StoryLine Issue No. 2 Fall 2020

"HIEN WANTED TO BE A PHARMACIST. EXCHANGING FLIRTY TEXTS WITH TRI WASN’T ON THE COASTLINE COUNSELOR’S EDUCATIONAL PLAN FOR HER."

church is on YouTube. The same for Mom and Dad and Grandma’s church, St. Teresa’s.” “But I hear Grandma say she going confession in shed on Saturday.” “She’s talking about this priest one of her friends told her about in Garden Grove. He bought a 10 x 10 metal shed at Home Depot and is doing drive-by confessions. Six feet away. Confessors in cars. Grandma’s going.” “By herself?” “Why not?” “First, because her driving. Second, because a virus. Third, she old.” “Grandma raised five children by herself while Grandpa was in re-education camp for five years after the war. She fought off a dozen men who wanted to marry her. Do you think a governor’s ‘suggestions’”—I inserted air quotes—“are going to stop her from doing what she wants to do?” “Maybe no.” It was time to change the topic. “Here’s an idea, Tri. While you’re stuck here, why don’t you make the best of what you call your ‘bad situation’? Study hard and improve your English. Before you know it, summer will be here. There are no ESL classes in the summer at Coastline, so you can go home. You’ll get better soon.” “You funny, Trang. My English good. It better than you. You stolen English.” “Really.” “Lookin’ for the right way to do the wrong things.” “You can stop lookin’,Tri.” “So why am I in class if this is who I’m trying to be like? So I drop out, lessons I was taught are quick to fade As I realized that turning papers in won’t get me paid.” “Nice English, Tri. Too bad it’s not yours.” “Better than your Sailor Twit.” Three months of insults. I crawled back to our cluttered burrow, trying to focus on my Micro test and block out the near certainty of an online fall semester. At least I would have my old room back by then, my future Zoom room. Bomb.

THREE PANDEMIC HAIKUS BY LISA DUPUY

WORK REMOTE FROM HOME ZOOMING IS HOWWE CONNECT BRADY BUNCH GRID-STYLE

GRAY HAIRS PEEKING OUT SHELTER IN PLACE, NO MOVEMENT SHOWING MY TRUE AGE

NEIGHBORS WEARING MASKS MUFFLED GOOD MORNINGS TO ME AS THEY CROSS THE STREET

Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online