CD # 3 track 1 CALL/FIND BROTHER- (18:43)
Track 1- 0:00- Rainjita : Test test, okay tell me once again how you feel about it?
OK: I feel excited, kind of sad. She thinks she found him, but she don’t know, she has to arrange with him, and we’re going to meet together and this and that. Kind of excited and sad in a way.
R: Why do you feel sad?
OK: I don’t know, they said he’s still alive. According to her, that’s good. So we’ll just go sight seeing today, walk miles and miles, and come to the hotel and they’ll let me know.
1:04 Yang Okcha,
Creol, so you got the phone number? Yes, maybe he can call me. Uhhuh, you got phone number I can call? Ohhh. Umhum. (Korean) Just a hotel, I thought I can go down and find him, is he going to go up? Hotel? (Korean) Yes. you got pen? Hang on a minute, what’s the number? (Korean) 673? No, yes, number number… (Korean) 010-676-6737-5753? Oh comsamnida, ohh, 010-67-375753, oh comsayo, oh I don’t know what to say, ohh, I’ll give him a call.
3:07 My brothers going to call me, this is the number they gave me.
R: Is it local? NO Do you want to use a calling card? No.
Silence…calling..
3:45 OK: Is this apaya,? It’s Okcha, (Korean) I didn’t know where you lived, so I (Korean) suwan, (Korean) I just went out with my daughter, … she wanted to go out so we have been marketing up and down and looking for you, so I said my brother’s going to call so I called the police they called me back and give me your number (Korean) I be here, cree, you know where hotel is? Uhh, ohh, cree cree. So you want me to .. hotel, 6:15, cree cree cree. Oh right, by. He’s going to come up, 4-4:30.
5:45: R: from where?
OK suwan! Oh I have a headache.
R: You have a headache? Take a cold shower, rest up and take a shower and then you’ll be ready. How do you feel?
OK: good. He said that the police called, he was home, he said to call back. He’s going to be here 4-4:30. He knows where it is.
R: Yeah! We did it in one day.
OK: we got to wash up, eat something,
R: we just ate.
OK: We’ll go to his house probably.
7:10- Mom, tell me how he sounds.
OK He sounds real good, happy.
He was happy?
Sounds really good.
He was talking in Korean?
Yes, he don’t know English. He only talks what do you call that, Korean.
R: So, It’s 2:30, hello, testing we’re in the motel resting, and you called your brother and got ahold of him, after some searching. What are some fond memories?
OK: I remember when he went to the service, he come home and struggle and look for a job. I left America, and never seen him again. My sister used to come with me. When we heard, a few years back and forth letter, I heard he had two children. I wonder how big they are. I never met his wife, today you will meet the sister in laws, wife, and kids, and nephew.What are you doing. That’s enough.
10:07- R: How old were you and how old was he when you last saw your brother? Talk about the last time you saw him.
OK- Last time I saw him was before I was 22, he was 25 or 26. Like I said I don’t see him daily, I hadn’t seen him a long time before that. I didn’t see him before I went to America. I never told him I was going to America.
Did he know about my father? Did he ever say anything about my dad?
No
Talk about when he went into the service. (brother)
OK: I remember he was going to the service. There was some school bus. When he left I cried. I felt very sad and alone. After that he come out, when he had leave, he did come out to see me once. I was surprised to see him.
R: Where did he come?
When I was working at inchon. In fact I think that was the last time I saw him. That’s it.
What were you doing there?
Working
12:25- What were you working?
OK: High school, we had this shop, high school people sed to come in three times a week to learn their trade. We teach them what work is all about. We used to have a lot of fun, room and board. I clean myself, wash my clothes. We had a good job. I turned around, and there was my brother. I was shocked.
R: What did you think when you saw him?
OK: I was surprised that he did actually come to check up on me. I didn’t think anyone cared what I do. But he cared. In fact that was the last time I saw him, that was along time ago, at least 35 or 37 years ago. It will be really interesting,
R: What are you anticipating?
13:38- OK: Nothing, just talk, what happened, what he has been doing, his children are up to. Tell him about my outcome. We’re both getting old. So, see what happens. I imaging he is surprised, I think he is actually surprised that he would actually see me in his lifetime, We made the effort, and we made it. Which is im happy. I don’t think he thought he would ever see me again.
Are you happy you made the effort?
Yes, Someday I always say that I am going back home, and here I am . See what happen, at least everthing came together it is fine.
Why now choose to go to korea>
Unfortunatly I couldn’t afford it, everyuthing else going on in my lifetime, last things I wanted to do go and spend all that, and working hard, Put it on the backburner. Different priorities in life than doing that. Fortuantly My husband told me got to go. If you wait, Go now, times right. I am glad I made the trip. Who knows see what happens, I am glad to spend some time with him, see what he like. he is the only one I have left. I have two younger ones, with separate mother, but my brother is my real, step sister andbrother, its alright, I hope I see the rest of my family.
16:44: My younger sister was 14 when I left her. I really didn’t want to left her, she was almost my baby. My younger brother, I haven’t seen him. They are good people.
When your older brother left for military what were you doing?
What do you mean what did I do? There was nothing I could do. When he left I was only 14 years old, and had to go to work,. We managed, we didn’t have it that easy, but now we’re doing good, I am doing good, I don’t know how he doing.
When you were that age were you sad when he left?
Yes, I was sad. That’s the rule, when a mans turns 18 gotta serve your country.
Is that when you ran away from home?
No, yes, shortly after that. I had to get my first job, myself, first time. I got good at it, I worked at a factory, assembly line. All my life its been too hard for working. 14 years old I started working.
R- And now you’re here,
OK: Yeah I’m here,
R: Retired old lady.
Yeah, old lady. I am 55 and retired. I am so happy to be retired. Fortuanatly , there is a lot of time when you are retired. My body can’t take it. That’s it.