Saturday Memory
July 26, 2025

I took my 10-year-old son, Michael, to Scotland in 1980. We traveled from London, visiting Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, and on into Wales. Mike particularly liked Wales because the people there were shorter, and Mike felt better about his being on the short side. I was struck by his sense of “belonging” in Wales, though we have no Welsh lineage. But Mike felt as if he had found his tribe, not just because of his size, but also because he was on the darker side, while his brother Paul was redheaded (as I had been) and lighter-skinned (as I was). Mike is now 55, and he looks distinctly Welsh. However, there was nothing about English, Welsh, or Scottish food that he liked. So, wherever we were, we looked for Chinese. I was amazed at how even the smallest villages had Chinese eateries. We mostly took Chinese takeaway (as takeouts are called there), as Mike did not like to sit in restaurants. I often reflected during this trip on what role ethnicities and various cuisines play in our sense of identity. I did not push Mike to “adapt” to the situation. I adapted to his lead in many ways. Likewise, I always feel a child has something to teach.

Russ