endless rain into a paper cup

yesterday I spent five hours driving with a co-worker down to ohio and back. we've worked together for over four years now, but really haven't talked all that much aside from workspeak and the usual small talk banter. she's a good engineer and very smart, but also quite timid and deferential; not one to speak up much. which was why I was so surprised when she was telling me about why she moved here from china ten or so years ago.

"there's just too much corruption in the government," she said, "no morals. their only concern is for money."

"have you heard of the tianaman square protests?" she asks me.

"of course." Visions of the lonely man and the tank flash through my head.

"I took part in those. I was a teacher at the time and we were upset about the government corruption."

I am beyond awe at this point.

"after the protests, they sent me and lots of other teachers to live with farmers for six months to be educated."

now she starts getting visibly agitated. her voice quivers with intensity.

"the government told us that the basic human right was to work. but they took the teachers away from the students! and sent us to be taught by farmers! we could not work!"

she also told me about being very young and witnessing the cultural revolution. "it was a dark time," she said, "there is a shadow in my mind."