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bantha_fodderA Garden, Disturbed by Echoes, by Pen
Eating Chinese Food Naked, Ruby, G.
Chinese New Year, in another book none of you have ever read.
**
Ruby opened the fridge, intent on the soda. The smell of the takeout Mexican on the coffee table drifted across to her, and she felt guilty for spending her money. On her answering machine, the messages continued to play.
"Is almost New Year," Bell said, her voice echoing from tinny speakers. "You should come." She paused, and the silence echoed through Ruby's tiny apartment, followed by the dial tone.
Ruby held her soda tight in her hand, careful not to spill it on the floor as she crossed to the table. The sauce of the burrito dripped down her wrists, and she watched the meat as it fell onto the table.
Once, she walked past the restaurant where Helen Hong lived; heard the beating of the drums and the cheers of drunk celebrations. At school, she asked Helen about it. Helen looked at her funny; "It's to scare the bad spirits away," Helen said, like maybe Ruby was supposed to know. "No bad spirits in America," her father grumbled at her, later. "Why you worry about that?" That night they ate long noodles and fresh duck, and ignored the empty seat; Bell gave Ruby and Lily new dresses that she had made, and Franklin grumbled at the expense, but he did it quietly, and still turned the Chinese characters away from the street.
Ruby blinked, and rising, deleted her mother's message. Perhaps she'd go, she thought. Just one night, and not much to ask.
She left her burrito half-eaten on the table, and went to find a broom. Because she should, she thought, so close to New Year, and the lump in her throat grew as she realised she didn't own one.
She threw the burrito out.
END
Eating Chinese Food Naked is a book by Mei Ng about American Born Chinese, coming to terms with family and the world and it's a very frank, open style, and I enjoyed it.
Eating Chinese Food Naked, Ruby, G.
Chinese New Year, in another book none of you have ever read.
**
Ruby opened the fridge, intent on the soda. The smell of the takeout Mexican on the coffee table drifted across to her, and she felt guilty for spending her money. On her answering machine, the messages continued to play.
"Is almost New Year," Bell said, her voice echoing from tinny speakers. "You should come." She paused, and the silence echoed through Ruby's tiny apartment, followed by the dial tone.
Ruby held her soda tight in her hand, careful not to spill it on the floor as she crossed to the table. The sauce of the burrito dripped down her wrists, and she watched the meat as it fell onto the table.
Once, she walked past the restaurant where Helen Hong lived; heard the beating of the drums and the cheers of drunk celebrations. At school, she asked Helen about it. Helen looked at her funny; "It's to scare the bad spirits away," Helen said, like maybe Ruby was supposed to know. "No bad spirits in America," her father grumbled at her, later. "Why you worry about that?" That night they ate long noodles and fresh duck, and ignored the empty seat; Bell gave Ruby and Lily new dresses that she had made, and Franklin grumbled at the expense, but he did it quietly, and still turned the Chinese characters away from the street.
Ruby blinked, and rising, deleted her mother's message. Perhaps she'd go, she thought. Just one night, and not much to ask.
She left her burrito half-eaten on the table, and went to find a broom. Because she should, she thought, so close to New Year, and the lump in her throat grew as she realised she didn't own one.
She threw the burrito out.
END
Eating Chinese Food Naked is a book by Mei Ng about American Born Chinese, coming to terms with family and the world and it's a very frank, open style, and I enjoyed it.
