Month: May 2016

Oh, how I felt bad for that girl, Ji-li. I meant for the red successor nomination to only be in good thoughts. Sadly, it ended up with Ji-li learning a terrible truth about her past. It all started out when I stepped into the classroom in the afternoon to begin the election for the red successor. Even though it didn’t look like it, I saw that Ji-li really wanted to win the election. When I saw that Yu Jian was nominated, I wasn’t surprised. Naturally, the class’s chairman would be nominated as a successor. When Ji-li was nominated, I looked at the student who nominated her. As I walked and began to write the candidates’ names on the board, Yin Lan-lan raised his hand. When I called on Yin Lan-lan, she said that the candidates political background should be investigated like when the real Guards are elected. Knowing about Ji-li’s past, I worried what she might learn. Yu Jian told the class that his class status was office worker and that his dad was in the CCP and his mom would join it soon. Then, Ji-li had to state her class status. She said that her class status was also office worker and that her father was an actor. Then, Du Hai asked what her father’s class status was. He had a mischievous look on his face and had an arm laying lazily on the desk behind him. Ji-li had a worried look on her face and I have seen that look on enough students to know that when they have that look, they don’t know what to say. She said that she didn’t know what her grandfather did… only that he died when her father was 7 years old. Du Hai stood up and swept his eyes across the class. He said that her grandfather was a landlord and that her father was a rightist. I knew that her grandfather was a landlord but her father, a rightist? I kept it to myself that I didn’t believe it because when I met Ji-li’s father for conferences sometimes, he seemed alright and didn’t say anything against Mao. But after Ji-li heard what Du Hai said and processed it in her head, she ran out of the classroom and that was the last I saw of her that day. At that moment, I half wished that class status’ didn’t matter because it cost Ji-li something that she really wanted… to be nominated as a red successor.

I was just eating lunch when Grandma said that she might need to get acupuncture and when I heard that, my ears perked up. Ji-li asked Grandma if she needed anything and Grandma said that she would be fine but an idea was forming in my head. Grandma said that Mom would take her to the clinic to get acupuncture when Mom got home. Then, I offered to drive the pedicab to the clinic for her since I had some practice and I feel confident about driving the pedicab, since Ji-li pointed out that Mom would get home late in the night. I also told her that I drove it a few times but when Grandma looked suspicious, I added that it was just for practice.

Once we got the pedicab, I showed them a confident smile but inside, I was feeling very nervous since this was my first time driving it with people actually in the cab. With my sisters pushing the cab and me driving it I felt confident. We stopped at the first red light, and when it turned green, I turned around and yelled, “PUSH!!!!!” We hit a second light without noticing and a truck driver yelled for us to move. Ji-li and Ji-yun fell behind but then I picked up some speed. When I turned around to smile and reassure Grandma, the cab jolted to the side and ran over the curb. Grandma yelled at me and told me to be more careful. I felt a little irony because I did feel some confidence but it was washed away like a sand castle on the beach when I hit the curb.

When Ji-li and Ji-yun, caught up at the next traffic light, I turned back and yelled for them to push the cab. When Ji-li said that I needed to go slower because I almost made Grandma fall out when the cab went over the curb. Grandma told them that I had promised to be more careful from then on. I gave them a sheepish smile but inside, I felt bad that I got distracted and made the cab hit the curb. Once we made it to the clinic with no more mess-ups, I felt some relief that I was out of the cab and nothing bad could happen. After Grandma got acupuncture, I drove her home and I was a lot more careful this time. When Mom asked, I told her the truth that it was easy and that we could do it again anytime she wasn’t home.