Mrs.Woods from Redmond, WA

Year 1975

Kathrin Woods was 35 years old American housewife, resident of  Redmond county, suburb of Seattle. Her husband Steve was hardworking farmer.

 

In year 1975, America was moving towards prosperity, so does this American family. American agriculture landscape was changing. New fertilizers and farming technologies have increased agricultural productivity exponentially. Steve never missed agriculture extension agent’s presentation on new varieties of crops. Mrs. Woods used to help him in cultivating vegetables which they were selling to grocery stores and occasionally at downtown Saturday market, during summer. They had two lovely children, Nick and Jenny.

 

As child, Mrs. Woods had experienced horrors of World War 2. She has seen her parents’  struggle to feed their 5 children. She had witnessed rapid economic growth and American social and economic transformation, as well.  Shopping malls and freeways were built. Car, TV set and Microwaves became necessities than luxury. Women started working in offices.  Some couples  were living together without marriage. Such relationship were not accepted 10 years ago.  Civil rights movement led Civil Rights Act of 1964, that banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in employment practices and public accommodation.

 

Whole America was changing rapidly. But Mrs. Woods had nothing to do with it. She was least concerned about Vietnam war, Martin L King movement or cohabitation practices. Her world was her family. To cater her family needs, take care of her children and keep them happy was only objective her life. As social service she was giving tuition to black kids after Sunday Church sermon.  And she was quite happy about her little contribution to her community. 

Even though Mrs.Woods were not actively following American social, political and economic transformation, she could not remain untouched either. Freeway between Seattle and Redmond has been operational and lots of economic activities started taking place in Redmond. Few of her friends started working as nurse, teacher or as telephone operator. Because of modern electronic gadgets as MW oven, vacuum cleaner,  and washing machines, life had became  easy for women and now they had  more time to purse own aspirations.

Mrs.Woods also tempted to work as teacher. She had never earned any money. She never had dollar bill of her own. She had desire to buy something for her children by her own money.
That night, at dinner table Mrs Woods slowly started topic of working women. Steve rejected the idea of working woman, saying “ Why woman need to earn money! Its man's job. If woman starts work in office, who will take care of family… !!! ”

Listening to Steve, introvert Mrs. Woods assumed that he will not like her working as teacher and she never asked thereafter. Her desire to earn money for her family had died in very infant state.

 

Year 1982

On summer of 1992, Mrs Woods was happy after selling all the vegetables on  sunny summer afternoon at Redmond Saturday market. As they are packing up, Mrs. Woods saw a strange creature.... a brown man.  Apparently he was not white as herself or black as her students or Chinese from Hawaii .... but appears as brown Asian. She whispered to Steve.." STEVE look at that man.. he looks so strange. Who is he !!!" Steve took a look and responded "honey he is Indian.. " Mrs. Woods replied” he cant be Indian ... look at his eyes they are so different" Steve replied" Oh Kathy he is not native Indian. He is Indian from country called India. Gandhi’s India.. You do know about Gandhi, right !!  "

 

Mrs Woods did not knew much about geography and her knowledge about external world was very limited. She had heard about India and Gandhi, during her schooling but she never expected that someday man from land of Gandhi will reach in her small town, Redmond ! She kept looking at him as long as she can…

 

That night Mrs. Woods could not sleep.  She got obsessed with that Indian.  On the bed, Steve was about to sleep. Mrs. Woods shock his body and asked " Steve, What that Indian was doing into our town??? Why he is here  ?? " Sleepy Steve got angry. "Katy.. How the hell I  know about him !! And Why are you worried about him ??? You have asked same question 20 times since you saw him. Is he going to be your new boyfriend!!! Mrs woods shouted" NO of course not. How dare u say that."

Steve closed his eyes" sleep now and let me sleep, don’t think about him ..”

 

Lights were off and Steve was sleeping happily. Mrs. Woods was still awake. She was feeling uncomfortable. Presence of this new stranger was bit irritating. She loved her cow-town and her smallness. She felt like somebody has intruded into her house. "What he is doing here in my town" She murmured to herself.

 

Next day after Church service Terry told Mrs. Woods that Indian is working at newly opened company , called Microsoft." Microsoft !! Is it detergent company ?? " She asked. Terry replied "No its kind of computer company". Mrs Woods made eerie sound" Computers  what's that ???". Terry replied" Albert told me its kind of   big calculator. He told me that computer going to be big thing one day.. kind of change the world". Mrs. Woods had nothing to do with computers or changing world. She kept quite.

 

After 10 Years

Days and months passed and Microsoft became world's biggest software company. Redmond has developed along with Microsoft. Roads became wider and cars became swankier. People used to spent lots of money on things. Mrs. Woods’s both  children left Redmond to pursue their carriers. Nick went to New York to work for financial company and Jenny settled at Denver to study architect. Steve was retired and living a happy life.

Mrs. Woods had accepted all the social, political, economical changes but could not a cope with one fact: growing numbers of Indians in Redmond. Since Microsoft and Boeing were hiring Indian engineers, their population was on rise. Mrs.Woods was uncomfortable with that fact. It’s not like she had any racist feeling about them. Its just they were alien and they were not part of Mrs.Woods childhood essay of

" my beautiful Redmond". They appeared quite stranger to her. 
Mrs.Woods has learnt that her neighbor, Terry had sold her house and  moving to Florida. Terry explained that her son has settled to Florida and there was no point in staying alone at Redmond. She has sold her house and bought bigger house at Florida. Mrs. Woods asked about new owner of the house. Terry replied "They are Indian family working for Microsoft." Mrs. Woods jumped from her chair. 'INDIANS you sold house to Indians...'Terry replied “they were paying good price and allowed me to stay till my florida house gets ready. What’s wrong with Indians? Why u are reacting so hard ?”

Mrs. Woods was confused. Now she will have Indians as her neighbor. She was worried.

 

Indian family of 5 moved in: man, woman, 2 kids and an old man. Mrs.Wood assumed that they must be husband , wife, their kids and who was that old man !!! May be father of man or woman!! 
As days passed Mrs.Woods curiosity to know about her new neighbors grew.  Sometimes she used watch their behavior, hiding behind windows curtains. 
She observed that woman used to do most of household work and man was very busy in his work, (just like her and Steve in their young days). Old man was mostly being in house and spending his time in watching TV, playing with kids, or giving instructions to family.. The only responsibility he had was to pick and drop kids from the school bus. Few strange thing she noticed that woman and man used to vacate their chair for old man in respect.. Old man had sort of invisible control over house.   Sometime woman used to wear Sari.. a long single piece of  cloth, wrapped around the body. She also noticed that man and woman never kissed or hugged even when man used to go for long travel.  They are very restricted to show their love. She felt it very strange.

 

Once Mrs. Woods heard some loud noises from backyard. She found that Indian family was having a family party. Mrs. Woods could not stop herself. She hide behind bushes and observed a mysterious civilization. She saw women in bright Red saris. Men were also dressed in colorful attire she had no words to explain. Children had similar kind of colorful shiny traditional cloths.. Red, Blue Green Orange....She has never seen such a fashion. They were laughing loudly. Women and Men had their own groups. Strangely men were holding their drinks while she has not seen any woman with drinks. Their food was different. They used eat, using fingers... Their music and dance was so .... vivid and LOUD.

Suddenly Steve shouted "Katty What are you doing there in bushes ?"Mrs. Woods returned quickly and got angry on Steve "u need not to shout like that. Stupid man" She murmured. Steve wondered because his  Katty got angry very seldom.

Inside kitchen, Steve asked gently " What were you  doing in bushes  !" Mrs. Woods was feeling ashamed to explain her weird peeping-ness. She replied "nothing". Steve wondered" nothing !!! Really". Mrs. Woods had to tell the truth. She explained  " Okay okay… I was hiding behind the bushes and watching Indian party"

Steve smiled "so tell me what did you see ?"  Mrs.Wood " they are so different. Their clothes, traditions, food  sooo different, so loud and colorful.. .  it scary.. ..  “. Steve started laughing.. “ Kathy, You are obsessed with Indians… “..and he left, leaving Mrs Woods confused..

 

After 20 years

Redmond kept filling with more Indian , Chinese and other Asian immigrants because of ITization of Redmond. Asian grocery stores and restaurants sprouting up. . Mrs Woods had not made peace with changing times. She was missing old Redmond with no alien cultures. Whenever she saw Indian men, women or object, she used to feel ….uncomfortable.. ...

At age of 65 Steve passed away and her children were in other cities pursing their dreams.  Mrs. Woods got lonely. She was missing her family and old Redmond..  Redmond with no Microsoft or Boeing or Expedia !!  ... Redmond without any outsider!! But it seems impossible now. We can’t just turn the time-clock backwards.

We just can’t.

 

One November afternoon, lost in such thoughts. Mrs. Woods was waiting for bus to home. She has stopped driving car after Steve passed away. It was windy and rain started pouring. Mrs Woods did not had umbrella and was completely helpless.

Suddenly a car stopped and a voice came  “ Please come.. raining very hard..”. It was old Indian man from neighborhood.

 

Since Mrs. Woods did not had any choice, she got into the car. Old man smilingly told ..” raining very hard.. Problem without umbrella”…  It seems old man’s conversational English skill was not good.  Mrs.Woods just node.

Old man kept driving amidst heavy rain... windshield’s cracking noise was disturbing silence inside the car.. Mrs. Woods was in dilemma, as she was seating with man from alien culture.. She did not know what to speak, how to speak.. and why to speak ??

 

Mrs.Woods gathered enough coverage and asked “ Do you work !!!”.. Man replied “ No.. I was retired 20 years back in India.. Voluntarily retirement.. my son took me to USA.. he works for Microsoft.. we are US citizen.. “ and he smiled. Mrs.Woods smiled back…

They reached home. Rains stopped.  Mrs. Woods got out the car and thanked Old man.. Old man replied “No Problem. You must visit our home sometimes.. my daughter in law speaks good English.. American English.. not like me.. she will like if you come.. we are neighbors..“ and he smiled again. Mrs Woods responded with a sweet smile..

 

He left and Mrs Woods kept looking at his car. Suddenly miracle happened.. She felt liberated. She felt that all the confusion and irritation she had, melting away. She opened her door and stood next to window to look at Indian house with new perspective. She saw Indian lady waving  hand to her and she waved back..

 

Fear of unknown can be countered by knowing the unknown and she did it today..

 

The End