Middle of Everywhere - Mary Bray Pipher [92]
Yen spoke first. She looked too pretty and peppy for someone with a full-time job and six children. Yen said she had taken her daughter to the emergency room because she had a sore throat and fever. Wendy expressed surprise because the emergency room is so expensive.
Yen said, "I called Ask a Nurse and she said I'd better go."
Wendy said, "Then you did the right thing. Is your daughter better?"
Yen nodded proudly. "I bought her medicine."
Wendy pointed to the thick bandage on Ha's hand. Last week she had injured herself when a sharp tool slipped as she worked on a bed frame. Wendy asked, "How is your hand tonight?"
Ha answered, "Not too bad. The doctor said I should rest, but I am the only worker in my family."
Wendy asked, "Could the doctor write you a note for work?"
Ha vigorously shook her head no. "I don't want any trouble. Good job." She changed the subject. "An American lady invited me to a candle party on Saturday."
The others looked impressed, but Wendy only said, "Hmmm." She asked, "Do you know if your friend will be selling candles at the party?"
Ha looked confused. Wendy said, "Sometimes Americans sell things at parties. Remember you do not need to buy any candles. You can just enjoy the party."
Bao patted Ha's arm and volunteered herself as chaperone. "I will go with you if you want. Don't worry."
Bao pulled out her computer for translating and placed it in on the table in front of her. She flashed the group a big smile and said, "My family attended Thanksgiving dinner at the community center. I made seventy-five egg rolls for the party."
Wendy asked if it was fun. "Sure, sure. We had everything—turkey, pumpkin pie, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and bingo. I am very good at bingo." To demonstrate she yelled out, "Bingo!" a few times. We all laughed.
Watching Bao joke around, it was hard to believe she'd lost two children escaping Vietnam. She acted as if life were a grand adventure; she didn't complain and she hurled herself into learning. She was eager to make friends and to make money.
Maria proudly announced that she had found shirts at Kmart for 70 percent off. This elicited gasps of delight from the group. Maria said, "Go tomorrow. The sale ends Tuesday."
She elaborated, "They have Christmas decorations. Very cheap. I bought a Christmas card that sings all by itself."
Yen said, "I bought toys and coats at the Salvation Army for nineteen cent a pound."
Bao said, "I bought a Christmas tree, but the needles turned brown and it died."
"Did you water it?" Wendy asked.
Bao grimaced and said, "No, Miss." Everyone laughed.
Wendy turned to Rosa. "What did you do this weekend?"
"I had a flat tire," she answered shyly.
Ha said, "I had one of those last month."
Wendy asked, "How many of you know how to change a flat tire?" When no one raised her hand, Wendy said, "In the spring, I will teach you how to do this. It isn't hard."
Bao asked Rosa, "Do you have a driver's license?"
She looked embarrassed and shook her head no.
Bao clucked and shook her head. "This one should go to cultural orientation classes."
Wendy rescued Rosa from Bao.
"Rosa," she said, "stay after class and I will tell you what to do for your driver's license. Do not worry. You are not in trouble." Then she changed the subject. "How do you like the snowy weather?"
Yen said, "It is very hard, Miss. All my children fall down."
"My first snow in Nebraska, I put snow in a box to mail to Vietnam," Bao said. "I didn't know it would melt."
"What if the roads are closed when my baby is coming?" asked Rosa.
Maria said, "The hospital will send an ambulance for you, chica. You and the baby will be fine."
"My husband called in sick today because he is afraid to drive on snow," Yen announced. "He might wreck our car."
Wendy said gently, "Maybe your husband could ask an American to teach him to drive on winter roads."
"When we first came here, the snow made our lights go off. We were