PCWoman Unties Knot to Her PastAdopted mother seeks child she placed for adoptionBy Merritt Patterson j.... . ~."

Contributing Writer

Susan Morrison serves count-less cups of coffee with a warmsmile at Kuby's in Snider Plazaand puts her tips in a cupadorned with aphoto of herselftaken 52years ago when shewas 2 and living in Japan. Itserves as a reminder of wherethe money goes and why shecontinues to wait tables dayafter day .Susan ishalf Japanese. It took

a lifetime and a reunion withher high school sweetheart tofully discover her heritage andcome to terms with her past,present, and future.When Susan was 15and liv-

ing with her adoptive family inDallas, she was smitten with alocal radio DJ,18-year-old BobMorrison, Because of the agedifference, her mother prohib-ited her from seeing Bob. Buthe didn't give up without afight. He circled her home inthe radio station's van with alight up sign that read; "I loveyou." Despite his efforts, hermother won out and eventuallyboth youths went on with theirlives.At 20, -Susan gave birth to a

baby boy on April 15,1972,butwas not prepared to parent andplaced him for adoption. Shewent on to marry and divorcewith occasional thoughts aboutBob and the burdensome ques-tion surrounding her biologicalfamily.Flash forward. One day in

1996,Bob, also divorced, dialedthe last number he had for histrue love: Susan's mother'shome. Miraculously she passedthe message on to Susan andthe two lovers were finallyreunited. They married in 1997.They chose to honeymoon in

Sendai, Japan, Susan's birth-place. Bob began to research

COURTESY PHOTOS

Susan Morrison poses with her biological mother, Toshiko, during a trip toSendai, Japan, SuSan'sbirthplace •.'.-----~-----------------.-' -.--the possibility of reuniting his.bride with her biological familybefore they ieft on the trip. Heenlisted the help of a newspa-per reporter in Sendai, andwhen he discovered that Sendaiwas the sister city to Dallas, hegot a little help from then-Dallas Mayor' Ron Kirk.Ultimately he was able to findthe one W()I1l~I1.in the"'wpddthat could answer every ques-tion Susan had about herselfSusan met her mother,

Toshiko, for the first time in ahotel room in Sendai and wastold that she was conceived asthe result of an affair with anAmerican soldier. Her motherhad written to the biologicalfather letting him know of thepregnancy but the letters wentunanswered. Living in poverty,Toshiko tried her best to carefor Susan but after two yearsknew she could no longerendure the hardships. Sheplaced Susan for adoption witha loving American family sta-tioned in Japan while the fatherwas serving in the Air Force.Susan learned of the agoniz-

ing guilt her birth mother livedwith and was able to put hermind at ease by sharing her ownexperience ofplacing ababy foradoption. Susan easedToshiko's pain by relating toherfirsthand.Susan frequently exchanges

A photo of Susan as a child with heradoptive parents.

letters and sends fmancial sup-port to her Japanese family,Shereturned in 2005 for anotherjoyful reunion.Susan, knowing that Toshiko

is growing older, hopes that theson she placed for adoption 34years ago,who she is unable tolocate, will have the opportu-nity to meet his biological fam-ilybefore it's too late.Even if that never happens,

she has Bob. He gave her thepast she needed, allows her tolive and love in the present andhavehope that one day acertaingentelman will show up askingquestions. She has a lot ofanswers for him.

Merritt Patterson is afreelance writer who lives

in the Park Cities.

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