:45:12
One day away from home
feels like a hundred.
:45:17
Like a solitary wild duck,
I am lost in the forest.
:45:23
Though the scenery here
is lovely...
:45:29
nostalgic thoughts of home...
:45:34
tug at my heart.
:45:44
To speak of life after
my grandfather's death--
:45:47
it was a very pitiable
childhood for me.
:45:52
The neighbors that knew,
sympathized with me...
:45:56
for I was abused badly
by my stepmother.
:46:00
Fortunately,
Mr. Li from Jiuding...
:46:03
somehow learned that
I had theatrical talent.
:46:07
At the time his puppet troupe
was short one puppeteer...
:46:11
so he came to our house
to talk to my father.
:46:15
My father said, "Sure, he can go,
but what's the deal?"
:46:19
Fifteen dollars a year
to my father...
:46:22
with extra for each performance.
:46:26
My father figured it was okay...
:46:29
so he took the $ 1 5...
:46:32
and I was off to the hills.
:46:34
I performed for Mr. Li
for one year.
:46:38
At the time there were
two troupes inJiuding--
:46:42
Mr. Li's...
:46:43
and Master Onglai's.
:46:45
Onglai came to watch me perform
and thought I was all right.
:46:49
Before my year's contract was up...
:46:51
he went to Taipei
to meet with my father.
:46:53
He said he would give my father
$30 a year.
:46:56
My father was happy
that the price was doubled.
:46:59
So what could I say?
He was a strict man.