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by Bach Le Van Nguyen Boi was often called "mouldy Boi" because he had psoriasis and his skin was rough with red patches. Yet he won the heart of the most beautiful girl in Dong Nam village. Even though a lot of young handsome guys had flirted Nhuy, she married Boi and loved only him, her robust and hardworking husband.
"Why did you allow your daughter to marry ‘mouldy Boi’, rather than one of the handsome guys in the village?" – many people asked Nhuy’s father. Her father only smiled, saying, "Boi may not be as handsome as other boys, but he is strong and hardworking. He could help his wife a lot, I think." When asked the same question, Nhuy smiled. In her heart she had loved Boi for quite a long time because he was very good at retelling stories from films. In the old days, it was quite rare to have the chance to enjoy a film. Every three months a mobile film unit from the district came to their village and, for a fee, screened a movie in the big yard at the communal house. The fee meant that not all villagers were able to enjoy their small chance at watching a film. Some villagers only had one chance in ten to watch a movie. Boi had to sneak in, and he had a very good memory. After a film was shown, he could retell the story down to the last detail. He was even talented at mimicking the voices and gestures of the film’s characters. Even villagers who had watched the film showed great interest in hearing Boi retelling the story. And Nhuy was a typical case. She liked Boi for this modest skill. Boi’s parents-in-law had given him and his wife a patch of land next to a pond to build a house. Their house was small, but cool and cozy. When Nhuy gave birth to a cute son, her family had loved them all the more. But Nhuy did not like that her husband had to stay at home and do field work, so she decided he should go and work for a governmental agency. In the end, he was recruited to work for the Bai Tien tea farm. On the day he was to leave his wife and son, he was a bit sad, even though he had trust in his wife. His wife loved him so much. Anyway, living far apart from his wife was not to any husband’s liking! *** The Bai Tien tea farm was located in a mountainous district nearly 100 kilometres away from Dong Nam Village. It was a difficult time at the farm when Boi first arrived and he did not have much luck. The tea market was flat, leaving the tea unmarketable. The workers received small droplets of payments, sometimes even receiving their salaries in kind, such as in the form of pots and pans, vacuum flasks, dishes and so on. Their lives were very difficult. Boi was assigned a job as a security guard. Five guards each took charge of a specific area. Boi was in charge of two big hills where nine unmarried girls worked. The girls lived in two bamboo huts, each in their own partitioned compartment made of bamboo screens. If any of them were to get married, they would both live there. When Boi arrived, the girls giggled: "We’ve got a man going astray here. Why? Is it a gift from Heaven or only a coincidence?" Even though Boi was assigned as a security guard, he was yet to be given a gun. As new comer, he was only given a long knife and a big stick. He was vivacious and enthusiastic, so the girls elected him as head of their trade union team. Almost all of the girls were ex-soldiers or former young volunteers. Although Boi’s skin was not very smooth, he was big and robust and had the gift of gab. No problem! Many of the girls were head over heels in love with him. Since joining the team, the spirit of the members seemed to have risen. They took more care in making themselves beautiful, from their hair style to their fashion choices. There was a lot more happy laughter and they all stayed up late into the night. Before they used to go to bed right after nightfall! At one trade union meeting, Ms Thanh, head of the production squad, said half jokingly, half seriously, "The trade union should pay more attention and give more support to our legitimate aspirations. In the past we were forced to live with difficulties and hardships for quite a long time, but we could bear them. But what about our happiness now? We don’t have husbands, but we need children, so what do you think, Mr Trade Union?" Many voices raised in support of the idea. Boi had a silly look on his face. He was so confused. "I’ll report the idea to the higher levels of the Trade Union, so please be patient and wait." "We’ve been waiting for such a long time, with a lot of empty promises! If we wait any longer, we’ll die of old age, you know!" "We have a barrier. According to the Law on Marriage and Family, we are allowed to have one wife, or one husband only!" "We can’t tear down that barrier, can we?" Then they all burst out laughing, splitting their sides. Boi was greatly confused but then he also laughed. "What about our customs and practices?" "We’ll tear them up too!" – then they all shook with laughter again. The first part of the meeting was over and the second part began. They discussed business methods. Growing tea was the main task of the farm, but someone else posed the idea of growing rubber trees to make them better off. But almost everyone else raised their opposition. "How do you think our farm would exist? Why do you think about growing these perennial trees? It’s best to think about what animals we can raise," someone said, laughing. "Let’s raise pigs," Ms Thanh said. "That’s a good idea!" Miss Hai said. "But I think we’d be better off tending to cows. Then we’d have no problems with feed." "Or can we raise goats?" Miss Muong said in a low voice. "Oh, yes, it’s a good idea!" Ms Thanh said, laughing loudly. They all turned back to look at Muong who was sitting in a far corner. After many pros and cons, a decision was made that they should raise goats. Boi after a few moments of thinking said, "So we have to raise the whole herd, and the more she-goats we raise, the better. But we need at least one he-goat to reproduce. As far as cash is concerned, it’s up to you. Those who have more cash will have to contribute more of the money. Those who don’t have any cash will contribute by working." After the meeting, Boi took leave to go home and see his wife. He told her that he had been elected head of the primary trade union organisation, but he kept mum about his all-girl squad. Hearing the news, Nhuy was very glad. Later she gave him two taels of gold that had been part of her dowry as his contribution to the goat-farming endeavour. So in the end, Boi and his trade union members had a herd of nine she-goats and one he-goat. These goats grazed all over the hills and along the stream. They grew big very fast. The he-goat was very strong and all nine she-goats took turns giving birth. On days like this, the whole squad was very happy and noisy. When the goats grew up they selected the strongest goats for breeding and the rest were reserved to sell for more cash. With money in their pockets, the girls made plans to buy new clothes and even radios for listening to the news. Then they decided to set up a kitchen that allowed them to cook and eat together. They became healthier and looked rosier. Right in the middle of these hey days, the girls, one by one, had fallen ill. Boi had to spend the money they earned to support the sick. In the end, it turned out they had been ill in spirit only. The deserted mountains and forests all around them had finally taken their toll. They were lonely. Finally Boi understood their situation. He started telling film stories to the girls. The first girl to enjoy hearing his stories was Miss Muong, and then all of the girls sat together to listen. The night was so quiet. When he finished, all of them had slipped away except Miss Muong. Boi stood up in surprise, but the girl held his hand tightly, "Please, stay here and tell me more stories!" "I’ve already told them all." "But I want to hear more, all through the night." "No! I can’t!" – Boi refused stubbornly. Muong jumped up and embraced Boi. Her dried lips pressed to his. He was shocked, so he struggled and ran out, sweating. The next morning, as he was tending the goats on the hill side, he met Muong. He started to walk the other way, but she stopped him in time, "Do you despise me?" "Oh, no!" "I’m the ugliest in the squad. The other girls still have the hope of getting married. But for me, I haven’t dreamt of having a husband, even a disabled one," she said, crying. Boi was surprised at her sincerity. Yes, she was good at heart, but she was plain. Bulging eyes, buck teeth. Dark skin. She was really ugly. "You know, I joined the army when I was fifteen," she started saying "I was discharged when I was 24 and have been working here ever since. What I want from you is to please give me a child!" "What are you driving at?" Boi’s voice was high, and out of key. "I want you to give me a child!" Muong stammered. "No, I can’t. I’m a married man!" "Sometimes I’ve been so crazy about it that I thought about going to town for a few days, and then heading over to, say, the railway station, to get a man to sleep with me with no commitment. But then I stopped thinking about this because it was so humiliating to do that! But since you came, we all love and respect you because you’ve given us good care and you’re a gentleman." Boi heard ringing in his ears. He felt that he had the head of an artist, so at times he felt he was too weak and lacked the ability to overcome a difficult situation such as this. He felt so sorry for the girls in the squad, but he didn’t know what he could do about it. What is to be will be! One night, when the rainy season was setting in, Boi went to see Muong. No rain was ever sadder than forest rain that fell without letup. It felt as if your body was disintegrating with it! Muong was drying green tea by roasting it in a pan. Its aromatic smell was spreading throughout the room. "Please get some for your daily drink," she said to him. "I prefer to drink fresh green tea," he said, smiling. "So shall I prepare some green tea for you?" Muong said. Suddenly, she became lost in thought. Boi asked Muong over and over what was up until she finally replied: "Today is Ms Thanh’s 42nd birthday. She used to be a young volunteer at Truong Son Mountain where she was in love with a soldier. Unfortunately, he laid down his life on the battle field. Please go see her to keep her from wallowing in self-pity. Boi went to see Ms Thanh right away. She was a thin woman with a quick temper. Boi arrived with birthday wishes and then left quickly. It was raining hard outside, so he went back to Muong’s, where he stood dumbfounded, looking in at Ms Thanh and Muong embracing each other, sobbing. "Mr Boi, today is the death anniversary of Miss Hai’s father. Hai was also a young volunteer, so please, go over to her and burn some incense on behalf of the whole squad!" When Boi arrived, he saw that Hai was burning some incense for her father. She was tall. Her eyes were clear and pure. The room was quiet. There was a small bed in the corner with a white pillow. There was a faint, fragrant smell. Everything was neat and tidy. Hai walked over and sat down on the bed, as if she was waiting for somebody. Boi walked in and burned some incense for her father. Then Hai approached him. She unbuttoned her shirt. Boi did not understand what she was doing. Her white breasts were bare. He felt as if his legs were turning to water. "No!" he yelled, rushing out of the house. Hai sank to her knees, hands cupped to her face, sobbing bitterly. *** I must go home to my wife and son, Boi thought, and promptly wrote a resignation application. He wrote one application after another, tearing them up each time. Right at that hopeless time, Muong fell ill. Her cravings for sour fruit led some people to think she was pregnant. Ms Thanh plied her with questions, and in the end Muong admitted that she was pregnant. Seeing Boi, Muong was so happy. She embraced him with great joy and satisfaction. Boi looked stunned. His intent to leave the farm was finally curbed. He burnt all the applications he had written. But then something happened. After hearing the news of Muong’s pregnancy, the director of the farm rushed over to Boi’s squad. He was very angry, determined to transfer Boi to another unit. But all nine of the women on the squad raised their protests against the move. They reasoned that if Boi went, there would be no one to tend the goats. At the last minute, the director was forced to give in. Nine months later, Muong gave birth to a son named Chung. The baby became the common son of the squad. Boi became his father. It did not matter! Chung had nine mothers who took turns caring for him. *** Boi’s son Tien was seven years old when he broke the news to his friends, "My father has a second wife!" "Don’t talk nonsense!" "Yes, it’s true! Last night, my father brought her and a baby to my home." "So is your father’s second wife beautiful? Young or old?" "Older than my mother and not as pretty." Boi brought Muong and her son home in the hope that Nhuy would tolerate and welcome him, because, he thought to himself, this had happened because of her wish for him to work for a governmental agency. However, his wife was so angry that the next day he had to take Muong back to the farm. Several months later he wrote a letter home, explaining everything to his wife and begging her forgiveness and understanding. The whole family also tried to persuade Nhuy. It was not known if Nhuy had forgiven Boi or not, but after his latest visit home Nhuy was pregnant with their second child, another son named Thu. *** Recently some bad men had appeared in the area around Boi’s squad. They looked horrible. They teased the girls, who really wanted to have children, but they drew the line at these guys. One day at noon, Boi heard Hai screaming in horror. He ran to the sound and found Hai wrestling with three men. "Leave her alone! Or I’ll kill you!" Boi said with the long knife in his hand. "Do you want her? Wait until we finish with her, OK?" a curly haired man said, sneering. Boi recognised the guys as poachers who were wanted by the police. "You, the forest poachers, now want to rape a woman?" The curly haired one yelled out, "Hey, guys, he knows who we are, so kill him!" A one-eyed man aimed his gun at Boi and shot him. Boi staggered but he was still able to cut the shoulder of the curly haired man with his long knife. Having heard the gun shot, all the girls rushed toward the scene with their knives and guns in hand. All of the culprits ran away. Boi fell to the ground. It was a cold winter afternoon. All of Dong Nam was in chaos when they saw a convoy of four cars driving into the village. Boi’s body was in the first car. Muong was sitting beside the coffin in her mourning clothes. More than 100 farm workers were also wearing mourning bands. The villagers were very afraid, wondering what was happening. The car with Boi’s body stopped at the village gate. Nhuy took her sons to see if it was her husband’s body. Yes, it was true. She threw herself onto the coffin, crying her heart out. The village elder said, "According to the rules of the village, anybody who dies a damned death may not be taken home." "No, it’s not true. Boi did not die a damned death." "But it’s the same as if he died because of a woman!" "No, he did not die because of a woman!" The director of the farm quickly walked up to the village elder and said, "Elder. Villagers!" He tried to say more but was choked up. Then the farm workers told of the heroic act Boi performed by fighting the poachers to save a girl. After hearing about it, all the villagers, including the village elder, were confused and stunned and greatly moved. "We all know that the rules of the village always urge us to fight against bad and cruel things and always aim for compassion and mercy. Mr Boi of our village sacrificed himself like a hero. Please open the village gate wide to welcome him home!" the village elder finally said and then cried loudly. Boi’s funeral was crowded with villagers and farm workers. It was a special funeral because both Nhuy and Muong were crying and throwing themselves on the ground after the coffin. It was drizzling. Vaguely in the distance the voice of the film story teller could be heard. Translated by Manh Chuong Nguồn: http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/
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