[LIT,Ddo^ng A^u] "Tha^`y" (2/2)

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

[Dde^` nghi. kho^ng forward ba`i na`y sang ca'c forum kha'c. Ca'm o+n]
[Kho^ng ddo.c tru+o+'c va` trong khi a(n]

<tie^'p theo va` he^'t>

La` mo^.t nha` toa'n ho.c nhu+ng tha^`y ra^'t ye^u tho+\. Tha^`y ru? to^i
dde^'n nha` cu~ng chu? ye^'u la` dde^? no'i chuye^.n tho+\. Tha^`y ba?o: 
no'i chuye^.n vo+'i Nam vu+`a ta^`m mi`nh, no'i chuye^.n vo+'i ma^'y ca^.u
khoa Va(n so+. kho^ng ho+.p. La^`n tha^`y ddu+o+.c in cuo^'n gia'o tri`nh
Phu+o+ng tri`nh vi pha^n, tha^`y la`m mo^.t bu+~a lie^n hoan nho? ba(`ng
pha^`n tie^`n nhua^.n bu't khie^m to^'n, va`, kha'ch mo+`i chi? co' mo^~i
mi`nh to^i\. Ca(n ho^. trong toa` nha` lo+.p gia^'y da^`u o+? khu ta^.p
the^? Ba'ch khoa go^`m cha'i be^'p, pho`ng o+? va` hie^n nha`. Dde^m ma^'t
ddie^.n. Vo+. con tha^`y a(n o+? du+o+'i be^'p. To^i va` tha^`y tra?i
chie^'u co'i ngo^`i ngoa`i hie^n. Mo^.t tro+`i dda^`y tra(ng. Mo^.t cu't
ru+o+.u nu't la' chuo^'i kho^\. Hai ca'i che'n ha.t mi't. Mo^.t ba't
chie^'t ye^u dda^`y chuo^'i xanh vo+'i o^'c bu+o+u na^'u gia? ba ba\.
Mo^.t ddi~a la.c rang ra^'t khe'o\. Va`, ta^'t nhie^n, mo^.t a^u dda^`y
co+m ga.o que^ (nga`y thu+o+`ng, cu~ng nhu+ lu~ sinh vie^n chu'ng to^i,
gia ddi`nh tha^`y a(n ga.o "ma^.u" [ma^.u di.ch]). Chu'ng to^i mu+`ng
mo^.t co^ng tri`nh toa'n ho.c ba(`ng mo^.t... dde^m tho+\. Mo+? dda^`u,
vi` ngo^`i ngoa`i hie^n ne^n to^i ddo.c tha^`y nghe ma^'y ca^u tho+ cu?a
ba.n Ca^`m:

	To^i cay dda('ng nhie^`u na(m...
				      Tho^i cha(?ng ke^?
	Tra(m nga`n dde^m tru' ta.m ma'i hie^n ngu+o+`i
	Ddi qua va.n ho^.i he`, o^m ma(.t kho'c
	Co? xanh tra^`m, ca^m la(.ng, bu'p dda ro+i\.

Kho^ng ngo+` tha^`y o^m ma(.t kho'c tha^.t. To^i ba`ng hoa`ng: hoa' ra
ddo+`i tha^`y cu~ng co' ua^?n khu'c? Ro^`i, tha^`y ddo.c to^i nghe mo^.t
so^' ba`i tho+ tha^`y la`m o+? que^ hu+o+ng Pushkin, o+? que^ hu+o+ng
Anatole France\. Tho+ tha^`y kho^ng hay nhu+ng co' ho^`n. Mo^.t ho^`n tho+
tu+. tin, kho^ng vay mu+o+.n va` dda^.m ti`nh co^' hu+o+ng. Vui chuye^.n
tha^`y ba?o: ngu+o+`i Vie^.t mi`nh kho^ng ngu, chi? co' ddie^`u hoa`n
ca?nh li.ch su+? no' la`m mi`nh do^'t, mi`nh la.c ha^.u\. Pha?i ho.c tho^i
Nam a.. Chi? co' khoa ho.c va` ky~ thua^.t mo+'i la`m ngu+o+`i Vie^.t
mi`nh mo+? ma`y mo+? ma(.t ra ddu+o+.c. To^i chu+a ra nu+o+'c ngoa`i la^`n
na`o ne^n kho^ng co' ddu+o+.c ca'i ta^`m nhi`n cu?a tha^`y\. Lu'c a^'y
to^i chi? nghi~ nhu+ ca'c cu. ddo^`: ca'i chu+~ la` ca'i qui', la('m chu+~
ho+n nhie^`u tie^`n. Va`, co^' la`m ca'i ba(`ng dda.i ho.c, hay cao ho+n,
ca'i ba(`ng pho' tie^'n si~, dde^? ddem tie^'ng tho+m la.i cho gia ddi`nh
va` cho xu+' Con Cuo^ng khi? ho co` ga'y cu?a to^i\. Tuye^.t nhie^n kho^ng
dde^'n ta^`m ye^u nu+o+'c. Cu~ng kho^ng co' chuye^.n tie^`n nong.

Na(m tha'ng ca('n dduo^i nhau tro^i ddi\. Ca'c cu. ba?o "Ga^`n mu+.c thi`
dden, ga^`n dde`n thi` ra.ng", qua? co' va^.y\. Tha^`y co' a?nh hu+o+?ng
ra^'t lo+'n dde^'n vie^.c hi`nh tha`nh tu+ ca'ch cu?a to^i sau na`y:
kho^ng nga.o ma.n, nhu+ng kho^ng nhu+o+.c tie^?u\. Ra tru+o+`ng, to^i theo
go't tha^`y: cu~ng su+ pha.m va` mo^ pha.m. Co' la^`n, o+? cho+. Xanh,
to^i tu+ duy qua' la^u tru+o+'c mo+' rau muo^'ng gia`, la`m chi. ha`ng rau
pha't ca'u buo^.t mie^.ng: "Nghe gio.ng no'i bie^'t ngay kho^ng mua
ddu+o+.c rau ba` dda^u". To^i ddie^'ng ngu+o+`i\. Tha^.t "co+m a'o kho^ng
ddu`a vo+'i kha'ch tho+".

                                  *

Ro^`i so^' pha^.n run ru?i to^i ddi Ta^y\. Tu+` ddo' to^i xa tha^`y va`
ga^`n nhu+ que^n tha^`y\. Ne^`n va(n minh va^.t cha^'t phu+o+ng Ta^y no'
la`m hu+ to^i\. Ba?o ve^. xong ca'i pho' tie^'n si~, thay vi` ve^` la`m
ra.ng ro+~ xu+' Con Cuo^ng khi? ho co` ga'y cu?a to^i, thay vi` la`m khoa
ho.c, to^i o+? la.i ddi buo^n, hay no'i theo ngo^n ngu+~ mo+'i la` la`m
nha` doanh nghie^.p. Nhu+ng, nho.c nha(`n la('m ba.n ddo.c tha^n me^'n a.. 
Cha('c ba.n dda~ nghe ca^u cu. Ma'c, dda.i y' no'i: tho+`i ky` ti'ch luy~
tu+ ba?n ddu+o+.c ghi ba(`ng ma'u va` nu+o+'c ma('t. Ve^` tho+`i ky` ti'ch
luy~ tu+ ba?n cu?a to^i va` chu'ng ba.n, co' di.p to^i se~ ke^? ba.n
nghe\. Dda^y ddang no'i chuye^.n tha^`y to^i\. Sau khi Ddo^ng A^u ddo^?i
mo+'i, tha^`y co' qua la.i dda^y ma^'y la^`n, nhu+ng to^i chi? nghe tin
ma` kho^ng ga(.p. Nghe dda^u mo^.t la^`n tha^`y ddi du+. ho^.i nghi. toa'n
ho.c quo^'c te^' o+? Ha` Lan ve^` ngang qua, mo^.t la^`n thi` tha^`y
ddu+o+.c mo+`i sang gia?ng mo^.t chuye^n dde^` o+? trung ta^m Banach. So^'
to^i sinh ra o+? xo' ru+`ng ne^n ddi Ta^y cu~ng la.i pha?i o+? no+i heo
hu't, kho^ng ddu+o+.c o+? thu? ddo^\. Va^.y ne^n tha^`y tro` mo+'i kho^ng
ddu+o+.c ga(.p nhau\. La^`n na`y tha^`y o+? ddu+o+.c la^u\. To^i thi`
cu~ng dda~ chuye^?n le^n thu? ddo^ dde^? thua^.n tie^.n doanh nghie^.p. 
Ga(.p la.i tha^`y, ca'i ma'u me^ tho+ tu+o+?ng dda~ che^'t la.nh trong
to^i bo^~ng la.i thu+'c da^.y\. Tha^`y tro` ta^m dda('c la('m. Tha^`y
va^~n nhu+ xu+a: ddie^`m dda.m, tu+` to^'n, tu+. tin va`... ye^u tho+\. 

To^'i ddo' to^i ngu? la.i cu`ng tha^`y\. Nha` co' mo^~i mo^.t chie^'c
ghe^' ba`nh nga? ra la`m giu+o+`ng, chu'ng to^i u+u tie^n phu. nu+~. Hai
tha^`y tro` to^i hu't bu.i tha?m, tra?i ga ra, dda('p chung ca'i cha(n
chie^n, na(`m ta^m su+.. Tho+ ddo.c cha'n ca? chie^`u ro^`i, to^'i no'i
chuye^.n la`m a(n. Tha^`y ke^?, hai chuye^'n ddi vu+`a ro^`i tha^`y cu~ng
ke^'t ho+.p ca? ddi la.i kie^'m ddu+o+.c i't tie^`n, ve^` ddu? xa^y mo^.t
ngo^i nha` hai ta^`ng khang trang tre^n ma?nh dda^'t tru+o+`ng chia cho\.
Pha^`n trang tri' sa('m su+?a no^.i tha^'t tro^ng ca^.y va`o chuye^'n
na`y\. Tha^`y ru? ri?: Nam a., pha?i ddu+'ng tre^n chi'nh ddo^i cha^n cu?a
mi`nh thi` mo+'i vu+o+n le^n ddu+o+.c, mo+'i tie^'n nhanh, ma.nh va`
vu+~ng cha('c ddu+o+.c. Tru+o+'c kia y? la.i, tro^ng cho+` va`o ddo^`ng
lu+o+ng nha` nu+o+'c ne^n suo^'t ddo+`i nghe`o\. Hai ddo+.t ddi tru+o+'c,
mi`nh chi? thua^`n la`m "cu+?u va.n", vo+'i ca'i ho^. chie^'u "xanh", ddi
la.i mang ha`ng cho ma^'t ca^.u ho.c tro` cu~ va` ho. tra? thu` lao, ne^n
kho^ng a(n thua\. La.i co`n bi. si? nhu.c chu+'. Ro^`i tha^`y ke^? to^i
nghe chuye^.n tha^`y bi. ca^.u ho.c sinh cu~ ma('ng cho te' ta't ma`
dda`nh cu'i dda^`u nghe\. Chuye^.n na`y da`i, xu+'ng dde^? vie^'t ne^n
thie^n truye^.n "Lua^.t thu+o+ng ma.i", to^i ddang dde^? da`nh, xin chu+a
ke^? ra dda^y\. Ve^` khuya, khi chi. ba.n tha^`y dda~ ngu? say, tie^'ng
nga'y vo vo, tha^`y mo+'i ma.nh da.n ke^? to^i nghe chuye^.n hai ngu+o+`i
vu+o+.t a?i dde^m qua\. 

Tha^`y ba?o: Ca'i bo.n be^n Ma't [Moscow] no' te^.. Dde^`u la` ho.c tro`
cu~ cu?a mi`nh ca? ma` no' cho mi`nh toa`n tie^`n le?. Ca'c chuye^'n
tru+o+'c ma'y ti'nh ddang khan, ho. sa(n ddo'n tha^`y co^ thi.nh ti`nh. 
Tie^`n "tu+o+i", ma` "tu+o+i ro'i" nhe', la.i toa`n tie^`n mo^.t tra(m
ddo^, ne^n thao ta'c ddo+n gia?n, go.n nhe., qua a?i bi`nh ye^n. La^`n
na`y "the? xanh" tu+` Angie^ ve^` nhie^`u, ha`ng bo^.n, "ddi" cha^.m. Ma'y
cu?a bo.n mi`nh kho^ng bi. "xu kho^i" [mua chi.u] nhu+ng la` tie^`n
"he'o". Ai ddo+`i, ca^.u ba?o, ddu+o+.c da(m to+` mo^.t tra(m, co`n toa`n
tie^`n na(m, hai, mo^.t chu.c. Tha^.m chi' co^ ba.n mi`nh co`n pha?i
nha^.n mo^.t ta^.p da`y to+` na(m ddo^\. Ngoa`i tie^`n ba'n ma'y ti'nh ra,
bo.n mi`nh co`n nha^.n cu+?u va.n, ta?i the^m tie^`n ve^` cho ca'c
"soa'i", dde^? kie^'m bu` ca'i ve' ta`u na(`m hai chie^`u\. The^' ne^n
mo+'i na(.ng ga'nh. Kha^u chua^?n bi. cu~ng kho^ng ddu+o+.c to^'t. Ddang
ngo^`i o+? Ddo^m Na(m go'i tie^`n thi` ca^.u cha.y ve' va`o giu.c ddi\. 
Dda`nh pha?i bo^'c nhe't tie^`n va`o tu'i, nha?y ra ta('cxi cho ki.p gio+`
ta`u ve^` dda^y\. Le^n ta`u mo+'i loay hoay\. Mi`nh gia` ye^'u o+? 
giu+o+`ng du+o+'i\. Co^ a^'y tre? khoe? le^n giu+o+`ng tre^n. May ma`
giu+o+`ng giu+~a kho^ng co' ai\. Bo.n mi`nh loay hoay cuo^.n go'i tie^`n
tha`nh nhie^`u lo.n. Mo^~i lo.n la^'y da^y chi? buo^.c trong, bao cao su
bo.c ngoa`i\. Pha?i la`m gia^'u gia^'u gie^'m gie^'m du+o+'i a'nh dde`n
tu` mu`. Ddu+o+`ng sa('t thi` xa^'u\. Ta`u la('c kinh. Ma~i dde^'n nu+?a
dde^m ho^m qua mo+'i go'i xong. Mo^~i ngu+o+`i sa'u lo.n, mo^~i lo.n ba
mu+o+i to+`, vi. chi ba sa'u mu+o+`i ta'm, mo^.t tra(m ta'm mu+o+i to+`. 
Bao cao su thie^'u, co^ a^'y u+u tie^n pha^`n mi`nh. Pha^`n co^ a^'y ba
lo.n pha?i bo.c ba(`ng bao nilon. Xong, dde^'n pha^`n nhe't. Mi`nh nhe't
khoa?ng mo^.t tie^'ng thi` xong ca? sa'u lo.n. Cu+' nhu+ la` chu'ng tan
bie^'n ma^'t trong di.ch ruo^.t gia`, kho^ng ca?m tha^'y gi` ca?. Tha^'y
giu+o+`ng co^ a^'y la.ng to+`, mi`nh ye^n ta^m cho+.p ddi ddu+o+.c mo^.t
lu'c. Bo^~ng nghe co^ a^'y go.i: "Anh! Anh! La`m sao ba^y gio+`? Ba bo.c
nilon cu+'ng qua', em co^' ma~i cha(?ng nhe't ddu+o+.c lo.n na`o". Mi`nh
ba?o: pha?i co^' xem. Co^ a^'y ba?o: ddau la('m. Ta`u lao nhanh trong
dde^m. Cu+?a a?i mo^~i lu'c mo^.t la.i ga^`n. Mi`nh ba?o co^ a^'y ddu+a
thu+? mi`nh mo^.t lo.n. Co^' lu+.a, nhe't. Ddau o+i la` ddau\. Ma~i ro^`i
mi`nh cu~ng nhe't va`o ddu+o+.c. So+` tay xuo^'ng tha^'y ddi't di'nh
u+o+'t, cha('c cha?y ma'u\. Co^ a^'y va^~n kho^ng nhe't va`o ddu+o+.c. 
Hi`nh nhu+ phu. nu+~ ho. kho' vu+o+.t ngu+o+~ng ta^m li' ho+n dda`n o^ng. 
Mi`nh ba?o: hay la` gia^'u va`o cha(n. Co^ a^'y cu+.: kho^ng ddu+o+.c,
ha?i quan no' kha'm ra ngay\. 

Cha('c vi` qua' lo ne^n khi ta`u ke'o co`i va`o a?i thi` co^ a^'y nhe't
lie^n tie^'p ddu+o+.c ca? hai lo.n va`o\. Ta`u du+`ng no+i ga a?i\. Bo.n
mi`nh tro^'ng ngu+.c to ho+n tro^'ng tru+o+`ng. Ha?i quan Nga ra^'t ha'ch.
Tha^'y hai ddu+'a bo.n mi`nh chu'ng o^` le^n tho^ lo^~ va` xu'm va`o kha'm
xe't nhu+ sa('p ba('t ddu+o+.c cu?a\. Chu'ng kha'm ky~ la('m: xoi he^'t
ca'c nga'ch, gia^.t re`m cu+?a, so+` na('n ngu+o+`i, ddo^? ca? lo. ma('m
to^m ra la^'y que khe^`u, la`m ca? toa nga.t tho+?. Kho^ng tha^'y gi`,
chu'ng u+'c la('m, dda~ ddi.nh bo? ddi\. Bo^~ng mo^.t tha(`ng quay la.i
ca^`m tay mi`nh lo^i xe^`nh xe^.ch dde^'n nga(n toa le't. Mi`nh gia? vo+`
kho^ng bie^'t tie^'ng Nga, chi? xo^? toa`n tie^'ng Pha'p, ma(.t ta'i da.i,
gio.ng la('p ba('p. Chu'ng go.i mo^.t tay ba^.p be. bie^'t tie^'ng Pha'p
dde^'n. No' ba('t mi`nh co+?i qua^`n, cho^?ng mo^ng. No' ba`nh lo^~ ddi't
mi`nh ra, soi dde`n pin va`o\. Chu'ng no' ngu\. Cu?a a^'y co' na(`m dda^u
o+? ngoa`i ma` soi dde`n tha^'y ddu+o+.c. Tha mi`nh, chu'ng ddi.nh ddu+a
co^ ba.n mi`nh ddi soi, kho^ng hie^?u sao la.i tho^i\. Ta`u chuye^?n
ba'nh, va^~n chu+a he^'t lo\. Ma~i khi mo^.t ddoa`n li'nh bie^n pho`ng
dde^'n kha'm ho^. chie^'u, nghe tie^'ng no'i vang le^n kho^ng pha?i
tie^'ng Nga bo.n mi`nh mo+'i tho+? pha`o\. 

Tie^n su+ no' chu+' - tha^`y chu+?i tu.c, la^`n dda^`u tie^n to^i nghe
tha^`y chu+?i tu.c - mi`nh mang ma'y ti'nh la` thu+' ma'y mo'c va(n minh
va`o khai sa'ng cho nu+o+'c no', no' dda'nh thue^' dda('t dda`ng hoa`ng,
ma` no' kho^ng cho mi`nh mang tie^`n ra, pha?i cho tie^`n ddi ddu+o+`ng
ruo^.t the^' na`y, bu+.c la('m. Tri`nh ddo^. va(n minh cu?a nu+o+'c Nga
co`n tha^'p qua'.

No'i xong, tha^`y na(`m im. Tu+. du+ng to^i tha^'y thu+o+ng tha^`y vo^
ha.n. Pha^`n to^i dda~ dda`nh: xua^'t tha^n tu+` xu+' khi? ho co` ga'y,
ba?n cha^'t no^ng da^n lam lu~, nghe`o ddo'i, ne^n khi kie^'m a(n "tha^n
lu+o+n bao qua?n la^'m dda^`u". Co`n tha^`y\. To^i quay sang: tha^`y dda~
ngu? tu+. bao gio+`, ma('t hu+o+'ng tha(?ng le^n tra^`n nha`, hai tay
ba('t che'o tru+o+'c bu.ng. Tu+ the^' ra^'t la` mo^ pha.m. To^i ke'o cha(n
dda('p cho tha^`y va` na(`m nghe hai ddie^.u nga'y vo vo\. Ngoa`i kia
tuye^'t va^~n ro+i da`y\. Mai la.nh, cha('c tha^`y nghi? o+? nha`, va`
tha^`y tro` se~ la.i tie^'p tu.c bi`nh tho+\.

                           Vie^'t xong nga`y 20.03.1996 ta.i Warszawa
                           Nga^.m ngu`i su+?a che'p la.i nga`y 20.11.1996

                                           Thie^n Nam