Thursday, November 23, 2006

Reader Comments for Catherine's Story, "Dreamers"

Catherine posted a revision of her story last week, but because it hasn't a special "post" spot for comments, it seems to have been forgotten. I post a copy here in the first comment spot for you to see and comment on.
Posted by at

1 comment:

Brad said...

Dreamers

It was midnight, but Ann couldn’t fall asleep at all. The storm howled all day that made her had really bad headache.

Wearing pajamas, she paced to the living room, collapsed into the sofa like a soulless puppet, and glared at the rain pattering on the dark window. Recently, her husband often came back home very late.

He said he was playing tennis with Jomar, and it was the only way he could relieve his depression.

“Canada doesn’t need any Master of Arts; it just needs labors!”

“My parents expect me to be Somebody, not a labor.”

“My classmates must laugh at me if they knew what I am doing in Canada.”

Being a labor is a shame in Chinese culture; especially, he graduated from Beijing University —the best university in China.

She wouldn’t forget that how excited when they received the landing paper. It was a raining day. Walking with an umbrella, they dreamed their new life in a new country in the future.

Time goes by quickly; the city’s maple trees had flowered four times.

Because of her experiences, perfect English, and hard working, Ann became a well-known reporter of a Chinese news paper in Vancouver. Thought the pay was not good, it was not bad for a new comer.

Also, by being a voter and a reporter, she had experienced the real democracy and freedom of press that was exactly what she dreamed before.

Except that her husband felt not good due to couldn’t find a better job except being a labor.

Once he got a chance to be an assistant cameraman in a studio. At the first day, he couldn’t follow the English-speaking film maker. Once he asked him to pick up “a cosmetician”; he didn’t understand what “a cosmetician” was. He must like a fool at that day he knew.

“I don’t want to be an idiot any more, even though they call me again.” He gnashed.
But they had never called him one more time.

In fact, the government provides many free services to new comers to improve their English. Her husband had been to Pearson Adult Learning Center for two months. It was really helpful but one day he said it was too hard to study after hours.

Facing at the wedding picture above fireplace, she suddenly realized that she hadn’t seen his smiling for a long time.

He kept saying:

“Vancouver is the best place for the haves or the have-nots, but not for me.”

“Don’t tell my mother we live in a basement.”

He dreamed to be a millionaire like Jomar: living in a big house in West Vancouver, driving a convertible BMW, and playing tennis all the day.

Jomar was a rich Vietnamese; they became friends by playing tennis. One day, her husband was invited to go fishing by a private boat.

“Jomar said he has more than forty containers in the harbor!” He told Ann when he came back.

After that, he couldn’t endure any more the smelling of their place. The carpet always emitted an unpleasant odor.

“I’m telling you, sooner or later, I will earn a pretty penny like Jomar!”

“Honey, I’ll buy you a house, a big house.”

As if only money could rebuild his confidence, but she had never asked him to make more money. She loved him no matter he was rich or not.

Before long, Jomar lent them this apartment for free that really surprised her. It was a real dream place: two bed rooms, more than 180 degrees ocean view, and located near English Bay.

“Why Jomar is so generous? Is it appropriate?” Ann asked.

“Don’t think too much.It is a reward for me. I’ll help him to develop China’s market.” He said.

“We’ll have our own place later that would be much better than this one! I promise.” He hugged her closely.

Last week they just settled in, and at the same time she found she was pregnant.

“A baby is coming. I will be a mother!”

She called their parents immediately.

Far away came to a series of alarm whistle.

“Where is he?” she murmured.

It was already 12:30; he supposed to come back soon.

Ann turned on the TV. There was no good news like her paper.

RCMP found another marijuana house in Surrey.

A black car crashed into the Fraser River from Pattulo Bridge.

A Chinese new comer jumped from an overpass in Toronto yesterday because he had two doctorates but could not find a good job. No letter left.

“Audiences love to see tragedies, don’t they?” Ann shook her head with a sigh.

“Bang, bang, bang…”

There was a knocking at the door.

“Huh, you finally come back! Why don’t you use your own key?”

She got up and moved quickly towards the door.

Two police officers were standing outside:

“Is David Lee your husband?”

“Yes, he is. Lee, L-E-E. What’s happened?” Her heart was thumping like a drum.

“Your husband is under arrest; he is suspected assisting in drug traffic. We are going to search for his home right now.”

“What? Drug? My husband? Oh, No!!!”

Thu Nov 23, 01:45:00 PM 2006

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)