Twice met comrade Cay Xon Phom Vi Han in the land of a million elephants

(Baonghean) -During my working days in Laos during the anti-American period, I was extremely lucky and happy to meet Comrade Cay Xon Phom Vihan twice - General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

At around 1:00 p.m. on April 16, 1972, our entire team of experts working in Xieng Kho district was sitting drinking water to prepare to go to work at a friendly agency, when from afar three people walked towards the team's office. When we got closer, we immediately recognized Comrade Cay Xon Phom Vi Han. The whole team ran out to happily welcome him. He was wearing a bathing suit, a striped scarf that Lao girls had woven themselves, and told us to sit around the ping pong table placed in the middle of the "living room".

Comrade said:

- I just bathed in a hot spring nearby, so I came to check on you guys. You guys should bathe every day to refresh your mind and improve your health to prevent joint, nerve and skin diseases...

He asked about each person's health, tasks and work situation, then advised:

- On behalf of the Lao Party and Government, I would like to thank you and the Vietnamese expert delegation for overcoming all difficulties, hardships, lack of material and family affection, even sacrificing your lives to join the Lao people in fighting against the common enemy of Vietnam and Laos. I hope you will try harder to complete the tasks that the Vietnamese Party and Government have trusted and assigned to you. Please send my regards to your parents, wives and children in the country!... After chatting for a while, comrade Cay Xon Phom Vi Han said goodbye to everyone and went to work with the Standing Committee of Xieng Kho District Party Committee.

… After a period of helping my friend at Xieng Kho infirmary, I was transferred to work at Hua Phan provincial hospital. The hospital was located in Loong cave, three kilometers long, with a stream flowing inside the cave. One sunny autumn afternoon, I had just returned from work when the liaison officer invited me to the office to meet the chief. I was half happy and half worried. Who knew this was the occasion for the leaders to let me return home on leave? But that was not the case, the head of the delegation told me to go to Nakay to examine a Party leader.

Your doctor invited me to get in the car and drive straight to a house hidden behind an old tree. Behind it was a deep, solid cave. At that moment, your doctor told me that the Central Health Protection Committee had invited me to examine General Secretary Cay Xon. I was deeply moved, because this was the second time I had met the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

Just then, comrade Cay Xon walked into the living room and lovingly told me:

- Doctor, please sit down. Oh, are you the doctor I met in Xieng Kho almost a year ago? I have had a sore throat and cough for the past few days. I need you to examine and treat me so I can attend the Politburo meeting tomorrow...

I struggled to find an electrical outlet in the living room to plug in the ear, nose and throat examination lamp for my comrade. He immediately said: "There is an outlet in my bedroom, you can go there and examine me." I really felt guilty because I could not go into the bedroom to examine my comrade. He immediately said: "Just go into my room and plug in the lamp, it's okay!"

After examining the patient, I said goodbye to Comrade Cay Xon and asked permission to leave. He said: "I have to go to the office now to prepare for tomorrow's meeting. You guys stay home and have dinner with me." Then he hurriedly got in the car and went back to the Central Party Office.

At that moment, a tray of food was brought into the living room. The dishes were simple but very Vietnamese: a pot of fragrant sticky rice, a plate of fried rice, a plate of braised pork, a plate of water spinach and sour plum broth. We felt extremely happy and honored.

It has been nearly 40 years since I left my brotherly country of Laos, but I will never forget the days I lived and worked in the Land of a Million Elephants, especially the two times I met comrade Cay Xon Phom Vi Han.

Pham Hong Sam (K6 - Dien Chau Town)