A LESSON LEARNED Tet was just a week away, Noel, Eugene and me were sitting by the roadside café by Nha Tho Lon, sipping my Vietnamese coffee, and my sons having their xinh to xoai. The festive feeling is in the air, and my Vietnamese friends were all preparing to ve que an Tet. Last minute shopping is everywhere, and my beloved Hanoi was packed to the fullness. For me, and some Vietnamese who have rooted themselves in Hanoi and not home going, we hang around by the quans, and café to pass time awaiting for the grand day. Sadly, Noel and Eugene will be going home to be with their mother to pass the Lunar New Year in Singapore, thus I will pass this Tet in solitary again. I am used to this life, and thus I have no complains nor any bitterness. They need to be where the family should be back their home, and for me it is mine, where I am, in Hanoi, my home. We were chatting merrily, with Noel telling me stories of his school days for the past year, and Eugene weaving tales and fantasy of what he wants to be. I was laughing with them, and holding them close for the last few moments to be with them. Inside my heart, tears are whelming… for it will be three months before I can see them again, and if the situation permits. Sitting next to us on the low stools were Vietnamese, young and old like us savoring the last breath of winter, and awaiting the xuan festival. Seated back on the higher seats we notice some Malaysians also drinking café. They seemed to be a proud and arrogant lot, and to be seated on low stools will humiliate them. We saw some nguoi nuoc nguai also seated like us on the pavement, Koreans, Japanese, Singaporens, and some ang mohs. Then came along an old woman, unkempt but clean, her hand dangling a young girl around 4 years old. She is a beggar by her looks, and from her begging we knew that the little girl was her granddaughter. She started begging and approached the higher seating. Suddenly pandemonium broke loose, when I saw the group of tourist seated higher started shouting at the old woman, and reprimanding the quan’s owner for allowing beggars to disturb their revelry. The owner, being a Vietnamese, could not do much. He smile and apologized. Xin loi, xin loi….. Everyone turned the attention on the higher table, and wonder what happened. Apparently the culprit was the young son of the arrogant family, who bullied the little girl and pulled her pig tails making, and being a young Vietnamese who will never take a fall, fought back. The arrogant father apparently slapped the little girl and pushed the old woman in retaliation. The tense situation was defused, after the owner plead apology to the guests, and led the old woman out gently. Suddenly, a Japanese lady stood up, and pulled out a 50,000 dong from her pocket and passed to the old woman. Her young son, also stood up and passed a 10,000dong to the little girl that was still sobbing. Noel also stood up, followed by his younger brother and took their entire savings in dong (about 500,000dong) during the short holiday and passed to the little girl without hesitation. Soon another kid follow suite, followed by another and then another. It was creation another commotion, but this time an out pour of sympathy and kindness. Soon, they went on their way with tears in their eyes, and we all at the quan café know that, this old woman and her granddaughter will after all have a enough for the Tet celebration, enough for them to ve que. I almost broke down in tears, seeing the touching scene. Many of the people around were already in tears. ‘Daddy, why does that family do such a horrible thing? These Msians are terrible’ Noel metioned. Looking at Noel, I just whispered, ‘Son, we are also Msians, we cannot criticize one race because of a few bad apples.’ ‘No, daddy, we are NOT Msians, we are Singaporeans, and we are Vietnamese.’ Eugene butted in. Looking at my sons, I realized that they share the same traits that I have, they share my sense of justice, my heart for compassion to others, and also my Vietnamese pride. It teaches all of us at the quan café, including that family, the lessons in humility, compassion and caring. We cannot accept more into our vessels, unless we give more to others. Friends, I am not a Vietnamese, but I admire you, my Vietnamese friends, that have taught me much in compassion and humility. To life, pour lavie, Voi Quoc Song.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 07:02:42 +0000
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