleased to meet you both, I said. Thank you for inviting me to have traditional Sunday lunch with you.

They fell about laughing at this and I wondered if I had been too formal. Or was there a joke I didn’t get? Perhaps it was just my accent. Anyway, Chisuko was there. It would be okay.

Nothing traditional in this household, I’m afraid, Akira, Louise said.

Oh, I said.

Do you have traditional Sunday roasts at your homestay house? Chisuko asked.

No. Maybe my homestay father doesn’t know roast. He makes Greek, Italian, Spanish, Thai.

Louise said, The husband does the cooking? That’s good.

Yes, very good, I said. He is chief cook and bottle-washer.

The women started laughing again but this time I felt relaxed. They were friendly, and they were happy.

And I am learning to cook, I added.

That’s excellent, Akira, said Christine.

Chisuko laughed. She said, You won’t do any cooking when you go home to Japan, Akira.

Maybe no, I said. Maybe yes.

Christine said, Let’s go and sit down, shall we? I’ll get you some wine, Akira. Then you can tell me what you’ve learned to cook.

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