From Chinatown it was on to Dorchester at thePope John Paul II park for the annual East meets West Kite and Cultural Festival. Walking over I saw the father of my childhood best friends, my Uncle (though no blood relation), and just a really incredible man, Hing Yee. He looked part Cowboy part Airbender and the quintessential image of a romanticized of what would be the Norman Rockwell version of the Chinese American man. In a wide horse stance he swung his fishing pole attached to an eagle kite. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of that because my camera was in the car. I had to settle for this picture of him coming back from his magical performance.
My boys ate their Shrimp Lo mein lunch and String beans with beef slices lunch and then went at it with playing kites and frolicking in the fields with the other children. I talked with friends. and the subject came to Chinatown.
"It's a shame that Chinatown is disappearing. It's a shame that Chinese businesses are closing down and Chinese People are having to move out. But you know what, you can do something."
This was the paraphrased gist of the inspiring words my friend gave me.
"You and Al and Theo and all his friends. You guys can get together and maybe go to those CPA meetings. And a lot of those guys are big in the Corporate world now. And don't let the fact that you're not make you think that means that you can't make a difference. You know people. And you grew up there right?"
I let his words sink in and it become clear that maybe I could do something more than I have been. After all, my kids are in school now and I do have the time.
A Sampan reporter came over to interview the organizer of the Kite Festival, Tony Chung.
"The idea of the Festival is to get people of all colors together to enjoy the magic of kite flying." was what he said.
Maybe the beginnings of a lot of the solutions our community, our extended community, of all colors, all looking for, are somewhere in that statement.
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