Christopher Columbus High School - Anchor Yearbook (Bronx, NY)

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which Bud could express his admiration. lim made no comment. Because he'd enjoyed the British and French pavilions so much, Bud suggested that they visit the Swiss building next. Here he laughed at the costumes the Swiss wore. But it wasn't a derisive laugh. It was, rather, an appreciative chuckle. lim noticed this and gave himself an imaginary pat on the back. However, when they came to a show-case which contained a variety of skis, Bud was once more stricken speechless. When he did find his tongue again, he couldn't say enough about them. Iim told him 'he sounded as though he were trying to sell them. Continuing through the exhibit, they finally came to the cheese cellar. Here there was some genuine Swiss cheese for sale. After having bought a small piece for ten cents, Bud tasted it. No sooner had he swallowed his first bite, than he went to the counter and bought sixty cents' worth more. They had seen all they wanted to of that building, so they went on to the Mexican exhibit. Here, after having seen some samples of leather-working, Bud stoutly avowed that the Mexicans couldn't be such dumbunnies if they could do work like that. lim of course agreed and harmony reigned. ' Their next visit was to the Iapanese Pavilion. Bud was very surprised that the Iapanese girls in the building were d-ressed in Western fashions, but the biggest surprise of all were the pictures which were displayed on the wall. These showed Iapanese sowing in the fields, reaping and driving tractors. In fact they showed' the Iapanese doing most everything American farmers do. At first Bud thought the pictures weren't real, but he couldn't see how they could have been touched up. Finally, convinced, he studied them closely with a puzzled expression on his face. lim watched him interestedly for a 'While and then began to look at the pictures himself. They had spent a good twenty minutes gazing at the prints, when they finally decided to sit down a little. I never knew laps looked like that, Bud began. Like what? Like those pictures. Why, they're wearing overalls and driving American machines. I always thought they wore long dresses- even the men. ' Gosh nol Those dresses are just their native costumes. For every day they wear the same clothes we do. And as for the machines- why, they're used all over the world. They're not just Americanl I guess you're right but, heckl, I still can't get it out of my head that it's strange for them to be wearing those clothes and using those machines.

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.Md may at fha C-air U AVE a nice time, boysl Don't worry, we will. So long, Ma. See you tonight. Good-bye, Mrs. Steele. They were bound for the World's Fair, for a day of enjoyment. Naturally, they wanted to have plans so Bud looked at Iim and said: Where will we go, lim? Well, Bud, I thought I'd like to go see the foreign buildings. Why them? Here's our bus now. Let's go in and I'll tell you. They scrambled on to the bus, seated themselves and Iim started. Y'see, Bud, I figure I should know something about all those people who live in other countries. That's why there's so much intolerance in the world today. Because people from other lands are strange and have queer customs, we distrust them and fear them, and that's all intolerance is-fear and distrust. You've got funny ideas, Iim. All this tolerance business gives me a pain in the neck. Take the French now. All they are is a bunch of frog-eaters. And the English. Everybody knows they practically live on tea, And I don't wanna be dragged into any Swiss building to see some guys in short pants, yodelingf' Any further discussion would probably have led to an argument. Iim hastily changed the subject, When they finally reached the Fair, they were engrossed in a discussion on the merits of the para- chute-jump. lim didn't say anything about where they were going, but after some clever maneuvering, he was leading Bud into the British Pavilion. Bud didn't have much to say himself until they reached a room in which were displayed some motorcycles cmd bicycles. Holy cowl Take a look at that bike, willya? Gee, that's what I call a bike. Bud was so excited he whirled to face Iim and they both went down in a tangle of flying arms and legs. Even this didn't serve to dampen Bud's enthusiasm, however, and when they finally righted themselves he immediately began to show Iim all the line points of the vehicle he admired so much. This was in the British Exhibit. When the two reached the French building ffor it was only natural that they should go there nextl, Bud became enraptured at seeing an ambulance displayed. Wow . . . what a beauty. I bet you could hit ninety in that. I'd ride in that bus even if I wasn't sick. They weren't beautiful words but they were the only words with

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'I'hat's 'cause you've never thought about it. The silence which followed was broken by Iim's Well, this isn't getting us anywhere. A few minutes later, they rose, sauntered out of the building and headed for the amusement area. At about eleven o'clock that evening, Iim and Bud, both very tired, climbed into the Westchester Square bus. They were having a fine time laughing about the experiences they had had, when Bud suddenly became very serious. You know, lim, that's not such a foolish idea you have, after all. lim, not knowing just what he was talking about, looked at him in a puzzled manner and asked, Which idea do you mean? You know I do have more than one, believe it or not. I'm not kidding, lim. This is really serious. I know it is and I'm sorry it I sounded flippant, but I really don't know what you're talking about. That idea of yours that we wouldn't be so intolerant if we knew more about foreign people. Why, gee, I never knew the English had such swell bikes. And if they like to ride as much as we do then they can't be such stuffed shirts as I thought they were. The Italians, too. Gosh, I didn't think they were anything but a bunch of foreign- ers, but you saw that swell little car they made: and those bookends weren't so bad, either. They even had new styles in clothes for the ladies. Why they're just like us, only they speak a different language. All those people are the same. 'l'hey're interested in the same things we Americans are, only you never hear about it. All we hear are the bad things. lim looked at him and smiled as if to say, 'I'hat's how I feel about it. Bud smiled back ruefully: I guess it sounds funny-me talking that way, but that's the way I feel. And don't worry, every time I feel like saying something mean about one of those oguntries l'll remember what l saw today-then I probably won't say it. lim knew that Bud felt embarrassed at having talked the way he had, so rather than embarrass him more by praising him or continu- ing the discussion, he began to talk about the Trylon. Even though he spoke no more about it, however, he continued to think about what Bud had said, and secretly he felt that the day they had spent at the Fair was one of the most worthwhile he had spent in a long time. As the bus rumbled down the road, he gave a little prayer of thanks that he lived in a country where such a project as the World's Fair was possible. LOUISE STEVENS