Joe's story

Joe is my 'never met' classmate. I found his casual e-mail very interesting and emotional. Our background and how we're brought up could motivate us to be a better and successful man in life. With Joe's permission, I would like to share the Story of early Joe with you.

This is part of our sad history, but we are all looking towards to a better China.

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My mom, 98, had 12 kids, only 7 survive. She refused to talk about our own suffering. Only mention Japanese surrounded the remote village and rounded everyone up and murdered them all. It must be too painful for her hiding in the wild watching close relative murdered. When she first arrived in SF, I picked her up with my new Corolla, she refused to sit in the car. It took me a while to sweet talk to her. When I bought a Town and Country, the first thing she asked me is what make. When I told her American car, she repeated - good boy, good boy, many times. Well!

In 1945, our whole family went back to Xiamen. We suffered through evil Mao. My proud uncle ‘bought’ us out of China. I remembered the first time, only my kid brother and my mom were allowed to come to HK. My proud uncle stop payment to HK Mao connection. My mom took Paul and went back to China, telling her brother, either we all came out or we all died in there. Being a Christian with ‘rich’ status. Anyone can imagine how painful for us. Not that I knew it that well. I was too young. Lucky! We escaped Cultural Revolution.

I don’t know who to hate. I wasn’t so happy when I first arrived in HK. In our village, the crooks took bribe under table. In HK, the police took bribe openly. There were no clean police in HK at the time. I have no faith in human race.

Those New York kids protested HK child labor. But HK had no welfare system, if a poor 11 years old, me!, do not allow to work, I can only take the job home, being paid half the pay. I protested once watching TV news talking about it. Mom quietly asked me to pray with her. She doesn’t want me to hate anyone.

I had no faith in humanity. The whole West are full of hypocrisy!

I refused to take history class in HK. It was pointless to learn ugly human behavior.

The first time I learned the word ‘embargo’ was in US, history class. I can’t believe how evil that we can come up with such idea. Crucifying a war torn, backward nation by preventing trade is too evil. I totally lost faith in democracy. We yell beautiful slogans, but we commit such a crime.

History class was compulsory. I challenged the professor that why should I forced to take history and government that I have zero background. My professor asked me, if it was OK that I tried my best to read and tell him what grade I wanted. He was too liberal. I told him A. He asked me why? I said all my majors were A. I could not afford C. I suddenly realized democracy is not so bad after all.

Anyway, being Chinese, I am happy I have the chance to watch good Lord giving China the second chance to become the world dominating economy. Finally, Chinese have a chance to survive well again.

Hope China can turn into a well behave society.