HOT TEA
before us is an old house
palms bending in the wind
and a tall stone lantern
beside a pebble path
the kid leads us up the path
past a huge pottery urn
catching plopping rain
and into a stone-floored entryway
we are so soaking wet
even inside our rain suits
that not even Cora
hesitates to step inside
the kid leaves us there
dripping puddles
onto the floor
returns with towels
and tells us to take off our shoes
and rain suits
so we towel off
then he motions for us
to step up into the house
which we almost do
but I stop
because I realize
now that he’s out of his raincoat
the kid is actually older than me
maybe much older
and I don’t think
anyone else is here
in this quiet house
but Cora steps up
follows him into the kitchen
where he turns on a burner
starts heating water
and spoons tea
into a teapot
do you go to the middle school?
I ask from the doorway
he tilts his head
points to a chair
for me to sit in
says no, nothing more
high school? I ask
no
well what school DO you go to?
Cora asks
I don’t he says
but if I did I’d be
third year middle school
the kid mutters about
searching for rice crackers
why don’t you go to school? Cora asks
he shrugs and says
I study at home …
do you like hōjicha?
any tea’s fine I say
so, do you? Cora asks the kid
what? make hōjicha? he says
no, study! do you study at home?
he thinks a minute then says
mostly no
and we all laugh
he moves aside his wet binoculars
and pours the tea into cups
as Cora and I sit down at the table
I’m Cora Cora says
pronouncing it the Japanese way
so it sounds like “cola”
and this is my brother Jason
but most people call him J
the kid nods, that’s all
till Cora sticks her head out
like a bird, expectant
and finally he gets the hint
and says
I’m Daiki
Nakano Daiki
like he’s out of practice
saying his own name
we sit without talking awhile
just sipping hot tea, then he says
I watched you going to the beach
I wanted to make sure you didn’t
go down the stairs to the water
people do that sometimes
check out the waves and try surfing
even in weather like this
people drown, you know
I say
we were just looking
he nods
not believing
like he knows everything
like I could have been one of those people
going too close to the waves
and Cora is looking at him
like he’s her big hero
really I say
we were just looking
but Daiki continues
last year after I quit school
I started watching the water
when the weather’s rough
one time
like today
before a typhoon
I watched a surfer go out
but he got tossed all over
and disappeared
so I called emergency
by the time firefighters
arrived with rescue stuff
he’d been under too long
and they couldn’t revive him
he died? Cora says, and Daiki nods
didn’t you call 119? Cora asks
of course he says
and they couldn’t help him? Cora whispers
and this Daiki guy says coldly
no, they can’t do everything, you know
and I’m thinking it’s time to leave
but Cora goes cold right back at him
changes the topic, and says
I think you should return to school
Daiki snorts
not that school
and he jerks his head
and by the direction and his eyes
I know he’s talking about
the local middle school
the one I’ll go to
if we can’t afford
international school
why? I say
see this? he says
and shows me a scar
on his forehead
near his hairline
that’s from when they tried
to shove me into the toilet
head first
so what happened? I ask
what do you mean? he says
were those kids punished?
they made them apologize Daiki says
made them clean bathrooms
so then it got better? I say
no he says
it got worse
after tea
before Cora and I leave
Daiki and I
trade cell phone numbers
so, maybe see you again?
Daiki says
and Cora and I both say
yeah, see you again