Sabaydee fellow SJD, Here is my piece of writing that I'd like to share with you. I hope you enjoy reading it and there will be more to come, later. Ai Kongkeo or somebody, would you help me please to post on SCL because at my work I can't access to newsgroup. Also, I won't be here at all the rest of this week...on vacation for moving out my apartment. Kop Jai and Hakphaeng, Joe .................................................................................... Satjadham presents: Generation Gap: "Red Tear..." Part I By: Joe Boulom "DON'T TELL ME! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING...YOU ARE TRADITIONAL!, THIS IS NOT LAO, OK!, I GOT TO GO MY BOYFRIEND ARE WAITING FOR ME" Beep!...Beep!...Beep! "I HAVE MY RIGHT TO LIVE ON MY OWN! DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! I HAVE NO FATHER LIKE OTHER FAMILY! I AM TIRED OF LIVING HERE! YOU TALK TOO MUCH!", getting tired of hearing lecture from her mom over and over again, a teenager, 16 years old, with dark red lip-stick on tiny lip, yells at her mom before she leaves. While in speechless and watching her daugther are rushing out to the front door, her tear starts pouring down on her cheek slowly. She tries to reach out to hold on her daugther's arm, but it`s too late, her dauther is too strong and fast for her. Only she can do to call her back, "Don't go! Come Back!... listen to me!". Her daugther never looks back as running to her friend car and take off as the car disappearing out of her sight. Inside the house, feeling emptiness and quiet, in her mind, as she has alway been imaging her daugther, "seeing her daugther, Nok, dressing is very unlike her as a teen ; hearing her speaking with unpolitely unlike her as teen; no respect and obedience unlike her as a teen". As she continues on and wonder why, "because of my sin that I had done in past life... ...is that why my mother and father, hardworking farmer and very gentle couple, had passed away when I was little, 5 years old, in Laos. ...is that why my husband, a gentle man, peace lover, soldier who had never seen his youngest unborn child, was dead in the concentration camp in Northern of Laos. ...is that why my oldest son, a gentle teen who taking care his younger sisters when I am not home, were killed while protecting me and my two daughters across the mekong river in escaping from Lao communist to Thialand. ...is that why my second older daugther, who alway be there in helping me and just turn to be 16 years old, was kidnaped during living in Refugee Camp, Nongkhia, Thialand. ...is that why my youngest daugther, who will fill up my only dream to see her growing up with well educated, now are running away from me in U.S. Everything is silence at this moment in the room exept hearing the sound of droping tear hitting the floor...pop!...pop!.. Her tear is dropping more and more but no answer just like droping water into desert. ...........Continue on Next Time......................... Any comment, please send email to laolit@zac.lao.net