Little Saigon

       When I first read it I didn’t understand it at all. Then I read it again and I finally understood it. Little Saigon may be a short story but it was empowering! There were five different parts in the story. It seems that the albino peacock was a symbol of the mother.  For weeks the mother was secretly talking to an old man that lived by the tobacco shop. The mother wanted to leave her home to escape. When they arrive to the boat the Jack Pirate told the mother to go on the other boat while the two daughters go on his boat. Before they left, the mother called to the oldest daughter, saying, “Take care of your sister!” They had run out of food so the oldest had to do the unthinkable to survive. She told the Jack Pirate, “Give me water and food for my sister.” Night after night, she had to suffer so her sister Mai Chi can have food and water. They finally arrived, but their mother hasn’t. They stayed with the mother’s cousin in Little Saigon, California. Later their aunt came and got them. They lived in a nice home with the aunt and uncle was very good to them.

      To actually be asked to take care of your younger sibling? Wow.  I don’t think many people have the courage to do it unless they really have to. To do what she had to do every night took a lot of guts.  I don’t think I can ever do that unless it is the last thing to do on earth. I have a little sister. She is two years old. I think that if our parents left and left my sister with me I think I would be able to take care of her because I have my older brother for support, if you think of today’s modern world. I learned that the younger sister is her half sister. The mother had sex with an American black man. The older sister painted but she never showed to anyone except Mai Chi. At the end of the story she showed her a painting of the mother walking in the streets, and the white peacock was beside her, the tail spread out. Mai Chi began to cry and the older sister consoled her by saying that the mother is finally safe. Mai Chi said, “Ngoc Be! So are we…”