Mystery

Justinn is in Costa Rica and I think I'm doing okay without him. For now.

Aside from dancing, working, and trying to conserve gasoline, I've been playing the Sims. And hanging out with my parents.

I've realized lately that I want to know my parents. I mean, I KNOW them.. and I know how they are, how they act...I appreciate them...but I want to know their stories. I found their old pictures and they looked like they had so much fun, whatever they are doing. My mom was gorgeous, with her small smile I think I inherited. My dad was quite handsome, the dapper young man. You can just tell he was charming. He still is. For some reason after browsing through them, I felt like I didn't know my parents. They're so different right now, with responsibilities and work and family...and when you're raising kids, you have to set an example so there's a lot of self censorship. I experienced this when working at the YMCA.

Anyway. Two incidents this summer where I would sit down with my mom and her sisters and they would just talk about how they grew up..mostly about their life in America.

"God I just couldn't wait to get married! Then I wouldn't have to keep giving Grandma my paychecks."

And we would all laugh because it's true. I just asked and asked and asked questions. How Co Khoi was like when she was younger, how my mom was, how Peanut was when she was in college, has Co Dung always had attitude, and what about the 2 boys...What? Cau Tuan just ran off at the age of 12 for a week? With neighbor friends?! WITH MONEY HE STOLE FROM GRANDMA?

I asked about the pictures, how old they were...I just couldn't get enough. I was curious who I might take after, with my own person, and who else takes after who else. There is a lot of ground to cover with such a huge family. What more, I really don't know my mom as much as my dad. She was always the discipliner, working, passive. In the recent years she's opened up her personality and I see how innately good she is, her passion for purses...expensive ones. For the first time, I am seeing how much my mom looooves to laugh. She's also a lot friendlier than I thought...and a bit absent minded. My sister and I inherited that... Mama loves to garden. Her favorite flowers are tulips and roses. Surprisingly enough..Mom has a lot to say. She's always been quiet, and kept to herself.

My dad will tell me stories in our weekend lunches. I like asking about us kids and how we were as children. Because I can't remember. I ask him about his mom, my grandmother I never had the pleasure to meet. I hesitate a lot, wondering how hard it is for him to reminisce. I think my dad's incredibly passionate. He has thick skin though. I wonder how my father developed the patience and 'chill' he is notorious for. His easy sense of humor, and the hidden charm.

I even ask Justinn's parents what he was like. "Terrible." "We wanted to give him away!" "The little devil!" "5 trips to the emergency room before he was 7 years old!" And Mr. And Mrs. General would look at each other and smile fondly.

It's nice.