-^-for posterity-^-

i haphazardly asked one of my classes how many of the students still had living grandparents. in a class of 36 only 17 raised their hands. the students are all under 22 and most vietnamese families start young. i was startled.

wars have torn this country apart. i was surprised and not surprised to learn that most of the students didn’t have living grandparents. i asked how many students had all four of their grandparents still living.

one small girl in the back raised her hand.