Grammy
by Jennie Cha from the ACT Roosevelt campus
Published in the 2007-2008 WITS Anthology I Once Was Young and Strong (Available for purchase)
The day is blurry in my mind, playing like an old videotape in black and white. Stuck in a hot red van, full of clothes and food. Right outside the red, burning sun shined through. My grandma walked and opened the van door. Her soft black curls flew nicely around her wan cheeks. She held my cool sweaty hands and led me through the Minnesota beach. Lying down on the sand, my grandma brushed my long hair and started humming a Hmong song. The cool water soon was smashed by little feet. My siblings threw their bodies and started waving their hands and swimming. As I stood up to run into the water, my grandma called my name and hugged me softly, saying, “Be careful.” Being the youngest one there, I ran and ran, letting the water sink in, the salty ocean water burning my eyes and the water going up and down on my body.
