Lan Huế

Thôi, đừng nhớ. Kỷ niệm là những giọt nước mưa trên cánh hoa mỏng. Quên đi thôi. Nắng lên rùi đó hử?!

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... I hope you will travel home safely!”, I wish I had said that to them.

I sat behind my teacher on my motorbike at the traffic light post. I saw them on the pavement. The old woman and the young man sitting on the floor. The old skinny woman was leaning against his chest and his arms were wrapped around her. Her eyes closed, her fingers made some uncontrolled movements. I dared not stare at them but just gave some secret glances. I was afraid that the young man caught my look at their misery. I had a camera with me but I did not catch that image. I was not brave enough. I did not try to have a rare shot for my photo series about life, while they were unhappy. I just could not.

My heart ached painfully when I saw him clumsily weeping the tears from his face. The number on the light post said it was 10 seconds to go. 8 seconds. 5 seconds. The person in me pushed me to come and give them some care and a little money too as I believed that they were in need. I did not. The green light came on and my teacher and me moved on.

When we reached my office, I passed my teacher the biggest banknote in my purse, and begged him to return to where they were, and give it to them. My teacher did. His eyes were filled with happiness.

My teacher later on told me that he had a nice talk with them. They are Hue natives but relocate in An Giang province. They returned to Hue as the old woman had to be treated in the hospital. This morning, they left the hospital to go back to An Giang, but the old woman was too sick to travel. Besides, they could not afford it...

Em và anh bước lên chiếc xe lam cũ kỹ màu xanh lá cây trong một buổi chiều cuối tuần thưa thớt nắng. Hành khách ngồi đối diện nhau rất gần trong chiếc xe hẹp nên có thể thấy rõ từng nét một trên gương mặt nhau. Em ngồi rất gần bên anh, mắt hướng ra phía những ô cửa trống trơn không lắp kính để gió tha hồ lùa vào mang theo cả khói và bụi đường.

Nhà cửa và quán sá hai bên đường chen chúc đứng cạnh nhau tạo nên một cảnh tượng vừa xấu xí vừa hỗn độn. Những tấm ni lông xanh che mấy cái quán ăn tạm bợ ven đường khiến cho không khí càng thêm ngột ngạt. Chiếc xe lam cứ chạy rồi dừng tùy hứng để bắt khách. Em cứ phải níu lấy cánh tay anh mỗi lúc xe thắng gấp hay đột ngột tăng tốc.

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