J.S. Lau

A catalogue of acts of love.

Some are quiet. Some are funny. Some are harder to look at than others.

57 short anecdotes and drawings by J.S. Lau.

Buy the book

“Emotional, wise and warm, James Lau’s words about love, life, family and friends will make you smile, think and nod your head.”

Seana Smith, author of Going Under

“James captures love in all its light, darkness and quiet moments, leaping off the page and landing in your chest. Extraordinary.”

Sue Heath, business leader

“It is not a book that takes 30 minutes or less to read. I was drawn to pause, think and read again.”

Dr Cen Wang, psychologist

“Too Much To Mention brought me tears of both joy and loss.”

Elizabeth Sargeant, music director

Also by J.S. Lau

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Cover of What is at the edge of the universe?: two small astronauts with a toolbox and a ladder under a starry black sky.

What is at the edge of the universe?

A cartoon book for curious minds. 2023

Cover of Too Cool To Wait: a drawing of a girl sitting on steps beside a red Japanese postbox.

Too Cool To Wait

A Japan travel book. 2024

Hear from me now and then

New drawings, new thoughts and only when it is worth sending.

Look inside · sample pages

The Truce

No words.
Not even a scowl.

Days.
Weeks.

She hides in her room.
He stays out.

Then one evening:
roast pork,
cabbage soup,
all the trimmings —
his favourite.

They sit at the table.
She says nothing.

They eat.

He asks for more soup,
she fetches it.

10

Because We’re Good People

I was hosting a dinner party, and for reasons I can’t recall now, it became a matter of life and death that I had lemons.

All the shops were shut. It was a public holiday.

Then I remembered: there was a lemon tree two blocks away in someone’s front yard.

Years later, I told this story to Joss — the way you share a thousand small things when you first fall in love.

“People who plant lemon trees in their front yard,” I said, “must be good people.”

Months later, she led me out to the back porch of her rental apartment. There stood a lemon tree in a pot. Tied to it was a tag that read:

“Because we’re good people. Happy Birthday.”

17

18

Tied

Joss was three days overdue with our first child. Sick of lying on the couch, she decided we should ride our bikes to Chinatown for laksa.

“Motion and spice,” she said. “That’s what will make the baby come out.”

She struggled to bend forward to put her shoes on, so I did it for her.

When I looked up, her eyes were filled with tears of gratitude.

I hadn’t done anything special, really — but that didn’t stop me from accepting the Husband of the Year award.

23

Debt

When I was nineteen, I wanted to quit a dead-end job to study full-time.

Everyone said no.

Mum asked, “Who’s going to pay the mortgage?”

Dad said, “Just do it. We’ll find a way.”

Not long after, we lost the family home.

Years later, he lent me twenty thousand dollars to buy my first home. When I’d saved enough to pay him back, Dad said:

“I would be insulted if you did.”

I’ve said mean things about my father. He was an alcoholic.

And then there’s this.

48

Findings

Joss and I have our fair share of clashes.

A breakdown of why we fight:

Money matters: 7%
Difference in ways of doing things: 8%
Misalignment of priorities: 12%
James’s annoying habits: 30%
Feelings of being neglected/misunderstood: 43%

Proportion of time:

Joss is right: 83%
She resists saying “I told you so”: 100%
I admit fault and change: 5%
The change actually sticks: 0.1%
I say “See, Joss, I can change”: 100%
I actually mean “Please don’t leave me”: 100%
Joss says “Please don’t change. You are perfect.”: 100%

54

Follow

I’d follow you to the ends of the earth,
I said.
And meant it.

She said,
You know the world’s round, right?

56

71

Repetition

I’ve become the kind of man who repeats old material. My teenage boys don’t let me get away with it.

Rather than admit that I am ageing, or think of my boys as impatient, I’ve formed a theory:

Repetition is nature’s design.

Think of prehistoric man around a campfire. How many different stories can come from spearing a buffalo? Isn’t hearing the same thing again and again how children learn what matters? And isn’t there a joy in retelling, and therefore reliving a memory?

I shared this revelation with my son.

He said:

“You’ve told me that before, Dad.”

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88

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Too Much To Mention

by J.S. Lau

In Australia

A$22, posted free or collected in Bathurst. Choose how many at checkout, and add my other books if you like.

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Or signed and numbered, one of 100, for A$30.

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Order by 4 December for Christmas.

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