It’s still too early in the morning, just
few minute after 6:00 AM; the sun was still far away in the east, the light was
dim, he was walking alone toward Harvard Sport Park as usual during the
weekdays, he walks pretty fast with his stretched legs, the brisk walk of his life
habit in despite of his physical small and short. He likes to walk early in the
twilight morning, see the blinking stars high above the dark sky, imagine the
world without people, when the traffic is light and the weather is cool during
the summer; mild cold at this time of the year, late fall. Looking toward the
few yards ahead he saw one piece of baby shoe lay on the sidewalk; he stopped
by to pick it up, turned the shoe around while examining it; a boy shoe, the
wear and tear is very moderate, still considers to have long life for use
ahead, suddenly his mind recalls his own childhood sons years, which he is now dearly
miss every time he takes a walk, when he sees kids playing in the parks, biking
around the neighbor with their parents, or each moment he sees something
related to the kids, his heart is softening low, he feels sad like he has lost some
part of his life.
He was
so busy and distracted by the circumstances which had happened during those few
years of his childhood sons; his relatives and brothers families had just
arrived to the US one after another, especially his three brother families,
each arrived a month apart. He does not feel regret about his actions toward
their arrivals, it always becomes his duty, a must to be done! But he really
felt so unfortunate, the fate. Beside the full time jobs he and his wife have spent
at works, the remaining time of the day, it was so occupied not because of his
own families, a couple with three young little kids, one to two years apart,
but by too many unexpected problems with one of his brothers at home, which pushed
down his spirit; he was so depressed, so despair to the point that he lost his temper
and the most terrible long-lasting hiccup illness has occurred to him again,
the fourth time in his life; the hiccups which has been pounding his chest
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and lasted for many months, once he
have had enduring it for two and a half years earlier. Still he does not know
how he could survive through that kind of stress and hiccough which no
medication can fix it, no Doctor know how or what to do with him, he can only thanks
God and Buddha had given him the strength needed for his mind to push it away
every time it happens! Thank to his wife for her too rich loving heart, she
never complains even a single word to anyone, she tends a bandage to his wound
by showing more care, patience and understand to everyone under the too hard to
bear circumstances for most others. He
looked around for another piece, there was none! He put a shoe next to the sign
pole along the sidewalk in hope for someone just passed by with kid whose this
shoe belong to return and pick it, then he continued his morning walk …
After more than an hour walk around the park
and along the storm drain canal, on the way back he passed by the pole the baby
shoe was still there, he thought they could have been lost both, then this will
be useless, but when he was approaching the intersection, he saw another piece rested
next to the road curb, he pick it up and set it next to the other piece; Yeah!
it makes a complete pair, so cute looks similar to a pair of his own children,
which he knew he still keep at least one somewhere at home, he felt little warm
in his heart; However he does not feel comfortable with it; he was afraid that
it may mistakenly be blowing by the gardener when they come to mowing the grass
lawn at this business complex or anyone, any bikers might accidently side-hit
it off on the road again. He thought it better be hung up to the sign pole, he
looked around for something to tie it up but there wasn’t anything that he can
use. He came home and looking for a steel wire old clothes hanger, he cut a
piece and made a hook, he walk to the place again about half of a mile away,
the pair of shoes was still there, he hooked the pairs and hang it on the pole
in hope the owner will have a chance to retrieve.
The next morning he passes by a pole, the
pair of shoes has disappeared, he looks at the lone pole, somehow his feeling
is mixed, he wonders is it went back to its owner or in the hand of someone
else. What about the parents who lost that infant shoes; Do they have deep care
about the memory like himself, or they are more considered about realistic way
of life, why care about a pair of used shoes when with just $19.99 they can have
another new pairs! However just a few day ago he, himself was so happy that he
had found his own Keys-bunch, which he lost during a walk in Peter Canyon and
someone had picked, put up at the information bulletin board, despair the keys
can be remade for less than ten-bucks! By the way he know many people in our
society out there do care and keep their memories float!!
Nctd
One
morning in the late Fall 2017
To: English readers and
friends,
Please feel free to correct
me if you found mistakes and errors! I'm sure there are plenty! I still need to
learn myself and am appreciated very much!
To: Bạn đọc Việt Nam,
Xin lỗi
thỉnh thoảng tôi viết tiếng Anh, không phải khoe khoang, nhưng để một số người
không hiểu Việt ngữ kể cả các con cháu tôi tiện theo dõi và không cảm thấy lạc
lõng khi vào Blog “Giáng Thu” của tôi, cũng là một cách tôi tự trau dồi
thêm sinh ngữ. Thành thật cáo lỗi qúy bà con, bạn
bè trẻ cũng như không còn trẻ, hì hì!!!!!
NguyễnChu
Trương Dực
