Chapter 16 Chapter Fourteen My Choice

Dr. Mehta came to the Victoria Hotel on Monday, thinking I was still staying there.He found out that we had moved out, found our new address, and came to see me at our residence.Because of my ignorance, I contracted ringworm on the ship.On board we always washed our clothes and bathed in seawater, and the soap didn't work.But I insisted on using soap, thinking that using soap would show that I was cultured. As a result, instead of washing my skin clean, it made my whole body greasy, which led to ringworm.I pointed it out to Dr. Mehta and he taught me to wash with acetic acid.I still remember how hot the acetic acid was making me cry out in pain.Dr. Mehta looked at my room and furnishings, shook his head and said: "This place is not good. We came to England not so much to study, but to gain a little experience of British life and customs. For that reason, you should live with an English family. But until then, I think you'd better be apprenticed to so-and-so, and I'll take you there."

I gratefully accepted his advice and moved in with an English friend.He was extremely kind and considerate, treated me like a younger brother, taught me English manners, and got me used to talking in English.But my diet has become a serious problem.I can't eat vegetables that have been boiled in boiling water without salt or spices, and the housewife doesn't know what to cook for me.The granola was all right for breakfast, but I never got enough for lunch and dinner.That friend kept persuading me to eat meat, but I always made some explanations on the grounds of my vows, and then kept silent.Spinach and bread with marmalade for lunch and dinner.I am a person who can eat, and I have a big appetite, but I only eat two or three slices of bread. I am sorry to ask for more, because it seems wrong to ask for more.Besides, there is no milk for lunch and dinner.Once that friend became anxious and said to me frankly: "If you were my younger brother, I would send you back to China. Your mother is neither literate nor understands the situation here. The oath I swore in front of her What value? It is not an oath at all, nor is it legally recognized. It is pure superstition to keep such an oath. I will tell you that you will gain nothing here by being so obstinate. You admit that you have eaten meat, and It tastes delicious. You eat it where you absolutely don’t need it, and now you come to a place where you must eat meat, but you don’t eat it. It’s really puzzling!”

Yet I remained steadfast.That friend continued to persuade me day and night, but I always faced him with a negative attitude.The more he argued, the more stubborn I became.I prayed every day, asking God to bless, and it really worked.I don't have any concept of God, this is the function of faith, the seed of this faith was planted by the kind nanny Lamba. One day that friend began to read Bentham's "Utilitarianism" to me.I was just like falling into a cloud of five miles: the difficulty of the words made me unable to understand, so he explained it for me.I said: "Forgive me, I really can't grasp these profound things. I admit that people need to eat meat, but I can't break my oath. I can't argue about this issue. I understand that I can't argue with you. Please. Forgive me for being a fool or a stubborn person. I appreciate your love for me and I know you do wish me well. I also know you've been asking me this question over and over because of your love for me Caring, but I can't help it. An oath is an oath, and it cannot be broken." The friend looked at me in surprise.He closed the book and said, "Well, I won't argue with you anymore." I was glad to hear that.Sure enough, he stopped discussing the matter.However, he didn't stop worrying about me.He smoked and drank, but never asked me to.In fact, he told me not to smoke or drink.One thing he worries about is:

Don't let my body be weakened by not eating meat so I don't feel so at home in England. This is my one-month apprenticeship.The friend's home is in Richmond, and he can only go to London once or twice a week at most.Dr. Mehta and Mr. Dabatrang Sukla therefore decided that I should lodge with a certain family.Mr. Sukla took a fancy to an Anglo-Indian home in West Kensington, and placed me there.The owner is a widow.I told her my oath.The old lady promised to take proper care of me, and I took up residence with her.I'm pretty much starving here too. I've written home to ask for some candy and other home-style food, but it hasn't arrived yet.Everything here is bland.The old lady asks me every day if I like her food, but what can she do?I was still as embarrassed as before, and dared not ask for more than what was given to me.She has two daughters who always give me an extra slice or two.But they don't know that a large piece of bread doesn't necessarily fill my stomach.

But now I've finally settled down.I haven't started formal studies yet.At the prompt of Mr. Sukla, I began to read the newspaper at this time.I never read newspapers in India, but here I have acquired the habit of reading them regularly.I often read the "Daily News", "Daily Telegraph" and "Paul Mar Gazette".This takes about an hour.Because I was free, I went out and walked around, looking for a vegetarian restaurant.The housewife once told me that there are such places in the city.I walked ten or twelve miles a day to find a cheap place to eat my bread, but I was never satisfied.I stumbled across a vegetarian restaurant on Farrington Street once while wandering around.

This discovery gave me the joy of a child who gets what he loves.As I was about to go in, I saw some books for sale in the glass window by the door, one of which was Sartre's Vegetarianism.I bought the book for a shilling, and went straight into the dining-room.This is the first meal I have ever wanted since I came to England.God finally gave me help. I read Salter's book cover to cover and was very impressed.Since the day I read this book, I can say that I have become a vegetarian who knows what to choose.Thinking of the day I swore in front of my mother, I can't help but feel mixed feelings.My motivation for not eating meat in the past was to be faithful to the truth and fulfill my oath, but at the same time, I hoped that every Indian would become a meat eater. I also hope that one day I can eat meat openly and freely, and persuade others to do the same. eat meat.Now that I have chosen vegetarianism, promoting vegetarianism will become my mission in the future.