Mean Lady Ming
- What's that growl we hear? Yep, the girls are hungry.
- Sadly, Cecile is like a deer in headlights. It apparently hasn't occurred to her that she'll actually have to care for these… these… things…a.k.a. her kids.
- Luckily Delphine has learned to be pretty assertive over the years and demands food for her and her sisters.
- They haven't eaten all day, and airline food doesn't count, says Vonetta.
- Cecile knows Pa gave the girls some money and demands they hand it over so she can pay for their food. We're talking all of it, every penny.
- When the girls protest that the cash was for Disneyland, Cecile just laughs. They aren't going to the happiest place on earth.
- Delphine hands over the money, though not without a good old fashioned stare-down.
- With that, Cecile sends them off to Ming's, a nearby Chinese restaurant to get take-out.
- Now, Shmoop has nothing against Chinese take-out, especially for next-day breakfast, but Delphine makes a good point that this is not a very motherly thing to do. Can't Cecile make them some chicken at the very least?
- She drives this point home by once again pointing the girls in the right direction and telling them to find their own way.
- Delphine says they should call Pa to let them know they're in safe and sound, so Cecile directs them to a pay phone on the way.
- No food? No phone? No apparent concern for the girls' well-being? Delphine does not feel very welcomed. Can't say we blame her.
- Cecile also orders them to get paper plates and stuff because she doesn't want dirty dishes.
- Then she lets them know that none of them can step foot in her kitchen—no way, no how. Okay…
- On the walk the girls get to do some good people watching, at least.
- And if there's one thing you can say about California, the weather is great. You can't beat the weather.
- There are a lot of kids around, too.
- One kid in particular comes screaming by them on top of a "flying T."
- His speed makes the girls jump out of the way, which leaves a bad taste in Delphine's mouth (luckily, she'll be getting Lo Mein soon).
- Before going to Ming's, they head over to the pay phone, but it's occupied.
- Delphine discerningly (read: judgmentally) looks over the man in the booth, noting in particular his afro haircut.
- To her, this makes him look like a criminal (more on this over in our "Themes" section).
- So they walk into Ming's and a Chinese woman behind the counter immediately shoos them away, actually calling them "stray cats" and shouting something about no more free eggrolls.
- Needless to say, the girls are a bit confused—they never got any free egg rolls.
- Surprisingly, it's Vonetta and Fern who take charge. They step right up and order the food, heads held high, sure to point out that they never asked for free eggrolls.
- Apparently the woman is "Mean Lady Ming" and she marks the last straw for Delphine: She decides there is nothing and no one in Oakland to like.