Things I Saw and Heard When I Worked in the Restaurant

from Getting Together (circa 1972); Chinese-American Workers: Past & PresentTranslated from Chinese)

Among the many things we wanted to do when my colleagues and I first came to the U.S. in the second half of 1962, the most urgent one was to look for jobs. One day, a friend from the same hometown took us to New Jersey for an interview. The first time we were there, the lady in the office asked, "Do you speak English? What type of work can you do?" We replied that we couldn't speak English, but told her the type of work we could do. She gave us a stare and then she told us we could become dishwashers and kitchen helpers. After settling work schedules and salaries, we went back to the meadow outside the dormitory, and started to discuss who should do what. We also discussed how to prepare ourselves for the job. Everyone then was looking forward to working and ready to "work and endure hardship."

The first morning when each of us started in his assigned area, some white guys came in, checking us out like strangers. I walked up to them and politely asked them their names, and how we should get started. They answered that they did not know. We all had the feeling that they had no reason to treat us so cold. At this time, a countryman came in who directed us to work. Since he had worked there many years and the boss liked his work, he was put in charge of running things. From then on, we asked him about the U.S. when we got time during breaks every day. Usually he would sigh and say, "There is too much discrimination against us Chinese everywhere we go. Like those white guys, they always look down on me, constantly trying different ways to insult me. On one occasion this was particularly obvious. When I was promoted, they said how could a Chinese be placed in a position higher than theirs. Actually, how can he say that anything the Chinese do will not be as good as they do? I feel some of them close their eyes and blindly talk."

As time went on, we saw more; we heard more; we all developed a common feeling that everywhere in the U.S. there is discrimination, contradiction. Anger comes from deep under each one of our hearts! People from any country in any other country, as long as he has a conscience, and has his nationalistic feeling, he will stand up and speak out when his people's rights are infringed upon, when the people are being exploited, oppressed, insulted, discriminated against, and suppressed. We Chinese here have been treated this way, just like many other people. If we think that a country which claims itself civilized and built on freedom, democracy, and equality, can we not, then, say a few words for the Chinese people from our conscience?

When the great seventies arrived, people from all over the world were struggling for independence, democracy, and freedom. This is the crucial moment when the Chinese people are pushing history forward, announcing that this is the great age of revolution. Great socialist motherland, center of people's revolution in the world, the hearts of tens of thousands of revolutionaries are with you. They all look toward Peking, capital of the People's Republic of China, beacon that shines the way to go forward, that lights up our hearts, that lights up dark corners in the world, and points out the way to our revolution! Fellow brothers, stand up! Hide no pain in your heart, speak it out! Why not say something? Now is the age of world revolution! We should speak out all our sufferings!

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Things I Saw and Heard When I Worked in the Restaurant

Section 4: Chinese Youth

`Section 4: Chinese Youth`