Questions for Erick Setiawan? (Hannah)

[Erick_Setiawan]

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CathyB wrote:

Erick:

   I want to thank you for your enjoyable book.  I wish you all the best for this book and anticipate the next one that you write.

   I was one who first thought of Hannah as an imaginary friend and then as just her inner self - the side that possess her strangth and will to do what she must to accomplish things. Based on your comment below, I am highly intrigued and anticipate the reveal to the Hannah question. I like a mystery and something that keeps me guessing.

CathyB

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Erick_Setiawan wrote:

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daisy03 wrote:

Who is Hannah??

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Hi daisy03,

Finally!  The Hannah question!

I'm amazed and flattered that this mysterious young lady has captured so much of your imagination and created endless debate on the boards.

So far, I've heard her described as a ghost, a guardian angel, an imaginary friend, Meridia's split personality, someone Meridia wishes she could be, a reincarnation of the mists, and a spirit sent by Ravenna to help her daughter.

Have I got everything?

For now, let me just say that I worded those Hannah passages very carefully so that they support all those interpretations.  And perhaps one more.

I think there's another angle that no one's considered before.  If nobody except Meridia seems able to see Hannah, maybe it's because Meridia doesn't want them to.  But why?  Go back to the chapter when they first meet and pay attention to what they're doing.  Can it be taken in a different context?  Remember that when Meridia meets Daniel and he begins taking her around town, she knows that she's retracing some of her adventures with Hannah, but keeps that to herself (p. 54).  Why?  And the second time Meridia parts from Hannah (p. 173), what is it that Hannah is trying to say that Meridia keeps interrupting?

Just like the mists hide Gabriel, maybe Meridia is keeping Hannah a secret for a reason.  I'll  let the conjectures begin (and no, you can't ask Kerri!).

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Hi CathyB,

I'm glad to hear that.  Keep guessing and speculating about Hannah.  As we get closer to the end, I might be tempted to drop a major hint about her, but you do have all the clues you need!

[Mia_C]

I've come to notice that many books now no longer fit any one genre and lovers of different types of books can now enjoy many of the same books.  Thanks for your description.  And yes, I certainly got a kick out of reading the book.  It's also one of those books that I would like to reread another time.  It's such a rich book that I'm sure I will find new things to enjoy the second time around.

I do have more questions, if you don't mind. 

Aside from your editors, who was the first person you asked to read your book? 

As it's part family saga, have any of your friends and family come up to you to ask if a specific character was based on them or anyone they know?  If it's happened to you -- or in case it happens -- how did (or would) you respond to that question, especially if the character they think was based on them was someone like Eva or another such character that doesn't exactly inspire love and admiration?  I always wonder where authors derive villainous characters from.

[Erick_Setiawan]

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DSaff wrote:

Awesome answer, Erick! You are so thoughtful and open when you answer our questions. Thank you so much for that. BTW, I had tears in my eyes when Meridia saw that Ravenna was the ghost fighting the mist. It showed the open wound that was in Ravenna and Gabriel's marriage, and that Meridia sees a humanness in her mother. It is always nice to find out that scenes like that affect the author as well.

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Erick_Setiawan wrote:

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The scene at the end of chapter 3 when Meridia realizes that the ghost is Ravenna and she sees how much her mother is hurting but can't break away from the mist to help her--that scene was very difficult for me to write (this line always breaks my heart: "She told herself that any other daughter would have found a way to drive back the mist." ).  We've all been there--seeing a loved one in pain yet feeling powerless to help.  In the original draft, I wrote paragraph after paragrah describing all those feelings between mother and daughter, and then I had the good sense to put the mist between them, and suddenly I didn't need all those paragraphs anymore.  The mist, just by being there, is saying everything I wanted to say.

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Hi DSaff,

Thanks for your response.  Authors aren't made of wood (well maybe some are)--emotional scenes do touch us!

[Erick_Setiawan]

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PB684 wrote:

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Erick_Setiawan wrote:

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daisy03 wrote:

Who is Hannah??

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Hi daisy03,

Finally!  The Hannah question!

I'm amazed and flattered that this mysterious young lady has captured so much of your imagination and created endless debate on the boards.

So far, I've heard her described as a ghost, a guardian angel, an imaginary friend, Meridia's split personality, someone Meridia wishes she could be, a reincarnation of the mists, and a spirit sent by Ravenna to help her daughter.

Have I got everything?

For now, let me just say that I worded those Hannah passages very carefully so that they support all those interpretations.  And perhaps one more.

I think there's another angle that no one's considered before.  If nobody except Meridia seems able to see Hannah, maybe it's because Meridia doesn't want them to.  But why?  Go back to the chapter when they first meet and pay attention to what they're doing.  Can it be taken in a different context?  Remember that when Meridia meets Daniel and he begins taking her around town, she knows that she's retracing some of her adventures with Hannah, but keeps that to herself (p. 54).  Why?  And the second time Meridia parts from Hannah (p. 173), what is it that Hannah is trying to say that Meridia keeps interrupting?

Just like the mists hide Gabriel, maybe Meridia is keeping Hannah a secret for a reason.  I'll  let the conjectures begin (and no, you can't ask Kerri!).

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Ok, I just went back and re-read those passages and I am more intrigued than ever! Meridia is keeping Hannah a secret for a reason? The only thing I can come up with is that by hiding Hannah Meridia is protecting herself from yet another disappointment...possibly the idea that she is not worthy of such a friend. I'm probably completely off-base and I can't wait to read more!

Paula

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Hi Paula,

As I said earlier to CathyB, keep reading and keep speculating about Hannah.  I might give you more hints as we get closer to the end, but you do have all the clues in those pages . . .

[Erick_Setiawan]

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Carmenere_lady wrote:
Hi Erick,  Just wanted to thank you for answering my question way back at the beginning of this thread.  I am very impressed with the time your taking to answer our questions with thoughtful and concise comments in a warm and friendly manner.  I'm mid-book and still have not determined how I feel about it, yet your style and openness is a positive influence and I see it and you in your novel.

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Hi Lynda,

I hope your feeling about the book changes as you read on.

[nlsamson]

Erick:

I am trying so hard to NOT read ahead, but it is proving very difficult.  I wasn't sure in the beginning how I felt about this book, but I can tell you that now, I don't want it to end.  At times I get so angry with the characters, at other times I love them.  Thank you so very much for giving us this fantastic opportunity, and for sharing your talent with us.

Nancy

[Zeal]

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Erick_Setiawan wrote:

That was how it started.  But the more I got deeper into the writing, the more I saw that the lack of locale also allowed me to challenge a few notions.  I think as a society we are very category-driven and eager to apply labels to the things and people we encounter. And when we can't readily put something or someone in a box, we feel unsettled and disoriented.  Why is that?  Why are we so fixated with branding and labeling everything? My answer to this was the mythical town in the book, where nothing is labeled, names are kept to a minimum (if you notice, no last names), and you judge a character by his or her action, not by your own preconceived notions.  I want my readers to rely only on their own imagination and the words I provided as they navigate through this world, and not on their previous biases.  When you read the first sentence, I want all bets to be off.  I want you to feel disoriented, I want you to feel the plunge into something not quite solid, and I want you to negotiate your way to a comfortable footing.  Only you and nobody else can decide where that footing might be.

This is one of the best reactions I've received for the book so far: A reader, a Caucasian woman, pictured Meridia as a Chinese woman.  Another reader, an Asian-American man, saw her as a black woman.  I love it!  I think this is how the world should be.

The question of time follows from this.  If the place isn't pinned down, why should the time be? I believe it was our brilliant moderator Paul who suggested that the story takes place in the past, present, and future all at once, and I can't agree with him more.  I think time is another label, useful for remembering things and meeting deadlines, but why can't it be fluid as well? What if memories and knowledge and premonitions all blend together and you can't tell which is which?

Back to your question, I found it much harder to write this way.  On the one hand, it gave me unlimited poetic license to do as I pleased. On the other hand, I couldn't rely on shorthands to do my job.  For example, when you set a book during the Holocaust, the mere mention of the name itself already brings up a whole host of associations in the readers' mind.  As a writer, you don't have to do the work yourself.  But for this book, I had to describe everything and build that world from scratch.  More work on my part, but it was certainly worth it.

Now for those of you who simply must have a specific time and place in mind, do so by all means.  You can set the story anywhere, any time--Ancient Greece, Elizabethan England, 19th century China--but when you run into anachronisms (and you will, since the book wasn't designed that way), accept them as an integral part of that world.  Anybody remember the movie Moulin Rouge?  It was set in Paris in the late 1800s but they were singing songs by Madonna and The Police.  Think of the book this way if you must, although I prefer you make up your own world.  After all, that is one of the greatest joys of reading.

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Erik,

I find your explanation for your lack of "labels" and details regarding the time, place, names, etc. fascinating and refreshing!  I am a teacher, and so often students are placed in a "box" so that we can "fix" them. Allowing your readers to use their own imagination and interpretation regarding these issues brings so much more to your novel!

Thank you so much for this experience...both reading your book for the "First Look Book Club" and reading your thoughts as the author!!   It is a pleasure to read your novel and interact with you!

Aimee 

[PiperMurphy]

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Zeal wrote:

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Erick_Setiawan wrote:

Now for those of you who simply must have a specific time and place in mind, do so by all means.  You can set the story anywhere, any time--Ancient Greece, Elizabethan England, 19th century China--but when you run into anachronisms (and you will, since the book wasn't designed that way), accept them as an integral part of that world.  Anybody remember the movie Moulin Rouge?  It was set in Paris in the late 1800s but they were singing songs by Madonna and The Police.  Think of the book this way if you must, although I prefer you make up your own world.  After all, that is one of the greatest joys of reading.

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Erick,

This is really an intriguing and perplexing thing. You have put words together that caused us to imagine different times, places, and cultures all co-existing at once. These things are unique to each of us, yet we are all understanding the same story. This is an incredibly amazing achievement. How did you do that???! The more I think about it, the more I appreciate what you have created.

[bookworm_gp]

Hi Erick,

Once again let me say I really enjoyed your book. I finished it several days ago and it still has me thinking. I read your answer about Hannah and I went back and reread the pages.

 "I think there's another angle that no one's considered before.  If nobody except Meridia seems able to see Hannah, maybe it's because Meridia doesn't want them to.  But why?"

On page 35 you wrote - "To Meridia's dismay, her invisible state did not persist inside the school gate."

Is it possible Meridia didn't want the others finding fault with Hannah as they did with her? Was she afraid she would lose Hannah's friendship if others belittled her to Hannah?

Later on Hannah wanted to tell Meridia why she had left before and Meridia said she already knew. I still can't figure out what the reason was. There is so much in this story, I'm afraid I missed, I'll probably reread it.

Thanks again, Gail

[bookloverjb85]

Hello Erick,

Thank you for joining us and answering all the questions we have.  I love the book and can't wait to finish it and find out what happens in the end and what happens to Eva,who I have to say is my least favorite character.  You have definitely written an amazing story in order for us to dislike a character so much.

I have also gone back and read when Meridia first met Hannah.  I still can not figure out what I am not seeing.  I haven't finished the book yet, so maybe it will come to me while I am reading the rest. 

[Erick_Setiawan]

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ClaudiaLuce wrote:

Erik,

First of all, thank you so much for sharing your delightful novel with us!!  I am enjoying it completely and can't wait to recommend it and you to others!

Your background is not in English. I have to commend you on your useage of literary elements and the use of the English language.  You have created a beautiful juxtaposition with Eva and her bees!    As a middle school English / literature teacher, I would like to use passages from your novel to teach some of the literary elements to my students because of the way you use the language so beautifully to create the pictures necessary for them to understand these elements!  May I have your permission to do so?

I would also like to know if you took any writing courses while you were obtaining your degree?

Thank you again for joining us and allowing us this wonderful opportunity to experience your novel before it goes public.

Claudia

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Hi Claudia,

I have the highest admiration for teachers.  We need more of you.  My passion for English literature was in fact sparked by my senior year English teacher in high school.  Mrs. Celniker was the first teacher I had who read a play out loud, and the first play we did was King Lear.  I still remember her standing front and center in the classroom and with that great booming voice of hers she spurred the words from the pages and marshalled all the characters to life.  It was truly an eye-opening moment for me.

Absolutely, I'd be honored if you use passages from Of Bees and Mist to teach your students.  Mrs. Celniker would be proud!  Just make sure that the copyright practices are observed.

I never took a single writing course in my life.  The idea of having a group of people sit around and judge my work was too intolerable to me.  Also, I never believed that my writing was any good, so I couldn't imagine that anybody would give me anything but negative criticism.  But what I did was read and read and read.  I learned how to write from reading, from what worked and what didn't.  I still think the best training for a writer is to read other writers.  For more story on my years of rejections and how I finally found my agent and editor, please read the Meet the Writer section on the book page.

[Erick_Setiawan]

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lcnh1 wrote:

Erik -

I'm just starting to get into the story and am enjoying it so far.  It is different from anything that I have read in the past.  I'm glad that it is a part of First Look or I might have missed it.

As I read books, I'm always interested in how the writer come up with the story that they have.  You've talked aout your inspirations and influences.  I'm wondering how you came up with the idea for this story in the first place.  To me it is unique and has so many facets that make it unpredictable.

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Hi lcnh1,

I wrote on an earlier post, Origin of story, of how I came to write the book.  Many of the tales and anecdotes in the book came from tales and anecdotes I overheard in my mother's living room throughout my childhood (my mother--bless her--never seemed to censor her words in any shape, way, or form, around me).  I also mentioned elsewhere that Eva is based on my paternal grandmother.  My mother did not get along with her.  As a child, I was both horrified and amused by the dynamics between them.  Sometimes they would drag other family members into their argument and for days no one knew how to behave.  When my mother and my grandmother were in the same room, I could literally feel the room darken and grow cold.  I also noticed the influence my grandmother had on her ten children: her relentless need for attention and love, and her unhappiness when they fell short of her expectation.  When I began writing the book, I wanted to illuminate all these complex family relationships and I knew that the dynamic between Meridia and Eva would be its driving force.  To me, the way they outwit and outsmart each other is the ultimate survival of the fittest.

[Erick_Setiawan]

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Calendula wrote:

Erick - I am so glad you wrote this story! I really wanted to pace myself, in the interest of better discussion, but I was completely hooked after the 3rd paragraph and couldn't put the book down. I enjoyed the universality and symbolism that allowed for so much interpretation by the reader.

My question is this: There are four births detailed in the book, and each of them are traumatic. Can you tell us about why you decided to portray birth in this manner in your book? 

Thanks! 

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Hi Calendula,

About those birth scenes . . . when I was little, I was both puzzled and terrified by the idea of childbirth.  My mother always said to me, usually when my father was in the room, "It's a good thing that men can't have babies.  They won't survive an hour in the delivery room."  Naturally I asked her, "Is it much worse than having a stomachache?"  My child's mind simply could not comprehend that a full-grown baby could come out of a woman's body.  In addition, my Javanese nurse (I wrote about her earlier in a post on Cultural Influences) often told me horrific labor stories of women she knew.  She came from a little village in Central Java where there was no hospital and doctors were scarce, and it was up to midwives to deliver babies.  She told me about the different ways the midwives used to ease the birth passage, the hundred different complications that could occur, and I would listen to her without betraying that her stories were scaring me to death.  Childbirth is sacred and miraculous, but it's not without its attending horror.  I just knew I had to write about it in the book, if only to dispel my own nightmares.

[USwede16]

Erick_Setiawan wrote: daisy03 wrote:Who is Hannah??I think there's another angle that no one's considered before.  If nobody except Meridia seems able to see Hannah, maybe it's because Meridia doesn't want them to.  But why?  Go back to the chapter when they first meet and pay attention to what they're doing.  Can it be taken in a different context?  Remember that when Meridia meets Daniel and he begins taking her around town, she knows that she's retracing some of her adventures with Hannah, but keeps that to herself (p. 54).  Why?  And the second time Meridia parts from Hannah (p. 173), what is it that Hannah is trying to say that Meridia keeps interrupting? Just like the mists hide Gabriel, maybe Meridia is keeping Hannah a secret for a reason.  I'll  let the conjectures begin (and no, you can't ask Kerri!).

Hi Erick!

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of our questions! It truly is an amazing novel and I cannot put it down!

One of other possibilities I have entertained for Hannah and Meridia keeping her a secret is the possibility that they are in love. I took your advice and went back in the novel and read the scene where they first meet and Meridia “felt a curious tremor in her heart” (p. 37). Is this tremor the love she feels in her heart? When retracing some of her adventures with Daniel she decides that it should be “unmarked and untainted by a previous memory” (p. 54). The use of untainted makes it seem as if there was something wrong with the memory of going there with Hannah. For the most part, homosexuality is not the most accepted lifestyle suggesting that maybe this is why Meridia doesn’t want to mention her trip with Hannah. Finally, when the two part for the second time Meridia says that there is no need to explain because she understands. Is this because they both share this feeling?

I could be reading into this more than anything but it just seems as if there is more to Meridia and Hannah’s relationship that friendship. I would appreciate any thoughts you are willing to share on this. 

Christina 

[Carmenere_lady]

You've got me lapping up this Hannah business like a thirsty puppy, Erick!  I like USwede's previous comment but it doesn't explain the lack of Hannah's image in the mirror.  So, how about this idea, Hannah spelt backwards or forwards it's still Hannah, the same, a mirror image so to speak.  So perhaps, Hannah is the mirror image of Meridia.  Perhaps the person Meridia wants to be.  Just guessing.

[LISA-BRYAN]

Erick-

You are absolutely right!  You can not learn to write unless you read!  Stephen King addresses the same thing in his book On Writing --- "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others; read a lot and write a lot. "  He goes onto to write "The more you read, the less apt you are to make a fool of yourself with your pen or word processor."

If I had not become a biology teacher - I would have like to be an English teacher since I love reading and writing.

Thanks once again for such a wonderful book -- I feel honored to have had the opportunity to read it.

[Erick_Setiawan]

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dragonfly_yayn wrote:
This to caught me as my parents are Mormons, which has opened my eyes to the fact that it is not the cults that make the news and when people find out, I am at times asked about the many wives even though that is not part of the current religion.  I hope it was a good experience for you Erick.

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vivico1 wrote:

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Erick_Setiawan wrote:

I came to the States with my older brother. I was 16 (a junior in high school), he was 19 (a freshman in college). We came here in the summer of '91, and our parents had arranged for us to take an intensive English course at UC Riverside for three months. If anybody knows where that is, it's a desert town about two hours/an hour and a half away from LA. Blazing hot during the day, dead (and freezing) at night, everyone was a stranger, and not too much was happening except for the campus (and oh, we homestayed with a Mormon family).

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Hey Erick,

I hope this highlighted part was a good experience for you with a good family! I am a Mormon too, so of course this stood out to me. This is why I am hoping it was a good caring family. By just telling people you are Mormon, they have preconceived ideas of who we are too! So the church is often judged by each member or family, for the good or bad. I suppose that is true of many religions, we all are either ambassadors for our religion or horrible examples lol. Please tell me it was not with one of the cults who use parts of our name, OH MY!

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Hi dragonfly_yayn and Vivian,

The Mormon family I stayed with in Riverside could not have been nicer.  They had five children: the oldest, Melissa, was fourteen, and the youngest, Bradley, was three.  My brother and I arrived very late in LA, and we didn't get to Riverside until one in the morning, but the mom and dad stayed up and waited for us with dinner.  They knew that Asians love rice, so they served us a huge bowl of rice.  Unfortunately, it also came with a huge gob of melted butter on top.  My stomach nearly recoiled at that, but the thought touched me nonetheless.  A couple of weeks later, the dad noticed that we weren't adjusting well to American food, so one night, out of the blue, he took us out to a Chinese fast food place.  I still remember ordering sweet and sour pork, orange chicken, and a generous serving of fried rice.  My brother and I were ecstatic.  We didn't think we could get Chinese food in Riverside.

[Erick_Setiawan]

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bookworm_gp wrote:

Hi Erick,

Thank you for the opportunity to read your book and for taking the time to answer our questions. I love your book and it brought to mind another favorite, "Life of Pi."  Was it your intent that the colors, symbols scents, etc were a coping mechanism for Meridia? And also I was wondering if any of your characters were based on people you know.

Sorry if anyone has asked this already.

Thanks again, Gail

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Hi Gail,

I enjoyed Life of Pi as well--I'm flattered by the comparison!

To me, the colors, symbols, scents, etc., aren't so much a coping mechanism for Meridia as they are an integral part of that world.  But if that's how you see it, you should stick with it until something--if anything--proves you otherwise (please read my earlier post on Real vs. Magic).  The book is written in such a way that you can interpret the mists and bees, etc., as Meridia's way of making sense of her world (especially as a child), but the fact that other people can see them too--the ivory mist harrasses Daniel and the peddlers, Ravenna can see the bees during Noah's birth--is an indication that they're not just in Meridia's head.  I wanted readers to question Meridia--Is she a reliable narrator?  Are her suspicions grounded?  Is she making some of the things up?--but there are elements of the world she lives in that cannot be explained away by logic alone. That's the beauty of magical realism. Anything can happen, and everything can be interpreted in different ways.

Please read my post on Inspiration for Eva and Ravenna to find out who they are based on.

[Erick_Setiawan]

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pen21 wrote:

Erick welcome to First Look, I hope you enjoy your experience.

If you have seen my posts, I was  undecided if I like the book after chapters 1 through 9.

I would say it fits in the genres I like to read. But it took me a little to get in to the book.
Especially in chapters 1 through 9, I was up and down on my opinion.
Now that I am at the half way point, chapters 10 through 19 sent me in a whole new direction of thinking where it was going and where it would take me.
 

I don't like a book that is predictable.

Reading a book that sends you from  "I like/love it" or "I hate it" means it has a lot of potential to me.

Your book involved me in this story so that I cared about it.

I have only read the first half, so I have a lot of experiences left with your book.

So even though I started as not so sure at the beginning,

I think it will be in my "it is a good book" pile.

pen21

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Hi pen21,

I'm enjoying my time here very much--thanks for asking.  I'm glad to hear that the book is a constant puzzle to you and that it keeps you curious and on your toes.  If you start a book with your mind already made up that you'll love it or hate it no matter what, I don't think that's going to be a very rewarding experience.  The fact that you're reading it with an open mind and an open heart leaves room for questions and discussions--and that's where the fun really begins.

[vivico1]

LOL, that is funny. Well, they got the rice right huh lol, but sometimes we think of a staple of a country I think ,but not really about how it is prepared! yes, out here, a lot of people will put a ton of butter on rice or eat it with milk and sugar! I am surprise that the fast food Chinese place you ate at had food that really was like what you could handle too! When I moved to Oklahoma from New Mexico, I was used to Mexican food prepared by Mexicans and one of my favorite places was run by a man from South America and the only place in town you had to have reservations for. When I got out here and went out for Mexican food, oh boy, yuk! I think they call it Texican here. It was really nothing like what I was used to and could have been a Swanson's tv dinner version of Mexican food. I have finally gotten used to it now and have a few favorite places but I bet if I went back to my favorite place in NM for dinner, I would now die from the heat of it! I find it interesting to hear about what places like McDonalds serves in foreign countries, where appetites may be different. I am glad the father caught on and took you out to eat!

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Erick_Setiawan wrote:

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dragonfly_yayn wrote:
This to caught me as my parents are Mormons, which has opened my eyes to the fact that it is not the cults that make the news and when people find out, I am at times asked about the many wives even though that is not part of the current religion. I hope it was a good experience for you Erick.

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vivico1 wrote:

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Erick_Setiawan wrote:

I came to the States with my older brother. I was 16 (a junior in high school), he was 19 (a freshman in college). We came here in the summer of '91, and our parents had arranged for us to take an intensive English course at UC Riverside for three months. If anybody knows where that is, it's a desert town about two hours/an hour and a half away from LA. Blazing hot during the day, dead (and freezing) at night, everyone was a stranger, and not too much was happening except for the campus (and oh, we homestayed with a Mormon family).

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Hey Erick,

I hope this highlighted part was a good experience for you with a good family! I am a Mormon too, so of course this stood out to me. This is why I am hoping it was a good caring family. By just telling people you are Mormon, they have preconceived ideas of who we are too! So the church is often judged by each member or family, for the good or bad. I suppose that is true of many religions, we all are either ambassadors for our religion or horrible examples lol. Please tell me it was not with one of the cults who use parts of our name, OH MY!

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Hi dragonfly_yayn and Vivian,

The Mormon family I stayed with in Riverside could not have been nicer. They had five children: the oldest, Melissa, was fourteen, and the youngest, Bradley, was three. My brother and I arrived very late in LA, and we didn't get to Riverside until one in the morning, but the mom and dad stayed up and waited for us with dinner. They knew that Asians love rice, so they served us a huge bowl of rice. Unfortunately, it also came with a huge gob of melted butter on top. My stomach nearly recoiled at that, but the thought touched me nonetheless. A couple of weeks later, the dad noticed that we weren't adjusting well to American food, so one night, out of the blue, he took us out to a Chinese fast food place. I still remember ordering sweet and sour pork, orange chicken, and a generous serving of fried rice. My brother and I were ecstatic. We didn't think we could get Chinese food in Riverside.

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