-^-for posterity-^-

tonight’s the last night me and mr. khoa spend together for a while. i told him i would be leaving for long xuyen on friday. i think he understood. tonight we met at our usual restaurant. it was really wonderful.

we ate and left. he said we should see something at his house before we went to some large party. his house is a hole in the wall. it’s a hovel. it’s a small box that you couldn’t fit two coffins into side by side. it’s nothing. he’s not proud of his house but he is proud of his new vcd player. he’s connected it to his television and his stereo. it’s very loud and that always seems to make him smile.

we watched some old rock videos that i had never seen before. he asked me if i knew them and i had to admit that i didn’t. long hair and bizarre videos. i was ashamed.

we left for the “big party”. it was a birthday party for one of his friends. i had met him earlier and he rarely spoke. his wife always sat by his side and they both stared at the back wall speechless. tonight he was fairly animated though and he laughed as he greeted me. i felt very welcome. his wife stayed in the corner not saying anything.

mr. khoa introduced me to one of his other friends. this old man had shoulder length hair the same color as his cigarette ash. he talked to me happily and kept practicing his english. he was missing his right hand. it seemed to be missing somewhere half-way up his forearm. he held it behind his back. he seemed to be hiding it.

the party was in a large room full of people and food. there was loud music coming from a small stage in the corner. people were getting up to sing karaoke. they would sing with their whole heart. i was introduced to many people and they all were so friendly. i really felt welcome though i was a complete stranger.

most of the people left the great karaoke hall and it was just our party that remained. people at my table were trying to get someone to sing karaoke. they were egging each other on with big grins. the man with one and a half arms got up and sang something. he was passionate and would shake his salt-and-pepper hair from side to side. normally the crowd would walk up to him with flowers and give them to him. no one was moving and i felt bad. why weren’t they giving him flowers?

i grabbed a flower from the bouquet in the middle of the table. i walked up to the stage proudly and tried to hand it to him. the microphone was in his only hand and his stump hung under his heart. where would i put this flower that i had brought? he moved the microphone in the middle of the verse and took the flower. he looked a little annoyed. no one else got up to give him flowers.

whoops.

then it came my turn to sing. they didn’t have any music for american songs so i was put on stage with the microphone and told to sing whatever i knew. the only song i could think about was “blowin’ in the wind” by bob dylan. i sang my heart out. everyone loved it even though i repeated the first verse twice. they didn’t know or care. lots of people gave me flowers and i happily grabbed them in my free hand.

mr. khoa took me home and i felt content. i would see them all again some day. on the way home mr. khoa kissed my hand. he kept saying, “we are brothers.” it made me feel quite good. brothers. yea, it really made me feel good.

it’s almost thanksgiving. what am i thankful for? i’m thankful i have made wonderful friends in saigon. i’m thankful i’ve gotten a grip on the language. i’m thankful that i have two working hands.