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    Ashi
  • Ashi
  • Author
  • 05/28/2020
  • 550 Words
  • 648 Views
  • 6 Comments
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
The story is a work of fictional, based on real locations weaved into selected major events happened in the year 2019.  The history of San Francisco is researched to the best of the author's ability.  Characters however are fictitious.  Attached photos are used to enhance the story but the author reserves the right to remove them or substitute them.  Please do not use/link photos without author's permission.

The Sojourner of San Francisco - 4. LTR/04: And the Castle Can Never Be Rebuilt Again. No Way

The chapter title is a line of lyrics from The Flaming Lips's song The Castle.
From this chapter on, the pictorial section of the San Francisco history/travelogue will be limited, as I ran out of time to finish the story.

FROM: Sojourner

TO: Perfect Stranger

DATE: APR-30-2019

 

Dear Stranger,

I hope life is treating you well, and your family…, if you’re close with them. Photos from my Angel Island trip just came back from the lab. It took a bit longer than usual, but they look quite good, or better than I expected, I should say. I don’t know if you’re still interested in seeing them, but it is never something you asked for. I am sorry if I am imposing on you. It’s a bit selfish of me.

Things could feel quite different twenty plus years later. The cruise around the Bay was still liberating. I felt alive as the mingling of fog and cloud caressed my face. And a seagull gliding along closely. Magical. The little giant of 4-foot-6 whose beady eyes glowed at the view of Coit Tower was no longer there deep down inside.

The changing skyline of the City didn’t bother me as much as I expected. Maybe the new skyscrapers were just not prominent enough in this angle to bother me; maybe I had seen too much changes I was already desensitized; maybe I was too jaded to care.

Once I landed on the island itself, it felt like I was rekindling with an old friend. The picnic area, though with less people, looked as if it’s frozen in time. There were a couple of sea lions resting lazily on the platform of sailboat docks, and a Canadian geese family walking their new gooselings.

I walked along Perimeter Road toward Immigration Station. It was closed that day, so I didn’t get to see it. Fear not, I did a quick online research for you. Angel Island was Ellis Island of the West operated from 1910 to 1940s, processed near a million immigrants from more than 80 countries (most were of Asian descent or Russian immigrants via Pacific route). Most detention process took weeks. Due to Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, some were detained up to 90 days and a few almost two years. The Act was eventually repealed in 1943. The administration building was burned down in 1940, so immigration detention moved out of the island to San Francisco. In WWII, the island served as the processing center detaining German, Italian, and Japanese prisoners of war.

I walked down to Fort McDowell, or what was left of it. There used to be barracks, a hospital, a church chapel, a postal office, a baseball diamond, and even a bowling alley. Now much of those structures only had their outer shells remaining. Interiors collapsed beyond repair and it didn’t look like the State Park System had any plan to restore them. The day was beautiful though, sunny and a few cloud floating. I sat on the sands of Quarry Beach and observed the faint silhouette of San Francisco skyline. I felt I could just lay there on the beach forever, listening to the gentle waves that hit the shore.

I closed my eyes, wondering if my parents were okay. Despite of differences, I wished them well. They did love me once. When would the wall between us come down?

Sincerely yours,

 

Sojourner

 

Angel Island Immigration House Mule Barn

[space reserved for future expansion]

Fort McDowell Pier

[space reserved for future expansion]

Nostalgia struck and when what one wanted to be and what really became differed, Sojourner grew more disenchanted. From this chapter on, Sojourner's mental instability will begin to surface. There is also going to be a lot more intermingle of personal issues with social justice discussed in the story.
Copyright © 2020 Ashi; All Rights Reserved.
  • Love 2
I have tried my best to research depression and suicide issues.  My time writing the story runs short due to recall back to my real life work, so some parts may not be the best.  It is not meant to cause distress if the issues presented in the story are not well-represented, especially about the issue of depression and suicidal thought.  Please feel free to contact me via PM or comments, so I can improve the story whenever possible.
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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Chapter Comments

Mikiesboy
1 hour ago, Ashi said:

Yeah, right?  I don't think how deep it can affect us emotionally, to be denied of love.  They think it's very different from heterosexual type of love, because they're thinking about sex....  Love is the same....  Yes, hopefully some parents can understand for their own sake.  Tim..., you're such a loving person....

Love is easier ... and you're sweet.  And you're right... parents that reject us, miss out on our love, talent and uniqueness.  How sad for them ... all of you.. are all flowers in my garden of people i love.

  • Love 2
Ashi

Ashi 2,726

Posted (edited)

48 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

Love is easier ... and you're sweet.  And you're right... parents that reject us, miss out on our love, talent and uniqueness.  How sad for them ... all of you.. are all flowers in my garden of people i love.

Tim....  It's very funny you should say that....  The final chapter is LTR/12: Would You Tend a Field Which Refuses to Bloom?

But now I know your answer already....  :hug:  Thank you.  You have a very special touch.

Edited by Ashi
  • Love 2
mollyhousemouse

there is such melancholy in this chapter
the image of lying on the beach and listening to the waves, well i've never been to a beach (ok 30 minutes at one in California in 1997 doesn't really count) but that sounds very peaceful
and then that closing statement just, it was like a slap
very good chapter, very well done i think
 

  • Love 1
Ashi

Ashi 2,726

Posted (edited)

43 minutes ago, mollyhousemouse said:

there is such melancholy in this chapter
the image of lying on the beach and listening to the waves, well i've never been to a beach (ok 30 minutes at one in California in 1997 doesn't really count) but that sounds very peaceful
and then that closing statement just, it was like a slap
very good chapter, very well done i think

Some of these chapters were written extremely carefully.  I know they look fairly simple on the surface, but they caused me many troubles over.  Difficult subjects can get very touchy, and the matters I touched on, if not worded properly, can get explosive..., and become derailed of what I was trying to deliver.  While I believe I've become more eloquent than I was younger (though not an excuse to become complacent), but I might lost some insight I had when I was younger.  I mean younger folks is more keen about events and talk very straight forward and though not quite understand why they had those emotion inside: anger, depression, frustration with the world, frustrated with their hormone.  LOL.  But this is a story of a 30-40 year old boy who is still experiencing some delayed growing pain, so it's a very tricky story to write.  I don't want to undermine the intelligence of the readers or put down people's experience when they're going through what Sojourner faced.  I know I did go through it, and I am sure I am not alone....  And when you're this age, you build up a thicker skin, so things don't just trigger because of a single event, but tons of things going on at once.  And I am trying to deliver all that in a consistent manner so the logistics of it is just crazy. 

I hope the story comes out in a matter-of-fact way, because that's what I intended, so people can be more focused to the core subject I am trying to put out: the walls among people (I know in the story it's about Sojourner and his mom, but I do mean it in a more broad manner).  I am trying to make it as timeless as possible.  This might be my only time to write something like this, so I want to do it right.  I really do appreciate with all the feedback you guys put out.

Edited by Ashi
  • Love 1
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