Intro Text:
Aimee was adopted from China by Bob and Alice Gerold when she was a baby.
When Aimee was 13, she brought her dad to StoryCorps to ask how their family began.
Transcript:
Bob Gerold (BG) & Aimee Gerold (AG)
AG: How’d you meet Mom?
BG: I can tell you the date: September 14th, 1984. It was–
AG: Back when dinosaurs roamed the land?
BG: (Laughs) Yeah, I was protecting her from the dinosaurs.
AG: So when did she like, decide to date you?
BG: Well, at least one day a week I left a rose scotch-taped to her front door.
AG: And she didn’t find that creepy?
BG: Creepy? No, she actually found that nice. I better tell your boyfriends not to do that!
AG: (Laughs) Well, a rose, you don’t know who it’s from–
BG: Oh no, she knew it was–who it was from.
AG: Oh, OK. Now, what made you decide you want to adopt a child?
BG: Mommy had a ectopic pregnancy, which means the pregnancy was in the tubes. After that she couldn’t get pregnant. We considered adopting and we actually said we wanted a smart, assertive kid. Don’t take this the wrong way but we viewed intelligence over beauty.
AG: Great. (Laughs)
BG: Well, but no! I mean, you turned out to be both. But that’s what we said, and when we got to talk to the nannies about you, they said you were a very determined little child.
AG: Huang Xi, very strong-willed!
BG: That’s right. (Laughs) As much as I grate over your assertiveness, I’m glad you are. You never take my word as law; you always have to negotiate.
AG: (Laughs)
BG: I want to tell you something. You have absolutely changed my life. The most interesting thing for me was the idea of the Red Thread. In Chinese adoptions and in the Chinese culture the Red Thread means that we are, with our souls, connected to a specific person. (Starting to tear up) And we got you. And I am so pleased that you’re part of my life. I just love you so much.
