“…life is but a dream”

This above is as far back as I personally have photos for. There’s older spread around both parts of the family. I’ve always heard there is a photo of one of my slave ancestors. If I find it, I’ll share it here. This portrait of my maternal family was possibly taken on Formosa in about 1925.

Standing in back was my Great Grandfather Lai Ja. A nationalist involved with 1920’s first Republic of China. Political problems then the Japanese invaded in 1931. So part the family moved to San Francisco.

Speaking of Sino family history. I was told that members of the family fought on both sides during the Chinese Civil War. That, and when my sister Sylvia went to China researching our family. She found that not only did some in our original town remember us but some from our family were armed partisans that fought the Japanese.

Gets better. …or worse.

I also had relatives on both sides of the Korean War. I had older cousins in that conflict. Cousins on ‘both’ sides. Chinese and American cousins in the same war at the same time in opposite waring armies. There’s a Netflix script in that. I love telling my family history. Mind you there’s different versions within different branches. Such is oral history. Bottom line my Mom’s side ended up here in the land of hope and gross contradictions.

Anyway, to Great Grandpa’s left is my Great Grandmother Paulina. On her right is my Grand Uncle Louie. Who as a lad in America ran away with a circus troupe. This was the dream of all boys in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Uncle went and did it for real. Later he joined the Merchant Navy and did Convoy runs during the war.

To his right was my rather strong-willed Grandmother Violet. A very independent tough business person. Despite that she was swell. Loved her. She made me a Mickey Mouse Club hat…with them big ears. That and taught Sylvia…my dear sister and I to bake cookies. She read our palms all the time and we played Chinese checkers.

When we all got TV somewhere in the 50’s. She and I would watch The 'Lawrence Welk Show' together. Sometimes we’d tune to 'My Little Margie'. ...she really liked Gale Storm. She didn’t like westerns though. This because of what they did to the Native folks. She always knew what was right...and what wasn't.

When kids picked on me at school because I was Colored. She always comforted me. However, made the point: "...Never hate back". I mostly haven't or at least have tried not to. When she took care of us, she made sure we said our prayers. I loved her.