[truye^.n nga('n Ng~ Kha?i] Mo^.t chie^`u mu`a ddo^ng

[AnHai Doan <anhai@cs.washington.edu>]

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Mo^.t chie^`u mu`a ddo^ng
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Nguye^~n Kha?i - Truye^.n nga('n  hay cu?a Tua^`n ba'o Va(n Nghe^. 1996

Mu`a ddo^ng na(m nay Ha` No^.i la.nh ho+n mo.i na(m. Ngu+o+`i mo?ng va` nhe.
nhu+ la' vo'n da.t sang hai be^n ve^. ddu+o+`ng tra('ng kho^ cu?a ca'i o^'ng
pho^' da`i hun hu't.  Ca'i pho^' na`y ra^'t quen thuo^.c vo+'i to^i tu+` na(m
to^i mo+'i 12 tuo^?i, pho^' cu?a gia ddi`nh co^ng chu+'c, nha` mo^.t ta^`ng,
cu+?a he.p, luo^n ddo'ng ki'n. Sau 9 na(m ddi kha'ng chie^'n tro+? ve^` Ha`
No^.i, ddi bo^. qua pho^' cu~ va^~n va('ng ve? nhu+ xu+a, co' the^m mu+o+i
ca'i nha` hai ta^`ng lo+.p ngo'i, co' ra`o sa('t va` co^?ng sa('t. Tre^n ba
chu.c na(m sau va^~n la` mo^.t pho^' kho^ng co' buo^n ba'n nhu+ng co' the^m
ma^'y toa` nha` tu+o+`ng que't vo^i va`ng, cu+?a so+n ma`u na^u cu?a co+ quan
nha` nu+o+'c va` mo^.t khu ta^.p the^? bo^'n ta^`ng qua^`n a'o pho+i gia(ng
ca? nga`y tu+` ta^`ng tha^'p dde^'n ta^`ng cao. Ba^y gio+` ca'i pho^' cu~
dda~ tu+`ng ngu? va^.t vo+` tre^n nu+?a the^' ky? bo^~ng cho^'c thay ddo^?i
dde^'n kinh nga.c. Nhie^`u chu? cu~ ba'n nha`, ca^`m ca? ma^'y tra(m ca^y
va`ng dde^'n so^'ng o+?  pho^' kha'c. Nhu+~ng nha` co`n la.i la` con ca'i co'
tie^`n, du`ng mo^.t pha^`n tie^`n tra? cho nhu+~ng ho^. o+? chung dde^? ho.
chi.u ddi no+i kha'c, pha^`n tie^`n co`n la.i dde^? pha' nha` cu~ xa^y nha`
mo+'i. Ddu? ca'c kie^?u nha`, thoa.t nhi`n thi` dde.p va` la., nhi`n la^u
cu~ng ho+i buo^`n cu+o+`i, tu+`ng nha` va` ca? pho^' dde^`u ho+i buo^`n
cu+o+`i, pha?ng pha^'t gio^'ng ca'ch a(n ma(.c va` trang ddie^?m mo^.t tho+`i
dda~ ra^'t xa. Co' mo^.t ngo^i nha` cu~, nhie^`u ho^. cu`ng o+? chen chu'c
nha` nga`y xu+a, dda(.t mo^.t ca'i ba`n ba'n nu+o+'c tra` che` ddo'ng ba(`ng
va'n thu`ng, o+? ngay lo^'i ra va`o cu+?a chi'nh, mo^.t ca'i ghe^' da`i cao
le^nh khe^nh, kho^ng la^'y gi` la`m cha('c, ke^ ha(?n xuo^'ng he` ddu+o+`ng
cho kha'ch ngo^`i, va` kho^ng co' ai ba'n ha`ng ca?. Ca'i ve? tie^`u tuy.,
buo^`n ba~ cu?a mo^.t ngo^i nha` giu+~a mo^.t ddu+o+`ng pho^' ddang thay
ddo^?i nhanh, ddang gia`u co' nhanh khie^'n to^i pha?i lu+u y' va` kha't.
Va^~n co' ngu+o+`i coi ha`ng nhu+ng ngo^`i lui o+? phi'a trong. Mo^.t ba` cu.
ngo^`i tre^n ca'i ghe^' xi'ch ddu ba(`ng ma^y, phu? le^n nu+?a ngu+o+`i ca'i
cha(n da. Nam Ddi.nh cu~ ma`u ddo? sa^~m co' ddu+o+`ng ke? dden. Ba` la~o
nhi`n to^i ro^`i vo.ng va`o gian trong : 

- Dung o+i, co' kha'ch! 

Mo^.t ngu+o+`i dda`n ba` tra.c bo^'n chu.c tuo^?i, to'c uo^'n, ga`y nho? nhu+
ddu+'a tre?, ma(.c a'o len da`i ma`u huye^'t du., qua^`n va?i hoa, ddi guo^'c
bu+o+'c ra. Chi. ta ho?i : 

- O^ng uo^'ng nu+o+'c ? 

To^i cho+.t nhi`n co' ca'i lo. thuy? tinh ddu+.ng la.c rang, lie^`n ho?i : 

- Nha` co' ba'n ru+o+.u kho^ng ? 

- O^ng uo^'ng ru+o+.u tra('ng hay ru+o+.u thuo^'c ? 

- To^i xin mo^.t che'n ru+o+.u tra('ng va` mo^.t ddi~a la.c. 

To^i vo^'n kho^ng uo^'ng ddu+o+.c ru+o+.u nhu+ng da.o na`y co' tuo^?i cu~ng
thi'ch uo^'ng mo^.t chu't va`o bu+~a co+m chie^`u, va? la.i tro+`i ddang
re't, uo^'ng chu't ru+o+.u cho khoan khoa'i vi` ho+i a^'m da^`n da^`n lan
toa? kha('p ngu+o+`i. Qua'i, ca'i ba` la~o na`y la` ai ma` thoa.t nhi`n to^i
dda~ ngo+` ngo+. la` ngu+o+`i to^i ra^'t quen. Ma(.t ho+i to va` vuo^ng,
mie^.ng ra^'t ro^.ng, hai ca'nh tay da`i, cha^n cu~ng da`i, la` ngu+o+`i cao
va` to u+o+ng, la` ai nhi? ? La` ai mi`nh dda~ tu+`ng ga(.p kho^ng chi? mo^.t
la^`n ma` nhie^`u la^`n. Ru+o+.u ra^'t e^m va` tho+m, ha.t la.c tro`n co'
mu`i hu'ng li`u, vo? mo?ng bong ra trong lo`ng ba`n tay no'ng gia^~y. La.c
dde^? trong lo. la` ba`y ha`ng, co`n khi ba'n cho kha'ch la.i la^'y tu+`
trong ca'i tu'i va?i u? ky~ du+o+'i ma^'y lo+'p cha(n. Pha?i co' nhie^`u
kha'ch uo^'ng quen mo+'i co' loa.i ru+o+.u na`y va` rang u? la.c kie^?u na`y.
Mo^.t buo^?i chie^`u vo+' va^?n nho+` co' mo^.t che'n ru+o+.u va` mo^.t ddi~a
la.c tho+m ngon ma` buo^.c pha?i nho+' ma~i. Huo^'ng chi co`n co' mo^.t
gu+o+ng ma(.t lu'c quen lu'c la. a^?n hie^.n trong vu`ng ky' u+'c loe` nhoe`,
ho^~n ta.p. Ba` la~o va^~n ngo^`i la('c lu+ tre^n ghe^' xi'ch ddu, hai ba`n
tay co' nhu+~ng ddo^'t ngo'n da`i ddan va`o nhau dda(.t le^n bu.ng, ma('t
nhi`n lo+ mo+ phi'a tru+o+'c. Ca'i mie^.ng mo'm vo+'i ddu+o+`ng mo^i mo?ng
khe~ mi'm la.i nhu+ mo^.t nu. cu+o+`i bi' hie^?m. Mo^.t ddu+'a be' ga'i
khoa?ng 7,8 tuo^?i ma(.c bo^. qua^`n a'o so+.i de^.t ma`u ti'm sa^m tu+`
trong nha` cha.y ra, nga? dda^`u va`o vai ba` cu., mo^.t tay choa`ng qua
co^?, no'i nho~ng nhe~o: "Con ho.c xong ro^`i, ba` cho con ddi cho+i nha' !". 
 Mo^.t gio.ng no'i tu+` trong bo'ng to^'i :"Cho+i thi` cho+i nhu+ng ddu+`ng
co' pha' nha` ngu+o+`i ta qua', nghe chu+?a!". Con be' mo+? tro`n ma('t nhi`n
sa^u va`o phi'a trong go'c : "Con nghe lo+`i o^ng ma`". Ba` la~o cu+o+`i mo'm
me'm : "o+`, ca'i Dung con ngoan, nha` a^'y co' cho' dde?, cho+' nghi.ch con
no' ma` me. no' ca('n dda^'y". Ca'i gio.ng ra^'t tra^`m, ho+i kha`n, nhu+
gio.ng dda`n o^ng, tro+`i o+i, to^i dda~ nho+' ra ro^`i, ba` T, ddu'ng la`
ba` T, ba` va^~n co`n so^'ng sao ? La.i ta`n ta., va^'t va? the^' sao ? 

Tha'ng 8 na(m 55, to^i ddu+o+.c ve^` Ha` No^.i dde^? vie^'t truye^.n anh
hu`ng qua^n ddo^.i. Sau chi'n na(m xa ca'ch, tro+? la.i tha`nh pho^' no+i
to^i dda~ sinh ra va` lo+'n le^n nhi`n va`o ca'i gi` cu~ng nho?. Ho^` Gu+o+m
nhu+ ca'i ao lo+'n. Ddu+o+`ng pho^' cha^.t he.p, nha` thi` tha^'p va` to^'i.
Cha? la` dda~ quen nhi`n nu'i cao, so^ng ro^.ng va` nhu+~ng vu`ng ddo^`i
me^nh mo^ng ne^n tha`nh pho^' thuo+? a^'u tho+ bo^~ng nho? ha(?n la.i, nhu+
mo^.t thu+' ddo^` cho+i. Ngo^`i le^n ca'i ta`u ddie^.n, co' chuo^ng ke^u leng
keng xinh xe?o, cu~ng chi? la` mo^.t thu+' ddo^` cho+i. Tro` chuye^.n vo+'i
ngu+o+`i tha^n trong to^.c ho.  hoa(.c vo+'i nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i mo+'i quen
bie^'t, la` mo?ng ma?nh the^' na`o, no'i thi` the^' nhu+ng chu+a ha(?n dda~
nghi~ the^'. Ngu+o+`i dde^'n tu+` ca'i the^' gio+'i cao va` ro^.ng, o+? ddo'
ngu+o+`i ta coi ca'i nghi~a lo+'n co`n tro.ng ho+n ca? ti'nh ma.ng va` ta`i
sa?n, ca?m tha^'y vu+o+'ng cha^.t qua', vu+`a thi'ch thu' vo+'i nhu+~ng ca'i
la., vu+`a kho' chi.u vi` nhu+~ng ca'i la.. 

Chi? co' hai la^`n la` to^i bi. choa'ng va'ng tru+o+'c su+. kha'c nhau giu+~a
"mi`nh"  vo+'i "ho.", giu+~a tuo^?i tre? kha'ng chie^'n, tu+. no' dda~ la`
mo^.t ve? dde.p tu+. nhie^n va` hoang so+ vo+'i ca'i dde.p dda~ ddu+o+.c trau
chuo^'t bo+?i va(n hoa' va` su+. tu+`ng tra?i cu?a ta^`ng lo+'p thu+o+.ng
lu+u o+? ddo^ tha`nh. La^`n dda^`u la` o+? nha` ha't lo+'n, tho+`i tru+o+'c
go.i la` nha` ha't ta^y. To^i tuy la` da^n Ha` No^.i, nhu+ng tu+` nho? to+'i
lu'c ra ddi kha'ng chie^'n, chu+a tu+`ng mo^.t la^`n dda(.t cha^n le^n ba^.c
the^`m cu?a toa` nha` nguy nga na`y. Ddu+'ng giu+~a nhu+~ng chu`m dde`n sa'ng
ru+.c ro+~, giu+~a ddo^` trang su+'c cho'i loa` trong ma'i to'c, o+? dduo^i
tai, quanh co^? va` ngo'n tay, co^? tay cu?a ca'c co^ ca'c ba` cu`ng vo+'i
ma`u ca` va.t, ca'c ve^.t sa'ng cu?a kim ga`i cu?a ca'c quy' o^ng, ca'i bo^.
qua^`n a'o qua^n ddo^.i mu`a he` dda~ ba.c cu?a to^i va` ddo^i de'p lo^'p
mo`n kha'ng chie^'n la` ra^'t kho^ng ddu'ng cho^~. To^i ca?m nha^.n ddu+o+.c
ngay ca'i ddie^`u ddo' va` ddu+'ng lu`i ha(?n va`o mo^.t go'c la`m ngu+o+`i
nga('m nhi`n ca'i ma(.t sa'ng la^'p la'nh cu?a Ha` No^.i. Xin nha('c la.i,
lu'c na`y la` tha'ng 10 na(m 55, ngu+o+`i Ha` No^.i va^~n co`n giu+~ nguye^n
ve.n ca'ch a(n ma(.c trong ca? nu+o+'c ngu+o+~ng mo^.. Trong dda'm ddo^ng
sang tro.ng ddo' to^i dda(.c bie^.t chu' y' mo^.t ba` to'c uo^'n cao, tra.c
tuo^?i bo^'n mu+o+i, ma(.c a'o nhung ti'm, mo^.t so+.i da^y ra^'t nho? co'
ma`u sa'ng tra('ng ddeo quanh co^? va` ca'i vi' nho? cu~ng ma`u ti'm ca^`m
tay. Ba` ta ddang no'i chuye^.n vo+'i ma^'y ngu+o+`i dda`n o^ng to'c ba.c,
no'i ra^'t i't, thi?nh thoa?ng la.i cu+o+`i nhe., mo^.t nu. cu+o+`i me^ ho^`n
vi` ha`m ra(ng ho+i ho^ nhu+ng vo`ng ra(ng ra^'t tro`n, nho? va` dde^`u nhu+
ha.t ba('p ne^'p. Sau na`y to^i mo+'i bie^'t ba` la` tie^'n si~ lua^.t khoa
to^'t nghie^.p o+? Pha'p va` co`n la` mo^.t tay dda`n du+o+ng ca^`m no^?i
tie^'ng cu?a Ha` No^.i lu'c ba^'y gio+`. Ngu+o+`i gia`u co', sang tro.ng va`
dde.p nhu+ the^' ma` da'm o+? la.i vo+'i chu'ng to^i sao? Chi? nhu+ the^'
tho^i to^i dda~ ra^'t quy' me^'n ba`, luo^n luo^n quan ta^m to+'i ba` cho
to+'i nga`y ba` bi. ba.o be^.nh va` ma^'t ta.i Ha` No^.i. Ta^'t nhie^n hai
chi. em to^i chu+a tu+`ng mo^.t la^`n tro` chuye^.n, to^i bie^'t ba` nhu+ng
ba` dda^u co' bie^'t to^i va` su+. ngu+o+~ng mo^. tu+` xa cu?a to^i trong
nhie^`u chu.c na(m. 

La^`n thu+' hai la` ddi xem mo^.t vo+?  ki.ch o+? ra.p ha't Ha`ng Da. To^i
va` hai ngu+o+`i ba.n cu`ng co+ quan ngo^`i o+? ha`ng ghe^' thu+' hai. Lu'c
na`y Ha` No^.i dda~ va`o cuo^'i thu, mu`a thu dda^`u tie^n cu?a Ha` No^.i
vu+`a ddu+o+.c gia?i pho'ng. Buo^?i to^'i tro+`i ho+i se la.nh, su+o+ng mu`
gia(ng tre^n ca'c ta'n ca^y mo+` mo+` tra('ng trong a'nh sa'ng ddie^.n va`ng
nhu+ ho+i kho'i. Chuo^ng ba('t dda^`u reo la^`n thu+' nha^'t cho+.t co' mo^.t
ca(.p vo+.  cho^`ng bu+o+'c va`o ddu+'ng sa't ngay ha`ng ghe^' cu?a chu'ng
to^i, ddo+.i ngu+o+`i soa't ve' ti`m ha`ng va` so^' ghe^'. Ngu+o+`i dda`n ba`
ra^'t cao, to'c uo^'n bo? xoa~ tre^n bo+` vai vuo^ng, ma(.c a'o da`i la^'p
la'nh nhu+~ng ha.t ngo.c nho? hay kim cu+o+ng gi` ddo'.  Ngu+o+`i dda`n o^ng
ga`y mo?ng ma(.c a^u phu.c dden, tha('t no+ dden, cu~ng la` ngu+o+`i co'
da'ng cao nhu+ng va^~n tha^'p ho+n ngu+o+`i dda`n ba` chu't xi'u. Khi
ngu+o+`i xe^'p ghe^' mo+`i hai ngu+o+`i le^n ha`ng ghe^' dda^`u thi` ngu+o+`i
dda`n ba` no'i nho?  nhu+ng to^i nghe va^~n ro~ vi` gio.ng ba` ta ra^'t
tra^`m, ho+i kha`n nhu+ gio.ng dda`n o^ng :"Ngo^`i ga^`n qua' la` kho' xem
la('m". Ro^`i ba` quay ma(.t ve^` phi'a to^i, ddu+a ma('t nhi`n lu+o+'t ca?
ha`ng ghe^' thu+' hai va` thu+' ba.  Mo^.t gu+o+ng ma(.t dde.p dde^'n choa'ng
ngo+.p, uy hie^'p, chinh phu.c. Tu+` nho? to+'i lu'c a^'y chu+a bao gio+`
to^i ddu+o+.c ngo^`i ha`ng ghe^' dda^`u ho+i che^'ch ve^` phi'a pha?i. 
Chu'ng to^i ngo^`i ha`ng ghe^' thu+' hai ho+i lui ve^` phi'a tra'i ne^n
suo^'t buo^?i bie^?u die^~n to^i kho^ng tha^'y ddu+o+.c gi`, kho^ng nghe
ddu+o+.c gi` nhu+ ngu+o+`i vu+`a ddie^'c vu+`a mu` vi` dda~ do^`n he^'t mo.i
gia'c quan cu?a mi`nh ve^` phi'a gu+o+ng ma(.t xa la. ma` tha^n thuo^.c luo^n
luo^n quay nghie^ng ve^` ngu+o+`i cho^`ng tha^`m thi` nhu+~ng gi` ddo'. To^i
co`n ga(.p la.i ba` nhie^`u la^`n sau giu+~a gio+'i nghe^. si~ cu?a thu? ddo^
vo+'i anh em va(n nghe^. ngoa`i kha'ng chie^'n ve^`. Mo^.t gu+o+ng ma(.t kho^
vo+'i ddo^i lo^ng ma`y da`i va` dda^.m, ca(.p ma('t cu~ng da`i, ho+i xe^'ch,
go` ma' cao, ca'i mie^.ng ro^.ng, ha`m ra(ng dde^`u va` to. La.i the^m mo^.t
da'ng ngu+o+`i ra^'t cao vai vuo^ng, nhu+ng la.i me^`m ma.i, uye^?n chuye^?n
nhu+ con ba'o. Ta^'t ca? dde^`u kha'c thu+o+`ng, dde^`u pha^n bie^.t vo+'i
mo.i ngu+o+`i dda`n ba` kha'c, ngu+o+.c la.i vo+'i mo^.t tie^u chua^?n dde.p
cu?a ddu+o+ng tho+`i, ma` la.i dde.p, dde.p nguy hie^?m, dde.p che^'t
ngu+o+`i. Ho+~i o^i, mo^.t tha(`ng thanh nie^n mo+'i 25 tuo^?i, cu~ng chi?
la` mo^.t tha(`ng be' con tho^i, ma` mo+ mo^.ng la('m the^', kho^ng bie^'t
tu+. mi`nh cu+o+`i mi`nh mo^.t chu't sao ! No'i cho tha^.t, tu+` ca'i buo^?i
to^'i ho^m a^'y cho dde^'n ta^.n ho^m nay, to^i dda~ la` mo^.t o^ng gia`,
chu+a la^`n na`o to^i ddu+o+.c cha(.m ma(.t la.i vo+'i mo^.t ve? dde.p cho'i
loa`, nhu+ mo^.t nha't bu'a dda'nh ma.nh va`o dda^`u khie^'n mi`nh ba^'t
ti?nh nha^n su+.. Tu+` gia^y phu't a^'y to^i kho^ng co`n la` to^i nu+~a, chi?
la` ca'i vo? ro^~ng kho^ng, nhe. bo^~ng, bay lo+ lu+?ng quanh ca'i ve^.t
sa'ng ma qua'i kho^ng co' ca'ch gi` tu+.  bu+'t ra kho?i nhu+ trong nhu+~ng
gia^'c mo+ khu?ng khie^'p thuo+? co`n nho?. Ngu+o+`i dda`n ba` ddo' chi'nh
la` ba` T., nghe^. si~ ki.ch no'i, no^?i danh mo^.t tho+`i cu?a Ha` No^.i
ta.m chie^'m. O^ng cho^`ng ba` la` dda.o die^~n ki.ch, la` ddu+'a con ta`i
na(ng va` hoang toa`ng cu?a nghe^. thua^.t, thuo^.c ve^` ca'i the^' gio+'i
nu+?a ti?nh nu+?a say, nu+?a to^'i nu+?a sa'ng cu?a nhu+~ng ke? su+. nghie^.p
chu+a tha`nh. 

Nhu+~ng ke? quen so^'ng hoang da~ cu?a mo^.t vu`ng dda^'t tu+. do la` nghe^.
thua^.t nay so^'ng trong mo^.t xa~ ho^.i ddang o^m ca'i mo^.ng lo+'n tu+. 
hoa`n thie^.n mo^.t ca'ch nghie^m nga(.t ta^'t nhie^n la` pha?i qua nhie^`u
da(n va(.t ro^`i.  To^i chu+a bao gio+` ddu+o+.c la` ngu+o+`i ba.n nho? cu?a
ho., cu~ng chu+a tu+`ng ddu+o+.c tro` chuye^.n vo+'i ho. la^`n na`o ne^n mo.i
chuye^.n cu?a ho. nhu+~ng na(m sau na`y to^i chi? ddu+o+.c nghe no'i la.i,
cu~ng cha? ro~ hu+ thu+.c ra sao. Ra(`ng ngu+o+`i cho^`ng nhu+ co' chuye^.n
pha.m pha'p gi` ddo' pha?i ddi lao ddo^.ng ca?i ta.o. Ngu+o+`i vo+. ta`i
sa('c dda~ bo? nghe^` ki.ch, so^'ng nhu+ mo^.t ngu+o+`i dda`n ba` bi`nh
thu+o+`ng vo+'i em vo+'i cha'u o+? dda^u ddo'.  Nhu+ng va^~n la` o+?  Ha`
No^.i. Trong nhu+~ng na(m Ha` No^.i pha?i so+ ta'n, ti`nh co+` to^i co'
ddu+o+.c ga(.p la.i ba` mo^.t la^`n, cu~ng va`o mo^.t buo^?i chie^`u, tro+`i
ho+i la.nh. To^i ngo^`i uo^'ng nu+o+'c tra` o+? mo^.t ca'i qua'n, vu+`a quay
ma(.t la.i thi` ga(.p ba` T tu+` mo^.t go'c pho^' ddi to+'i. Ba` ma(.c ca'i
a'o ca'nh bo^ng ba(`ng va?i hoa ma`u ti'm dda~ cu~, qua^`n tha^m va` ddi de'p
nhu+.a. Ba` dda~ gia` ddi nhie^`u, na(m a^'y cu~ng pha?i ngoa`i na(m mu+o+i,
ma^'t ha(?n ca'i qua^`ng sa'ng huye^`n bi' cu?a nga`y xu+a. Ba` cu~ng ddu+a
ma('t nhi`n thoa'ng to^i, con ma('t to va` da`i nhu+ng dda~ ba.c, dda~
tro^'ng ro^~ng. Mo+'i mu+o+`i na(m chu+' ma^'y ma` dda~ la` hai kie^'p
ngu+o+`i.  Buo^`n nhi? ! Na(m a^'y to^i mo+'i bo^'n chu.c tuo^?i nhu+ng dda~
thoa'ng ca?m nha^.n ddu+o+.c ca'i buo^`n cu?a mo^.t ddo+`i ngu+o+`i. ta^'t
nhie^n la` chi? buo^`n trong mo^.t thoa'ng, ba(`ng linh ca?m ma` buo^`n chu+'
chu+a pha?i la` su+. tu+`ng tra?i ma` buo^`n. Tu+` nga`y ddo' cho dde^'n ho^m
nay la.i mo^.t pha^`n tu+ the^' ky? dda~ tro^i qua, chie^'n tranh dda~ ke^'t
thu'c tu+` hai chu.c na(m ve^` tru+o+'c, ca'i su+. hoa`n thie^.n ve^` ma(.t
dda.o ddu+'c cu?a ca' nha^n va` cu?a xa~ ho^.i xem chu+`ng co`n pha?i ma^'t
mo^.t tho+`i gian da`i nu+~a, cu~ng pha?i khoa?ng na(m ba?y chu.c na(m nu+~a. 

To^i dda~ uo^'ng to+'i che'n ru+o+.u thu+' hai, dda~ la^'y the^m mo^.t ddi~a
la.c, dda^`u co' dda~ che^'nh choa'ng, ca'i khoa?nh kha('c ba('t dda^`u ho+i
say say tha^.t la` tuye^.t, vui vo^ co+' mo^.t chu't, buo^`n vo^ co+' mo^.t
chu't, ra^'t de^~ xu'c ddo^.ng va` nhu+~ng ky? nie^.m xu+a cho+.t hie^.n ve^`
ra^'t ro~ ra`ng. Ba` la~o bo^~ng quay ma(.t no'i vo+'i ai ddo' trong go'c
to^'i : "O^ng ddi mo^.t mi`nh hay bo.n no' dde^'n ddo'n?" Ngu+o+`i trong
bo'ng to^'i no'i o^`m o^`m :"Co' mo^.t qua~ng ddu+o+`ng ddu+a ddo'n gi`, la't
nu+~a to^i ddi !". To^i ddu+a che'n ru+o+.u nha^'p mo^.t ngu.m nho?  nhi`n
cha(m chu' ca'i go'c to^'i co' tie^'ng no'i. Mo^.t hi`nh ngu+o+`i ddo^.i mu~
da.,
 ra^u quai no'n nhu+ng dde^? da`i ddang hi' hoa'y go.t dde~o mo^.t va^.t gi`
ddo' tre^n tay. Cha('c o^ng T ro^`i. To^i nghe no'i, trong nhu+~ng na(m o+?
tra.i ca?i ta.o, o^ng ho.c ddu+o+.c nghe^` phu. ra^'t ho+.p vo+'i o^ng : 
dde~o go.t ngu+o+`i va` thu' tre^n ca'c re^~ ca^y. O^ng dda~ co' the^m mo^.t
cuo^.c trie^?n la~m nho? ve^` loa.i hi`nh nghe^. thua^.t na`y va` ddu+o+.c
ba.n be` va` co^ng chu'ng ro^.ng ra~i ha^m mo^.. 

To^i dda~ uo^'ng he^'t che'n ru+o+.u thu+' hai. Pha?i ddu+'ng le^n tho^i.
Hi`nh nhu+ dda~ ba('t dda^`u say tha^.t ro^`i. Hai o^'ng cha^n nhe. ba^~ng,
ca'i dda^`u cu~ng nhe. ba^~ng. Tro+`i ddang to^'i da^`n va` bo^~ng re't ghe^
go+'m.  Hay ta.i hai che'n ru+o+.u vu+`a uo^'ng ma` ca?m tha^'y re't ho+n
lu'c ba('t dda^`u uo^'ng. Ba` la~o, nu+~ tha^`n sa('c dde.p cu?a to^i mo^.t
tho+`i trai tre?, va^~n ngo^`i la('c lu+ tre^n ca'i ghe^' xi'ch ddu, mo+'
to'c nhu+ da`i ho+n, da ma(.t lo+.t la.t, ma('t ho+i nha('m la.i, ca'i
mie^.ng ro^.ng vo+'i ca(.p mo^i mo?ng ho+i lo~m va`o, pha?ng pha^'t nhu+
mo^.t ca'ch cu+o+`i nga.o ddo+`i. 

Na(m tha'ng dda~ qua ddi nhu+ng va^~n co`n lu+u la.i mu`i hu+o+ng dda~ nha.t
cu?a mo^.t tho+`i, ca? nhu+~ng ve^.t nu+o+'c ma('t vu+`a kho^ cu?a mo^.t
tho+`i. 

Tha'ng 6-96
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