Fast forward two months of numerous conversations with Uncle on the phone or busy signals, I was seriously beginning to wonder what was wrong. I knew the complex where they lived but after several years, I couldn't honestly remember which stairwell. Even if I remembered the stairwell, I'd be lucky to remember which apartment was hers. I asked several mutual friends for help in making contact, all to no avail.
Finally, it was Eid al-Fitr, an important holiday marking the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan. My adopted mom's family being Hui (Chinese Muslim), it seemed the time to step up my search. Picking up a kilo of fruit on my way, I headed to the apartment complex. I wandered up and down the stairwell I thought was her's asking for the family by name...I even knocked on a few doors, all to no avail. As a last resort, I sat down on the curb and called a friend. Not sure why he couldn't figure this out before, but he shot me back with a text containing a phone number. Calling it, I heard that familiar voice, "Weeeeei?", she answered. "Mama! It's Li Big Dragon! I'm back" "Woooiiyo! When did you come?", was her reply. "Two months ago! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?!?", I asked. I wasn't quite ready for the unleashing of fury that came through the phone at me. "TWO MONTHS? AND YOU'RE JUST NOW CALLING ME?!?! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"
Getting into the moment, I unleashed my own line of questioning. After some back and forth, we realized the weak link. Her husband. He kept telling her that I'd been calling from the States. Supposedly his hearing isn't so good or some such nonsense; never mind the local number displayed on his phone. More likely he just forgot to relay the messages. I've never been super impressed with this guy. He's always kind of been a bum....continually loafing about with a cigerette hanging out of his mouth. I'm glad to say I was spared from the wrath that is my adopted mom. I'm equally as sad to say that I believe Uncle got his share of her wrath that day.