︎ Pao Her
photographer and educator
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
translated by Peng Wu
MOM: How are you doing? I’m so worried about you, I couldn’t sleep at all last night. I just wished that it was your dad and I who got sick, and not our kids. Why did you have to get sick.
PAO: MOM stop. Everything will be fine. I’m okay.
MOM: I’m so worried about you.
PAO: I know but you also need to take care of yourself.
MOM: Your dad and I are fine. We’re just worried about you kids.
PAO: I know. Mom, we’ll all get through this together.
MOM: I heard from the Hmong radio that drinking opium water helps. They had testimonies from all sorts of people. So I made some, your dad and I drank it and I think it’s really helping us.
PAO: MOM! You do realize that, that’s not a good idea? It could kill you.
MOM: I made some and am having Allan drop it off. Drink a cup in the morning and a cup at night.
PAO: Are the opium, the ones that you grew for me up at the land?
MOM: Yes.
︎ 何宝
摄影师和教师
明尼阿波利斯，明尼苏达 美国
妈妈：你还好么？我很担心你，我昨晚一整晚都睡不着。我真希望是我和你爸感染了新冠病毒而不是我们的孩子。为什么偏偏是你感染了新冠。
何宝：妈妈别说了。一切都会好起来的。我没事儿。
妈妈：我太担心你了。
何宝：我懂的，但你也要照顾好你自己。
妈妈：我跟你爸都很好，我们只是很担心你，我的孩子啊。
何宝：别担心了，我们一定能一起挺过去。
妈妈：我听老挝电台里面说喝罂粟水能帮助治好新冠病毒。电台里有很多人都说对自己很效果。所以我自己弄了一些罂粟煮水，我跟你爸都喝了一些，感觉的确有帮助。
何宝：妈！你怎么能这么干，你不知道喝这些东西会害了你么！？
妈妈：我做了不少，我已经让艾伦给你送去一些。你要早晚各喝一杯。
何宝：你用的罂粟是你自己在地里种的那些么？
妈妈：对。