Девять рассказов

           Then,whileIstooddazedandincessantlynoddingandfeelingmyjacketwheremydrawingpencilshadbeenrepocketed,M.Yoshotoexplainedtometheschool’smethodofinstruction(or,rather,itsnonexistentmethodofinstruction).Afterhe’dreturnedtohisowndesk,ittookmeseveralminutestopullmyselftogether.

           AllthreestudentsassignedtomewereEnglish-languagestudents.Thefirstwasatwenty-three-year-oldTorontohousewife,whosaidherprofessionalnamewasBambiKramer,andadvisedtheschooltoaddresshermailaccordingly.AllnewstudentsatLesAmisDesVieuxMaitreswererequestedtofilloutquestionnaireformsandtoenclosephotographsofthemselves.MissKramerhadenclosedaglossy,eightbytenprintofherselfwearingananklet,astraplessbathingsuit,andawhite-ducksailor’scap.OnherquestionnaireformshestatedthatherfavoriteartistswereRembrandtandWaltDisney.Shesaidsheonlyhopedthatshecouldsomedayemulatethem.Hersampledrawingswereclipped,rathersubordinately,toherphotograph.Allofthemwerearresting.Oneofthemwasunforgettable.Theunforgettableonewasdoneinfloridwashcolors,withacaptionthatread:"ForgiveThemTheirTrespasses."Itshowedthreesmallboysfishinginanodd-lookingbodyofwater,oneoftheirjacketsdrapedovera"NoFishing!"sign.