The story of my life

By Samnang Tho

Minneapolis, MN

 

(Continued from volume 1, issue V, Dec. 1996)

             -“Samnang,  I’ve put your name on the list for the G.E.D exam with the ESL program at the community college, I think you’re ready for it.” This was her good news. I’d  never  thought about school  anymore let alone college.  I  just couldn’t do it.

* * *

The house was quiet. My mother-in-law  was at her other son’s  house.  Jacqueline came home mostly on the weekends. Mrs. Hauer tutored me almost everyday. and I read more than ever. That morning she drove  me  to the clinic for  my prenatal check-up as always. We always passed  by the  community  college.   We talked a lot about pregnancy, about the Cambodian culture  and about college. She  had become my confidant and best friend.

 

            -"You want some more rice, Bong?", I asked my husband. My   husband   never ate dinner at a regular time. Sometimes he ate at his  friend’s  house or at a restaurant  but  this evening he came home rather early.

            -“No, Samnang, I am full. I’ve had enough...” my  husband  replied looking through  the window as if searching for someone or something out there.

            -“Samnang, I am going to Cambodia soon...” he added.

            Are you sure don’t want any more rice, Bong? I knew what he was trying to get at.

             -“I’ve had enough of this...” my husband  got up  ready to leave the dinner table.

           

            Rrring! The phone rang and my husband  rushed to pick it up with excitement.

            -“Hi, it’s me!” said Greg

             “Good evening, my name is Joel Cussack. I’m returning your call. I am with the ESL department at Mount Community College. Are you Samnang Tho?”

            -“No, this is Greg, her husband.”

            -“I just want to let  your wife know that her G.E.D exam is scheduled for next Monday.”

 

My  husband  hung up the phone and looked at me as  if  to ask  what  the hell was going on. There was silence, he walked to the  living  room  and didn’t say  a word  while I cleared the table and cleaned the kitchen. Sometimes, I wondered what was on Greg’s mind. All I knew was there  was something  going on. We rarely talked  about my pregnancy or what we were going to name our child. All he ever talked  about  was  politics and going back to help save Cambodia.

            Ring! Rrring!

            -"Hello," I answered

            -“Is Greg  there?”

            -Who is this?

            -“This is Monica”

            -Monica?  

            -“Yeah, his girlfriend...”

            His girlfriend...my knees shook, the baby kicked from inside. Everything in front of me looked  blurry.  Suddenly,  I felt tears on my cheek.  I  wiped my hands and went to sit at the kitchen table. I couldn’t  say no more.  I held  the  phone far  from  my ear. What  I heard still echoed in my head...his girlfriend...girlfriend...his girlfriend.

            -“Hello?! Are you his sister?” That soft  voice still  vibrating through the phone.   

            -“Helllooo”

            - "I am his wife." Slowly and softly I said, wondering if she could  feel my pain.

            -“Oh!...”, she hung up quickly.

            Did she know Greg was married? Did Greg lie to her?? I went back to cleaning. I cried and I cried. The baby was kicking. Maybe she was crying, too. I was sure she understood my pain.

            -“Samnang, what’s wrong?” Greg crept up from behind. Maybe he was watching me for quite sometimes.

            I swirled around, -"So you’ve got a girlfriend now?! I spat. I didn’t give him a chance to speak. “Going to Cambodia with that bitch to help save Cambodia?!!! Get the hell out of my face!” I pushed him hard and away from me.

            -“What the hell are you talking about?” Greg knew he was wrong but acted strong.

            -"Who was that Monica bitch? Old friend? Colleague? So you’ve been sleeping with her all this time, huh? Meetings? All this political shit? So that was your politics, huh? I had a ladle in my hand and threw it at him. He ducked away from it and ran towards me.

            -“Me-Knang, stop this shit!” Greg tried to stop me but I pushed him back with all my strength. I punched him in the face. He got away again.

            “Sssslap!, Sssslap!” Greg hit me in the face and down I went. I grabbed a knife and tried to go after him but suddenly I felt dizzy. I felt the sharp pain in my stomach and felt the baby kicking  for one last time.

            “Beep, beep, beep,” I heard a car honking outside. Greg grabbed his coat and stormed out the door.  I still felt dizzy and the pain was getting sharper and worse.

            -Hi, Mrs. Hauer, I think I am having the baby. I called Jane Hauer and gasped in pain.

            -“Samnang, is your husband there?” asked Jane excitedly.

            -No, I am alone.

            -“Oh...okay, I’ll be right there.” Mrs. Hauer hung the phone and rushed to my place.

           

Minutes later I was in the emergency room.

 

(To be continued in the next issue).

Volume 2 Issue 2 March/April 1997

Samnang Tho    Journals     Khmer Voice Homepage    Authors and Their Works      Table of Contents   Poetry    New Submissions  Short stories & Essays