BLOG.LEESOLOMON.ORG
The Hug
Sixteen years of waiting ended tonight for a little girl. In a parallel path filled with regrets, the waiting also ended for her father.
The little girl always wanted a father to hug. The father regretted not being there to be hugged, lamenting that it was too late to recapture the missing years. The mother sat listening; watching.
This little drama played out in our home this evening.
Cici heard what Ping and I were discussing. She came out from her bedroom to join us in the living room. Papa wants a hug, Ping told her. No, I told Cici, what we are talking about is how things could have been so different if you and I had known each other when you were just a little girl. You would have grown up hugging me, and as you got older, it would have still felt natural to you. Now it is difficult to go back in time and build that kind of relationship.
Without hesitation, and without saying a word, Cici came across the room to where I was sitting. Her eyes were shining. Ping was sitting on the ottoman, holding my feet, waiting to see what would happen.
Cici leaned down, put her arms around my neck, pulled me close, and gave me a hug as I hugged her in return. It was an emotional moment for all three of us, but more so for Cici and me, I believe. Ping wanted it, but Cici and I are the ones who had to bridge the gap created by years of living apart in different cultures on different parts of the globe. Cici, you are so sweet, I told her. This means so much to me.
What else can one say at a moment like this, I thought. The important thing is to always remember this moment. And I will. Somehow I think my girls will remember it too. A hug knows no language barriers. I knew what Cici was saying; she knew I was saying it too.
Towers
In almost every respect, Cici speaks English like a native these days. She often uses expressions that surprise me. How did she learn that, I think? But learn she has, and it shows. There is at least one word, however, that she hasn't mastered. The word is towels, but she pronounces it more like towers. She confessed yesterday that the primary reason she needs such a large suitcase for a five day trip to Chicago is because of the "towers" that she will take with her.
My attempts to persuade her that the towels in a hotel or in someone's home will be clean have been unsuccessful. This is a lifelong habit that was formed in China where dishes in restaurants and towels in hotels might not be clean. The distrust runs deep. My most recent argument was by analogy. Cici, I said, think about water. The earth has only a limited amount of water and it recycles constantly. What we drink today was in someone's toilet in the past. It has just been cleaned up and purified so we can drink it. Papa! Don't say that, she said, but didn't budge on her desire to take her own towels with her to Chicago.
Speaking of Chicago, Ping and I are about to suffer empty nest syndrome for the next five days. Cici leaves for Chicago after class tomorrow. She has been packing for days. Her biggest worry is that it won't be cold in Chicago. She may be right. Chicago looks downright balmy right now, with highs in the 50's and lows in the 40's for the next several days. But there is supposed to be rain, and if the wind is blowing off the lake, it will feel quite cold when they are in downtown Chicago.
I guess I will get a break with no homework and no need to drive Cici to school each morning for the next week and a half. But it will be tough to have her gone. Tougher on me, I think, than on Ping, though we tease Cici about all the fun we will have while she is gone. I think she has tests tomorrow, though, so there is studying to be done tonight.
My attempts to persuade her that the towels in a hotel or in someone's home will be clean have been unsuccessful. This is a lifelong habit that was formed in China where dishes in restaurants and towels in hotels might not be clean. The distrust runs deep. My most recent argument was by analogy. Cici, I said, think about water. The earth has only a limited amount of water and it recycles constantly. What we drink today was in someone's toilet in the past. It has just been cleaned up and purified so we can drink it. Papa! Don't say that, she said, but didn't budge on her desire to take her own towels with her to Chicago.
Speaking of Chicago, Ping and I are about to suffer empty nest syndrome for the next five days. Cici leaves for Chicago after class tomorrow. She has been packing for days. Her biggest worry is that it won't be cold in Chicago. She may be right. Chicago looks downright balmy right now, with highs in the 50's and lows in the 40's for the next several days. But there is supposed to be rain, and if the wind is blowing off the lake, it will feel quite cold when they are in downtown Chicago.
I guess I will get a break with no homework and no need to drive Cici to school each morning for the next week and a half. But it will be tough to have her gone. Tougher on me, I think, than on Ping, though we tease Cici about all the fun we will have while she is gone. I think she has tests tomorrow, though, so there is studying to be done tonight.
Nothing Like Home
We had another busy day, but this evening as we returned from eating Vietnamese noodle soup and picking up some fresh Chinese vegetables at the nearby food market, I noticed that the girls were very happy. Earlier in the day when I drove Cici to the church where she played a concert with her school band, she was very talkative. I worked at the office for several hours until she called me to say she was ready to be picked up. She was still happy and talkative. Ping had time to return Cici's books to the library and work out at the fitness club while Cici and I were gone.
Cici had stayed awake until 3:00 this morning so I was surprised she wasn't very tired. She and Ping slept in this morning while I worked, though, and that gave me time to write another long article for the immigration center on our law firm website. I feel some pressure to write and post more articles because the company that is doing our immigration law video has asked me to be one of the four attorney experts on immigration law on their blog. This company has the leading law firm directory in the world, with more than four million visitors each month, so it will mean a lot of exposure for our law firm. We will also have a direct link from their company to our website, which will greatly enhance our already strong search engine ranking.
But guess who is proof reading my article. Ping is reading it because we will have it translated into Chinese. She and Cici will use it this summer at the meetings with families that are interested in obtaining an investor visa. We will post the translated article on our website as well.
While Ping reads the article, Cici is studying for tomorrow. She has to be at school early for an extra rehearsal tomorrow and Tuesday, so we will be arriving at school about 6:45 a.m. For us, it is just part of our life, and no one is complaining. Things are going so well for us. Cici even learned last week when she saw the orthodontist that they will remove her braces at her next appointment on May 10. That means that she only had to wear braces for 8 months from start to finish, and we won't have to worry about the braces this summer while she is in China.
But you know what? I get the distinct impression that
Artificial Boundaries
I always feel somewhat limited in what I can talk about on this blog. I don't feel like I can just sit down and write about something that I feel like talking about. This morning, for example, I stopped at a Starbucks on my way to the office. It doesn't have a drive through window so I parked and went inside. It was only 6:30 a.m. but there were already a couple of people sitting inside with their laptops open, waiting, I suppose, to see and be seen. I can understand that; it felt like a comfortable place to pass some time.
Outside the store, I saw tables in front and along the side. One man had positioned himself outside with his laptop open on one of the tables. That he could do this comfortably on an early March morning says a lot about how quickly Spring is approaching us in Houston. It also says something about the marketing genius of providing free wi-fi access at Starbucks.
Sure I can talk about these things if I want to, but then I feel compelled to tie it back in with the subject matter of the blog. This is one boundary that limits my writing. So I add a comment like how much the weather in Houston is like the weather in Guangzhou, which means that the girls are happy with it. Or I talk about how the girls and I would always stop in a Starbucks in Guangzhou next door to one of our favorite shopping malls. Maybe I could mention that few Chinese people stop in Starbucks in China because the price of the coffee is so high in relation to their earnings, in order to tie it back to this blog.
But what if I just wanted to talk about how it felt when I walked outside to pick up the newspaper this morning, or some other random topic? Nope, same dilemma. I would feel like I need to add that the girls were still sleeping soundly in the predawn chill of this early March morning in Houston, only a couple of months before they will return to China for part of the summer.
Then almost invariably the title that I started with must change in order for it to have anything to do with what I have written. I started this post with a title about "more exposure," but as I wrote, I never got to the point that I intended to talk about when I started writing. I guess I will have to leave that topic for another day, held in by one more boundary: the title of the post.
Outside the store, I saw tables in front and along the side. One man had positioned himself outside with his laptop open on one of the tables. That he could do this comfortably on an early March morning says a lot about how quickly Spring is approaching us in Houston. It also says something about the marketing genius of providing free wi-fi access at Starbucks.
Sure I can talk about these things if I want to, but then I feel compelled to tie it back in with the subject matter of the blog. This is one boundary that limits my writing. So I add a comment like how much the weather in Houston is like the weather in Guangzhou, which means that the girls are happy with it. Or I talk about how the girls and I would always stop in a Starbucks in Guangzhou next door to one of our favorite shopping malls. Maybe I could mention that few Chinese people stop in Starbucks in China because the price of the coffee is so high in relation to their earnings, in order to tie it back to this blog.
But what if I just wanted to talk about how it felt when I walked outside to pick up the newspaper this morning, or some other random topic? Nope, same dilemma. I would feel like I need to add that the girls were still sleeping soundly in the predawn chill of this early March morning in Houston, only a couple of months before they will return to China for part of the summer.
Then almost invariably the title that I started with must change in order for it to have anything to do with what I have written. I started this post with a title about "more exposure," but as I wrote, I never got to the point that I intended to talk about when I started writing. I guess I will have to leave that topic for another day, held in by one more boundary: the title of the post.
What a Difference a Year Makes
Last evening I went to report card night at school while Ping took Cici to the orthodontist. In addition to Cici's report card, I received her standardized test results from last October. This is going to be brutal, I thought, because I knew how difficult it was for her the previous year. But I was wrong. The advances she made in a year were amazing to me.
The first standardized test she took was just a few months after she arrived in America. I wasn't surprised to see that her English score was only in the 6th percentile nationwide. In a single year of studying in America, though, she sprang from near the bottom to the 56th percentile. Wow, I thought, this is a quantum leap to be making in one year.
The jump in math was less dramatic, but she didn't start as low. The only reason it was low at all was because of her inability to read and understand the word problems. Nevertheless, she moved from the 52nd percentile to the 93rd percentile.
Science was somewhat like math, so the move was from the 61st percentile to the 93rd percentile.
This test result moved her dramatically upward in the projected ACT score as well, though still not where she wants to be. It projects a score in the 17 to 21 range, but the computer has no idea what is happening with our daughter. The computer assumes that she has pretty much reached her skill level, and it expects little change from this point forward. The computer is wrong; Cici has only gotten started.
I was talking with Cici about this last night and she agrees with me. It is as though someone flipped a switch during this school year, and her ability to read and understand English took a dramatic step forward. She pulled out the Honors chemistry test she had received back yesterday and handed it to me. Her score was a perfect 100. I started reading the questions, and they were quite difficult. Cici, you could not have understood these questions last year, I told her. I know, Papa, she said, but now it is easy for me.
I was one of the few parents who showed up at report card night last night. Usually there are a lot of parents there. I wonder why so few people came, I said to one of the teachers. I think that at this point in the school year they believe there is nothing they can do to change how their child is performing, he responded.
That is odd, I thought, because every day Cici and I are focused on improving her performance in her classes. We believe we can move her standardized test scores even higher, and not just by a point or two. We believe we can move her into the 21 to 25 range for her projected ACT score on the standardized test she will take this fall, which is the level for getting into colleges like the University of Texas.
And now, with her new level of confidence, Cici is raising her hand and answering questions -- in English class! Her English teacher told me this last evening. Yes, a determined child can learn a lot in a year. She has done me proud.
The first standardized test she took was just a few months after she arrived in America. I wasn't surprised to see that her English score was only in the 6th percentile nationwide. In a single year of studying in America, though, she sprang from near the bottom to the 56th percentile. Wow, I thought, this is a quantum leap to be making in one year.
The jump in math was less dramatic, but she didn't start as low. The only reason it was low at all was because of her inability to read and understand the word problems. Nevertheless, she moved from the 52nd percentile to the 93rd percentile.
Science was somewhat like math, so the move was from the 61st percentile to the 93rd percentile.
This test result moved her dramatically upward in the projected ACT score as well, though still not where she wants to be. It projects a score in the 17 to 21 range, but the computer has no idea what is happening with our daughter. The computer assumes that she has pretty much reached her skill level, and it expects little change from this point forward. The computer is wrong; Cici has only gotten started.
I was talking with Cici about this last night and she agrees with me. It is as though someone flipped a switch during this school year, and her ability to read and understand English took a dramatic step forward. She pulled out the Honors chemistry test she had received back yesterday and handed it to me. Her score was a perfect 100. I started reading the questions, and they were quite difficult. Cici, you could not have understood these questions last year, I told her. I know, Papa, she said, but now it is easy for me.
I was one of the few parents who showed up at report card night last night. Usually there are a lot of parents there. I wonder why so few people came, I said to one of the teachers. I think that at this point in the school year they believe there is nothing they can do to change how their child is performing, he responded.
That is odd, I thought, because every day Cici and I are focused on improving her performance in her classes. We believe we can move her standardized test scores even higher, and not just by a point or two. We believe we can move her into the 21 to 25 range for her projected ACT score on the standardized test she will take this fall, which is the level for getting into colleges like the University of Texas.
And now, with her new level of confidence, Cici is raising her hand and answering questions -- in English class! Her English teacher told me this last evening. Yes, a determined child can learn a lot in a year. She has done me proud.
VC's to DVD's
I started my day in a power meeting. I thought I was just going to meet with our client, but he was accompanied by three of the top people, including the name partner, of what I consider to be the top angel or mezzanine venture capital firm in Houston. This was the final meeting before a decision would be made to invest millions of dollars in the client's company. Had I known who would be attending the meeting, I would have asked Ping to be at the office before the meeting started. That was a missed opportunity, but the meeting went well anyway.
Later in the day I met with two people from one of our marketing firms. They want to make a video for our website to promote our immigration practice. Look at your book, they said. This is a powerful story. People need to hear about it, and they need to meet you and your family. So, they suggested, Ping and Angela need to be in the video. Part of the video should be shot in your tea room, part should be shot in the reception area, and part should be shot in your office.
How about a shot of Angela playing the gu zheng, I suggested. That would be so good, so unique, they replied. You see, everyone wants your family, and they will love your story. It is a story of hope, a story of love, a story of success. Prospective clients who come to your law firm website should see your family in the office together. It will allow them to identify with you and they will trust you to help them with their immigration cases.
Hmm, are they just selling, or will they really create sales? This is the biggest player in the legal market, so they should know what they are talking about. Our statistics show that a video on a law firm website will double or triple the number of people who will call and ask the law firm to represent them, they added. But we think you will experience even better results because of your story and your family if you will include them in the video.
So at the risk of feeling somewhat like a politician kissing babies, I am inclined to give it a try. But first, the girls are going to have to buy in to the idea, so I may have some selling of my own to do.
Later in the day I met with two people from one of our marketing firms. They want to make a video for our website to promote our immigration practice. Look at your book, they said. This is a powerful story. People need to hear about it, and they need to meet you and your family. So, they suggested, Ping and Angela need to be in the video. Part of the video should be shot in your tea room, part should be shot in the reception area, and part should be shot in your office.
How about a shot of Angela playing the gu zheng, I suggested. That would be so good, so unique, they replied. You see, everyone wants your family, and they will love your story. It is a story of hope, a story of love, a story of success. Prospective clients who come to your law firm website should see your family in the office together. It will allow them to identify with you and they will trust you to help them with their immigration cases.
Hmm, are they just selling, or will they really create sales? This is the biggest player in the legal market, so they should know what they are talking about. Our statistics show that a video on a law firm website will double or triple the number of people who will call and ask the law firm to represent them, they added. But we think you will experience even better results because of your story and your family if you will include them in the video.
So at the risk of feeling somewhat like a politician kissing babies, I am inclined to give it a try. But first, the girls are going to have to buy in to the idea, so I may have some selling of my own to do.
What's in a Face
Tonight I showed Ping the home page on our personal injury law firm website. She got very excited and ran to get her pad to write down the url. What? You haven't found it yet? Let me help you. www.texasaccidentinjurylawyers.com face="'Times New Roman', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Ping spotted my photo on the home page inset in a box with one of our key sound bites. Should we keep my photo there, I asked her, or should we just have the message without my photo? Definitely keep your photo there, she said, because people trust you when they see your face. Especially the ladies, she continued with a half smile, half pout. I thought she was teasing, but I was wrong. Niu bao, she said, I am serious. I have learned that ladies really trust you when they meet you.
Hmm, I didn't know that, but I hope it works on the website.
My beautiful wife has so many friends now that she always has something going on. She introduces me to new people every week, and is always bringing new clients and business opportunities to our law firm. You are like a machine at the office, she told me today. Your mind works non-stop. You are so busy. So she takes extra special care of me. Today she started worrying about how I can survive without her this summer. It sounded like she is lining up some of her girlfriends to look after me in her absence. What a woman she is!
Tough Judge
Papa, I got a number 1 ranking, Cici told me as we drove home this evening. She said it nonchalantly. You mean for your flute playing on Saturday, I asked? Yes, she replied, but I don't know how that happened. By her standards, she didn't play that well. Maybe she needed to hear the competition before she judged herself. Or maybe if she had played later in the day, after she was fully awake, she would have felt different about her performance.
In any event, it is one more little accolade for her. One more mark she has made during her short time in America. One more inspiration for those who might follow in her footsteps. I just hope this is not a bad sign for her audition. Life often gives a good with a bad, and this was an unexpected good.
I am so hungry, Cici continued with our conversation. She and Ping were successful at the driver's license office today, getting her Texas ID issued, but she missed lunch and didn't eat breakfast. Ping and I had stayed at the office working while Cici was doing her school duties, but at least they finished earlier than 9:00 p.m. Ping headed home while I drove to school to get Cici.
So isn't there a McDonalds on the corner of I-10 and Blalock on the other side of the freeway from where we are driving, I asked Cici? I don't know, Papa, she replied. You need to know where all your favorite restaurants are located, I teased her. It turned out I was right, and when we left to head home, Cici asked me why we didn't go the other direction into the neighborhood instead of returning to the freeway. You just proved that you know your way around Houston, I told her. You are correct that we could go through the neighborhood and get to our home.
Just another sign of how Cici and Ping have made Houston their home.
Doesn't Seem Possible
Cici and I were talking yesterday as we drove home from her morning competition. It was my job to keep her talking so she wouldn't fall asleep as we drove home. Do you realize, I asked her, that you only have two 6 week terms left in this school year and then you will be a junior? It really does feel like she has only been here for a month or two, but so many things have changed since she arrived in America.
Your former classmates will hardly know you when you return to China this summer, I told Cici. You have done something that they can only dream of doing. You not only came to America; you proved that you belong. You speak English now almost as naturally as you speak Chinese. You proved that you can compete with the best students in America, in their native language. Your former classmates will have so many questions, and you will enjoy visiting with them. They will want to see your American passport, and will marvel at your long hair. You have seen the world from a different perspective, and things will never be the same between you. You won't fit in with your classmates the way you did before. They will seem less mature to you, and they won't know quite what to make of you.
And I have a prediction, I told Cici. By the time you have been in China for a month, I bet you are very homesick. You will miss your home because this is your home now. You will miss the comfort of your bedroom, your bed, your desk, your bathroom. You will miss the conveniences of living here in America, and you will be yearning to return. By the time we were having this part of the conversation Ping had joined us. I agree with Papa, she told Cici. You will miss being here very much. Ping knows; it happened to her last summer.
Well, while my two chickens are sleeping this morning, I am at the office taking care of business. I have meetings with three new clients this morning, and plenty of other work to get done. Cici has a leisurely day on Monday with no school until 4:00, but she must be there until 9:00 p.m. That sounds like a good day for her to go with Ping to get her Texas ID card issued.
Your former classmates will hardly know you when you return to China this summer, I told Cici. You have done something that they can only dream of doing. You not only came to America; you proved that you belong. You speak English now almost as naturally as you speak Chinese. You proved that you can compete with the best students in America, in their native language. Your former classmates will have so many questions, and you will enjoy visiting with them. They will want to see your American passport, and will marvel at your long hair. You have seen the world from a different perspective, and things will never be the same between you. You won't fit in with your classmates the way you did before. They will seem less mature to you, and they won't know quite what to make of you.
And I have a prediction, I told Cici. By the time you have been in China for a month, I bet you are very homesick. You will miss your home because this is your home now. You will miss the comfort of your bedroom, your bed, your desk, your bathroom. You will miss the conveniences of living here in America, and you will be yearning to return. By the time we were having this part of the conversation Ping had joined us. I agree with Papa, she told Cici. You will miss being here very much. Ping knows; it happened to her last summer.
Well, while my two chickens are sleeping this morning, I am at the office taking care of business. I have meetings with three new clients this morning, and plenty of other work to get done. Cici has a leisurely day on Monday with no school until 4:00, but she must be there until 9:00 p.m. That sounds like a good day for her to go with Ping to get her Texas ID card issued.
Only a Two Star Day
Cici managed to pull herself out of bed at 7:00 on a Saturday morning, but we still left for school later than we intended. She stayed awake as we drove to school, so I showed her the sign beside the road that warned us our usual route to school wouldn't work. The road was closed for construction.
My brain mapped out an alternate route while Cici questioned how we would get to school before the competition started. Sweetie, you are usually asleep as we drive to school, I told her. Sometimes there are accidents that block our way to school. Sometimes there is road construction that causes traffic problems. You are sleeping while I am worrying about how to get you to school on time, but we always make it.
We arrived at school before Cici was scheduled to perform, but it was a little tight. I dropped her at school but stayed in the area so I could take her with me to the office when her performance was over. I used the time to get the car washed, to the shock and delight of the girls. It was a good day for that once a year ritual that I put the car through, whether it needs it or not.
I didn't do well, Papa, Cici told me as soon as I picked her up. I started, stopped, had to start over; nothing seemed to go right for me, she continued. Morning is not a good time for you to do anything, I told her. But don't worry about it. Did you notice I washed the car? No, she was too down on herself to have noticed.
We went to the office so I could meet with a new client. Cici didn't fall asleep the way she usually does. She fixed something to eat while we waited for the client to arrive, and then we drove home together. I always check to see what kind of day I will have, she told me. It almost always shows that I will have a five star day. Today, though, it said I would only have a two star day. This is not a good day for me.
Relax, I told her. Remember that there is no pressure on you this afternoon. You have two good choices no matter how you do on your audition. And remember, this isn't a competition this afternoon; it is just an audition.
When we walked into the house we had a couple of hours to wait before leaving to drive to her audition. Cici still didn't go to sleep, choosing to force herself to stay awake. She practiced playing her scales and played her audition song again. Play it for me, I asked her. No, I will be nervous like I was at the competition this morning, she said.
Wouldn't that be good practice then? I asked her. Okay Papa, I will play it for you but you must sit in the other room. She played it through with no mistakes.
Soon, off we went to the other school so she could audition again. It was a beautiful sunshiny day just like the last time we went for her audition. We went inside the school and there were a lot of people milling around and buying tickets for a play that the students were presenting. We found our way to a table in one corner of the large multi-purpose room where a lone young lady sat, waiting for those lucky enough to be called back for a second audition. She found Cici's name on the audition list and asked if she wanted a practice room. Yes, Cici told her, even though it was still half an hour before she was scheduled to perform.
The young lady told Cici how to find the practice rooms, pointing down the hall and around the corner. Someone will be waiting for you there and will help you, she told Cici. Good luck, the young lady called to Cici as she walked down the hall. Cici was surprised. Ping was also surprised. Good luck, Ping also called to Cici.
Half an hour to kill, so Ping and I walked around. We bought a small bag of popcorn and some fresh baked cookies that the school was selling. Then at Ping's suggestion we walked outside to enjoy the sunshine and get a bottle of water from the car. We walked back into the school and down one of the hallways, looking at all the things on the walls and on the many bulletin boards.
Suddenly we saw Cici walking toward us. I checked my watch. It was only then time for her audition to begin. I am finished already, she told us. They took me in early. She had a smile on her face. I feel good about it, she told us. I don't know what they thought about it, but this audition was the best I have ever played the song. Then that is all that matters, I told her. That means you did your best. Yes, she said, I feel good about myself again.
It was more than just the music that was making her feel good, we learned. Three of the girls told me that they really like my skirt, she told us. They wanted to know where I bought it. One of them said no, let me guess. You bought it in China. Yes, Cici told her, I bought it in China. I think it made Cici feel like she belonged at the audition, whether or not she is invited to attend the school.
So now we wait until March 26 to get the news.
My brain mapped out an alternate route while Cici questioned how we would get to school before the competition started. Sweetie, you are usually asleep as we drive to school, I told her. Sometimes there are accidents that block our way to school. Sometimes there is road construction that causes traffic problems. You are sleeping while I am worrying about how to get you to school on time, but we always make it.
We arrived at school before Cici was scheduled to perform, but it was a little tight. I dropped her at school but stayed in the area so I could take her with me to the office when her performance was over. I used the time to get the car washed, to the shock and delight of the girls. It was a good day for that once a year ritual that I put the car through, whether it needs it or not.
I didn't do well, Papa, Cici told me as soon as I picked her up. I started, stopped, had to start over; nothing seemed to go right for me, she continued. Morning is not a good time for you to do anything, I told her. But don't worry about it. Did you notice I washed the car? No, she was too down on herself to have noticed.
We went to the office so I could meet with a new client. Cici didn't fall asleep the way she usually does. She fixed something to eat while we waited for the client to arrive, and then we drove home together. I always check to see what kind of day I will have, she told me. It almost always shows that I will have a five star day. Today, though, it said I would only have a two star day. This is not a good day for me.
Relax, I told her. Remember that there is no pressure on you this afternoon. You have two good choices no matter how you do on your audition. And remember, this isn't a competition this afternoon; it is just an audition.
When we walked into the house we had a couple of hours to wait before leaving to drive to her audition. Cici still didn't go to sleep, choosing to force herself to stay awake. She practiced playing her scales and played her audition song again. Play it for me, I asked her. No, I will be nervous like I was at the competition this morning, she said.
Wouldn't that be good practice then? I asked her. Okay Papa, I will play it for you but you must sit in the other room. She played it through with no mistakes.
Soon, off we went to the other school so she could audition again. It was a beautiful sunshiny day just like the last time we went for her audition. We went inside the school and there were a lot of people milling around and buying tickets for a play that the students were presenting. We found our way to a table in one corner of the large multi-purpose room where a lone young lady sat, waiting for those lucky enough to be called back for a second audition. She found Cici's name on the audition list and asked if she wanted a practice room. Yes, Cici told her, even though it was still half an hour before she was scheduled to perform.
The young lady told Cici how to find the practice rooms, pointing down the hall and around the corner. Someone will be waiting for you there and will help you, she told Cici. Good luck, the young lady called to Cici as she walked down the hall. Cici was surprised. Ping was also surprised. Good luck, Ping also called to Cici.
Half an hour to kill, so Ping and I walked around. We bought a small bag of popcorn and some fresh baked cookies that the school was selling. Then at Ping's suggestion we walked outside to enjoy the sunshine and get a bottle of water from the car. We walked back into the school and down one of the hallways, looking at all the things on the walls and on the many bulletin boards.
Suddenly we saw Cici walking toward us. I checked my watch. It was only then time for her audition to begin. I am finished already, she told us. They took me in early. She had a smile on her face. I feel good about it, she told us. I don't know what they thought about it, but this audition was the best I have ever played the song. Then that is all that matters, I told her. That means you did your best. Yes, she said, I feel good about myself again.
It was more than just the music that was making her feel good, we learned. Three of the girls told me that they really like my skirt, she told us. They wanted to know where I bought it. One of them said no, let me guess. You bought it in China. Yes, Cici told her, I bought it in China. I think it made Cici feel like she belonged at the audition, whether or not she is invited to attend the school.
So now we wait until March 26 to get the news.
