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PAPER ANOELS

CHARACTERS

iMM!GRANTS

LUM, an able-bodied young peasanו:.

FONG, a mercenary middle-aged peasant.

I..EE, a young poet.

CHIN OUNG, a formcr railro:גd worker.

MEI LAJ, the young wife of Lee.

KU LING, a young peasant woman.

CHARACTERS

CHIN MOO, an old village woman, the wife of ChinGung.

0FFICIALS

WARDEN, a middle-aged middleman י:סapped by the _syscem.

INSPECTOR, a civil servanc who's come up through

the r:mks.

HENDERSON, a patriotic and bigסted guard.

~,a Chrisrian convert working as an

"--mcerכןreter, tl."'\12,\X:ר\' (j\"-\: l'f'(,, V V IJ'.;,

GREOORY, a Methodist missionary who has devoted her J.ife סt the saving of Chinese women's sou1s.

!i ,fr,

1

PAPER ANOELS

SETTING

Angel Islaתd lmmigrntiסn Deזention Center in San Francisco &y, 1915. Chinese applying for enay into the U.S. were detained for inteחogation and inspecז:ion on Angel lslaתd. Denied citizenship and banned h'om entering the counay as laborers by the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, many who had worked in America prior and wished סt retum were refused enay and many who sought oppסrtuniry here for the fLrSt time were forced זס become "Paper Sons," claiming new identities as exempted merchants and scholars or Americ:גn;bom children of fonner immigrants in ordcr סt enter.

4 PROLOOUE

PROLOGUE

A do:rkly Ut doזmitסry. A ooice;over audio of an inteסדוgadon is in ' prסgress as Chinese immigranrs stand, amid the berth pסles with therr cloth buתdlc, aתd few pcrwnal b,longings. Th,ry a,e ,u;pend,d in s&m pסst.uYes fס expectatiסn, longing and f ear. An interprerer t.aחslates and a cypewשח is lv=d in the backg,-ouחd.

JNSPEcrOR: How old are you?

INTERPRETER: Nay gay daw sw.:y?

• APPUCANT: Yee sup.

INTERPRETER: T wenry.

!NSPECfOR: When were you bom?

!NTERPRETER: Nay g{rj nien dw.t;soi?

APPL!CANT: Bot ngut sup-chut, yut bot gow um גוז'en.

INTER.PRFrf..R: August 17, 1895.

INSPECfOR: Whcre wcre you bom?

INTERPR.ETER.: Hai bkn shi dw.t-sai?

APPLICANT: Chew Kai Choon.

INTERPRETER: Chew Kai village.

INSPEcזOR: 'Xlb.at is your father's name?

INTERPRETER: Nay-ga fu chwר. mut yeh meng;ah?

APPUCANT: Chow Kee;Lung.

INSPEcזOR: And your mother? What is her name?

PAPER ANtJE~S

!NTERPRETER: Nay,ga mo-c/iung neh?

APPL1CANT: Ng Shee.

INSPECfOR: What kind of feet had she?

INTERPRETER: Kuey-yow mo jס! guerk,ah?

APPL!CANT: ]ס! guerk.

INTERPRETER: Bound fect.

INSPECTOR: How many scairs are there leading to your doorsזep?

INTERPRETER: Nay di ook-kay moסn chien yסu gay-drג.y 1סw שi,ah?

APPUCANT: Gסw,ga.

INTERPRETER: Nine.

INSPECTOR: How do you know?

APPLICANT: Ngaw ji doh way li-mun זtgaw yסw sow gar.

INTERPRETER: I co1שtecl זhem because I knew you would ask. thar.

INSPECTOR: Oh, so you werc coached!

INTERPREדER: Nay you law ga ji-o.hJ

APPUCANT: M'hai, m'hai, ngaw mo law gahji-tגh.

INTERPRETER: No, no! That is not true. I was never coached,

JNSPECTOR: How much did you pay for the coaching papers?

INTERPRETER: Nay bay gay daw tchien may gaw di how gung ji-ah?

APPUCANT: Ngaw mo m.ai ga ji--ah!

INTERPRETER: 1 did not buy any coaching papers.

INSPECTOR: 'Why are your hands tזembling?

6

JNTERPRETEוt: Dim,guy nay..-ga sow jin?

APPLICANT (/ookiרוg nervously m: his h::mds): M'ho.i,ah.

(Fadeom.J

SCENE 1

SCENE 1

The men 's dcnnirory. A 1.ow, condnuous moan is hea:rd from off-sra.ge..

LEE: 'Why does he do that?

FONG: Poor bastard. He's beeחח ח rbe Island three years now.

LEE: Three years! What happened?

LUM (jum.ping down from dוe. bed): He's driving me crazy. (Moan grows louder.) Shut up, you hear me, shut up!

CHIN GUNG: Oh, be quiet!

LUM: Wh.y don't dרey lock him up!

FONG: Don't mind him. He's possessecl by ghosזs. (Confide.n­ r:ially) He got word four months ago his wife died back in China. He's convinced it's a trick to kcep him locked up. (Moan.) He tallc;. to his wife in the dining room, as if she was right ז:here in front of him!

LUM (yelling at him): Ngסw gu.,יci! Wake up, you fool! Your wife's deadJ You hear? She's dead! (The moaning becסme.s a luמnmed folksang.)

FONG: You may as well tell a dream סt an idiot.

PAPER ANCELS

LEE: J don't blame the poor fool. If China wasn't סs weak, we wouldn't be excluded from coming. We wouJdn't have סt be Paper Son.s.

LUM: I'm no Paper Son. My futher was high-class-a genuine U.S. citiנ:en. Owned the biggest gambling hall in Chinatown. That's right, he didn't have סt go back סt China to repסrt any phony sons. He could buy off the immigratiסn people any time he wanted tס!

FONG: Liar.

LUM: Hey, would I kid you? My father was a big shot. Anytime tfu!.e was trסuble, they'd go סt him. He could claim you were an Earthqi.;a~ Son and you'd be an instant cirizen.

FONG: Your father never had shoes!

LUM (makmg an. סbscene gesשrc at Fong): And your futher !טd סt cut his feer סt fir his shoes!

LEE: Szu mien ch'u ko. (Gסes סt the wall o.חd starts caו-ving a pסem.) King Hsiang knew he was surrounded when he heard the soםgs of his people.

LUM: Ah, a Chinese pסet in a western suit. (Hc examines Lee's clothes.) '\Xlhen you get סut of this prison, you'll be m.istaken for an American. (Looks סver Lee's shoukkr.) "\Xlhat's that you're carving? Y our obituary?

LEE: A poem.

LUM: Poem? (La.ugh.s.) How's this for a poem? (Breaks into a d,;JJ;,h ,ing-song.)

Pokdai-bay, ckcmgsסngaw, Yun,yun '!.Uש\--ngaw סm lo-paw! Ticn--nyget yau tchien dc chסw fon--gaw!

8 9

Pat your tlוiglו, sing a sסng, Everybody says I have no wife! Let tlוem L<ו.ugh, it won't be long, ln Go\den Mounroin, I'tl buy thrc:e wives!

LEE: I said poem, nסt peasant drivel.

$ (; [ N E \

(Lum gcabs Lc< by ,J,c lnp,!. u,'s cood,i,,g book שops w ,J,c jlסcח. Lee hurriedly swops סt pick it up, tכul Lum beats him סt it.)

LUM: \Xlhy you sסn-סיf-a-dirty-snake, what are you doing with this?

LEE: It's none of your business!

FONG (lookiחg arסuתd and checking tk dסar סt makc ccדtain סn

guo:rd.s are in earshot): What the hell's going on here?

LUM (accusingly): He's gסt his coaching book here!

FONG (lookiחg arסuתd): Sh-h-h! Keep it down., keep it down.

LUM: \Xlhy didn't you get rid of it? Why didn't you memorize it?

FONG: Burn it! (Lum sr:uffs it in a spittoon o.חd burns it.) Do you know what i:hey'll do סt you if chey find it? They'll ship you back tס China so fast!

LEE (defensively): l'm i:he one taking i:he chance!

FONG: I can hide a nסte in an orarבge, a pork bun, but where are you gonna hide a who!e darnn book. huh? ln your asshole? The next i:hing you know, we'll all ger deported.

• LEE: You hypocrite, I've seen you ז:aking money for those coaching papers! l've seen the kitchen help sneaking you notes past the guards!

FONG: Th.at's different! lf I didn't slip the nסtes, some of you

PArEII ANtifLS

wouldn't get through one hearing! If people .like you gסt your sזories sחaight, I wouldn't need סt sneak 'em in!

LEE (resemfully): 1 am Lee Suתg Fei, tחס (Gescuring ;ש tlדe bumt Cסntents in tlדe spittOOוז) this Moy Fook Sing rס whatever his name is! I am from Shekki noc Sunning. I am a scholar, nor a merchanr's son!

FONG: Nor anymore, you're !tחס

LUM: See? The only people who exist (T appiתg his head) are in here.

LEE: Lies, al! lies!

LUM: Come on, Li-Po, this is jusr the beginning! You'!l be living it up good in Chinatסwn-whiJe us low class bum5'1( sc~il be here singing ~ur.fiithy -pטasant fhyrnes.

FONG: Srupid paper son. I don't know whar clו.e parenrs teach these days.

LUM: Hey, Jook at me, l'm big and strסng, Not skinny and ugly like my old friend Fong. Ler him laugh, ler hirn sneer, When I get rich, he'll still be here.

FONG: Those with rhe emptiest h~ds make the loudest noise.

LUM (squattmg down nס t:he f[סcזr a.s he sets up a game of pai-gow): Let's pby some pai-יgow.

FONG (snifftng the smoke): This pbce smells rסtten.

LUM: Ir's your socks, Fong. From all those rסtten eggs you eat. (To Chin) Hey, Chin Gung, wanna play? (Theold man;gr,are, him.)

, FONG: Leave the old man alone. He doesn'c wanc סt f)Iay.

LUM: Today's myday. I can feel ic in my bones.

!0 11 $CENE

LEE (standing alone by his wall carving): 1 t's becוו three weeks since l've seen my wife!

LUM: W'har I wouldn't give for a little female companionship right now.

FONG: I've been here a ycar clו.is coming January sixז:h.

LUM (whisdes): I would rather kill myself than be sruck here thar long!

LEE (tס himsel.f): I wanr סt get Mei Lai a wesrem style house with a roilet rhat flushes and a srove rhar tums fire סח and off. l'll take our son up סt rhe highest hill סח Go!d Mountai~ and we'll fly clו.e bi_~~r dra{(q,n ~ite you ever saw סt heaven!

LUM: When 1 get סt rhe Big City, you kתow whar 1'11 get? A wide-brimmed hat. The kind clו.e rich white men wear. I'll ~ down Chinese Street like some rich Mandarin and al! the ladies wil! tum rheir pretty heads and whisper, "\Xlho is thar handsome fella?'' "Why, don't you kתo\v? Thac's brother Lum, a big--shot­ made a killing in Gold Mounrain. Yessir, big brorher Lum--even rhe white folks catl him 'Mis-~ h1;1m! "'

FONG (oprns a newspaperJ: AsK ffie, i clו.ink you're all dreaming! Hmph, you'll be lucky if you can wash a basket of dirty bundry and eam twenty-fivs:: ~ent.s! A big hearc and an empry pocker will ger you nowhere!

LUM (looking ovcr Fong's shסulder and pסinting cגt a photograph in the newspapeז): W'har's thar?

FONG: That's the Panama Pacific Inremational Expo in San Francisco.

LUM: Hey, I bet you those were the lighr.s we saw the night the

PAPER ANGE!.S 12

ship landed! Yeah, rhat's where I'd like סt go! To tl1e World's Fair (Grabbing Fong's 1wt. off his head) in my fedora! (Fong grabs ir back.)

FONG (ha:nds Lum a piece of chicken he's wanned סור the radiawr): Here, sink your teech into someclו.ing real! Da~4reams are nסt gonna fill your belly. (He picks up a wwel.} AnyoI"\C gOt ::ג- bar of soap?

LUM: l've been wondering where all the soap's gone. You scrounger, you probab!y stole a whole suitcase full!

FONG (angrily rossing the wwel at Lum): If you gor no soap, just say so! Y cs or no?

LUM:No!

FONG (mumbU,,g o, i,, begn,Jgiחg!y jom, Lum at pm-gow), Damn kids these days, gסt no respect for their elders!

(Iight fode, nס gombl&,g din aתd '°""' up nס Chin Guתg's bed. Le, l,ave, ch, group aתd wolk, ow,- rס Chin Guתg.)

LEE: Chin Gung ... can you do me a fuvor?

CHJN GUNG: What do you waחt, boy?

LEE: You've been to Gold Mounז:ain, will you teach me English?

CHJN GVNG: 'v:lhat fort

LEE: I ~t סt bec.0:me ש: Aroeriran.

CHIN GUNG: And you clו.ink by speaking English you will become American?.(No answer.} So you mתt to leam the language of the 'o/hire Demons..l (No answer.) 'When you want סt =?

LEE: Now! A5 soon as I set foot in America, I will work hard to become a success. 1 will make my family proud.

13 SCENE 1

CHJN GUNG: Are you number one son?

LEE: Y es, I am.They worked hard just so I could come here. (He ~.) Chin Gung, re!l me, what is America like? Are the srreeס; rea!ly paved with gold?

CHIN GVNG (laughs uproariously ): Paved with gold!

LEE (hurt): lfJ am disrespecוful, I apologize.

CH!N GUNG (wipes the reaזs fס laughrer from his eyes): No, no, my son. 1 can't help laughing. For one momenr, I thought I was looking into ב: mirror. Your smootlר fuce, the fire in your eyז:$-­ yes, tlרe fire. Look at clו.ese hands! l've shovelled enough rons of sand and נסmed enough pans of mud in my time. I've blasred through enough granite hills to know that this mouni:ain is no mountain of gold. And I say all of you on clו.is lsland {Gesturing) will זaste fool's gold. You k:now how I know? Because Arn.eri1ס is just (Pסinring w his head) a faraway place in the mind-:ב .Pie<:e of •• • .~חtters like gold dusr. in the wiג::rh::i.t sc ~ז~

LEE: Then why are you goiסg back?

CHJN GUNG: Why? Because, my son, as you will leam some day, once a Go!d Mounrain boy, always a Gold Mouni:ain boy. One foot in America, one foot in China ... that's clו.e sojoumer passing.

(Din of gombUתg can be h=d"' ught fode, ouc.)

PArEוt ANVELS

SCEN E 2

W סmen' s darmitסry. Gregory, a Methodist missionary, is kading the women in sסng with the help of Cתan, an imerpreteז. ln spite fס therr unfami/iaru.-y with the קrסnundatiסn aתd text, the wסmen sing with gusw and animatiסn.

WOMEN: My bonny lies over che ocean, My bonny lies over thc sea, My bonny lies over che ocean, Oh bring back my bonny סt me. Bring back, bring back, Bring back. my bonny tס. me, סt me. Bring back, bring back, Oh bring back my bonny סt me.

GREGORY: Wonderful. You are all doing so much better. (She k,oks ש Chanfo,- rhe Cl,m,se wo,-d.)

CHAN: Ho--ho.

J 4

GREGORY (w the women): Ho~ho! ... Oh, I haven't forgotten. (She hands the wornen sסme candy, then add:tesses Mei Lai.) I suppסse you wa.nt a boy. Perhaps the lord will bie.ss you. {Flexes her aחn w

cסnvey manhood.) Well, that's ail for today.]סy-geen, jסy-geen! Yeh~ su סy--nay!

WOMEN: Bye-bye,.Missy!

CHJN MOO: Bye~bye, Missy Je-sus! (Tס Mei Lai) You are so lucky! I just checked che lunar calendar. If conceived nס an even day, even month and even year, you will bear a sסn!

l 5 SCE N E

ME! LAI: Oh, I cenaiתly hope so, Chin Mool I a!ready have a rome for him-Yang Le<ב.

CHJN MOO: Ah, Curious One! You know, a good son is the backbone of a fami!y. More precious than jade. But a daughter is aח empry rice sack. She exhausi:s the f:בmily bin.

KU LING (acidly, seated nס her bed): The gods forbid a daughter with a stסmach. She'll eat you סut of rice and home!

CH!N MOO (ignסring her): They say girls a!ways favor their fathers and sons, their morhers.

MEI LAJ: Axe your chiidren in China?

CHIN MOO {sadl.y}: I doח't have children.

MEJ LAJ (emb=as&d), Oh. (Cl,ee,fu/ly) Yang Lee wiU be my firnc bom.

KU UNG: If it's a gir~ you'd better drown her rס sell her.

MEI LAJ (admonishingly): Ku Ling!

(SOW>d fסfoghסm. Ku 1.iחg crסsse, סt rhe wirniow.)

KU UNG: The ship's herc.

MEI LAJ: The witתesses have come in for the day.

CHIN MOO: Hmph! Is that all?

MEI L.Al: lt might be one of our relatives here and we caח't even see rhem!

CH!N MOO: Tsk~tsk! It's no use wondering. \Vhen the melon's ripe, it will drop 6-om its srem. \Vhen dו.e time comes, we will each have סur tum סt tesrify-and we will each get our tum סt leave.

PArER ANGELS J6

KU UNG: l have been here five weeks aתd others have come and gone in twס!

CHJN MOO: Pah, five weeks! I have been on this lslaתd for three months.

KU UNG: How can you srond it?

CHIN MOO: What is three months compared סt forו:y years? Forו:y long years ••. 1 was fifcecn when J married aתd I was fifceen when my husbaתd lefr me. He said, "l'm going סt make my fame aתd forזune and I will come back for you!" So off he went סt Gum San, this husband of six months!

MEI lAt: Did he come back for you as he promised?

CHIN MOO: \Vhen twס persons are in love, they can live nס water alone. Everyone said we were heaven's rת.atch. 1 was never happier. He taught me how זס -fish. We made baskets סut of chicken wire wit:h openiתgs on tסp. We'd put chicken he:ms, fishheads, worms :and scraps inside and rie t:hem סt trees. Then we'd throw t:he זraps intס t:he river. By moming, we'd caught the plumpest, taStiest carfנsh, carp aתd cni.bs you'd ever siתk your teeth in! (Sighs.) Then he got itchy feet. He had a buming desire סt see the Beauriful Councry. (Sadly ,hrugs.) So he leli:. He described everything he saw when he got there. But afcer awhile, the leם:ers sז:opped coming. 1 ler the incense grow cold in the bumer, 1 lefc my hair uncombed. If you marry a dog, you must follow it. \Xlhat could I do but sit at the doorstep .md wait?

MEI LAJ. (thinking about Lee): Did you ever give up hope?

CHIN MOO: The women used סt get tסgether :and gos:,ip abסut Gum San. They tסld me the women there were bold .md shame; less. They ran around with flesh exposed like boiled chickens. T nily, demons who bewitched men's souls by stariתg intס their

'7 ScEN E

eyes. They made the men drunk. so they'd spend all their money. They'd sleep with them, so they'd forget their ChiM wives. Before long, the only names the men could remember were theirs. (In disgust.) Home? Forget about home!

MEI LA.I: I don't know what l'd do if I couldn't see Lee ag:ain.

CHIN MOO: \X/hen my mother~iת~law died, 1 reנסmed סt my native village. I was ready סt live out the rest of my days alone. (Pauses:) Then one day there was a laוock nס the door. %0 could it be? l opened the door and there was my husband! Home afi:er forty years! We bodו just srood there and sr.ared at each other. I said, "Bick. Hop," that was his name, "You have chicken skin and crane hair!" Hc replied, "You're no chickadee yourself!"

':·~:;,;\ ~~\'~{'~ MEI LAI: l like happy endings. ·,,

1 co,,;"'\~~;'. \\

~ . ..:.' KU UNG: You wouldn't catch me buming inceתse for forry years!

-r~~ MEI LAJ (sfuכcked): Ku Ling, what a thing סt say! A wife must

always remain faithful.

KU UNG: Hmph, סt be fuit:hful is oז be foolish! Beם:er סt drown oneself in a pond than live in such misery!

MEI lAI: For shame, Ku Ling! You had better mend your tסngue beforc it is זסס late.

KU UNG: Too late for what?

MEI LAJ.: For you סt remain a virזuous Chinese girl·. (Sarcastically) There is-a name back home for gir1s wit:h unbound fect who wander.

KU LING: Madam, your feet are סזn exaccly tiger;lilies. One can see they are big enough סt do a_ bit of wandering on t:heir own.

MEI LAJ.: Mark my words, Ku Ling, you will come סt a bad end!

1

ScENE 2 ו 9

If I was a man and if I had a sword, I would kill them a[l.

MEJ LAJ: You S3y what your heart fee!s, but if you a!low yourself such thoughts, you wi!l lose hope.

KU UNG: \Xlhen I was sLץ:, my faclר.er used סt tel1 me a stסry about a girt named Fei Shan. Her parenr.s were killed by bandir::s. So she vowed one day סt avenge their deaths. Fei Shan went to a mountain convent and studied ma.ת:ial arts under a master sworcb"Woman. Soon she could wield a spear as sי:םa.ight and scrong as any m.an, move as swifr as a spaנ:row and strike with a fist hard as steel. One day, bandir::s acr:acked clר.e convent. \Xlhen Fei Shan retumed, she s:בw a bandit raping one of the nuns. lt was the very same man who had killed her parents! Crazed, she beheaded him with one strסke of the sword. Soon after she marshaled a gזeat army סt rid China of foreign aggressors. Fei Shan died a great leader of her people.

Ma LAI: That's a beautiful story.

KU UNG: lt's a fairy tale. You like fairy tales, don't you, Mei Lai? (Mei Lai, hun, ign.ares her.)

(Hrndmon emcrs.)

HENDERSQN:Chow!Chow!

(The wסmen rise in one grסup and exit. Fadeour: on women and fade-up spo, on Fחסg.)

FONG: If you want סt be a Gold Mountain boy you gסt to pay the price. For סne thousand dollars, you can be a merchaתt, a dסctor, a teacher, an official ... but סn laboren;, according סt the

'(Chinese Exclusion Acqhat's why l'm here. 0n accסunt of the law. Now that their railroad's built, their factסries are humming, and the· harvesc is in, it's time סt kick us cooliCS זuס by סur butts! \X!hat can you do? 1 always m.akc the best of a bad situation, you

18 PA~ER ANGELS

KU L!NG: The troub!e with all of you is you have no spirir!-You come all the w:נ.y across the סcean, dragging your use!ess kirchen gods and superstitions. You remind me of ox tails. Swinging back and forth from the behind, withסut a head or a brain!

CH!N MOO (seiziחg Ku Ling vio/enxly by her dothes): 1 ought סt tear your skin off!

KU LING (snapping away, hס/diתg back aחgry tear:s): You can all sit and rסt here with your prayer~sticks. I'm nסt going to wait. l'm getring out ofhere, do you hear me?

(Hendmon, a -d, emcrs wich Chan.)

HENDERSON (shouting): Sai~gai! Sai~gai! Good. newsJ Good news! (A bu,'1, of exciwnent among d,, wסmcn.)

WOMEN: '\Xlb.o is it? \Xlho is it?

HENDERSON: Chang Li Ti! (Makes sign /anguage.) Get your th.ings tסgether. You're leaving. Hurry up! (The women c!ap rheir htתגds exciredly aחd chatter as an imagmary wיסman leaves.)

CHAN: Fie. die jup ho sai yeh. Seng fow~la!

(The women bid fa:rewell ro Chaתg. Ku Ling widר.draws ro the wiתdow' sw,ping. )

MEI LAI (notices her crying aתdgoes סt her): Ku Ling, you mו.וm't cry every time someone leaves.

KU UNC: l wish I was dead.

MEI LA! (rouche.s hr:r on the shoulder): Don't say that! You are lucky to come!

. KU UNC (twודs סt faa. Mei Lai): I hate this place. 1 hate the way .the guards look.at.us. So this is Gum San! The l.and ofbarbarians.

SCENE 3 Z 1

JNSPECfOR: \X!hat are the floors made of?

CHIN GUNG: A!J diח.

JNSPEcזOR: \X!hat type of material is your house made of?

CHJN GUNG: Clay.

JNSPECTOR: \X!ho llved in the house with you?

CHIN GUNG: My wife.

INSPECTOR: Anyone else?

CHJN GUNG: No, no one else.

INSPECTOR: Are you sure?

CHIN GUNG: Y es, cerו:ain.

INSPECTOR: Earlier, your wife testified that her mother~in~law also inhabited the house. Surely if you really are man and wife, you would know who lived in yסur own house!

CHIN GUNG: I know whar the problem is. You are right. My mother also lived in the same house. But she died five years ago. So that when I carne back she was nסt there.

INSPEGrOR: \X!hat do you know! The old man's gסt an answer for everything. Did you raise any chickens?

CHIN GUNG: Y es.

INSPECTOR: How many?

CH!N GUNG: lt depends. If the hen hatches, we have more. If we kill one chicken, we have less.

INSPEcrסR: 1s there a dog in the house?

CHIN GUNG: No, nOdog.

zo PAPER ANGEL~

know? I figure, why ny סt fight the demon? He's got the power.

I've been in clרis wooden cage over a year now. I seen 'em come and go. I can tel1 you how many coaching nסtes have slipped through my fmgers without ever getting caught. Kitchen he!per goes home, picks up clרe note at the Canron F!ower Shop and brings it back סח the moming boat. He purs the note in a dish and serves the dish סt me. I, in tum, give it סt the right parry-for a slight service fee, of cסurse. If it wasn't for me, some of the fellas ~ould still be rסtting here--like me.

(Fadeouc)

SCENE 3

is uתg is padng around. Chin G ctסrרוspe The. l סזmס.ogadon nteח l . =red

INSPEGrOR: \Xlhere in the village is your house located?

CHIN GUNG: From the south, fifו:h rסw, fifch house.

INSPEcrסR: Is that a regularion five room Chinese house?

CHIN GUNG: Yes.

INSPEGrOR: Aתy ourside windows in it?

CHIN GUNG: No .•

INSPECTOR: Are there any skylighrs?

CHIN OUNG: Four skylighrs ~~ an open light well.

-

PArER ANt;~LS

JNSPECTOR: How is it then that your own brother says there is one!

CHJN GUNG: Oh, cl1at dog. But we ate it before we left.

tNSPECTOR: Do you have any children?

CHJN OUNG: No.

22

JNSPECTOR: How come there were no children?

CHIN GUNG (sigh.s): Because we were only married six months before 1 came here. (Sadly) My wife did not conceive in that time.

!NSPECTOR: lt says here you retumed co China four years ago. 'X'hy did you go back?

CHJN GUNG: T o see my wife.

INSPECTOR: '\Xlhy are you renגrning סt America?

CHIN GUNG: 'Why do I come back? I come back because America is my home now-not 'China. l am old now. I will be buried here. This is my country.

(Fo.doout as the Iחspecror exits; f~•in spסt nס Chin Gwדg.)

OIIN GUNG: Oh, we laid that railroad track from sun up סt sun down. The whire boss said, "lf they'd had you Chinaboys, they could've bui!t Rome in a day!" lt was the kind of work thar made you sז:roתg as an ox. By the end of the day, you could pass out- and drop ren thousand feet and never even wake up! There was this fella-Toתg, that was his name. He laid the dynamire. We called him Spider cause he was so thin and wiry. All the other boys yelled and signalled. with the rope like crazy when they lit the fuse. But not Spider. He wanted to beat that mountain. You could hear him picking away with his axe, singing and chipping through 'the shale at thc same time. (Operatic wail.) "Ah•ah·ah•h,h ... " Chink, chink!

23 SCENE 4

1 was the anchor on the pulley. Spider didn't signal. By the time l reali::ed something was wrong, it was roo lare. I screamed, "Pull, pull!" The gunpowder explocled. l fell. l never \et go. 1 saw Spider's bocly shoot up through the blasr of flying rocks and smoke, \ike a puppcr ... his straw hat chasing his head. (A soberingreveladon.) l believe the son-of•a•gun never meant to signal.

0

(Fadeouc.)

SCENE 4

The women are filiתg סut of tJie dining hail behind tk macron. They pass dד.e men, who await tkrr turn ro enw-. There is whisding, flming, andgeneral commot:ion as dד.e men try ro get the women's attention.

LUM (pסinז:ing at Ku Ling): Ah Fong, nay שi, jow hai kuey•la!

FONO (pסinז:ing at Chin Moo): Aw. Kuey?

CHIN MOO (spסtting Chin Gung): Ai--ya! Ah•gimg--ah! Ah•gimg•ah!

FONG (poinciחg at Mci Lai): Ah, kuey jwר~hoi licng,-vxנh! &au•ti•ful!

LEE: Mei Lai! Mey diemmah? Mo .seeי"'l'1UV1.. Bee•Bee diern mah? Sun iש ho mo.h!

ME! LA!: Ah•Fei•ah! Ah•Fei•ah!

(Lee bolrs from the group aתd daslרes סver סt Mei Lai. Th,y em, b,acc. Hcndersoo swiftly pul1s the cםupk apזש.

(Th.e men enrer, seating thcmselws--0n-benches arסuחd a long

1

l'ArER ANCELS 24

wooden diniחg table. Heru:ierson is stationed behiמd tkm near the door. The kitchen hclp cmדies a t:ra:y w the roble. He sers each dish nס the tabk, whne w mcn wlk.)

LEE: Ki~eye! Bastards!

FONG: Oגlm down! That was a stupid thing סt do.

LEE: I only wanted סt talk סt her. She's my wife.

LUM: I don't blame you. I would have done the same thing.

FONG: You're srupid, tסo.

LEE: '\X!hat right do they have?

FONG: You boys never think. They could have beaten you.

LUM: The Weaver Maiden and the Cowherd. Sepaכ:aזed by the MilkyWay.

(The kitchen-helpcr nudges Fong.)

KחCHEN HELPER: Fong Wah Hung. How-gwרg-dזi!

(The men turn סt look a.t Fong. Fang lסoks discreedy from side ro sde, wn rues and iaks a ooh from ,i,, helpcr. A sup of papcr falls ro ,;,, floo,- from uתdcr ,;,, ooh; ,i,, gua,d spo~ ,i,, papcr and TUShes owr.

Fסng p~ks it up; d,, gua,d ,ci,;es it from him, kחockmg him a,;d,.-)

HENDERSON: What's this, old man?

LUM, Mo-bay-ku,y ! (Lum po,.םu:,s on Hend=on from b,hind, The other men join in. T_M papcr drops ro dג.e jlםor. A whistle blows.)

FONG: Law-di•ji, fie•dee! Fk.Jee!

(Fong gmb, d,, papcr and sשffs ;, ms;d, l,;s shiri pocket as d,, od,,,­ ·men riot.)

(Blodrou,.)

25 SCENE 5

SCEN E 5

Men's dסmר.. Fסng is cutting Lwn's hair.

FONG: In my cs:;e, I had such a lousy wimess, he got everythiתg a\! mixed up! Said my father wasn't maחied the year I was bom. So of coun;e they figured I couldn't be his real son if he wasn't even married then! It's stupid liם:le things like that that trip you up-that drive you crazy!

LUM: Think of it this way-you'[l get rich (Pointing a.t his head) doiתg this.

FONG: 1'Jר., what good is gold in hell?

LUM: 1 saw that girl on the ship. She had dark eyes, sofr: and S3d. The minute I laid eyes on her I wanted סt marry her.

FONG: I never think about girls.

LUM: I wanted סt ta1k to her, but they wouldn't let me. So 1 gazed at her from a distance.

FONG: Everyone knows what happened to her on that ship. Unless you like white man's leftovers,, forget her.

LUM (spinning around andgrabbmg Fong's scissors): Don't say that! (Thc others tum. ro see what's going on.)

FONG: Take it e'i.JS'f, take it e&iיy! l'ci not your enemy. (Hands him the mimכr. ) Here.

LEE: 'w'hat day is it today?

LUM: 'Xlhat difference does it make?

PArER ANGELS

CHJN GUNG: \Xlhen you get סt my age, one day rolls intס another like a snowball.

FONG: Ic's Monday! I know because I mark off clוe days on my ca!eתdar. (Ho/d.s up a Chinacown wall cakndar.)

LUM (grabbing ic): 'w'hat kind of calendar is tl1at? (Lee joiתs סt look.)

FONG: Hey, fellas, don't bend it! My uncle sent it סt me fזom San Francisco Chinatown. It's a wescem calendar with the Chinese dates nס the right hand side of the English numbers.

LUM: But the numbers go lxנckward!

FONG: From lefז: to right, lefc ro right.

LUM: Right סt Jeft:, thar's the way it's supposed סt be!

FONG: 'w'har do those barbari.ans k.now? I hear they even eat thc side of a cסw raw!

LEE: 'w'ho told you that?

FONG: Sure, don't you knoW anythiתg? They just chop off big hunks off the cow while it's alive, slap it on the table ::תוd eat.

LUM (frסwrring): They tear it apan with their hands !.ike cave m~? •

FONG: Numbskull, do you thiתk they use chopsticks?

LEE: Don't they even use soy sauce?

FONG: Soy sauce? They don't even laר.ow what soy sauce is! (Wuh שsgu,t) Soy sauce.

(Th, doo, claתg,. Th, inmm,s look aחd s,e H- emermgw<h the Wm-den aחd Ciwת. Heruie,,on hos a shmer aחd as,ד<ס,d injuoo.)

26 21 ScrN E

HENDERSON (pointingat Lum): lr was him, sir, He attacked first.

WARDEN (tס Chan): 'w'hat is his name?

HENDERSON {ש.pping Lum): Eh, you, what's your name?

CHAN: Ncry gew mut, meng-ah?

(Lum spits nס thc f/סor סt show his contempt.)

HENDERSON: I ought to smear that yellow face of yours all over

the walls!

WARDEN: Knock it off, Henderson! (To Chan) f\sk which one of them has dרe cooching paper.

CHAN: Bien gaw yun yow how gong-ji?

FONG:· Mo-yah! Mo-ji-,yah! (Thc othc-rs join in prסrest.}

WARDEN: Tel1 dרem סt shut up! Make them speak one at a time!

CHAN: Mo-cho.-wah! Nay-de yet-gסr, yut-gסr gong!

CH!N GUNG: Ngaw dey mo how gung chi-ya.

CHAN: He says dרere is סn coaching paper.

HENDERSON: He's lying! You Chinks laר.ow damn well there was a paper! (The men cסntinue סt deny it.) I saw it drop nס the floor!

CH!N GUNG: Mistake, Officer. Please allow me סt clear up misunder:mmding. We have סn coaching paper here. You may search our belongings but you will find nothing.

1-iENDERSON: Then what the hcll was that paper that dropped on the floor?

CH!N GUNG: Ah, sir. 1 owe you 3ת apology. I can explain.

PAFER ANCELS

(Taks a slip fכןסaper frarn his pסcket.) I believe you are referring to this? (Han.ds it rc Henderson.) I asked the cook סt give me the name of a good herb doccor in San Francisco. I'm old and the body aches so much somecimes I can't sleep.

HENDERSON: You're lying o!d man. If that's all that was on the paper, how cסme they ju~ped me?

CHrNGUNG: I don't know. Young men have hot tempers. Perhaps dרey think you attack them for no reasסn. They are just young boys. Sometimes they get a !icrle hot-headed.

HE};!DERSON: Sounds !ike a !ot of cock-and-bull סt me.

CHIN GUNG: Sometimes the truclר. appears furth~·from the truth.

WARDEN: You have anything סt add, Henderson?

HENDERSON: He's covering for them. You're nסt gonna buy the old Chinaman's scסry are you?

WARDEN: We have תס evidence, Henderson.

CHIN GUNG: You are a wise man, sir.

WARDEN: You better tel1 your men they are subject סt U.S. laws, tחס China's. We know nסtes are being passed intס the barrncks by some n:iethod and we intend סt put a stסp סt it! I'm running ·a detention center. Any more injuries סt my men will be dealt with accordingly. Henderson, t:ake this man (Pסindng סt Lum) to sסlitary.

HENDERSON: y es, sir!

(Th, Wankn, Chan, aתd Hend,,,on ex;,, Hend,,,on draggiחg • Lum, whc strnggl,s vro/emly. H,;, fi,wlly draggoo, kicking aתd XCeamiחg, by ri,, hoir, OU! tk MO>'.)

28

" ScEN E 6

1.EE: Damn you, damn your couחtry, damn your !aws! They say eat, we eat. Get up, we get up. l've had enough. How long are we going סt craw1 and grovc!? I'm asl1:נmcd סt lifc my head. I'm ashamed to be Chinesel

CHIN GUNG: You whining yel!ow baswd! How dare you call yourself Chinese! You think you on hide your skin in.side those westem clothes? Let me tel1 you something, schoolboy. '\Yhile you were still sucking your mother's tit, thousands of young men like you gave their lives for China. W'here were you during the Boxer Rebellion? Oid you see them rapc and kill your women? Did you defend China from foreigners? There is so much you don't know and you won't fmd it in your books!

FONG (bows rc Chin): Chin Gung, you saved my life. I am indebted סt you always.

CHJNGUNG: We :נre all Chinese. You help me. I helpyou.

(Fadema.)

SCENE 6

The: iחmates, men dשר wסmen, stand by tlre pסles ( as in che סpening) suspended in dmc, looking sr:raight akacL lt's as if Ull:y lw,ve been ,mpp,d nakd, uתde,- swvcillarn:,, but their thסugh,, a,-e whax זemain fס themselves. Thc lrוspecשr Pace.s amסng r:hem, refcrring rc thcrn in an objectivc int.erשiew m.arוru:r. He סccasionally gesצוres at thcrn buc far al1 inte:nts and puזposes, they are irוaחimate . . .

INSPEGrOR: The Chinese question. lt's my guess that a good

PAPER ANGEL$

nineryfive pcrcent of the Chinamen coming through here are bogus. That's right. They come thinking they can pul! the wסo\ over the white man's eyes, figuring we can't te!l 'em one apaת: from the other. And you know, for the most paת:, you can't! But I give 'em a run for clוeir money. lt's !ike סutwittiתg a fox. 'X!hy the other day, this Chinaman comes to the hearing and I'll be

30

damned if it wasn't the same Chinaman we'd deponed three y~ ago! He was coming in under a whole new identiry. 1 swear סt god I recognized the little basז:ard. 'Why, I was the inquiry inspectסr who rejected his first entry application!

He was a sman: liם:le devil, .oזס We went back and forth. I was determ.iתed סt trip him up and he was just as determined סt toss every curve back. He was fast. Never flinched. Must've been no more than founeen rס fifteen. To tel1 the truth, I rather liked the litcle fella. (Clוange of rone frcזm amu.שru:m and near-admiration, w cסld, dark derachזnem.) But the law is the law. I have my job סt do. You've got סt have a system! Because if you don't, they'll take advancage and nexז: thing you know, not only wil! you have droves of illegal aliens swarming .iתto ttר.CCסtilitty, but they'Ilbe • bringjngovei-the:if-Wlves, ·_Chi1a~ sundry aunts, uncles, :::ind ~es, tתס tס menti~ ili;littl;y~il~;_; ~~es theyיii .be propagat­ ing aii·~~~.s:ד meanyou·v~ gסt to be ~;;;~ri~ about-it. Itilieyrecomiתgin-fufudurently, ·we)v·e i::ot to do our best to .keep them ouו:r-·

(Bladwut.)

ScENf 7

SCENE 7

Mei Lai and Lec סור סsite sidi!s fסppס Stage. Night. Thunder aתd rain.

MEI L..AJ: 1v, a daughter, I havc never questioned the wisdom of my fathcr; as a wife, 1 am prepared סt follow my husband; and as a

_ mother, 1 will abide by my son's wishes. 1 have never known anyו:hing but hunger and poverזy all my life. Now I have a chance.

(Lee is tvזiting סt Mei Lai by the light of a candJe.)

LEE: My dear wife. Three weeks have passed siתce we parred at the dock. I dream of you mending my clothes, your head bent over your bag of colored patches ... I count the days the river retums to the sea. Your devoted husband, Lee Sung Fci. (He jwווps up, cn.anpling the paper.) Oh, wh:גt's the use. They will never lct me get this סt you.

(Mci Lai h,a,-s d,e moons of Ku Liחg aחd tumS סt hcr. Ku Ling sורaסm aחd rhד-ashes in her sleep, almost eחacting the rape that condnues tס haum hcr.)

KU UNO (almost iתcoherent): Oh-h-h-h ... let me go! l.et me go! (Her breathing grסws heavier, as if bcingcrushed.) No, no, no-o--o! Don't--don't! Don't tסuch me!

MEJ LAl (shםking her): Ku Ling! Ku Ling!

KU UNG (/xכltmg up ), Wh-whaז happcned?

MEI LAI: lt's alright. (Mei Lגi hסlds Ku Iing and cradles her like a /xכlןy.)

PAPER ANGELS 31

KU UNO: Did I talk in my sleep?

MEl LAJ: !t doc::,וד't matter. YQu're safe now. Last night I drcamed I was walking :גlong the bcach. The waves grew higher and higher like dark mounr:ains approaching shore. An old woman walked along dragging a carc. It was the old widow Lao Chu who lived down the road. She didn't see me. She squat down and with a rock. beg.גn grinding a brick. over a board. She kססt the fullen powder and stuffed it into her mouth. 1 walked over and looked in

the cart. I saw the infunc-Lao Chu's own granddaughter dead! She had delivered the baby, then drowned her. A daughter was jusr: סne more mouth סt feed, one more woman destined to suffer. (Mei uu hמlds Ku lingas tתe ,ainfall,.)

(Fadeou,.)

SCENE 8

Men's doזm.

LEE (picks up newspaper): Maybe the Siu-Nirו-Bow [Gold Moun­ uzin NewsJ can use a good writer ... l'd like זס start: my own : newspaper someday. I'll call it the Ne.w Immigraru: News! (Pauses.) Chin Gung, you've lived nס Gold Mountain a long time. 'Whac's it like?

CHIN GUNG: 1 reinember when I first came here how big the city

seemed. 1 was young and I wasn't afraid of anything. Chinatown was home. They wamed us never זס leave Chinatown because the White devils would stסne you. I didn't believe them. One rime 1 wandered past Califomia Street and saw a group of white boys

St.:ENE 8

raunting a sing-song girl. She ignored them and kept righc along tס up תו::n her bound feet:. One of the boys rס, her and snatched at her eaחing. Ripped it right off her ear!

(An unndy and unshaven Lum encers, returning frסm soUtary with • Heתdroon, who pu,i,,, rnm indde and ,/שns tk doo,.)

LUM (kicks the. door, the.n tums ro the. men): Hey you son,s.,of-hell, aren't you even goiתg סt welcome me!

FONG: Hey Lum, where you been?

LUM: T ס see your sister! How about a driתk? And none of that clרeap scuffl

FONG: What do you mean? This is ng ga pei! (He passes the. bouk , arouתd.)

LEE: Other than your dog face, you haven't changed at all!

FONG: ]ust as stupid and loud as ever.

CHIN GUNG (grabs Lum and pacs him nס the. back): Good סt sec you, son.

LUM: It's good סt be seen!

FONG~ Sure, sure, enjoy.

(They P= tk bסttk and tk mood becomes fescive, ,סwdy.)

LUM (raisirוg the. bouk): 1 want סt drink. a tסast! (Thף chcer 1.oudly.) To freedom!

FONO: Haven't lost your זaste, eh?

LEE: 'גlhat was it like?

FONG: Shut up, will you? This is a celebration!

PAl'ER ANCCL~ 34

CHIN GUNG: Another tסast! T ס the opening of the World's Fair.

LEE: Do you think we'l! get סt see it?

FONG: Sure, sure. I'll send you a postcard fi-om the M:נrk Hopkins.

LUM: Chin Gung, what are c:he women like in America? Are they very beautiful?

a-ו!N GUNG (dשckles): The women ... the women ... long of thigh :md shסrt of temper! Oh yes, those sing-song girl.s could drive a Chinaboy crnzy! I had rny fill of them, too. 01' Lilly םied oז scratch rny eyes זuס wlוen I told her l cou]dn't tak.e her home ... said 1 ruined her life. But how cou!d you ruin a sing-song girl's life, I ask you? lt was already ruined long before I ever came a!ong! That's when she threw the pot of tea at me ... (The men laugh.)

FONG: My uncle has already picked out a bride for rne.

LUM: Is that why you !efr China?

FONG: No. They are waiזing for 'me tO become a rich man so I can send for her.

LEE (walks סt wiתdow}: The fog's rolling in.

CHIN GUNG: Everybody says 01' Chin is crnzy. l've moved-all around this cסunay. Aft:er the rails, we-followed the seasons-like geese, always looking for better climate, better conditions. I've picked lemons and artichoke. I've harvesred walnurs with long poles :md caught the falling nuts with sacks. I was a good cook so when the cook raiו. off, 'cause he couldn't pay off his gambling debt, I had סt prepare the meals for thirו:y, sסmetimes as many as fifty men a day. I got so fruscraced widו. rny life, 1 gambled away all

•• my eamings one day. The more despeזate you are, the crazier you get. (Pause.s.) I'll tel1 you סne thing though, I know this land, 1

5CENE 8

ache for her sometimes, like she was my woman. \Xlhen I dig my hands intס her flesh aתd seed her, something grows; when l warer and fertili:e her, she bcg.ns סt swelL If you treat her with respect, she responds, just like a womaת. A lot of whites don't know this. (Po.uses.) You probably rhink I'm crazy, but I'm in love with this land. I W3I1t סt die in America.

LUM: N_סt me. As soon as 1 strike it rich, I'm tak.ing the firsז: boat back home:

זס tת1N uuNu: 1 we.ד1;., all this croublC bringing my wife witl1 me this time. She waited forty years for me. Imagine that? Forty years. I figure she deserves something better rhan sr.aring at the backside of a pig all her life. She's סn young girl :myrnore. No, now she's a grandma :md I'm a grandpa, except we gor no grandchildren. Thar's nסt right, you know? Old people should have grandchil­ dren. That way something of them lives on after they're gone. 1v,

for me, it's tסo bte. (&minisces.) Some of those sing-song girls were preת:y nice. Especially Lilly. I could have rnarried her. But how could l do that סt rny China wife, huh?

LUM: I would have. 1 would have married as maתy as I could afford.

CHJN GUNG: I know plenty of Chinaboys that did that but somehow I just couldn't. Boy, was she mad when 1 said I couldn't marry her! Missed me by just an inch with that pot of tea! Whew!

(Fחסg ,tתkes an op,זadc fal,cttס, g,-ab, a ke,chi,f from U>< Lגundry • lin, aתd '°""' J,i, head, um,g it Uke a Chi,ש,, wmחg veil. They !ai.mch into a pa:rody of a wedding ceremony. Thcy kowww dט-ee ו:imes tס Lum who is acting as CM father-iזו-law. The couple, Fong and Lee, re-erוact tM wcddiודg night. Lee chases a coy and squealing Fong arowוd U>< bed. Th, cliחwx ;, ,caci,,d wh,n Lc, fim,lly capoae, gסחF aתd unvcii, him. Lc, foll, lx,ck in ,hock at a,, g,iMing Fong.

PAPER ANOELS

(The Wשd<n, Heתdasסn aחd Chan """'when the paתdrnw,,;,,,,, rerג.cks its peak. The men insשnז.ly stסp clowniחg dורa signal סt Fong, who is sti/1 mimicking the bride. He ncדis arouתd uתsuspectingly dורa cסmes pזactica/ly nסse סt nסse witJו. the Warden's faa.)

HENDERSON (in /וeavy Aת.f§1) accem): Chin Bick Hop. %0 is Chin Bick Hop?

CHAN: Bing gaw hai Chin Bick Hop?

CHIN GUNG (with antidjכatiסn): I am Chin Bick Hop.

WARDEN: Oh, you? According סt yסur medical, you have a case ofliverfluke--so you're nסt permitted סt enceז the U.S.

CHIN GUNG (shocked): But-but I 3תSWered all the quescions!

WARDEN: The hospital cleared your physical by error; otherwise, you wouldn't have even made it סt the Bסard ofinquiry. (He hands a kttcr w Chin Cחmg,)

CHJN GUNC: But ! answeזed all the questiסns ...

WARDEN: Liverfluke cases are all deported without appeal. .at's the ruleי11

CHJN GUNG: Ic's impossible! I'm no Paper Son. l've been here forcy yean;. Forcy years, you hear me?

WARDEN (genuinciy): Sony, oldcimeז.

(The Wa,den, Heתdasסn aתd Chan bcgin w leave. Chin Guתg fallows th,m w the dco,- as he pleads.)

CHIN GUNG (desperatcly): But-but I'm a longtime Ca!ifom'! (He looks far דeassuו-ance.) There must be a misז:ake, eh?

WARDEN: I don't make the rules.

36 SCENE 8

(The Wa,d<n, Hendcrron aחd Chan exu. Chin ,e,ds the ktte,. The others circle around asking him whש's happened, whש's been .said.)

CHIN GUNG: Livcrfluke worms. They can't do this to mc. l'm a

U.S. cicizen!

FONG: Don't worזy, Ah Gung, you can always appeal.

CHIN GUNG: They're sending me back סt China. They might as

well kill me.

LEE: There must be something you can do.

CHIN GUNG: 'X'hat's going to happen to my wifc? I dragged that poor old woman here for this?

FONG (puttiחg his arm over Chin's shoulder): Calm down, calm down, cake it easy.

CHIN GUNG: You tel1 me. (He looks at gסחF help!essly.) How does one lose face like a man?

FONG: No sense gctting worked up over it, old man.

LUM: No skin off youז nose, huh, Fong?

FONG: \X/hat's done is done! \X/hat can I do about it, huh? All of us have complications, appeals ...

LUM: And who detennines our appeals?

FONG: The United States govemment, of course. lt's their countנy. lt's their right.

LUM: Their right? Look at Chin! A retumiתg citizen, been in this councry forty years. Everybody kn.ows if you waחt סt get סut of here fusr: you gסt to slip money סt the authorities, right? lt's a question of skin and money ..