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“I wasn't very nice...”
87-year-old Kay Wang tells her granddaughter, Chen, and her son, Cheng, about her childhood.
Recorded in New York, NY
Credits
Produced by Katie Simon.
Facilitated by John White.
Transcript
Click here to read the transcript for this story.
Interview transcript
Kay Wang (KW): I wasn't very nice. If I make a mistake my mother she make me apologize. And our custom, when you apologize to your mother you have to bring a cup of tea and say, "I'm sorry." But I purposely dropped that hot cup of tea on my mother's lap. And I wasn't a good student. I always lie to get out of school because lots of boyfriend after me. That time I was still young. I was not bad looking then. So what else? Hurry, hurry. I want to go home.
Chen Wang (CW): How'd you meet Grandpa?
KW: I was a training nurse in a hospital. He was there for hemorrhoid operation. So when your grandpa see me, your grandpa keep on asking me to get married. And I said, "I don't like you. You have bald headed." I didn't like him because he's ugly. But one thing about your grandpa -- he's very smart. That's it. No more question.
CW: Just a couple more questions?
KW: Short one.
CW: Short ones.
CW: Short ones. Tell me about working at Bloomingdales. What did you do?
KW: You know what I do. I'm not going to tell you.
CW: No you have-- you have to talk about it.
KW: I am a detective. I got the very famous designer. I better not mention her name. She stole a dress three thousand some dollar. So I walk out the store. I said, "Would you like to pay me that dress?" She said, "Do you know who I am?" I said, "Ya, you're a thief." So, that's my life.
CW: Do you have any regrets?
KW: No! What should I regret? No. I think I'm old enough to do what I would like. And that's it.