Bhala indaba emfushane ngomuntu oxoshwa emsebenzini wakhe, kodwa agcine eseba nosuku oluhle kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe.
Ngo-March 3 ka-1974, uJim waxoshwa emsebenzini wakhe wokuba unogada e-Elmhurst Elementary School. Nakuba ngokusemthethweni uJim axoshwa ngenxa "yokulinganiselwa kwesabelomali", kwakusobala kuye ukuthi kwakunokuhlobana okwengeziwe nobudala bakhe kunanoma yikuphi ukucindezeleka okungokwezimali esifundeni sesikole. Uyabona, uJim wazalwa ngo-1899, wayesanda kugcwalisa iminyaka engu-75 ngo-January futhi wayeseqala "ukunciphisa ijubane" emsebenzini. Wayengasakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi owawufuna ukuzikhandla ngokweqile owawuvame ukuhilela umsebenzi wakhe, futhi lokho kwabonakala.  Ngemva kosuku lwakhe lokugcina emsebenzini, uJim wahamba ngezinyawo waya ekhaya lakhe, elaliqhele ngebhulokhi elilodwa kuphela eningizimu yesikole. Lapho ehamba, wayengazibambi kodwa wayezizwa edumele futhi enamahloni kancane. Wayazi ukuthi umkakhe, uMiriyamu, wayeyoqonda, kodwa wayenomuzwa wokuthi umdumazile yena naye. Eminyakeni ecishe ibe ngu-40, uJim wasebenza e-Elmhurst Elementary School futhi wayethandwa izinkulungwane zabafundi ezazidlula kuleyo minyango. Nakuba ayengeke aphuthelwe ukuhlanza ukuhlanza kwabafundi noma indawo yokudlela eyayifana nendawo yempi kunendawo yokudlela yomphakathi, wayezozikhumbula izingane. Ukubabona befunda, bedlala, futhi bekhula kwakuyinto eyayenza lo msebenzi ubaluleke kakhulu kuye.  Lapho uJim engena emnyango wendlu yakhe enezitezi ezimbili, uMiriam wayelapho ezombingelela. Wayekwazi ukusho ukuthi kwenzekeni ngokubheka ubuso bakhe. Ikakhulukazi, wayekwazi ukukubona emehlweni ayo. Amehlo kaJim ayefana nesango eliya emphefumulweni wakhe futhi, ngenxa yalokho, ayefana nefasitela eliya emizweni yakhe.  Njengoba uJim edlula egumbini lokuphumula engena ekhishini, wabona abantu ababili, indoda nowesifazane, behlezi etafuleni, futhi owesifazane ephethe umntwana. Lendoda kwakuyindodana yakhe, uTommy, eyayingakayiboni selokhu yathunyelwa eMpini YaseVietnam eminyakeni emithathu ngaphambili. Kuze kube manje, uJim wayengaqiniseki ngisho nokuthi indodana yakhe isaphila yini. Amehlo kaJim avuleka kakhulu ngenxa yenjabulo enkulu lapho embona, futhi kancane kancane kwavela izinyembezi ekhoneni lelihlo lakhe lesobunxele.  Emahoreni ambalwa alandela, uJim wahlala phansi nendodana yakhe nomkhaya wayo futhi baxoxa ngakho konke okwakwenzekile kusukela ngesikhathi sokugcina bebonana. UTommy wakhuluma ngendlela uhulumeni wase-U.S. ayemkhethe ngayo njengo-MIA ngemva kokuhlaselwa ngesihluku ngokukhethekile phakathi kwelinye lamaviyo akhe asekuseni. Ngemva kwezinyanga eziningi ezicashile esitheni futhi efuna iyunithi yakhe, ekugcineni uTommy wazithela kwelinye lamakamu aseMelika okugcina asele eNingizimu Vietnam. Kwakukuleli kamu lapho uTommy ahlangana khona nomkakhe wamanje, uSara. Wayengumhlengikazi owayengamele ukululama kwakhe. Bathandana ngokushesha, bashada, futhi uSara wakhulelwa, konke lokhu kwenzeka ngaphambi kokuba bashiye iVietnam baye e-United States. UTommy noSara babebuyele e - U.S. ngenyanga edlule nje kuphela, futhi umntwana wabo wazalwa ngemva kwamasonto amabili.  Lapho uJim elele embhedeni ngalobo busuku, wayengakholelwa ukuthi usuku olulodwa lwalungaletha ushintsho olungakanani. Wavuka engumlindi, futhi walala engumkhulu. Wayewazi umsebenzi wakhe omusha, futhi wayekubheke ngabomvu. Lolu kwakuwusuku oluhle kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe.