All posts filed under: Literature

Staff Favorites: June – Who Is Your Favorite Fictional Father?

Published by littlelaosontheprairie

There are so many events and holidays that June brings around, but because we celebrated Mother’s Day (in our Little Laos way)…we felt it was only fitting that we also celebrate Father’s Day…with one twist. So, we asked our staff, “who is your favorite fictional father?” It goes without saying that, while mothers seem to instinctively know how to heat our tempers up, fathers are more of an X factor. Roll that dice! Is it a 5 hour long lecture where you become comatose and need mom to come give you a heart attack to revive you or did you roll a 6? Six is no good–that’s “do not pass go, do not collect $200” territory. Oh, a 3? Insert a sibling as a means of torture. Rolled a 4? BAM! Didn’t see that one coming, didya! Got a combo of any of the previously mentioned consequences? That’s lucky roll number 5. None of us have ever rolled a one, though. That’s territory I hope no one has ever found out the hard way. My …

To All My Faux Aunties and Uncles…

Published by Saysomphorn Sisavatdy

Dear Aunties and Uncles: I now know the purpose you served… For years, growing up, it was never properly explained to me. Perhaps my parents lacked the words I would understand. Perhaps it was more than that. Because of that communication gap, I genuinely believed that everyone my mom and dad introduced me to, was my blood relative. That meant that when I went to my American grade school and people asked me about my family, I inadvertently lied. “I’m the youngest of 8. I know, big family. Both of my parents have like 13 brothers and sisters each. I haven’t even met all of them! Well, some died in the war, of course. I never knew my grandparents.” I guess I should be happy I grew up in a state surrounded by Mormons and Catholics. Big families weren’t anything new to them. But, for the skeptical others that dared to question my authenticity? I was sure self-righteous in my defense of my village-like family! At a certain point, I reached an age where I started questioning …