Family With Six Treasures (02)

       Professor Li doesnt mingle with his Caucasian neighbors. His favorite Chinese proverb is, "Everyone should sweep snow from own front door and not worry about the ice on other roofs."

       Being very busy with her family and her housework, Mrs. Li also had little involvement with the neighbors. Her command of English was not subtle enough to gossip easily with the other women: or was there any time for friendly visits to her neighboring homes. Occasionally friends of her number Four, Five, and Six daughters came to the house to do their homework together or to play. But these were teenaged girls between the ages of 11 and 17. Daughter number One Amy is already 26 years old and has been away at Columbia University.

       Professor Li teaches at Columbia University. Thats why Amy went there. Because her father is a faculty member and her grades were so good, Amy did not have to pay tuition for her under-graduate or graduate studies. Now she has her masters and a license to teach. She come back home to teach English at Glen Cove High School, her Alma mater.

        Living at home saves money, and theres always someone there for company. However, there is one big problem; Mom is still dropping broad hints to remind Amy of her age.

        "There is a well-known Chinese proverb. When a boy reaches that certain age and becomes a man, he should marry and have children bear his name. And, when a girl grows bigger, she should marry someone on whom she can depend. According to the Chinese way of reckoning age, you are almost 27 years old."

        “Marriage is the most important thing in a woman’s life. Do you have a ‘duwee Shun yet?"

        “Duwee Shun? Whats a Duwee Shun, Mom?"

        “Duwee Shun means male friend, or boyfriend."

        Among all the sisters, number Four daughter has the most incredible understanding of China and the Chinese language. She is a passionate reader of the Kung Fu stories, all about love, hate, politics, and romance among the Kung Fu fighters. She loves them all. And, as a bona fide fan, she watches as many Kung Fu movies as she possibly can.

        "How come I never came across that word in my Chinese class?" Amy wonders.

         Amys hair is black, cut into a short bob, and is very shiny. Her almond-shaped eyes are deep black and beautiful, her lips like tiny sweet cherries set in a small round face. She is an intelligent and attractive young lady.

        “Big sister’s boyfriend teaches Physics at our school. Mr. Aponte,” Elaine, number Five daughter, and Glen Cove High School student, interrupted.

        Elaine is a sophomore at the school where her sister teaches. In addition to talking about boys, another favorite topic of conversation among her girlfriends is the single teachers love life: who is the boyfriend of which available female teacher and which woman is each of the bachelor teacher dating.

       Elaine adds, "His full name is Anthony Aponte."

       Amy must be in love. When she heard the name Anthony Aponte, a deep crimson blush swept across her round face. A small giggle escaped, and she hides her face. Amy thought quietly for a few minutes; then she raised her head and asked, rhetorically, "Dad is really against us marrying a Caucasian, isnt he, Mom?"

       Mrs. Li tried to find a way to answer her daughter, which wont make matters worse, "Your Daddy has often said that he wants Chinese son-in-laws."

       Number One Daughters face became pale. Softly she postulated, "Actually, many Caucasian have very dark straight hair too. And their skin isn’t necessarily pale.”

       Elaine, the Number Five Daughter, frequently interrupts to get attention. This discussion is no exception, "Daddy doesnt want foreigners as sons-in-law because hes afraid theyll laugh at his peculiar way of speaking the English language."

       “Maybe he can’t keep up with his colleagues and that’s why he hates foreigners.”

       As usual, Mrs. Li has compassion and says, protectively, "Your father teaches bio-chemistry and as long as he is knowledgeable in that science, how well he does or doesnt speak English is truly irrelevant."

       Number Three Daughter came into the house during the latter part of this discussion. She’s wearing a mini skirt which reveals just about all of her long, shapely legs. The matching shirt is a modified tank top, short enough to lay bare her tiny waist. Chelsea waited for her Mom to finish speaking to offer her opinion, "Dads hatred of Caucasians stems from the fact that the Chinese girlfriend he had before he met you, is married to a Caucasian."

       Mrs. Li disagreed and said, "You kids shouldnt invent stories like that!"

       With a shake of her head, accompanied by the tinkle of her long metallic earrings, Chelsea defended herself, saying, "Elaine told me about it."

       Elaine explained, "Libby, one of the girls in my class is Amer-Asian. One day, she yelled at me. She said ‘Your father is a home-wrecker.’”

       “What?”

       Elaine continued, "Libby said, My parents are always fighting and its your fathers fault. My Caucasian Dad says that my Chinese Mom used to be you father’s girlfriend. My Mom tells my Dad that if he hadn’t lied and told her that your father returned to China to marry a girl his parents selected for him, she’d be married to your father right now! Then my Dad gets very angry and that’s why I hate you!’”

       “Does Dad really have an ex-girlfriend living in Glen Cove?”

       “Well, Mom always told us that a long time ago, after the girl Dad had been going out with got married, he went back to his home in China. Lots of match-makers tried to fix him up. When he saw Mom’s picture he said ‘OK, that’s the one’. He married Mom and brought her to America.”

       “What’s Libby’s mother’s maiden name?”

       “Who knows? I only know that Libby’s last name is Smith.”

       Mrs. Li is stunned by what shes heard. But, for a long time, she doesnt say anything. Her daughters continue their speculations. Finally, she regains her composure and, with somewhat a forced smile, says,  "Other peoples domestic fights have nothing to do with us. Your father works very hard, spends a lot of hours commuting to New York City; so just don’t mention any of this to him. Besides, he’s probably forgotten all about the incident.”

      Then on the theory that the problem of Amy’s unacceptable ‘Duwee shun would solve itself if it were left alone, Ms. Li told Amy, "in as much as your Dad is so opposed to any of you marrying a Caucasian, lets not say anything about Mr. Alpo…the Physics teacher."

     "Dont mention it! Is it like an ostrich burying its head in the sand?" The second daughter Betty asked.

(To Be Continued)