Two face personalities
I was a new girl in the town of Dallas. I met a few new friends as the shy new girl…. I was introduced to a girl name Kay (not original character name). She’s kind of one of those type of girls if you don’t fit in you can’t be their friend. My ex bf at the time is her (ex) husband friend. Since we’re all from the same group we tolerate each other. She recently had a baby with her then husband. So everywhere they go she had to carry her little daughter. Especially with newborn babies, Kay was a young bipolar type girl. She loved her party life if she wasn’t pregnant so soon I doubt she would settle down early.
Her husband would take her to friends’ house to drink,play card or party. She would always nag and tell him to go home because their daughter is sleepy. They would argue day by day night by night.I always glance over at her and feel sorry for her because she chose this life.
As the days go by Kay just doesn’t seem happy. I don’t know if her love life sucks or if it’s financial problems that is bothering her. Let’s fast forward to mid 2001 … she’s been traveling to Southern CA a lot. She met a chinese man who asked her if she want to get paid for an arranged fake marriages. She asked him, “ok how does this work? What about the plane ticket? The living arrangements? The payment after signing the documents? If it’s illegal!” The guy said, “ don’t worry just follow my instructions and by the way can you gather up more people to do a few other cases only you won’t do. Kay said, “ok don’t worry I got a few friends that I can persuade. But will I get any commission if I get them in on this it’s risky what I’m doing for you!” The Chinese guy nods his head and Kay agrees.
When she flew back to Dallas she gather everyone of us up. And told us about her plan. I was iffy about this. I keep asking questions back to back. I asked about the plane ticket, where will I stay, and how will I communicate with those people knowing that I don’t know any chinese language. She said just follow her Chinese friends’ order. We won’t use our real names only our social security number is real. It’s $6,000 a case for these fake marriage documents. Back then $6,000 is a lot to make within a month. So Kay persuaded me and a few others to do this job.
I purchased a plane ticket to Orange County, CA. I stayed with a woman name Tweety (not original character name). She is very sweet. She’s this young,Vietnamese woman whose been dating the Chinese guy for awhile. Let’s just name him Kang so it’s easier than calling him the Chinese guy. Kang is the main guy who organized this fake marriage arrangements and Kay follows his order. So they told me to stay with Tweety until it’s time for me to fly to Fuzhou. I only stayed with her a few days than I had to fly over there.
I’m on the plane heading for Fuzhou. In my head I’m worried about the Chinese family I’m meeting and what to say, how to communicate and to use sign language. I’m scared what if I get kidnapped or what if I get killed while over there. I couldn’t sleep but I ate the meal the stewardess serve me. I keep counting down when I will arrive at my destination. I closed my eyes for a few hours and when the pilot told us to stay seated and fasten our seatbelts it’s because we’re about to land in Fuzhou , a smaller city in China.
At the airport I was greeted by this Chinese guy. He had a sign with my fake name on it. I came up and gave him my fake ID card. He grab my bags and drove me on his motorbike back to his 5 story house/villa. He speak a little bit of English just to get by with me. As we enter the gate of his villa his family greeted me as if I’m one of their family. His 2 kids came up and hug me. It make me felt the love and warmth from this family.
He showed me up to my room on the 4th floor. The bed in this room is hard as a rock but I couldn’t complain. The interior design is traditional like in the Chinese movie. Nothing special about it. The bathroom is just down the hall from my room. A single bathtub and a single sink. There’s a balcony area where I can stand and glance at the star while feeling the breeze of the fresh air blowing in my face. I really can’t believe I’m actually in a city thousands of miles away from home and living in a strangers home as if I’m studying abroad in China for the summer break.
After I took a shower, I changed and went downstairs to eat with this family. I’ll named him Ning since I can’t recall what his real name is. Ning asked me to not be nervous and just act like this is my home too. I wait until everyone pick up their bowl of rice then I pick up my chopstick and bowl of rice. I’m so nervous I keep dropping my chopstick so I asked for a spoon instead. After we finish eating, I help them clean up and then I went upstairs to my room. I sat on my hard bed for awhile until I finally passed out from the long flight from CA to Fuzhou.
I have to admit I was fortunate to bump into a friendly, loving family. Ning told me he own the company name Hugo Boss. He asked me if I ever heard of it. I told him no. I’m so naive at the time. Ning and his wife try to talk with me to get to know me but I’m very shy I just didn’t know what to say.
As the sun goes down it started to get dark… Ning’s wife let’s name her Pu’er so it’ll be easy to talk about her. She all of the sudden wanted to go dancing at the club. She called for a nanny to take care of their children while Ning, her and I got ready. We called for a cab and headed out to the disco club.
When we arrived we got out of the cab. Ning paid for the cab while me and Pu’er hold each other’s hands to wait for Ning. As I step in the disco club with them I felt like I was in another world or dimension because everyone around me is either high on drugs or drunk from drinking. We were greeted by the hostess and taken to a table by the young Chinese gentleman. The waitress bought out trays of desserts, snacks and goodies for me to pick. I nod my head and just ask for a mix drink. I felt hypnotized by their remix chinese rave music. I saw a young group of Chinese guys/ mafia gang drinking liquor from left to right. I saw them pulled a brick out of the stone wall and hid their cocaine there. They glance over and saw me looking at them but I pretend to wave at a midget Chinese guy dancing on the floor and came to the dance floor and started dancing the night away. Ning and Pu’er finally join me. I was nervous because I’m actually in Fuzhou. I can’t believe I let Kay talk me into doing this shit. I don’t know if it’s a dream or would I consider it a nightmare. I just couldn’t wait to get back to America where I belong.
For the following weeks I had to go places with Ning. We had to take photos together as if we were a couple. We had to get our documents together. He filled out the form I knew nothing because I cannot read or write in Chinese characters. I still can’t believe I was talk into doing this fake marriage for money. Am I stupid or just effin desperate for that $6,000?
Today is the day I packed up my belongings and head to the airport. Pu’er hug me before I got on Ning’s motorbike to go home. I was so excited that I finally leave Fuzhou. I couldn’t bear to look this family in the face to say goodbye because I know deep down I won’t see them again. As time flies by the flight finally landed in California. I finally met up with my friends and told Kay what I experienced. She told me she went to Quang Zhou instead because her chinese guy is there. I asked her what he looked like? Is he tall? Handsome? A gentleman? All she did is giggle. I reminded her that she is still married with a daughter and she said she knows.
I don’t know why but I cherish our friendship but to her it’s about money talk. Her source of income is this illegal job. I don’t know how she met Kang or Tweety. I just couldn’t come to ask her. Then another time she ask me if I wanted to take on the 2nd case. I asked her where this time she said Shenyang. I agree and did this one last case. By the time I left Shenyang I felt like Kay was using me. $6,000 for each case but she get some commission money and so does Kang. I didn’t have much from the 2 cases so I told them I quit. It’s risky and stupid for me to get myself in trouble if I get caught.
