Mo^.t no^~i nie^`m Ha` No^.i (nostalgia from VNese press)

[Dam Son <son@fermi.phys.washington.edu>]

Mo^.t no^~i nie^`m Ha` No^.i
  
Tra^`n Le^
   
Theo kie^?u da^n da~ Ba('c Bo^., chu'ng to^i go.i cha me. la` tha^`y va`
dde?, mo^.c ma.c, de^~ hie^?u. Tha^`y to^i du+~ ddo`n. He^~ ha`ng xo'm
ma'ch chuye^.n con ca'i nghi.ch ngo+.m, be?  khe^', tre`o sung, cho.c
ghe.o cho' su?a om xo`m, thi` chu'ng to^i bi. lo^.t truo^`ng, na(`m sa^'p,
hai tay tha(?ng tre^n dda^`u. Tha^`y to^i vu.t roi ma^y, vu+`a vu.t vu+`a
ho?i to^.i, vu+`a ho?i dda'ng bi. ma^'y roi. Me. to^i so+. khie^'p vi'a,
nu+o+'c ma('t quanh tro`ng, nhu+ng kho^ng da'm xin, vi` ca`ng xin thi` con
ca`ng bi. ddo`n nhie^`u. DDa'nh ddo`n xong, ma(.c qua^`n ro^`i, chu'ng
to^i quy` xin lo^~i tha^`y, hu+'a kho^ng da'm nhu+ the^' nu+~a. Tha^`y
to^i nghe xong, gio+ hai tay o^m con, ghi` va`o lo`ng, ro^`i nu+'c no+?.
Du` be' da.i, du` ddau ddo`n dde^'n dda^u, thi` to^i cu~ng hie^?u ra(`ng
tha^`y to^i xo't xa la('m. Tha^`y to^i bie^'t dda'nh con la` cu~ng dda'nh
chi'nh mi`nh. Ba^'y gio+`, dde^ to^i mo+'i oa` kho'c, o^m to^i, xoa
nhu+~ng ve^'t roi tre^n lu+ng to^i. Ba^y gio+` tha^`y dde? to^i dda~
tha`nh ngu+o+`i thie^n co^?, mo^~i la^`n nghi~ la.i chuye^.n xu+a, to^i
va^~n u+'a nu+o+'c ma('t, mong pha?i ddo`n nu+~a ma` cu~ng kho^ng
ddu+o+.c... 
   
La`ng Ve~ cu?a to^i (tu+'c xa~ DDo^ng Nga.c, huye^.n Tu+` Lie^m - Ha`
No^.i) chi? ca'ch Ha` No^.i tre^n 10 ca^y so^'. Tu+` la^u, da^n gian co'
ca^u "dda^'t Gia`n, quan ve~", dde^? ca ngo+.i dda^'t to^'t, hoa qua?
tu+o+i ngo.t cu?a la`ng Gia`n (tu+'c xa~ Xua^n DDi?nh, ca.nh la`ng to^i),
va` ca ngo+.i la`ng Ve~ sinh nhie^`u quan to. La`ng to^i na(`m gia'p dde^
so^ng Ho^`ng, sa't ca.nh la`ng Tre`m (tu+'c xa~ Thuy. Phu+o+ng). Ca? hai
la`ng dde^`u co' di ti'ch quo^'c gia: ddi`nh la`ng Ve~, va` ddi`nh la`ng
Tre`m, tho+` ca'c tha^`n nha^n anh hu`ng da^n to^.c. La`ng Ve~ co' bo^'n
nghe^`: Nghe^` la`m quan tho+`i na`o cu~ng co', nghe^` la`m thuo^'c,
nghe^` da.y ho.c va` nghe^` buo^n. He^~ o+? Ha` No^.i, Ha?i Pho`ng, Sa`i
Go`n... co' hie^.u buo^n lo+'n, hie^.u thuo^'c nam lo+'n ma` bie^?n hie^.u
chu+~ dda^`u la` DDo^ng, thi` la` ngu+o+`i DDo^ng Nga.c, nhu+ DDo^ng
Thuy., DDo^ng Pha't, DDo^ng _a'_n, DDo^ng Qua^n Hu+ng... Ngu+o+`i ta hay
go.i Tre`m Ve~ la`m mo^.t, chi? co' ddie^`u i't ngu+o+`i hie^?u ra(`ng,
te^n Tre`m la` ca'ch go.i, bie^'n a^m dda~ qua 10 the^' ky?, co`n ne^'u
phie^n a^m Ha'n - No^m thi` tha`nh Tu+` Lie^m. Va^.y pha?i vie^'t la`
Tre`m, kho^ng vie^'t la` Che`m nhu+ nhie^`u ngu+o+`i la^`m tu+o+?ng. Nha`
to^i kho^ng thuo^.c chi la`m quan, ddi buo^n hay la`m thuo^'c, ma` thuo^.c
chi da.y ho.c. Nho+' la.i nhu+~ng na(m tru+o+'c dda^y, to^i kho^ng kho?i
bu`i ngu`i va` suy nga^~m... 
   
Ca^.u to^i vu+`a la`m ky' vu+`a da.y ho.c, ti'nh nghie^m kha('c. Chu'ng
to^i ra^'t so+. ca^.u, nhu+ng la.i cu~ng thi'ch vi` ca^.u hay ke^?
chuye^.n, nha^'t la` ke^? theo quye^?n tu+` ddie^?n Larousse da`y co^.p,
co' nhie^`u tranh a?nh dde.p. Mo^.t la^`n ca^.u cho to^i theo ra Ha`
No^.i. Ba^y gio+` thi` Tu+` Lie^m thuo^.c Ha` No^.i, chu+' ho^`i ddo'
la`ng to^i thuo^.c ve^` phu? Hoa`i DDu+'c, ti?nh Ha` DDo^ng, ne^n tu+`
que^ ra ti?nh la` di.p hie^'m co' va` thi'ch thu' la('m. Hai ca^.u cha'u
ddi xe ngu+.a. Trong ky' u+'c cu?a to^i, kho^ng bao gio+` to^i que^n
ddu+o+.c chie^'c xe ngu+.a co.c lo.c, lo.c co.c tre^n dde^, ga^.p ghe^`nh
dda'. Tuye^.t die^.u nha^'t la` khi xe ngu+.a chi`m va`o ra(.ng o^?i cha.y
suo^'t tu+` Qua?ng Ba' dde^'n Nghi Ta`m, Ye^n Phu.. Na('ng chang chang
bo^~ng nhie^n di.u la.i, ra`o ra`o la' o^?i, la^'p loa'ng a'nh va`ng, va`
ky` thu' la` tri~u tri.t nhu+~ng tra'i o^?i mo+~ ma`ng, mo.ng bo'ng, ngan
nga't tho+m. Cu+' vie^.c ha'i ma` a(n, mie^~n la` ddu+`ng co' cha^'t
dda^`y bi.. Ma` cu~ng cha(?ng co' ai la`m chuye^.n ddo', vi` chi? nghi~
dde^'n ha'i the^m mo^.t va`i qua?, cu~ng dda~ tu+. cho la` to^.i lo^~i
la('m ro^`i. 
   
Xe dde^'n do^'c Ye^n Phu. va`o chie^`u to^'i, dda~ lo^'m ddo^'m dde`n
da^`u, dde`n ddie^.n. Mo.i ngu+o+`i cha`o nhau chua^?n bi. xuo^'ng xe,
mo^~i ngu+o+`i mo^~i nga?. Bo^~ng nhie^n, to^i su+?ng so^'t khi tha^'y
ca^.u to^i gio+? tay na?i, la^'y ra kha(n xe^'p, a'o the va` ddo^i da`y
Gia DDi.nh. Ca^.u to^i ca^'t ddi chie^'u a'o lu+o+ng ba.c ma`u va` ddo^i
guo^'c. La. qua', to^'i ro^`i, ne^'u kho^ng soi dde`n thi` ai co' bie^'t
nhau, nha^'t la` ca^.u cha'u to^i la.i la` ngu+o+`i nha` que^ xoa`ng
xi~nh. To^i ma^'y la^`n ddi.nh ho?i, nhu+ng la.i ki`m ddu+o+.c, vi` so+.
ca^.u ve'o tai. Va` suo^'t ma^'y nga`y dde^'n tha(m ba` con o+? Ha` No^.i,
bao gio+` ca^.u to^i cu~ng a(n va^.n nhu+ the^'... Da^`n da`, lo+'n le^n,
ho.c le^n, ra Ha` No^.i, to^i mo+'i hie^?u ddu+o+.c vie^.c la`m cu?a
ca^.u. Thi` ra, khi to+'i dda^`u do^'c Ye^n Phu., la` ca^.u cha'u to^i
ba('t dda^`u dda(.t cha^n va`o dda^'t Ha` Tha`nh. 
   
Na(m 1950, to^i thi dda^.u ba(`ng tie^?u ho.c, ma` ba^'y gio+` va^~n co`n
quen go.i la` ba(`ng "xe'c". Tho+`i ddo', ddo^~ tie^?u ho.c ma` cu~ng
ddu+o+.c dda(ng ba'o, danh gia' la('m. Su+?a soa.n ho^` so+ thi va`o
tru+o+`ng trung ho.c Chu Va(n An (mo+'i ddo^?i te^n tu+` tru+o+`ng Bu+o+?i
cu~), to^i ra Toa` thi. chi'nh sao va(n ba(`ng va` gia^'y khai sinh.
Bu+o+'c cha^n va`o Toa` thi. chi'nh, to^i ho^`i ho^.p va` ro'n re'n cha^n.
Toa` nha` hai ta^`ng hi`nh vo`ng cung, co' ha`nh lang ro^.ng hai co^.t to
cao, o+? giu+~a la` vu+o+`n hoa co' vo`i phun e^m a?, ti~nh la(.ng. Ky`
la. la` be^n ngoa`i o^`n a`o nhu+ the^', nhu+ng chi? mo^.t bu+o+'c cha^n
va`o dda^y, la` la.c ha(?n va`o mo^.t co^ng so+? nghie^m trang, tha^.n
tro.ng tu+`ng bu+o+'c ddi, tu+`ng lo+`i no'i. Hoa' ra kho^ng pha?i mi`nh
to^i ro'n re'n, ma` ta^'t ca? mo.i ngu+o+`i cu~ng dde^`u nhu+ va^.y.
Kho^ng ai ddi nhanh, ddu+`ng no'i la` cha.y. Kho^ng ai no'i to, ngay
dde^'n mo^.t tie^'ng ho cu~ng bi. ta('t nhanh trong chie^'c mu`i soa ki'n
dda'o. Kho^ng ai ddo^.i mu~ no'n, ca`ng kho^ng co' chuye^.n hu't thuo^'c,
nhai ke.o. Nhie^`u cu+?a vo`m ghi ro~ bo^. pha^.n la`m vie^.c ba(`ng
tie^'ng Vie^.t va` tie^'ng Pha'p, be^n trong la` nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i co'
tra'ch nhie^.m, dda^`u to'c tu+o+m ta^'t, qua^`n a'o chi?nh te^`, tha('t
ca` va.t. To^i gio+ hai tay dda(.t ho^` so+ qua cu+?a, o^ng la`m vie^.c
cu~ng ddu+a hai tay ddo'n la^'y. Xem ky~ nhu+ng kha' lanh lo+.i, la`nh
nghe^`, o^ng no'i so^' tie^`n sao va(n ba?n. O^ng la.i ddo'n la^'y tie^`n
to^i ddu+a, ro^`i thao ta'c nhanh cho'ng, da'n tem, ky' te^n, ddo'ng da^'u
sau cu`ng ddu+a la.i to^i. To^i ca?m o+n o^ng. O^ng khe~ nho^?m ngu+o+`i,
cu'i dda^`u, dda'p: "Cha`o ca^.u!". 
   
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Kho^ng hie^?u co' ai se~ no'i to^i toa`n ke^? chuye^.n cu~ ri'ch, co^?
lo^~ qua', kho^ng khe'o ga`n! 
   
Co' the^? "ga`n" tha^.t. Bo+?i vi`, mo^.t la^`n ddi pho?ng va^'n mo^.t vi.
la~nh dda.o co' ddu+'c ddo^. lo+'n, uy ti'n lo+'n, tuo^?i ra^'t cao, to^i
luo^n xu+ng ho^ la` "thu+a Cu.". Co' mo^.t o^ng ca'n bo^. giu'p vie^.c Cu.
nha('c to^i: "Anh cu+' thu+a la` "anh" hay "ddo^`ng chi'" cho tie^.n".
Chi.u! To^i va^~n xu+ng la` "Cu.". 
   
Mo^.t tho+`i qua' da`i, Ha` No^.i "dda~ tha^.p ca^?m hoa'" lo+`i a(n,
tie^'ng no'i, da^~n dde^'n ta.p pi' lu` tu+` kie^'n tru'c co^ng tri`nh
dde^'n kie^'n tru'c ta^m ho^`n. DDu'ng la` Thu? ddo^ mang ma`u sa('c dda
da.ng cu?a ca? mo.i mie^`n To^? quo^'c. Nhu+ng dda da.ng la` dde^? the^m
phong phu' hi`nh ha`i va` ti`nh ca?m, chu+' tuye^.t ddo^'i kho^ng pha?i
dde^? cha('p va' tu+' tung, pha tro^.n so^'ng su+o+.ng. Du+ lua^.n ddang
ba'o ddo^.ng kie^'n tru'c vo^ to^.i va. ddang bie^'n Ho^` Gu+o+m tha`nh ao
la`ng. Nhu+ng du` kho^ng co' nhu+~ng toa` nha` ngo+' nga^?n, nghe^nh ngang
kie^?u phu' o^ng ddi nu+~a, thi` ngu+o+`i ta cu~ng dda~ gie^'t che^'t Ho^`
Gu+o+m, khi bie^'n Tha'p Ru`a tha`nh ca'i phi'ch nu+o+'c re? tie^`n,
bie^'n tra^'n Ba DDi`nh tha`nh ca'i le^`u, vi` dda~ "bo^'c ho+i" bo^'n
co^.t go^~ to lo+'n ddu+o+`ng be^., dde^? thay ba(`ng bo^'n ca'i que be^
to^ng ke^.ch co+~m. Ngay dde^'n qua^`n the^? kie^'n tru'c ra^'t dde.p Nha`
ha't lo+'n - Vie^.n Ba?o ta`ng ca'ch ma.ng - Vie^.n Ba?o ta`ng li.ch su+?,
cu~ng ddang bi. nhu+~ng toa` kha'ch sa.n dda~ va` ddang xa^y ddo^` so^.
bo'p la.i, la`m che^'t ddi mo^.t qua?ng tru+o+`ng co' tie^'ng o+? Thu?
ddo^. La.i ca'i ho^` kha'c: Ho^` Ta^y no^?i tie^'ng. Cha(?ng hie^?u quy
hoa.ch kie^?u gi`, ma` xu'm xi't ha`ng tra(m bie^.t thu+. na na' hi`nh
cho'p, hi`nh o^'ng, pha' tan hoang nhu+~ng mie^'ng vu+o+`n dde.p tuye^.t
vo+`i, bie^'n bo+` Ho^` Ta^y tha`nh vo`ng va^y be^ to^ng, tro^ng tha^'y
se~ "tuye^.t chu?ng" nhu+~ng la`ng hoa no^?i tie^'ng Qua?ng An, Nha^.t
Ta^n, Phu' Thu+o+.ng... Nhu+~ng vi' du. na`y co' ke^? dde^'n 1001 dde^m
cu~ng kho^ng he^'t. 
   
Bo^~ng du+ng, to^i la.i nho+' tha^`y to^i. Co' le~ tha^`y to^i la.c ha^.u
tha^.t, ne^n lo^i tho^i la` cu+' dda'nh roi con. Nhu+ng cha(?ng bao gio+`
to^i oa'n tha^`y to^i, oa'n dde? ra to^i ca?. Chao o^i! Nhu+~ng ngo.n roi
dda~ la`m ddau thi.t da to^i, ddau thi.t da tha^`y dde? ra to^i, nhu+ng
la.i la`m to^i ne^n ngu+o+`i. Mo+'i bie^'t, Kho^?ng Tu+? tha^.t la` vi~
dda.i khi da.y: "Vi nha^n an", tu+'c "la`m ngu+o+`i tha^.t kho'". Ca'c cu.
ta cu~ng da.y "ye^u choan vo.t, ghe't cho cho+i". The^' ma` nga`y nay
kho^'i ngu+o+`i so+. vo.t, hoa(.c la.i coi thu+o+`ng vo.t cho ngu+o+`i
kha'c. To^i la.i nho+' dde^'n ca^.u to^i, khi ca^.u a(n va^.n sao cho
xu+'ng vo+'i ngu+o+`i Ha` No^.i, ca?nh va^.t Ha` No^.i. Gia' ca^.u to^i
so^'ng la.i, dde^? tro+? la.i o^ Ye^n Phu. ho^m nay... Ca^.u to^i cu~ng
pha?i va'i. Va` to^i la.i nho+' dde^'n tie^'ng cha`o cu?a tha^`y Ky' lu.c
toa` Thi. chi'nh ca'ch dda^y ga^`n nu+?a the^' ky?, nho+' dde^'n ca'i toa`
nha` chi? co' hai ta^`ng ma` sao va^~n quye^`n uy dde^'n the^'. 
   
To^i ye^u Ha` No^.i, ngu+o+`i o+i!
   
TL (10-10-96)