From: knguyen@emr1.emr.ca (Kim Nguyen)
Subject: A story from Vietnam : Ba`n tie^.c ma'u
Organization: Energy, Mines, and Resources, Ottawa
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 02:42:42 GMT

Here is an excerpt from an article written by the young journalist NL in TT
from Saigon recently.

Khi 2 ngu+o+`i phu.c vu. nha` ha`ng mang con tru't (pangolin) ra, mo^.t
anh *Ca^u la.c bo^. thu+o+.ng ha.ng* da`nh la^'y chai ru+o+.u Hennessey,
va` vo+'i su+. sa`nh -die^.u, anh khui chai ru+o+.u. Mo^.t ngu+o+`i
kha'c nha<'c :* La^'y cho he^'t huye^'t nhe' ! *. Ngu+o+`i phu.c vu. 
-du+a ca'i dao bo'ng loa'ng va`o ye^'t ha^`u con tru't. Ma'u, kho^ng 
pha?i, ta^'t nhie^n kho^ng ai go.i la` ma'u, ma` go.i la` huye^'t. Huye^'t
cu?a con tru't gia' 2 trie^.u -do^`ng -do' -du+o+.c -do^? va`o chai
ru+o+.u gia' ba<`ng khoa?ng mo^.t chi? va`ng. Va` nhu+~ng thu+.c kha'ch
chuye^`n tay nhau uo^'ng.

To^i na^ng chie^'c ly, ho+i nho+.n, nha<'m ma<'t u+.c. -De^? tra'nh nhu+~ng
-do^i ma<'t, to^i nhi`n cho^~ kha'c. Lie^'c qua ba`n be^n kia, chao o^i,
la.i ma'u. Kho^ng pha?i huye^'t : mo^.t con do+i. Ro^`i tie^'p mo^.t con
do+i nu+~a bi. ca<ng 2 chie^'c ca'nh ra ty` le^n ba`n. Mo^.t ngu+o+`i phu.c
vu. -du*a cao chie^'c dao le^n. Phu.p ! -Da^`u con do+i li`a kho?i tha^n.
Hai con do+i gia' ti'nh tro`n la` mo^.t trie^.u -do^`ng, do^`n la.i -du~
mo^.t di~a tie^'t canh cho 4 thu+.c kha'ch.

Mo^.t anh trong *ba<ng* cu~ng nhi`n qua ba`n thu+.c kha'ch -do', bi`nh 
lua^.n :* Que^ tha^'y me. ! A<n tie^'t do+i ma` uo^'ng bia ! *.

Ne^'u qua? la` bia thi` uo^'ng bao nhie^u cu~ng kho^ng -du? . Nhi`n xuo^'ng
ba`n to^i tha^'y vo? bia na<`m ngo^?n ngang, la lie^.t. Nhu+ng -du+o+.c 
ca'i la` bia la`m tro^i nhanh mo.i thu+' : nhu+~ng ca'i mie^.ng cu+o+`i 
no'i to+? mo+?, ngoa<`m ngoa`m -do? lo`m, chi? va`i ho+'p bia la` tro^i 
sa.ch.

Mo^.t chai Hennessy nu+~a -du+o+.c mang ra. Mo^.t anh trong ba`n ga<'p 
mie^'ng thi.t tru't bo? va`o mie^.ng, ca^m chai ru+o+.u cu~ -du+a le^n 
la<'c la<'c : * Co`n ma` ! *. Nhi`n -do^i ma<'t cu?a ah ta -do? nga^`u 
da'n va`o pha^`n chai ru+o+.u co`n la.i co' ho`a chu't huye^'t tru't 
cu~ng ma`u -do?, tu+. nhie^n to^i tha^'y la.nh ngu+o+`i...Buo^?i to^'i, 
gio' tu+` bo+` so^ng tho^?i va`o hi`nh nhu+ co' mu`i tanh tanh. Ma`u -do? 
cu?a -do^i ma<'t, cu?a ru+o+.u hoa` huye^'t so'ng sa'nh trong chai, cu?a 
nhu+~ng ca'i mie^.ng, to^i -da~ tha^'y o+? -da^u -do'. Pha?i ro^`i, ma`u 
-do? cu?a ma'u. Ba'n ma'u......

Ru+o+.u hay -die^`u gi` -da~ la`m to^i ho+i choa'ng va'ng. To^i xin phe'p 
bu+o+'c ra ngoa`i, -du+'ng nghi? o+? ha`nh lang, co^' kho^ng lie^n tu+o+?ng
-de^'n mo^.t -die^`u gi`.

Nhu+ng hi`nh a?nh nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i ba'n ma'u ngo^`i xe^'p ha`ng lo+'p 
lo+'p cho+` -do+.i ta.i Trung-Ta^m Tie^'p Huye^'t o+? bi.nh-vie^.n Cho+. 
Ra^~y, bi.nh-vie^.n 175 Bie^n-hoa`, tu+. nhie^n cu+' hie^.n ra trong tri' 
to^i vo+'i nhu+~ng ve? ma<.t xanh xao, -dau buo^`n. Ho. cho+` -do+.i 
-de^? -du+o+.c ru't tu+` trong ngu+o+`i ho. ra 250 cc (mo^.t xi.) ma'u 
va` nha^.n 40,000 -do^`ng.

Tre^n con -du+o+`ng cha.y do.c bo+` so^ng, mo^.t thanh nie^n ga^`y o^'m, 
vai -deo mo^.t ca'i bao, -dang moi moi mo^.t -do^'ng ra'c be^n ve^. 
-du+o+`ng. To^i la.i nghi~ -de^'n anh T. o+? khu nghi~a -di.a phu+o+`ng 
10 Go`-va^'p ma` ma^'y nga`y tru+o+'c -da^y to^i -da~ ga<.p. Ho^m -do', 
anh -di bo^., tay xa'ch mo^.t chie^'c gio? la't (rush sack), bu+o+'c va`o 
qua'n ca`-phe^ o+? -du+o+`ng Nguye^~n Kie^.m. Chu? qua'n ba?o, * Co`n 
nhie^`u la<'m, tua^`n sau mo+'i -dem la.i -di *. Anh na<n ni? : * Chi. 
la^'y giu`m -di, lo+~ -dem......*. Ngu+o+`i chu? qua'n va^~n tu+` cho^'i, 
anh tho+? ra buo^`n ba~ va` me^.t mo?i; anh ngo^`i be^.t xuo^'ng he`, 
-da<.c gio? ta<'c be^n ca.nh va` hai tay -do+~ la^'y -da^`u. Anh -di bo? 
tra'i ta<'c. Ba bo^'n nga`y mo+'i bo? -du+o+.c va`i ky'. Vo+. anh -di 
ba'n ta`u hu?, bu+~a -du+o+.c bu+~a kho^ng. -De^? so^'ng, anh pha?i ba'n 
ma'u. Vo+. anh, me. anh ba'n ma'u. To^i-de^'n khu nghi~a -di.a va` ga<.p 
me. anh o+? trong mo^.t ca'i cho`i ca<'m ta.m tre^n nghi~a -di.a. Ba` moi 
tre^n ma'i tranh xuo^'ng mo^.t xa^'p phie^'u da^`y co^.m : phie^'u ba'n 
ma'u. * Pha?i ba'n ma'u tu+` 10 na<m nay, ca^.u o+i ! *. Ba.n la'ng 
gie^`ng cu?a me. con ba`, ca'c anh chi. LVS, nguye^n co^ng nha^n no^ng 
tru+o+`ng Duye^n  Ha?i; LVS, cha.y xi't-lo^ *vo+'t*; HTTP, co^ng nha^n 
thoa't nu+o+'c...cu~ng -de^`u co' nhu+~ng ta^'m phie^'u ba'n ma'u nhu+ 
va^.y. Ro^`i nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i lao-co^ng o+? qua^.n 4, o+? phu+o+`ng 12 
Bi`nh-tha.nh, o+? khu Ca^`u Bo^ng, o+? -Do^`ng -tie^'n, Ma~ La.ng, qua^.n
1...ba'n ma'u -de^? so^'ng...

To^i va^~n co`n nghe ra^'t ro~ gio.ng no'i na~o ne^` cu?a anh T. khi anh 
-da<.t chie^'c gio? ta<'c xuo^'ng : * Gia' mo^.t xi. ma'u co' 40,000 
-do^`ng chu+' ma^'y, anh o+i ! *. Ne^'u nhu+ anh bie^'t ma'u cu?a ngu+o+`i 
anh cu~ng ba<`ng gia' ma'u - kho^ng, huye^'t - cu?a mo^.t -do^i do+i ma` 
tho^i, anh se~ tha^'y the^' na`o ?

Mo^.t ba`n tay -da<.t le^n vai to^i ke'o la.i, mo^.t gio.ng cu+o+`i ha` 
ha` no^`ng mu`i ru+o+.u : * Sao anh -du+'ng -da^y anh ba.n ? -Da~ cho+i 
vo+'i tu.i na^`y la` pha?i cho+i he^'t mi`nh. Sao ue^? oa?i va^.y, mo+'i 
co' 2 chai chu+' ma^'y ? *......Sau khi go.i the^m ru+o+.u va` thu+'c 
a<n, ca'c tha`nh vie^n trong ba`n ru+o+.u thi nhau ke^? va` ai cu~ng to? 
ra sa`nh -die^.u ca'c loa.i a<n cho+i. Ho. ke^? ve^` mi`nh va` ca'c loa.i 
a<n cho+i kha'c trong * Ca^u-La.c-Bo^. Thu+o+.ng-Lu+u * vo+'i 2 chie^'c 
xe ho+i -do+`i mo+'i va` 4 chie^'c xe Dream -de^? phu.c vu. 16 -da^`u 
mo^'i vui cho+i, gia?i tri' cao ca^'p, trong -do' -da<.c biet nha^'t la` 
trang thie^'t ni. hi`nh nha^n cha.y -die^.n ( hai hi`nh nha^n, mo^~i 
hi`nh nha^n gia' khoa?ng 50 trie^.u ) nha<`m ta.o ca?m gia'c la. trong 
vie^.c tho?a ma~n ti`nh du.c, va` nhu+~ng pha mua trinh -do^.c -da'o gia' 
tu+` 500-1000 -do^. Nhu+~ng co^ ga'i -du+o+.c -du+a -di ba'n trinh 
-du+o+.c trang -die^?m nhu+ mo^.t na`ng da^u va` mo^.t chie^'c xe hoa 
-du+a -de^'n cho kha'ch la`ng cho+i......Mo^.t anh kha'c thi` say su+a 
no'i ve^` Karaoke o^m.

Mo^.tanh trong ba`n pha't hie^.n : * E^, ru+o+.u uo^'ng kho^ng la.t la.t 
la`m sao a^'y. Pha?i co' huye^'t gi` hoa` va`o mo+'i -du+o+.c. Tru't 
nu+~a nhe' ! *. Mo^.t anh pha?n -do^'i : *Tho^i, ra<'n ho^? -di, cu+o+`ng 
du+o+ng *. Khi ngu+o+`iphu.c vu. nha` ha`ng -du+a con ra<'n ho^? ba<`ng 
co^? tay le^n va` cho.c cho no' mu'a ma'y, su+`ng so^., -de^? chua^?n bi. 
la^'y huye^'t, to^i la.i tha^'yro+.n kha<'p ngu+o+`i.

Kho^ng chi.u -du+.ng -du+o+.c nu+a~, to^i la<?ng la<.ng bu+o+'c ra kho?i 
ba`n nha^.u, -di ra kho?i nha` ha`ng. Mo^.t cu. gia`, mo^.t chi. phu. 
nu+~ be^' -du+'a con nho?, mo^.t thanh nie^n cu.t cha^n cho^'ng na.n 
-de^'n ba^u be^n to^i, -du+a tay xin tie^`n. No+i -do^'ng ra'c nho?, 
ngu+o+`i thanh nie^n vai -deo chie^'c bao va^~n moi tie^`m nhu+~ng thu+' 
co' the^? bo? va`o bao. Khi kho^ng to^i la.i tu+. ho?i : Trong so^' ho., 
ai -da~ la` ngu+o+`i kho^ng ba'n ma'u ?

Ba.n,

Co' le~ ba.n se~ tra'ch to^i vi` ba.n -da~ u+u a'i -du+a to^i -di
*nha^.p ba<ng mo^.t buo^?i cho bie^'t vo+' ngu+o+`i ta*, nhu+ng to^i la.i 
ghi che'p tha`nh mo^.t ba`i ba'o. -Die^`u -do' qua? kho^ng hay vo+'i * da^n 
cho+i *, nhu+ng xin ba.n thu+' lo^~i, trong xa~-ho^.i, to^i la.i ga<.p 
da^n nghe`o nhie^`u qua'. Ho. la.i pha?i ba'n -di ca'i ta^.n cu`ng cu?a 
ho. -de^? so^'ng : ma'u. Va` to^i ao u+o'c pha?i chi ma'u cu?a ho. co' 
gia' ba<`ng ma'u cu?a con tru't. con ra<'n......

-Do', su+. ao u+o+'c -du+o+c tha^'y ma'u cu?a ngu+o+`i nghe`o Vietnam co' 
ma'u ba<`ng gia' cu?a con tru't, con do+i. con ra<'n...nhu+ va^.y co' 
pha?i la` be^u xa^'u VN ? Pho+i ba`y ra nhu+~ng thu+.c ta.i nghe`o -do'i
pho^? bie^'n o+? VN la` be^u xa^'u ?  VN -dang -do^?i mo+'i ra^'t huy 
hoa`ng, vui tu+o+i, lo^.ng la^~y thu+.c su+. ?

Xe't cho cu`ng, ai pha?i chi.u tra'ch-nhie^.m tru+o+'c su+. nghe`o -do'i, 
sa -do.a, co+ cu+.c cu?a nha^n da^n VN ho^m nay ? Thu+c da^n, -de^' 
quo^'c, phong kie^'n hay co^.ng-sa?n ? Tai sao nha^n da^n VN kie^u hu`ng 
la.i pha?i -di tu+' xu+' ? Nhu+~ng ke? a<n die^.n, nha` cao, xe 
-de.p o+? VN va` nhu+`ng ke? do+ da'y, -do'i kho^?, co+ cu+.c o+? VN, ai 
la`ke? be^u xa^'u VN ?....

My critics  : After 18 years, they have created another class. Who can be 
members of this *Cau-Lac-Bo Thuong -Luu* ? Maybe NL dare not to say all 
and why not few Vietnamese must go, but obviously what we see in VN today 
is not what the doctrine supposes to depict to its followers. What is the 
meaning of the independence to them ? It means they are now free to do what 
they want because they are also Vietnamese ! Yes, only one group can be 
the boss of the country, not all Vietnamese.

To the world outside, they are proud of that independence but, inside 
the country, they don't apply the ideal of that independence. They 
were and are stuck in the mud of doctrine and personality cult. So at last
they are only a well-organized gang to take the power and not to use that
power to do any good for their country. ALAS, IT IS A USELESS INDEPENDENCE.