Ban Vinai Refugee Camp Thailand 1985 When the sun gets to the highest point in the sky the leaves of our favorite tree become a great umbrella of cool for my cousins and me to play under Hurry Mai throws a ball of rice onto the ground Yer races the chickens in the yard to get to it A bald rooster with black tail feathers beats her The look on her face is so sad and so hungry the fun disappears
I wave the Lion Dog and the Jackie Chan Dog close I hold onto the Lion Dog's neck and climb on his back I push my little legs into his sides and try not to fall when he starts to walk I can feel myself slipping off his back but I'm not afraid My father catches me just in time
In his arms he lifts me higher and higher I squeal My father says When someone falls you have to pick them up and lift them higher than they were before
