Chapter 56: The Pitiful Summer Homework

  Friday, June 1st, 1962.

  Just a few days ago, Fidel Castro announced that Cuba would follow the path of socialism, and US-Cuba relations were formally broken and irreparable.

  On this day, Catherine had officially turned 14 years old.

  She spent her birthday at home.

  But it was not her parents who celebrated her birthday, but her partner.

  "You're 14 now, Kate, I wonder what you think about it?"

  "Hmm... actually there's nothing much, just feel like time is passing really fast."

  Catherine was somewhat absent-minded.

  "Kate, can you take off all your clothes and let me measure you so I can make a suit for you?"

  "Why?"

  Catherine looked at Lisa with a strange expression.

  "Here's your birthday gift. Actually, what I've always wanted to make is a dress as beautiful as the one Monroe wore that day."

  The dress Lisa was referring to is the one she wore on May 19th, which was also President Kennedy's birthday.

  At the time Monroe wasn't wearing any underwear and the dress was like it had been sewn onto her.

  And it is said that when Monroe was being fitted, she wore nothing at all, and the designer took various measurements on her own body. To keep the data accurate, Monroe even stood still for half an hour without moving.

  "Really?"

  Catherine lay on the table, apparently, she didn't show much interest in Lisa's so-called dream.

  She looks like she's somewhat tired.

  "You seem to be feeling unwell, what's wrong?" Lily asked.

  "Summer homework."

  Catherine shrugged.

  Homework in American schools is always weird and wonderful.

  "Experience life as a disabled person for more than three days and write an article about maintaining the human rights of people with disabilities."

  Catherine rolled her eyes bluntly.

  As for the simplest homework, it's math. Catherine even finished all her math homework in one night, but she had a headache when it came to liberal arts homework.

  Especially in such a famous school, when teachers assign homework, there is often no information to look up, and it's not even in the book, but it's closely related to people's daily lives.

  All Catherine could think of was one word: screwed.

  "This homework sounds pretty good."

  Catherine made no comment on her companions' responses.

  That's probably just cultural differences.

  Catherine has been in this world for over a decade, but before that, she had memories of twenty or thirty years from the future China. Until today, Catherine's thoughts have not been assimilated by America, and for this typical American way of thinking, although Catherine is used to it, she cannot adapt when it comes to herself.

  The vast majority of people indeed find it very interesting, just like Catherine, who is a minority and an alternative.

  Catherine is also very familiar with this.

  In fact, Catherine has always been very careful to pay attention to the lives of Americans, because business opportunities come from the details of life, and only when most people recognize them can their products be successful.

  "Typical American thinking." Catherine sighed.

  "Typical immigrant thinking, Kate. No big deal." Lily smiled at Catherine.

  "Maybe, what should I do next? Am I supposed to carry a plaster and stroll around the street, then see who discriminates against people with disabilities?"

  Catherine let out a faint sigh.

  "Perhaps we can help?" Lisa suddenly smiled.

  "No! Absolutely not!"

  Heaven knows what kind of absurd ideas they have.

  "Jenny, you should have some help there to assist Kate."

  "If you need something a bit more convincing, I can arrange that," Jenny said.

  "Let it be then."

  Catherine didn't want to go on her own either. Among all her companions, Jenny seemed the most sensible in Catherine's eyes.

  "Alright, let's get ready and then head to the Colombian Senior Hospital. My mom is the director of surgery and orthopedics there, and it just so happens that she doesn't have any appointments right now, so if we go now it'll be perfect. Hmm... but I'll give her a call first."

  Jenny quickly made a phone call over there.

  "Right, Kate, what kind of disability would you like?"

  What kind of disability do you want?

  Why does this sound so strange?

  "Uh... let's just do it."

  Jenny nodded, and at this time, the phone had already been connected.

  A phone call later and it was all set, then they took off together for Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, one of New York's most famous hospitals.

  "This is my mother, Mavis White. Mother, this is my classmate. This is Catherine."

  "Hello, Mrs. White." Catherine called out to her.

  "Don't be so stiff. I'm glad to help you with your homework, Catherine. Actually, after Jenny told me the pros and cons, I thought it was interesting too. By the way, how does the girdle feel?"

  What Catherine had on her feet was designed by Mrs. Wyatt for her, and in fact, there was nothing of Lisas.

  "Not bad. But it would be better if the crotch was designed with a zipper." Catherine looked down at her own tights on her legs.

  "That's right, although it's open, but if you wear underwear, it may be very uncomfortable. If the fly becomes a zipper, it would be even better." The other person also smiled.

  "Columbia University is actually developing artificial skin that can replace human skin, so they've recently developed a lot of medical-grade silicone, which looks like it's coming in handy right about now."

  Isn't artificial skin something from the 80s?

  Catherine is a bit strange, but thinking about it makes sense.

  After all, it was only in the 1980s that a breakthrough was achieved. Without such long-term accumulation, how could they have succeeded? Moreover, the tone of the other party suggests that this thing is probably still under development.

  Mrs. White took Catherine to the operating room, then disinfected Catherine's back and arm, then folded Catherine's arm backward, with her palm against her back, both hands flat, then began to fix it tightly, and then took out the silicone.

  Catherine couldn't see what was behind her, but after the "operation" ended, she felt that her hands seemed to be completely immobile. When she looked down at her sides, both of her hands were gone, as if her body had never had hands in the first place. However, her originally slender figure seemed to have gained a bit of weight.

  "How are you feeling?" Mrs. Whitaker lifted Catherine up and then took a mirror and held it in front of her.

  "It's a bit awkward." Catherine looked at herself in front of the mirror, just like she didn't have hands.

  This is indeed a strange feeling.

  "Never mind, it's just three days, let's just consider it an experience."

  This is also for completing homework.

  "If you feel numbness in your hands or any discomfort, remember to come up with a solution immediately. Be careful not to use a knife to pry it open, as it may damage the skin. Every night before sleep and after waking up in the morning, it's best to have someone massage it for you. Although it can be worn for several months, my suggestion is to remove it completely within a month."

  Catherine slightly turned her body and looked at her back. The color there seemed to be slightly different from the rest of her body, probably it was silicone.

  It seems like this era is just right for the great development of silicone?

  The golden age of America was a magical era. American technology seemed to burst forth with this idea and then gradually swept the whole world.

  The entire modernized world seems to be built on top of America's 1960s.

  It's no wonder Americans can't stop nostalgic for this era.

  This is the American dream, and the starting point for the whole world to move towards the future.

  Mrs. White helped Catherine dress, and the two empty sleeves made her look a bit awkward.

  "Do you need a prosthetic? But it's just for decoration. I've also prepared one, maybe you can use it."

  "Uh-huh."

  Although it was only three days, Catherine agreed without hesitation.

  Her arm was gone, and Catherine suddenly felt a little panicked in her heart. This might be the real psychological feeling of people with disabilities. Without hands, it seems that the whole person becomes slightly inferior.

  "Remember, if you feel unwell at all, come straight over." Mrs. Whitaker warned Catherine finally.

  "Thank you so much, Mrs. White."

  Then they went back to her office.

  It looks like today is a leisurely day for surgery, at least nothing seems to be happening now.

  "Oh, Kate, what's wrong with your hand?"

  Lily looked unfortunate, but her mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile.

  Catherine gave her a withering look.

  ……

  This is Monroe's evening dress.