Krik? Krak!

“New York Day Women” is narrated by Suzette, a Haitian American woman living in New York; Suzette’s thoughts are punctuated by those of her mother, which are presented in bold in discrete sections. Suzette’s mother’s words are often a response to Suzette’s thoughts. As the story begins, Suzette is walking through upper Manhattan when she sees her mother strolling down the street. She is surprised to see her mother, who rarely leaves Brooklyn, in such an upscale neighborhood. Suzette’s mother has never seen her Manhattan office and is afraid to take the subway. She often accuses Suzette of random things—such as not giving up her subway seat to older or pregnant women—as she leaves the house. Suzette admits that her mother is right, and that she rarely gives up her seat.

Suzette watches her mother wait for two drivers fighting in the street before crossing. In Haiti, Suzette’s mother explains, car crashes are handled differently. Suzette imagines her mother smiling as she says this, with three missing teeth. Her mother is only 53, but is getting dentures. She watches the lottery every night, although she never plays it. She thinks that if they won even one third of the lottery, Suzette’s father could stop his work as a taxi driver. Suzette follows her mother through the streets, wondering where she is going. She thinks about how her mother won’t leave the house for dinner, but invites people to her home instead. Suzette follows her mother as if she is an anxious mother herself; she worries that her mother will be run over by bike messengers, and that she’ll buy unnecessary items. She thinks of all the clothing they’ve saved for family in Haiti, rather than donating it to Goodwill.

Suzette slows down as her mother enters Central Park. She is shocked to see her mother approach a woman wearing exercise clothing with a small child. Her mother takes the child, and the woman in exercise clothing runs off. Suzette’s mother is the young boy’s nanny, and Suzette is surprised and hurt by the intimacy with which her mother cares for him. Suzette thinks about how her mother taught herself to read from the books her brother brought home from school, and the fact that six of her mother’s seven sisters have died in Haiti. Her mother says that there are too many graves to kiss for her to return. Suzette watches her mother for an hour until the woman returns to collect her child. Suzette’s mother then joins a group of nannies standing in a circle and talking in the park. Suzette thinks that they look like a Third World Parent-Teacher Association meeting.

As she returns to her office, Suzette wonders if one day she’ll chase another woman down the street, thinking it is her mother. Suzette’s mother asserts that day women come out when they are least expected. Suzette vows to give up her seat for pregnant women or women who appear to be her mother’s age. She thinks about how her mother sews lace collars on her company softball uniform, and how her mother never went to any of her PTA meetings. Her mother replies that she knew Suzette was smart, and didn’t need to hear anything else. She also admits that she didn’t want Suzette to be ashamed that her mother had a job.