...
Mood:
not sure
So yeah I had a chat with my mother today. It was an interesting conversation that led to my knowledge of her life story. It gave me insight on why we're here and all of my relatives (except one) are down in Hong Kong.
To say the truth, my mother worked for most of her youth (I'm talking like 20's and on) in a company that my 3rd, 4rd uncles, her, and my smallest aunt bought. Essentially thie company was in debt...a tremendous amount of debt. So much debt that they weren't able to pay the workers for months on end. She says how she would have to carry heavy bags of clothing to practically every part of Hong Kong, trying to get the workers on the lower end to work for them, even if they had kids and can't get to the factories. She had to fight for each piece of clothing that was made...the early shipments. And no, she had no salary during her period of work within the company.
As the company got bigger and better, my mother worked Overtime (8am - 10pm on average) 7 days a week, working with the manufacturing department. It was to be for 5, 6 years, as she continued this lifestyle. She sacrificed even her personal life, being dumped by many guys and even just not dating at all, just for hte company. At night, while my uncles and aunt went to take english lessons, she woul stay in the company to continue to look after the materials, thinking that as long as the exports are good, they would be making money. That in turn would generate her some good lives ahead of her.
She gained the respect of the many workers in the manufacturing department. If a pregnant lady was working, she would personally carry the heavy unfinished material to that lady and take the finished clothing from her (which would be part of the jod description for any regular worker). She would lend money to the ones who needed the help. Essentially, she was the entire backbone of the section. The workers, however, told my mother to think more selfishly, how my uncles would one day betray her. She stupidly continued (my paraphrase there).
By the time the company made a fortune (by that I mean you can take the money earn so far and buy 13 to 14 high-class houses...), the unspeakable happened. She and my little aunt were essentially kicked out. My 4th uncle's plot to take the entire company for himself began. To this day, he has succeeded.
So my mother left without even a speck of cash in her hand (or bank account) and was in a state of depression. She got married with my dad shortly after and had me. This was probably the reason why she came down here, to avoid my uncles (tho my 1st uncle still helps us every now and then if we needed help).
Anyway, before I was actually down here, I was in Hong Kong. I was "taken care of" by my grandma (dad's side) while she and my dad continued to work their asses off, trying to get as much money as possible. Her goal was to take care of me herself before I was 10, since at that time my grandma really is a terrible babysitter.
She succeeded.
We are now here. Although we are on the verge of economic strife (being my dad will likely be laid off anytime soon, the company that he works for is on the verge of collapse), she is happier than she ever was. I guess it's events like these that open your eyes, that this world is too dark of a place.
So it's now down to me. I have to fight for my future. I guess that's a reason of why I chose U of T instead of Waterloo. I wish to fight. I guess I'm a little selfish myself, as I will be the one attaining glory for my mother, but it's better than nothing.
btw, did you guys ever think I was that simple?
spacey
lazy
don't ask