|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friends Puzzled by
Family Tragedy |
| (By Anthony Tao, KCCJ reporter,
August 30, 2005) A small, private memorial service was held last Friday for Shuyi Zhang, who died of multiple stab wounds on Aug. 19 in her home in Overland Park. |
|
Zhang's only daughter, 16-year-old Esmie Tseng, remains in custody, where she awaits her next court appearance on Sept. 13. She has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her mother.
One of Zhang's close friends who attended the memorial called it a solemn gathering. Among the people present were Zhang's husband, Tao Tseng, and two of Zhang's three brothers - one who flew in from Australia and the other from Canada.
In a short interview, Zhang's friend repeatedly said she "didn't understand" the situation - what exactly happened on the evening of Aug. 19 and, more importantly, why. Like so many others, she only has news reports, rumors and gossip with which to piece together the baffling case of the teenage matricide.
Another of Zhang's friends, a retired schoolteacher who wished to be identified only by her last name - Way - described Zhang as a "very well educated" lady who could talk about anything.
"She was always very responsible and a very conscientious worker," Way said.
Way said she was the first to inform one of Zhang's brothers of the incident.
"At first he couldn't believe it," Way said. "He said, 'Are you sure? Are you sure? This is my sister?'
"Later he called me back and he still couldn't believe it. He said, 'This is the type of thing that only happens in movies.'"
Way said she has spoken once with Tao Tseng since the incident. Last Saturday, in a brief phone conversation, Way asked Tseng whether he wanted to talk about Esmie. According to Way, Tseng replied, "No, I don't want to talk to anybody."
"He sounded very calm," Way said. "It must be very painful for him to talk about this… and besides, in China, when something bad happens within the family, they usually don't want other people to know it."
Way said she and Zhang have had continual e-mail correspondence for the past three years. She often sent Zhang articles from the New York Times by columnists such as Paul Krugman, Maureen Dowd, Bob Herbert and Frank Rich.
"She seemed so happy," Way said. Just two months ago, the family had taken a vacation to the west coast.
According to Way, about two months ago Zhang revealed in an e-mail that her daughter had been dating a boy. Zhang worried that Esmie may have been taking it too seriously, but Way advised her to not interfere and instead approach her daughter as a friend.
According to Way, "Later (Zhang) said, 'I know what you said is right, but really it's very hard,' because her daughter grew up in this society, with American culture.
"And besides, (Esmie) is very smart," Way said. "She had her own point of view."
The cultural gap between mother and daughter was apparent in Esmie's writing. On one of her online blogs, she wrote following the family's west coast vacation: "We were always on the f------ road in the stupid van with that damn tourist group my mom chose. All Orientals, speaking AT me because they know I only understand the minimal jist [sic]."
In January, Tseng poignantly noted on the same Web site: "My character doesn't fit my nationality and its culture. I can't fit many of these expectations, nor do I want to. I'm not who I'm 'supposed' to be, and I'm happy about that, but they're going to f--- it up." It was unclear who she meant by "they're."
Way, like almost everyone else, is still trying to figure out what exactly went wrong between a mother and her only child.
"Nobody knows why," Way said. "We just don't understand."
For the first article of this series, click here.
For the third article of this series, click here.
For the forth article of this series, click here.
Reach Anthony Tao at y-tao2@northwestern.edu |
|
|
|
|
