Instructor: J.Inslee
English 100
In summer 2007, my family and I went to United States for visiting. We stayed at my parent’s friend; they knew each other already 25 years ago, before uncle got into America to begin a new life. I called my parent’s friend uncle and his mother grandma. He has a daughter, but since uncle and his wife had divorced, she lived with her mom. Her name was Tiffany Nguyen. That summer was the first time I met this family even though I knew them long time ago as my dad told me. It was a really cozy summer with plenty of funs living with grandma, uncle and Tiffany.
Tiffany was a cute and courageous girl. Before I came to the States, I knew that Tiffany had got cancer in her lungs, but she won the game. She had been rescued after treatment when she was only 12 years old. At that time, she didn’t have any hair on her head and she had to suffer so much pain, but that didn’t make her hesitate to continue going to school. Instead, she was a really good student in her middle school. Tiffany always smiled, and made people feel comfortable around her. When I saw her the first time in America, I told myself that she was beautiful. Furthermore, she was very friendly to me, my sister and brothers. We spent a lot of times together because she didn’t have to go to school. In that moment, I said thank you to God for giving her to us instead of taking her away. I thought that we were lucky having her around.
This year 2008, after my summer quarter, I came back to California to join them again. Unluckily, uncle told me that Tiffany would not have times to stay alive anymore because she got cancer second time and this time, it was in her heart. Hearing that, I had been hurt so bad; I didn’t really want to believe to what uncle told me. In my mind, I always wished that there would be a magic miracle to change this truth. Everybody knew that and though the same way as mine. We decided to not tell grandma and Tiffany because we didn’t want them to suffer any pain. I didn’t know why but I felt as Tiffany was my sibling, my young sister that I really loved. I never wanted to lose her.
Three weeks staying in California, I had not really met Tiffany every day because she had to study and go to school. I only saw her within three short days of weekends. I really loved the feeling when uncle and I went to her school to pick her up every Friday. At the moment when Tiffany saw us, she always smiled a true bright smile ever. I suddenly felt that my day was refreshed and I became happier. It seems like her smile was a really good medicament for both of us. She never began to talk unless uncle asked her how her day was. She told us everything and every time that she talked about the one that she didn’t like to much, Tiffany always said “ew!!” and then made a funny face. It made uncle and me laugh. I think that until now, I still remember how it was her voice and her face those days.
Within weekends, Tiffany stayed at grandma’s house, so that I could be with her three whole days. In one Saturday, Tiffany and I didn’t go anywhere but stayed home with grandma. We always did things together and had a lot of fun. We woke up together at the morning, and then went to bathroom to brush our teeth. We went to the kitchen and the dining room to eat breakfast. It was not something special but only cereal. Because of Tiffany, I discovered that Honey Cheerios was a good sweet cereal that I liked too much. The taste was not too sweet but I could smell honey flavor in it. When we ate that with milk, the sweet of cereal and the coldness of milk combined which made the food more delicious. We both really enjoyed having that as breakfast. We liked it a lot. At that moment, the atmosphere of the small grandma kitchen suddenly became cozier with three people and their laugh.
That day, Tiffany had been waiting for Jonas Brothers on television. They had a short concert on TV, in Ellen’s program. She called her friend and they both talked about Jonas Brothers. They are her idol; Tiffany really loved them and their voice as most American teenagers did. When she talked about them, her face became brilliant and happy. Tiffany and her friend talked about everything on this earth; it took around haft hour. When Jonas Brothers appeared, Tiffany screamed very loud, as she won the first prize of lottery. She woke me and told me “Sis, it is Jonas Brothers! Jonas Brothers is perfect!” It made me fell funny and become happy as she did. Along the concert, she sang. It seems like she knew every Jonas Brothers song’s lyrics; she could sing it fluently. Tiffany had a high and pure voice. I really loved this voice. At this moment, this voice has been haunting me. I really miss that.
Next week, this was a week of MTV music award. Since my aunt organized events for the famous singers, she could take me together with her to the concert and the party after that. It was a unique chance that I ever had in my life. I could say that the ticket was not easy to buy, even for a VIP place like that. I really wanted to go, but something in bottom of my heart hindered me to accept the invitation. I denied it and chose to stay home with Tiffany and grandma. When I told her that I would not go to the MTV music award, Tiffany told that I was crazy and stupid. She really wanted to go there but she could not, whereas I had the chance but I did not take it. I was not angry because she told me that. In my mind, I knew that I would not have more chance to see her in the future, and it was more valuable for me to spend time with her than going to the concert. At this moment, I recognized that she was very important to me.
That day, uncle was not home because he has to go somewhere to see his friend. They both had to discuss about their business. Tiffany and I stayed home again with grandma. I went to internet to download music; most of it was the top hits that time. I did not understand why Tiffany could know every songs even its lyrics. Each time I played one song, she sang it. It really surprised and interested me. I decided to find the lyrics because I wanted to sing with her. We turned the volume maximum; it was at noon so it would not disturb anybody around. We sang together: Lucky and I’m yours of Jason Mraz, I kissed a girl of Katy Perry, Love bug of Jonas Brothers, etc. Songs after songs, I felt that I had a lot of energy to sing ever. That was the first time I sang as much as this, but it didn’t make me tired. I really enjoyed it. I could say that it was the most valuable memory for me. I wanted to record a video at this time but I didn’t have any camera. The joy and happiness of being together with Tiffany gave me a power to sing, even to continue this life.
The day before I came back to Seattle to continue my fall quarter, Tiffany and I chose to take photo stickers because I wanted to have something to keep as a souvenir. Photo stickers were the little pictures that we took in a machine and we could draw on that. We had a lot of fun taking picture like that. It was not too much time to prepare for each time that changed background. We laughed a lot and our face became red because it was too hot over there. However, pictures with “I Love you, Tiffany” or “Forever” became something special for me and Tiffany. I kept it very careful because it was the only one souvenir that I had with her.
Finally, I came back to Seattle and leaved Tiffany behind in California. It was a sad day because I didn’t be sure if I could see her again in the future. Two weeks later, uncle called me and told me that Tiffany had to stay in the hospital. The problem became graver and doctors said that it would be no chance for her to stay. Tiffany would have only one month to be alive. In that moment, what I didn’t hope that happen happened. I cried a lot and felt guilty. I decided to flight back there within weekends to see her. Being there, seeing her suffering too much pains made me hurt. I wanted to cry but I did not. I talked to her as there was nothing happened. She always smiled with me and I knew that she was happy because I came here to see her. It seems like her pain became the pain of everybody. At this moment, I hugged her and didn’t want to release. In my mind, I thought that releasing her now meant that I could lose forever. What had to come came; she was gone at December 08, 2008, two weeks later.
