Letter #29

17-November-1947

pp.116-122

Weng Khim can walk now

Chaba oftern makes thai food for them

TSU doesnt like thai food except for Kaeng Khilek which is a type of curry

He also never drink ice cold drink, he says its bad for the body

Weng Khim likes to eat the curry, shrimp rice, his red shirt and listening to the radio

ME nagged to TSU to buy a radio but TSU said theres nth to listen, he wished they had programs in Chinese

HE is very in awe of the invention of telephone

they have eletric light now and his son loves to turn the lights on and off

he also in awe with the hair curler but says women who gets their hair curls look like sheep

When his mother in law had dinner at his house one time, he hardly recognized AB cz she cuts her hair short and wear lipstick

ME think it looks good and modern while TSU think its a thousand times ugly

TSU doesnt like this so called new style of AB and AB’s mom also disapproved but she cant stop her daughter

Her mom still wishes AB got married to Seng just as her dad requested which AB contested that she doesnt need a man or marriage to be happy, thats the chinese way

She says shes very happy now and look at all those bad marriage where girls marry and just have watched after their babies and trying to please their husband

women just give and give while husband just take and take

AB wants freedom

She explains to her mother that clothes dun define what race they are and that the world is changing and its not always a bad thing

AB even said she will learn to drive soon and take Weng Khim on rides

the baby loved that idea and reached for her

the baby copied what ME said which was “mama greedy, papa greedy, auntie greedy , greedy all people“

they all laugh and the tension between them disolves