{"id":2046,"date":"2022-09-25T18:58:38","date_gmt":"2022-09-25T22:58:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepetigrureview.com\/?page_id=2046"},"modified":"2022-09-25T18:58:38","modified_gmt":"2022-09-25T22:58:38","slug":"catherine-con","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thepetigrureview.com\/?page_id=2046","title":{"rendered":"Catherine Con"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Deracinate<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSpeak English?\u201d Mr. Woodruff asks in a drawn-out twang. The principal of Starlight Elementary. Silver brows gather. Oyster eyes curious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My daughter and I are not obvious in Los Angeles. Here, a small town, the deep south, our dark hair, epicanthic fold of eyes stand out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d  Lilly, my timid child, winces in a tiny voice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My armpits are wet and warm. I take a deep breath and count to five.       <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lilly, miniature in that large armchair. Wrings my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I present Mr. Woodruff Lilly\u2019s report cards from second grade and the recommendation letter from her previous school master for the placement in gifted program. I assure Mr. Woodruff that I supported classroom activities, volunteered for lunch hours, and helped with fundraisers in Lilly\u2019s former school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silver brows relax, oyster eyes glow, he assigns Lilly to the gifted class and appoints me as the Room-Mom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost people in this community are French, German, Japanese expats, Americans from up north or the west coast.\u201d Kim, our realtor, explains the reasons why she recommends Falls Haven.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Move from the hotel room into our new home by the Enoree river. A neighbor knocks on my door when I unpack. Floral maxi dress, a shock of silvery short hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHello, I\u2019m Donna, your Neighborhood Greeter, is this a good time?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, please.\u201d I hold the front door open and shuffle the boxes aside with my right foot. \u201cSorry, it\u2019s a mess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt takes forever. we moved here three years ago, and I still have boxes in the garage.\u201d  She frowns.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another transplant. \u201cWhere were you?\u201d I ask. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSan Francisco.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA long way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, here\u2019s a gift from the neighborhood HOA.\u201d Donna puts a wicker basket on a box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a dramatic wave, she pulls away the squared plaid cloth over the basket.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cWow!\u201d The clean, sweet aroma of warm baguette wafts. An adorable rustic jar of peach jam. A blue ribbon tied a couple of red apples and a yellow squash in a seraphine glossy bag from a local organic grocer. Sheets of coupons from restaurants, salons, bars, skating pavilion, health clubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donna chats in her crisp California inflection; tells me about the ladies\u2019 craft club on Tuesday morning, women\u2019s Bible study group, and invites me to a jewelry show at her home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s different<\/em> here.\u201d Donna whispers, as if passing on occult knowledge. Her eyes are gentle, her voice warm. She pats my shoulder when she leaves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m invited to a neighbor\u2019s for a jewelry party.\u201d I say as my daughter, my husband and I sit at the kitchen counter for dinner. The dining table is occupied by boxes of plates and bowls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGo.\u201d Ming says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. They are white Americans. I think.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Placing the stir-fried beef and broccoli noodle on the counter, I serve a spoonful to Lilly on a Dixie paper plate with a plastic fork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great opportunity to be Americanized.\u201d Ming flashes a mischievous grin and takes a sip of his dinner wine from a plastic cup. I give him a stern look. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cParty starts at six o\u2019clock, dinner time. How about you and Lily\u2019s dinner?\u201d I groan, hesitate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLilly likes Charlie\u2019s BBQ, don\u2019t you, Lilly?\u201d Ming replies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want BBQ pork sandwich with fries and ketchup.\u201d Lilly chimes in with her mouth full. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat if they ignore me?\u201d I grab a paper napkin and wipe Lilly\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen you just eat and drink and shop, get drunk there. Lie on the sidewalk and we go load you into the trunk.\u201d Ming winks at me and Lilly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We laugh like nothing can be funnier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A short leisurely stroll to Donna\u2019s house on the tree lined sidewalk. I stand on the front step; the door is ajar.      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHi, you are new. Donna told us you are from LA.\u201d A brunette lady with deep-set brown eyes. \u201cI\u2019m Amy. I lived in Japan for three years, when my husband stationed there.\u201d She hands me a flute of Prosecco.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m Ping, yes, just Ping.\u201d I swallow a big swig. Icy thrill hits the bottom of my gut and soothes my stiffened neck and shoulder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe transferred here from Ohio, BMW, the car industry.\u201d Amy says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of snow in winter in Ohio.\u201d Slow and distinct, I pronounce each syllable of every word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, the climate is much better here.\u201d Amy smiles. \u201cI took doll making classes in Japan; come see my dolls. I live in 321 Woodway, here is my phone number.\u201d In her Midwest, clear English connotation. \u201cMy daughter is also in third grade. We can carpool.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Relief. Amy has genuine sentiments for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tilt my head back to empty the flute. Examine the jewelry. A curious twisted heavy piece of silver hung on a braided jute cord catches my eyes. Attracted by the earthy strangeness, I take hold of it before anyone else grabs it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, that is a lovely piece!\u201d Palma comes up to me. Curly hair, sheared close to her skull, as if a knitted wool cap. A full-moon face with enormous round eyes. Heavy accent. European?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t it unique?\u201d I show her the necklace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI got a set of turquoise earrings. Yes, they are designer pieces, no one alike.\u201d A pair of earrings in her small palm. \u201cI supply the warm baguette for the welcome baskets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, it\u2019s you! That baguette was delicious, thank you.\u201d I can\u2019t hide my wine induced excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI bake baguette for sale every Thursday, if you enjoyed it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, I love fresh bread.\u201d I write my number on a napkin for Palma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI am French. We came with Michelin. My name is Palma Rosa Jeanne Dela Cagna Baptiste<\/em>.\u201d She smiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grinning at my open mouth silence, Palma understands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cJust call me Palma.\u201d     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPalma, I had to stop my French class for this move. Will you help me continue learning French?\u201d I cannot believe my luck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOk, don\u2019t forget. Give me your number so I can remind you.\u201d I giggle. I seldom drink. One flute of Prosecco in an empty stomach delights me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To inoculate Lilly from exclusion in South Carolina, I don\u2019t know any other ways but to volunteer at her school and extra-curriculum activities. When her geography lessons cover Asia, I make posters of Taiwan, dress in my qipao, hang scrolls of art works around my booth. Students form a line to request sheets of black ink writing from my paint brush. I recruit Amy to dress in her Japanese Kimono, display her dolls from her Japan craft lessons, and exhibit large posters of the Japanese Islands. We are the most popular booths; a local newspaper comes to photograph us, and the TV station conducts interviews of us. Amy lines up Lilly, her daughter, and Palma\u2019s little girl for the TV camera and says they are the American Girls today.     <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Lilly\u2019s birthday, I prepare small packets of treats of origami cranes, rice crispy treats for each student. Lilly makes friends; she gets invited to birthday parties, pool get-togethers, even summer vacations to people\u2019s beach resort homes in Florida. In her Brownie\u2019s uniform, she looks heartrendingly American with her sash of badges and green beret. A profound solace and a sense of pride washes over me with her assimilation into the mainstream. She has grown to be a fearless first generation American. She is here to stake her claim.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I morph as well. Mimicking a collector, I collect Southern slang and idioms: \u201cHon.\u201d \u201cYou all.\u201d \u201cBless your heart.\u201d \u201cSweety pie,\u201d spill out of my mouth, with an inevitable Mandarin modulation.      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In LA, the large metropolis has different pockets of diverse international ethnic groups. Here in Greenville, South Carolina; the internationals seep into nooks and crannies in the entire community like moving water. No \u201ctown,\u201d \u201cquarter,\u201d or \u201cdiaspora\u201d to confine them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Catherine C. Con<\/strong>, English Literature (BA) Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taiwan. System Science (MS) Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge.; a Computer Science instructor, University of South Carolina, Upstate. Published in Emrys Journal, Tint Journal, The Bare Life Review, The Petigru Review, HerStry, Shards<\/em>(Shards.glassmountainmag.com<\/a>), Dunes Review, Emrys Journal Online(Medium.com<\/a>), National Women’s History Museum, Catfish Stew, Change Seven, Longridge Review; Limit Experience Journal, On The Run, Light House Weekly, New York Times<\/em>. Nominated for 2020 PEN\/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers; selected for “2020 Local Authors” by Greenville County Library, South Carolina.  Finalist for the Anne C. Barnhill Prize for Creative Nonfiction, Fall 2021. Serve on the Board of Director of South Carolina Writers Association 2022-present. First place for Lighthouse Weekly March Fiction Contest., March 2022. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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