by Ali Wong
Please know that you don’t have to be famous. You don’t have to have your own tour someday. You don’t need to have a show or a movie or a book. Unless that’s what you want. But you do need to be a real person with a real heart who remembers where you came from. Grandpa Ken from Kamakura, land of murasaki imo, purple sweet potato soft-serve. Lola from Capiz, land of inubaran, a stew of chicken and banana tree pith. Grandpa Wong from San Francisco, home of chizi lianggua banqiu, bitter melon and rock cod fillet. Grandma Wong from Hue, home of bún bò Huề, spicy noodle soup with pig’s feet, blood squares, sliced beef, and herbs. And your mother and me from the United States, land of baggy MC Hammer pants and Marvin Gaye.
Since your birth, life has never been the same, thanks to you girls. I had no idea how much meaning and joy you would bring to my life. I often think to myself when spending time with you that “THIS is the best moment of my life,” which truly happens multiple times a week, sometimes multiple times a day. And like your grandpa Ken told me long ago, all of these many random experiences fell fully and completely into place when I met you. Everything in my life, including falling in love with your mother, led me to my greatest job yet: being your father.
All my love,
Daddy
Dedicated to my father: the incomparable Adolphus Wong, who taught me unconditional love and how to give zero fucks. Miss you so.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My dear girls, I know we will inevitably fight and have some bad moments so I want to make sure to say this: Thank you for being onstage with me during those two stand-up specials. They truly wouldn’t have been the same without you. I could feel you kicking and moving inside of me, and it made Mommy fearless because I wasn’t alone up there. I’m so grateful every day for the joy you both bring to my life—a joy that I never knew could be so magical.
To my amazing husband, Justin Hakuta: Where would I be without you? Thank you for all your love and support, my darling.
Thank you to my mother, Tammy Wong, who saw Always Be My Maybe approximately ten times in the theater! Thank you to my father, Adolphus Wong. How I wish you could have lived to meet your beautiful grandchildren and witness everything else that has happened. Thank you Andrew, Mimi, Julia, and my incredible nieces and nephews.
Thank you to Miya Saika Chen, JEM, Sofiya Zhandova, David Smithyman, Louis Katz, Sheng Wang, Ruth Sarreal, Doug Edley, Ben Greenberg, Richard Abate, and Nahnatchka Khan.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ALI WONG is a stand-up comedian who has written and performed two specials: Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife. She co-wrote, produced, and starred in the romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe. She is the proud mother of two rowdy-ass girls who inspired this entire book. She aspires to lie down but somehow keeps getting pressured into doing more shit that gets in the way of her lying down.
aliwong.com
Facebook.com/aliwong
Twitter: @aliwong
Instagram: @aliwong
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