Chapter 844 "Angel Island and Alcatraz Island"
Li Li accompanied me.
Angel Island is in a state park, about a 20-minute boat ride from the ferry in Tiburon.
The two took a boat to the island. The island is not large, 188 hectares. It used to be a detention center and is now a tourist attraction.
Fang Minghua saw tourists on the island in twos and threes. Some were walking, some were riding bicycles, and some were paddling canoes on the water. It was leisurely and quiet.
But the historical remains remain.
Originally, the California government had planned to demolish all the immigration station buildings that had been abandoned for many years. In 1970, a park ranger, Alexander Weiss, accidentally discovered the poems carved on the wooden walls by Chinese immigrants in the past.
"He contacted local university professor George Arachi, and the professor and photographer Gao Qiao went to the island, took pictures of the engraved poems, and reported them. It immediately attracted the attention of the Chinese community." Li Li held Fang Minghua's arm and said softly.
“At that time, Cao Jiongpei, a Chinese who worked in the California Department of Transportation, formed the Angel Island Immigration Detention Center Historical Advisory Committee, and together with other Chinese Americans, went around to raise funds, calling on the state and federal governments to pay attention to and preserve the immigration station site, and in 1976, from the state government Received a $250,000 restoration fund.”
“In 1978, a local chain restaurant owner, Weikert Bergeron, decided to donate money to build a granite monument in front of the Asian immigrant restaurant in the immigration station to commemorate the contribution of the Chinese to the development of the United States.
The inscription on the inscription is a Chinese couplet written by a Chinese: "I left my hometown and wandered in a wooden house, and started a new business in Kinmen."
At this time, Fang Minghua was standing next to this stone tablet.
The black monument body has the blue sea and sky behind it.
"In 1982, Chinese-American historian, writer, Chinese community leader) Mark Lai (Chinese-American poet, playwright) Genny Lim and others published the Chinese translation of the book "Island: The Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island" Titled "No Flowers Under the Pillow, Dreams Are Not Fragrant", it contains all the discovered poems as well as translations and excerpts from interviews with detainees."
As expected, Fang Minghua saw a lot of poems at the shelter.
On the wooden walls, wooden boards, and tables of the two-story wooden house at the ruins of the detention center
One of the poems engraved on the wall caught Fang Minghua’s attention:
Leave the pen and draw the sword to America,
Who knew that tears would flow from my eyes now?
If you succeed,
The barbarians will be killed and no grass left behind.
This courage is awesome.
"Some people have counted that there are more than 200 poems in this field. Some people say that this alone proves that China is the country of poetry." Li Li said.
"It's a pity that this kind of proof contains blood and tears." Fang Minghua sighed slightly.
After leaving the shelter, Li Li pointed to an island looming in the sea to the south and said, "Here, that's Alcatraz Island."
Alcatraz is also famous in American history.
San Francisco Bay, about 1.5 miles from Fisherman's Wharf, is a maritime prison.
Since its official opening in 1934, Alcatraz has imprisoned nearly 100 notorious felons, including gang leaders, prison escape experts, and cold-blooded killers, such as Chicago's "Godfather" Capone and the murderer Sturt, who is extremely knowledgeable about birds. Lord, Cold Blooded Machine Gun Killer Kelly, and many more.
"Escape from Alcatraz", released in 1979 and starring Eastwood, perfectly restored the entire process of a fugitive's escape from Alcatraz, and became a classic on the prison escape theme in the history of movies.
"I have been to Alcatraz once. The environment and facilities inside are much better than Angel Island. There are single cells. It is said that the breakfast includes cereal, bread, scrambled eggs and fruit salad. It has its own library and band. I heard At that time, many prisoners across the United States applied for transfer. ”
"Isn't this a naked irony?" Fang Minghua said: "Serious criminals live much better than these overseas immigrants. Who is the criminal?!"
Looking at the faint Alcatraz Island in the distance, Fang Minghua suddenly felt inspired.
How to write this novel?
Writing the story of Angel Island alone is nothing more than a history of suffering, which has become commonplace, but wouldn’t it be more interesting to add the Alcatraz Island next to it.
Fang Minghua quickly outlined the plot of the story.
A hard-working and kind-hearted young Chinese immigrant, let's call him Zhang San, came to San Francisco with a dream and met Jack, a villain who did all kinds of evil.
Although the bad guy Jack insulted Zhang San in every possible way, Zhang San firmly believed that "bad people will go to hell" because Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed all said this.
As a result, Jack laughed mercilessly and called him pedantic. "This world is originally a world of bad people. You kind people only deserve to be bullied by bad people."
"Your Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed can't save you!"
Until one day, this bad guy was sentenced to prison on Alcatraz Island for murder.
On the day of the trial, Zhang San secretly ran to the court to watch. Seeing the bad guy being tried before the law, he firmly believed that his belief was right.
Unfortunately, he was discovered by the bailiff because he was an illegal immigrant and was immediately imprisoned in Angel Island. After some review, he was expelled from the United States.
Ten years later, he set foot in San Francisco again. This time, he was a successful businessman. With his wealth, he entered the United States with legal status. However, within a few days and one night, he encountered a road robbery. , turned out to be the bad guy Jack ten years ago, and only then did he know that the other party had escaped from prison.
The other party did not let him go because of their original acquaintance. Although Zhang San begged, he was still robbed in the dark alley.
Before leaving, Jack left these two words.
"This world is originally a world of bad people. You kind people only deserve to be bullied by bad people."
"Your Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed can't save you!"
Zhang San lost his legal identity certificate, encountered the security police on the street, and was imprisoned in Angel Island.
That night, in the detention center, Zhang San tossed and turned in bed. He didn't understand what he had done wrong.
I think of the two sentences said by the villain Jack, and also think of the line in Shakespeare's "The Tempest":
"Hell is empty, the devil is in the world."
Suddenly I had a great enlightenment.
So when the guards were not paying attention, he jumped into the sea and smuggled to San Francisco with a narrow escape, where he hung out in Chinatown. With his clever mind and ruthless methods, he finally became the dominant gang boss.
Twenty years later, he is old, but he is still the black boss.
One day, when he was passing a church with a group of his men, he suddenly discovered that the priest standing at the door basking in the sun was actually Jack, the villain who bullied him twice that year.
But at this time, he was wearing a priest's black robe, with a cross hanging on his chest, and a kind face. How could he look like the murderer back then?
Jack recognized him too.
The stern-faced man in front of me turned out to be the kind-hearted Chinese man from thirty years ago.
Enemies are extremely jealous when they meet.
With a wave of Zhang San's hand, these men dragged Zhang San to the church, closed the door, and kicked and punched Jack under the statue of Jesus.
Soon Jack was beaten to death.
He is dying.
Before he died, he heard Zhang San say two words.
"This world is originally a world of bad people. You kind people only deserve to be bullied by bad people."
"Your Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed can't save you!"
What familiar words.
A smile appeared on Jack's face, and he raised his head with difficulty to look at the other person.
"Zhang San, did you win or did I win?"
End of story.
(End of chapter)