,agoodexcusenottotalktotheirparentsthatotherteenagersmayenvy.
Themoreorlesswell-to-dohomesIsawweregettingincreasinglyAmericanized,withamahsbecomingtooexpensiveandwashingmachinestakingtheirplacealonewiththelastest-modelrefrigeratorsandhi-fiphonographsboughtontheinstallmentplan.Christmashadbecomeagreatoccasionforgiftsandpartiesfornon-Christianstoo.BoysandgirlshandedeachotherChristmascardsinschool.Onegirlwrotetoawomancolumnist:"Iamnineteenyearsold.MyfatherandIescapedfromnorthChinaayearago,crossingthecountrywithgreatdifficulty.WemadethelaststretchtoMacaoinasmallboatwhichwasfiredonbytheCommunists.MyfathercoveredmewithhisbodysohegotwoundedanddiedinthehospitalinMacao.IcametoHongKong,whereafriendoffather'sgotmeajobpayingaboutHK$100amonth[lessthantwentyAmericandollars],justenoughtokeepaliveandrentabunk.IamtheonlyonewithoutChristmasinallHongKong.PleasetellmeifIshouldgobackthemainland."
Sidebysidewithharrowingescapeslikethis,thereisalotofwhatseemstobeneedlessandfool-hardytrafficofrefugeesgoingbackforvisits."We'vegrownpoorfromsendingparcels,"mylandladytoldmeoncewithalittlelaugh.Shenevercouldleaveoffexplainingwhytheyhadtotakeinalodger.Sheandherhusbandsetbothsetsofparentsandotherdependentsnoodles,poprice,preservedmeatsandherbs,sugar,soy,peanutoil,andsoapeachmonthandclothinginseason.OfonebrandofBritish-madechickencubes,hermother-in-lawhadwrittenecstatically:"Thesecubeshavesolvedalltheproblemsofourtwomealsaday."Thesugartheydissolvedinwateranddrankasatonic.Herbrother,inalaborcampforharboringafriendaccusedofbeingaNationalistspy,isstillabletowriteheraskingforpillsforhisailingkidneyandswollenlegs.Herbrother,inalaborcampforharboringafriendaccusedofbeingaNationalistspy,isstillabletowriteheraskingforpillsforhisailingkidneyandswollenlegs.Heryoungersisterisdoctorassignedtoworkinthecountry."Shehastogooutonsickcallsatnight,whereit'spitchdarkandthegroundisunevenandshe'safraidofsnakes.Youknowhowyounggirlsare,"she