Old school friend

(Baonghean) - Seeing that her family did not let her see the medical records hanging above her bed and that after each examination, the doctors had to consult for a long time, Le had a feeling that she was seriously ill. When she heard that Dr. Huynh Lam would operate on her, she was stunned. So Le's life was now entrusted to the person who, according to the patients in the same room, was the best surgeon in this hospital. "You're lucky" - their words of encouragement did not lessen the vague anxiety that was keeping her awake. And on long nights, alone in the silence, the past stories came back, making her shiver.

...One autumn morning, at dawn, more than forty years ago, Le woke up with a start when she heard gunshots coming from the riverbank near the military post. The terrifying series of sounds filled the air like a swarm of sharp points, making her head hurt. Le cowered, stuffing two fingers into her ears because of the sound of artillery shells whistling past her head. About thirty minutes later, the gunfire stopped, and the soldiers returned to the post carrying a dead body. The soldier stood on the towering watchtower, raised the loudspeaker to his mouth, and said excitedly: “Hello, hello! This is the news of the victory - the Viet Cong Huynh Chau, the man known as the “gray tiger of the eastern Chau Son” has been assassinated. Everyone is invited to come and witness!”

The ten-year-old girl, Le at that time, hugged the women in the military quarters tightly when she first saw the dead man. That man was wearing moss-colored ba ba clothes, still wearing a floppy hat, and had a bullet wound on his chest. One of Le's father's subordinates humbly stepped forward, speaking in a flattering rather than admiring voice: "I've heard a lot, but now I see the marksmanship of the lieutenant of the station. Just one shot..." That person pointed at the dead body, grinning. Le's father's voice triumphantly said: "You guys will be surprised even more!"

Illustration: Nam Phong

With that achievement, Le's father continuously received secret papers thrown right in front of the house gate every night. Every morning, Le swept the alley, opened the strange papers to read, and his limbs were weak. "Tran Binh! You must pay for your crimes!" "The Revolutionary Court of the Eastern Chau Son region sentenced the evil Tran Binh to death!" The guards were reinforced day and night with dense outer and inner rings and Le's father constantly changed his sleeping place but he almost died several times. Once his car hit a mine and rolled over, luckily he was taken to the emergency room by helicopter. Le's mother invited a shaman to pray for several days in a row, hoping to overcome the disaster. But Le's father was saved not thanks to the gods but thanks to the peace of his homeland.

Thinking of that terrible day, Le still remembers the image of the boy hugging his father's body, crying. The boy was about twelve years old, his clothes were tattered, in extreme pain, he pushed aside the bayonets and rushed to his father. His miserable cries made many people shed tears, even the soldiers turned away. Behind him were the villagers clamoring to bring the dead back for burial.

After the liberation of the homeland, when they were both in high school at the district school, Le learned that the boy's name was Huynh Lam. When Le entered the tenth grade, Lam was already in the twelfth grade. Even during his school years, Lam was famous throughout the school. They grew up together with straw and were familiar with hoes, plows, and cassava, but Lam was fair-skinned and handsome like a prince in a reincarnation story. He was a good math student in the province and a brilliant striker on the soccer field. Every night of performing arts, every time there was a campfire, Lam picked up his guitar and played, attracting many admiring and fascinated looks. Lam was also known to many people because the school was named after three heroes - Huynh Chau Hero. On the first day of school, Le bowed her head throughout the talk about the hero whose name the school was named after. The tragic ending of his life made Le feel pain and admiration, but also shame and vague fear.

...People remember Lam, but he probably doesn't remember all five hundred classmates from the district high school that day. Besides, Le only studied with him for one year. That thought made her feel secure when she met him in this hospital. She reassured herself, but she was still restless and uneasy. The day Dr. Lam examined her, Le didn't dare look straight into his eyes. It seemed like he didn't recognize his old classmate. She felt it through his friendly but serious eyes and the short questions he asked the patient. If a classmate were in Lam's position, Le certainly wouldn't miss the opportunity. But this was someone who had suffered the pain caused by Le's father. In the great tolerance of the nation, how could anyone erase the narrow corner of hatred in their heart!? Was the life-saving knife in his hand now distorted by the haunting memories of the past, the bloody and tearful story of that gloomy autumn day!? The more Le thought, the more confused she became.

The suffocating anxiety was disguised by Le with imaginary reasons when she presented to the head of the surgery department. She beat around the bush, hoping that the interlocutor would understand that she did not want Dr. Huynh Lam to operate on her. “You treat the patient as requested, but that does not mean you have the right to choose a surgeon because you do not understand the specialty - the head of the department seemed annoyed - So what do you know about Dr. Lam's specialty? If you get a satisfactory answer, I will please you right away!” Le was confused. Being a thoughtless liar, she stammered and turned back with her unsettled feelings. “I have to show my cards to Lam, if he still remembers, I must transfer to another hospital” - another plan suddenly flashed in her mind. On the day of her last examination before the surgery, Le tried to calm down, looked straight into Lam's eyes, and smiled probingly: “Sorry, why do I feel like you look familiar?” Still absorbed in writing down the medical records, Lam smiled, his voice calm: “We came from the same bag of a hundred eggs, so we are familiar.” The unfamiliar face and the clear answer that was not for an acquaintance made Le feel secure going into the operating room.

Filled with joy at being cured, Le thought a lot about Dr. Lam. After the five-hour surgery, he visited her almost every day. At that time, he suddenly became cheerful, friendly, and humorous. Le was happy to think that in this place where people did not expect to come, she would meet her good friend again, even though he no longer recognized her.

The night before her discharge, Le timidly went to Dr. Lam's office. With a hesitant thank you,

With her lips filled with emotion, Le gave him a small gift. He took the fruit bag from Le's hand with both hands and opened it, took out the envelope on top and gave it to her: "Thank you, but I'll leave this one." Before Le's confused expression, he was unexpectedly excited. He told her what to pay attention to in health care, eating and drinking after leaving the hospital, and reminded her to come back for a check-up on time. He gave her his personal phone number and told her to call whenever she needed health advice, don't be shy. He looked at Le and smiled, suddenly changing the way he addressed her:

- I recently came back to attend the school festival. Why did I hear from my friends that Le followed her parents to settle in the US?

- At the last minute, I decided to choose my homeland over a foreign land - Suddenly remembering, Le was surprised - Do you still remember me?

- The school beauty, how can I forget!

Lam smiled brightly. Le's eyes were still wide open:

- We recognized each other, why were you cold and vague at first?

- The head doctor told me about it after meeting Le, so I know your mood before the surgery - Lam's voice was sincere - I want to avoid giving you unnecessary worries.

Le sat silently. He held back his emotions so that she could be at peace when she needed those things. But she... Emotions and shame welled up, Le tightly held her old classmate's hand, tears welling up in her eyes...v

Short storyNguyen Trong Hoat

(Da Nang City)