“Yes ma’am. Oh. Sorry.” She covers her mouth.
Loud voices shout in the street and both our eyes dart toward the window . We are quiet, stock-still. What would happen if someone white found out I was here on a Saturday night talking to Aibileen in her regular clothes? Would they call the police, to report a suspicious meeting? I’m suddenly sure they would. We’d be arrested because that is what they do. They’d charge us with integration violation—I read about it in the paper all the time—they despise the whites that meet with the coloreds to help with the civil rights movement. This has nothing to do with integration, but why else would we be meeting? I didn’t even bring any Miss Myrna letters as backup.
I see open, honest fear on Aibileen’s face. Slowly the voices outside dissipate down the road. I exhale but Aibileen stays tense. She keeps her eyes on the curtains.
I look down at my list of questions, searching for something to draw this nervousness out of her, out of myself. I keep thinking about how much time I’ve lost already.
“And what . . . did you say you disliked about your job?”
Aibileen swallows hard.
“I mean, do you want to talk about the bathroom? Or about Eliz—Miss Leefolt? Anything about the way she pays you? Has she ever yelled at you in front of Mae Mobley?”
Aibileen takes a napkin and dabs it to her forehead . She starts to speak, but stops herself.
“We’ve talked plenty of times, Aibileen . . .”
She puts her hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry, I—” She gets up and walks quickly down the narrow hall. A door closes, rattling the teapot and the cups on the tray.
Five minutes pass. When she comes back, she holds a towel to her front, the way I’ve seen Mother do after she vomits, when she doesn’t make it to her toilet in time.
“I’m sorry. I thought I was . . . ready to talk.”
“I just . . . I know you already told that lady in New York I’s gone do this but . . .” She closes her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can. I think I need to lay down.”
“Tomorrow night. I’ll . . . come up with a better way. Let’s just try again and . . .”
She shakes her head, clutches her towel.
On my drive home, I want to kick myself. For thinking I could just waltz in and demand answers. For thinking she’d stop feeling like the maid just because we were at her house, because she wasn’t wearing a uniform.
I look over at my notebook on the white leather seat. Besides where she grew up, I’ve gotten a total of twelve words. And four of them are yes ma’am and no ma’am.
PATSY CLINE’S VOICE DRIFTS out of WJDX radio. As I drive down the County Road, they’re playing “Walking After Midnight.” When I pull into Hilly’s driveway, they’re on “Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray seo services .” Her plane crashed this morning and everyone from New York to Mississippi to Seattle is in mourning, singing her songs. I park the Cadillac and stare out at Hilly’s rambling white house. It’s been four days since Aibileen vomited in the middle of our interview and I’ve heard nothing from her.
Imagine sportswear that not only stays dry through the most sweat-inducing workouts, but also turns perspiration into a design element. Named after the driest desert in the world, Atacama uses microfluidic technology to create textiles that can do just that. The recipient of a grant from the National Science Foundation, Atacama is also exploring how its technology can be applied in a diverse range of industries, including apparel, auto manufacturing, and healthcare Virtual to Cloud Backup.
The medical industry started using microfluidics in the 1980s for “lab-on-a-chip” devices that allow researchers to use very small samples of blood and other fluids. By figuring out how to integrate microfluidics into textiles, Atacama can create activewear that feels more comfortable because almost all of the fabric remains dry. While most moisture-wicking fabrics currently on the market draw sweat to the surface of clothing so it evaporates more quickly, microfluidics directs moisture into tiny three-dimensional channels and then controls the direction of the fluid so it collects or drips off textiles exactly where manufacturers wants it to.
Atacama’s tech was created by a group of UC Davis researchers including Siyuan (Alex) Xing, who is now the startup’s chief scientist. Xing tells TechCrunch that the biggest challenge they faced was that most microfabrication processes used to make microfluidic devices, including photolithography and laser cutting, were developed for rigid substrates such as silicon wafers and glass. This made it hard to create channels on fabric. Finally, they realized that “the solution needs to come from the fabric side.”
The team studied textile manufacturing methods and figured out which ones can be used to create microfluidic channels in a cost-effective way. They took a close look at embroidery, weaving, textile printing, and knitting, as well as the latest state-of-the-art machinery used for those techniques.
“For example, in knitting, people have been using jacquard knitting to create different patterns on the front and back of fabrics. The resolution of the pattern is actually as fine as one loop, which can be around 100 micrometers and is 3D,” Xing says. “In embroidery, the needle is manipulating a single strand of yarn through a fabric substrate, similar to a ‘through hole’ on a microfluidic chip. Once we understood how textile manufacturing methods could serve as an alternative to microfabrication, we became confident in our ability to create and pattern microstructures in textiles.”
After a paper Xing co-authored about his findings caught the attention of several manufacturers in the military, healthcare, and automotive sectors, a friend introduced him to Susan Neal, who had previously served in leadership roles at Men’s Wearhouse and Gymboree. He asked her to join Atacama’s board to help him talk to companies. Neal decided to take on Atacama’s CEO position after seeing Xing demonstrate its technology.
“It was at a board meeting where I saw the prototype, a shirt, that they had developed. Seeing it work and in action, it had that wow factor,” says Neal .
She adds, “He was able to directionally control moisture as it moves through the surface of fabric. First of all, I’d never seen that before. I run and do Bikram yoga and we’re all used to moisture-wicking fabric that just pulls sweat and spreads it. Alex demonstrated how he could directionally control moisture, move it from the skin to the outside of the shirt, and then have it drip off. The shirt remains absolutely dry, and it’s something you’ve just never seen.”
While Atacama’s tech has been applied mostly to synthetics like polyester and nylon, the company is also testing it on natural fibers like cotton and merino wool. Consumer products using the technology aren’t on the market yet, but Neal says Atacama is developing prototypes with several companies. Being able to manipulate how fluid travels over the surface of fabric in channels means Atacama’s technology can be incorporated into apparel design and shown off, a potential selling point for sportswear labels.
While its most obvious use is for workout gear and other apparel (in dress shirts, for instance, Atacama’s tech can prevent underarm stains), it also has a whole host of other potential applications. For example, it can be used in protective clothing or to create better diapers, bandages, casts, and hospital linen.
“We’ve been asked to look at car seats. What we’re finding is that there is a lot of interest in this technology to keep moisture and spilled drinks away from electronics in autonomous cars,” says Neal.
“Because the technology is so new, there has been some great dialogue with the scientists,” she adds. “They’ve been asked, ‘can it do this or that,’ and they go back into the lab to figure out more ideas where it can be useful Fashion and Textiles Hons.”
You're not here today, and let You beauty me down again. I do not know how many times, I can not remember. Anyway, also used to, you know, I know, you are used to.
But failure is one of the most impolite behavior, as long as you can understand, but it is the best.
Today you didn't come. At night I lay in bed to sleep, holding a pillow insomnia, tears like a broken line of Pearl Dripping, said unmanly to cry, but I can't do in the night.
I really did not expect to be so, but heaven, life and death do us apart.
Depressed, helpless, helpless, I was in tears.
Not you do not love, but you can not love.
Like can not penetrate the wall of the secular, and can not walk away from the pain of the fence.
You want to love, but not love, that kind of taste is the most bitter, but also the most helpless.
You are the most beautiful girl, my heart for you chug thudding, I can not love for you, like to control of your obsession You beauty. Really a bit worried, those hysterical impulse, in a swing Yiman of agitate me, I can't do it in that way, I to you swore, can never be hurt you, but can not do the things I am sorry you.
I love the people, please do not give me what? As long as you give me a memory, a glance is enough.
Actually, I am very worried about you, afraid you can not get out of the swamp of pain, afraid you give up on themselves, and even make me unexpected things. But, I do to you, because I love you too much, I want to be with you, to share the wonderful time of love.
Love is like this, after losing to know the value of love, you say?
Maybe life, encountered difficulties and setbacks is not love to measure, like the guess the marriage, such as the Cowherd and the girl weaver, also in July seven see.
The world of the girl, I just love you a.
Not love, but the most important thing is love.
I feel and love you You beauty, and I have experience in your body.
A devotion in imperceptible in, like the subtle feeling, always in around with me, perhaps this is the feeling of love it?
Love a person hard, don't love a person more difficult.
I can't forget the most, is that you speak softly. Do you like the silent lark, I love singing in the branches. I know your heart, your beauty, your love is like every act and every move, I love music in toggle chord.
Like your gentle quiet distance You beauty, appease my heart. You are not in the cold, but so warm, like the summer bright, dazzling light. Your beauty is so crystal clear, like a transparent pearl, inlaid in the beautiful tree top. The tender bud, and the bright green in your bath, like people's eye, that beautiful feelings regeneration. In my heart to build a dream, you like a beautiful pearl called blink I couldn't help but in my heart I want to hope. You like the beautiful transparent, will grow in my beautiful branches, is so beautiful and suspense.
Would like you in my branches, and a drop of heart rhyme, there is no longer any colder, like the beautiful day every day, like your beautiful, pay so gentle and beautiful, like your graceful and beautiful dream, is pacing back and forth in my acacia trees, wandering. You are in our hearts and a touch of beautiful warm You beauty, like your fragrance spread in my stupid looking for dreams, like I see you tranquil beauty and beautiful and moving appearance, full my heart my love.
I saw you light and beautiful watery appearance, good love. You like a smart Xinyu song, dancing in my heart. I like to caress attentively your beauty, I like with love for you catch, you like from the fairy came down from the heavens, shake off the a wisp of a veil, the beautiful transparent, like the beauty of the stars shining in my eyes.
You are the one I like to come, like in a short moment, to see your beauty, so called my heart. I cherish your beautiful, like you that glittering and translucent, in the flowers gorgeous, colorful leaves when, a potential beautiful on the inside. I like coiling the beautiful crystal to, from joy to move, I laying beautiful scenery on for you. Just as you in my beautiful branches, encounter between the branches of a tree, that are closely linked, figure is pulled, love, such as the heart want to, waiting for you around the corner reports. You are my garden of love, is my head with crystal clear.
You look like a bright transparent, pure, bright stars, hanging in the head You beauty. I dream of the fence in wait, like a web of love, call me passion, want to be in high and vigorous spirits. Like every day to see the sunshine, that is the most beautiful hope, see you, is a kind of happiness and intoxicated. I like to snatch in the dream, in love in the aftertaste. You are real, so that I am moved, like the tears of my joy, that is in your dreams.
Every day of my life, I am taking your beauty. You clear smart appearance, good gratifying. I see you like calm water, feel the charm of you are not here, but in your heart. Although you looks very casual, like love to grab beautiful flowering, like your hidden in the heart, the selfless love devoted to here.
You never go to choose what is noble and humble, you are so make no exception to love, to bloom. Regardless of tree height thin short, the weather changes, and you have spilled your beautiful ecstatic, like the strokes of incense, in the beautiful season, want to love, love dream, that dream flower.
All relieved and wandering, all active and dreams, in your life where root. You are the source of happiness in my life, is a pulse to a loving bond, you beautiful traces like spilled on my face, engraved in your heart, that is I faintly feel a never had the pain. It is a happy and beautiful pain, is you leave me a source of chi.
Your beautiful flowers, you dew allure of love, I really can't without you, like your gentle flower of fragrant mark in my lips, the cradle of the dream, infinite beauty.
There is a long time in the past , or thinking about writing something to record, after all, when I remember this time, you can have a reason to remember me.
The most recent experience is that I understand how to be a happy person. Perhaps, I most of the time will be very happy, but can not be denied, in a lot of laughs, I did not really want to laugh, perhaps the heart can not say things hide displeasure. Gradually, I will be used to the feeling of the negative impact of this feeling, may not make me and so many.
Time is very good, I think I would like to have a story, a very long story, in this story began to move from the flat to the ups and downs, from the ups and downs. Finally, when the story is in the code page white paper on the leaves of more and more time, I know that I have gone through a number of road. Even though life is still the same, but those who have already set off the waves, will be in a long time, there is a unique taste .
Like light music in a pool, to tell the one not vivid stories, I began to learn not so impetuous towards life, I can now more willing to the static under heart to, go to the quiet of watching a movie, write a paragraph of text, listen to a song. May not be in order to get a feeling of sublimation, but I think this kind of life, do not need to think, do not need to spend a lot of effort, you can get a little bit of satisfaction. I was lazy, but this can not be dull to dull life, but not many people look forward to?
This semester, see also the past. Remember what happened in this semester, and can not remember much, but remember that it is changing me, those people, those things, those of the campus landscape, the rain. Feeling this semester, I may be a lot of things I have never wanted to do. I thought that I could stick to my principles, but those who are not well known for the reason why this kind of inexplicable break my principles. A man without principle is so funny, of course I don't think I'm funny, I'm confident that I'm right. Until I can't say any more reason to make up for the pain, I don't know how stupid I am.
Many people will see you happy, but very few people see you not happy. That's because you have to be strong and smile, you want to tell the whole world, you are very happy. And the truth is, you don't know what makes you happy. Funny! Because you don't know what to do. Those can accompany tell yourself the truth, thank you, although you soldiers did not give me to solve those problems, but let my heart stone, loose a lot, so I can not so big of gasping for breath, did say I am very tired very tired.
I think a lot of ideas, but only a few of the last few of my dreams. As I put many things this year, I think very good, but now one thing did not finish. I not only feel funny, at least in this matter, I deviate from the so-called principle. However, I still can find some excuse to stall, I didn't finish off those things. Dreams do so much, but died in the dream, and did not realize in the dream. When I think what I can do, I forget what I can do? So what did not do, you can not do the time .
This time also met a lot of people, but these people can keep the relationship, but very few. Those people are so inexplicable to me one of them, those who return to the head, more people who stopped in your city, but became a good friend of you. Have to say, the world is uncertain, no one knows the next moment. So, I am afraid of the people who cherish, will not be like this sentence, not careful to become a traveler...... And not a careless white head.
Suddenly thought of a time ago to write a story without any circumstances; there was a child, he always so love to laugh, and every time the eyes are so clear, clear and exciting. But suddenly one day, the next heavy rain, and the rain is full of dust, rain and dust mixed together, so that the original crystal rain, become turbid. Of course, the child does not know how the rain water, he should not have been so worried about before the rain shower. But, muddy rain drops, in his eyes, the moment eyes full of filth. Make him smile, in the eyes of the clear, so that he could not be as happy as before. Children grow up, in the period he also sought a lot of doctors, to cure his eyes, although not as clear as before, but in his eyes a bit of melancholy, the kind of melancholy, the man and found himself proud of the place. Once the experience made him not like the rain, even in the rainy days to learn to avoid. Later, he fell in love with the sun, the bright sun, so warm on his body, he knew that the feeling is what he wanted. He began to immerse in the sunshine, and he thought that the day would pass, just as he had forgotten that his eyes were full of melancholy, not the clear. But one day, the weather is hot, the man is like the usual, in the sun to enjoy. But this time, a strong ultraviolet ray shot the man's eyes. This moment his world was dark, and he formed a blank mind.