It's about 9 pm and we stopped by an off-the-road 24/ hr diner to grab a quick bite before heading to our next destination of Hoi An. My chauffeur (his name is Thai by the way; a little cold but knows his stuff) goes inside and asks the lady of the house what they were serving.
I linger around outside for a bit to take in the rainy air.
It was like being in the lungs of country; You could smell the whole spectrum of Vietnam here. The muddy humidity, the metallic rainy street, and the broth of various soups.
I canvased the surrounding area and suddenly I starkly paused.
There across the street was a man with a metal grooved briefcase. He was standing by the restaurant roadside sign. From my inquisition from the crowd that was eating at the restaurant, he was a hitch hiker trying to get a ride up north.
At that moment, I envisioned his whole life flash before me.
He was born in an impoverished town blight-stricken by the war. Growing up he had to work hard for his living, educated by his parents and learning from their hardships.
It struck a grievance in me. Poverty was still prevalent in the country, and even though there is an industrial revolution going on throughout the country, the people of Vietnam remained still and unable to grow.
I could have easily been that man.
Remember that we all could have been that man standing in the street, waiting for a glimpse of hope to pass by.
With love,
[mr. white elephant]
