-^-for posterity-^-

my eyes were half opened the whole trip. the van bumped and braked and honked and it all seemed normal. an giang university sent mr. tri to pick me up. he’s a small man with a very large forehead. every time i see him his hair has retreated a bit more. he likes tennis very much and has very sincere eyes.

i was starting my new life in the south. everything was vibrantly green and the world felt cool.

we made it all the way to the ferry and were about to board when a large thunderstorm appeared. all the lights went out and life stopped. people sat along the road in their shops looking dimly out at the cars waiting to board the boat. the only light was coming from the setting sun behind a mass of clouds. everything looked especially foreign. the rain poured down like rushing curtains of water. children ran everywhere laughing.

there was a large cascading funnel of water pouring from one of the sides of a tin-roofed building. it arched down from ten feet in a thick stream. a group of children all tried to stand under it at once. there was much pushing, falling and laughing. no tears. it was a wonderful game for them. all were barefooted and they all wore light colored clothes. someone came along with shampoo and everyone lathered up.

in my life i have never watched people take showers, fully clothed, from water pouring off of a tin roof. they all washed their hair and pushed each other around laughing. one small girl in a tan suit kept pushing much bigger children then running away giggling. she would sneak up behind them as they showered and give them a good shove. everyone was falling and everyone was laughing.

the children washed their hair, faces and arms. it all seemed quite normal.

the rain lasted for a long time and the ferry was late. i sat, exhausted, and watched these children play. i’ve never had to take a shower in the rain. when we were little, my brother and i always took baths before we went to bed. maybe it’s wonderful. in a world where the air is as thick as corn syrup, a torrential thunderstorm presents an escape.

as we were pulling towards the ferry i saw something absurd. it was one of those events that makes you look twice and then furrow your brow in disbelief. there was an overhang in front of the fountain of water. a small boy walked casually under it and observed the children taking a shower. he was anywhere from six to eight and held a lit cigarette in his left hand. his hair was cropped close to his head and he looked off thoughtfully. he seemed quite calm. he would slowly puff on the cigarette, not inhaling, but taking the smoke in his mouth. he would release it a moment later and it would cloud his face.

i was tired and confused as we drove on the ferry. i was excited too. the ferry looks like a hallowed out marshmallow. it’s white and as long as it is tall. we traveled safely in its womb to long xuyen where i begin my new life. it’s a different world down here. i’m sure i’ll have lots of stories.