Sa't ca^?u
hyt...@yahoo.com
Long Cha^u
Ta'c gia? Long Cha^u la^`n dda^`u vie^'t ve^` nu+o+'c My~, ba`i gu+?i
qua email. Mong se~ nha^.n ba`i tie^'p theo cu?a o^ng, ke`m theo
pha^`n so+ lu+o+.c tie^?u su+? va` ddi.a chi? lie^n la.c.
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Na(m ngoa'i, mo^.t ho^m tro+`i na('ng ra'o hie^'m hoi cu?a Oregon, ra
sa^n tennis cu?a mo^.t tru+o+`ng ho.c cho+i vo+'i ma^'y ngu+o+`i ba.n,
ti`nh co+` quen mo^.t anh ba.n Ba('c Co+` cu~ng kha' dda(.c bie^.t.
Go.i la` anh cho tha^n ma^.t, chu+' o^ng tha^`y cu~ng tro`m tre`m
ga^`n 60 tuo^?i. Anh ddang la`m process engineer cho Intel o+? New
Mexico, ddu+o+.c go+?i sang training o+? Intel Oregon khoa?ng mo^.t
na(m. Ga(.p va`i la^`n tre^n sa^n tennis ro^`i cu~ng tha`nh tha^n, anh
ba.n mo+`i ve^` nha`...a(n pho+?, te^n anh la` Phu`ng. Nha` dda^y
thu+.c ra la` apartment ddu+o+.c Intel mu+o+'n cho anh o+? trong
tho+`i gian ho.c. Mi`nh la` da^n ghie^`n a(n pho+? thu+' du+~, nhu+ng
o^ng tha^`y mo+`i a(n pho+?, trong bu.ng kho^ng tin tu+o+?ng tay
nghe^` cu?a o^ng tha^`y la('m, cu~ng a^.m u+` cho qua chuye^.n, kho^ng
ngo+` ddu'ng gio+` he.n, o^ng tha^`y le^n ta^.n no+i la`m vie^.c, a'p
ta?i ve^` "a(n pho+?". thie^.t kho^ng ngo+`, pho+? o^ng tha^`y na^'u
qua' ngon, co+~ co+~ pho+? Ta`u Bay Saigon chu+' kho^ng thua, vu+`a
bu+o+'c va`o ca(n pho`ng nho? cu?a anh Phu`ng, mu`i pho+? va` bo`
tho+m bo^'c nga`o nga.t, chu+a a(n, bie^'t ngay la` da^n co' nghe^`.
Anh Phu`ng ta^m su+., ddo+`i anh tra?i qua 9 la^`n "major surgery",
tho^i thi` tim, gan, phe`o, pho^?i, bo^. ddo^` lo`ng, ca'i gi` cu~ng
ddu+o+.c mo'c ra chu`i gia^'y nha'm, da'n la.i xa`i. Anh co+?i a'o cho
coi, the.o dda^`y ngu+o+`i nhu+ ve^'t thu` tre^n lu+ng ngu+.a hoang.
Nghi~ tha^'y phu.c o^ng tha^`y thie^.t, tuo^?i 60, ngu+o+`i thi` mo^?
dda^`y the.o, ra sa^n tennis va^~n cha.y nhu+ ngu+.a, kho^ng bo? so't
mo^.t tra'i banh na`o. A(n pho+? xong, anh ba.n mo'c ca^y dda`n guitar
ga~i nhe` nhe. va`i no^'t nha.c.
- Na`y nghe thu+? ba`i na`y xem sao?
Ta('ng ha('ng va`i ca'i, mie^.ng co`n loang loa'ng mo+~ bo`, anh ca^'t
gio.ng cho+i luo^n mo^.t ma.ch mo^.t ba`i ti`nh ca, nghe cu~ng phe^
phe^, co' va`i chu+~ Oregon, ro^`i mu+a la.nh co^ ddo+n gi` gi` trong
ddo'.
- wow, ba`i na`y la. qua', nghe cu~ng hay, nha.c na`y o+? dda^u ra
va^.y anh Phu`ng?
- To^i mo+'i sa'ng ta'c ddo'!
- Ha?, tro+`i kho^ng ngo+` anh Phu`ng dda ta`i du+~ va^.y ta, na^'u
pho+? mo^.t ca^y, co`n sa'ng ta'c nha.c nu+~a!
- Ba`i na`y, ho^`i mo+'i sang Oregon, buo^?i to^'i dda^`u tie^n, nhi`n
ngoa`i tro+`i mu+a buo^`n nho+' ba` xa~ qua', to^i vie^'t ba`i na`y
ta(.ng ba?. Sa'ng ta'c xong cu~ng 1 gio+` sa'ng, to^i go.i ba?, ba?
la`m swing shift vu+`a ddi la`m ve^`, to^i ha't luo^n trong phone
ta(.ng ba?, ba? ca?m ddo^.ng qua' tro+`i.
- Thie^.t ti`nh ne^? anh qua', tuo^?i 60 ma` co`n ti`nh co`n la~ng
ma.n qua' he'n?
- Bu+~a na`o to+'i cho+i, tui ha't ba`i "Bu'n Rie^u O^'c" cho nghe,
cu~ng phe^ la('m.
- Ha?, ba`i gi` ma` ca'i tu+.a nghe cha?y nu+o+'c mie^'ng va^.y cha?
- So^' la`, ma^'y chu.c na(m tro+`i la^'y nhau, tu+` VN sang to+'i
My~, to^i co' bao gio+` na^'u a(n dda^u, toa`n la` ba? la`m he^'t,
ti'nh ba? me^ mo'n "bu'n rie^u o^'c" la('m, nhu+ng ba? kho^ng tro^?
ta`i na^'u thi` ca? nha` la^'y dda^u ra ma` a(n, tua^`n le^~ ddo', ba?
bi. ddau, va^~n pha?i co^' ga('ng ddi la`m. To^i o+? nha`, lu.c sa'ch
na^'u a(n cu?a ba? ra, ma`y mo` na^'u mo'n bu'n rie^u o^'c, ddo+.i
ddu'ng mo^.t gio+` dde^m, ba? ddi la`m me^.t mo?i ve^`, bu+ng to^ bu'n
nghi ngu't kho'i tho+m no^`ng le^n cho ba? a(n, ba? xu'c ddo^.ng
nghe.n nga`o dde^'n a(n kho^ng vo^, ba? kho^ng ngo+` tui na^'u bu'n
cu~ng ngon kho^ng thua gi` ba?, ddo' cu~ng la` mo^'c kho+?i ddie^?m
ba('t dda^`u cuo^.c ddo+`i na^'u nu+o+'ng cu?a tui. DDe^m ddo' ba?
vui, tui co' thu+o+?ng..vui qua', nu+?a dde^m to^i thu+'c da^.y,
tro^ng dde`n, ga~i dda`n, sa'ng ta'c ba`i ti`nh ca "bu'n rie^u o^'c".
DDa'ng ne^? anh ba.n Phu`ng na`y, Pha.m Duy, o^ng to^? a^m nha.c VN,
no^?i tie^'ng ve^` sa'ng ta'c ddu? loa.i nha.c, na`o la` dda.o ca,
da^m ca, tu.c ca, va^.y ma` va^~n co`n thie^'u "ddo^` a(n" ca, nha.c
si~ ta`i tu+? Phu`ng Bi'ch la.ng qua.ng da'm ddi va`o li.ch su+? a^m
nha.c VN vo+'i ba`i ti`nh ca "bu'n rie^u o^'c" chu+' cha(?ng cho+i.
Ca^u chuye^.n ta`i na^'u nu+o+'ng cu?a anh Phu`ng tu+` tu+` ddu+o+.c
ba('t sang nhu+~ng mo'n a(n dda(.c bie^.t cu?a da^n mi`nh.
- A` ma` na`y, o^ng ba` cu. nha` la` ngu+o+`i Ba('c ha??
- Da., me. em ngu+o+`i Ba('c, ba em ngu+o+`i Hue^', em sinh trong
Saigon.
- The^' co' bao gio+` a(n thi.t cho' chu+a?
- Da. ho^`i o+? VN co' mo^.t la^`n duy nha^'t, tha(`ng ba.n da('t va`o
mo^.t qua'n thi.t cho' ga^`n chu`a Vi~nh Nghie^m, nhu+ng vu+`a chua^?n
bi. go.i ddo^` a(n, nhi`n sang be^n ca.nh, mo^.t bo+.m nha^.u vu+`a
nga^.m, vu+`a mu't mu't nu+~a ca'i dda^`u cho' co`n nguye^n hi`nh
da.ng, nhi`n o+'n da ga` qua', ne^n em dzo.t luo^n...
- The^' la` mo^.t ma^'t ma't lo+'n cu?a cuo^.c ddo+`i ca^.u dda^'y.
Sang My~ na`y co' ddu+o+.c a(n thi.t cho' bao gio+` chu+a?
- Ha?, be^n My~, cho' dda`o dda^u ra ma` a(n, anh gio+~n ma(.t hoa`i!
Anh Phu`ng cu+o+`i ha` ha`.
- Va^.y ma` tui a(n ho+n chu.c la^`n ro^`i dda^'y.
Tui qua' nga.c nhie^n ho?i to+'i.
- Ma` ma` anh mua o+? dda^u, o+? Little Saigon thi` co' the^? co',
chu+' anh o+? New Mexico la`m sao ai ba'n cho' cho anh a(n?
- Tu+. tui la`m, tui a(n, chu+' dda^u ca^`n mua ai. Anh cu+o+`i hiu
hiu tu+. dda('c.
Ro^`i kho^ng cho+` tui ho?i the^m, anh tu+o+`ng thua^.t li.ch su+?
ca^u chuye^.n a(n thi.t cho' cu?a ddo+`i anh.
- So^' la`, kho^ng hie^?u cha sinh me. dde? ra la`m sao, tui la.i
nghie^`n ca'i mo'n thi.t cho' mo+'i che^'t chu+'. Ho^`i mo+'i sang
My~, ddi ho.c community college, va`o ho.c mo^.t lo+'p ESL, ho^m ddo'
ba` gia'o ra dde^` lua^.n va(n "how to..." ba.n co' the^? vie^'t ve^`
ba^'t cu+' ca'ch thu+'c la`m ve^` mo^.t ca'i gi`. Tu+. du+ng co+n
the`m thi.t cho' bu`ng pha't, hu+'ng qua', tui vie^'t luo^n mo^.t
ma.ch ba`i va(n "how to cook dog in seven dishes" - ca'ch thu+'c la`m
cho' ba^?y mo'n, tui vie^'t theo kinh nghie^.m thu+.c te^' tu+` ca'ch
lo^.t lo^ng cho', dde^'n ca'ch la`m ca'c mo'n ru+.a ma^.n, cha? chi`a,
do^`i cho'. Oh my God, khi ba` gia'o ddo.c ba`i tui, ca? lo+'p nhu+
ddie^n da.i, ba` co^ gia'o My~, gia^.n dde^'n mie^.ng su`i bo.t me'p,
tay run run chi? tro? ma('ng mo? tui gi` ddo', tui dda^u hie^?u, ba`i
va(n cu?a tui hay va` chi tie^'t nhu+ va^.y, ma` con me. co^ gia'o cho
tui co' ddie^?m D. Tu+` ddo', tui mo+'i bie^'t Me~o, no' quy' cho'
dde^'n the^'.
- Tro+`i anh gio+~n ma(.t chi'nh quye^`n thie^.t, ba` gia'o ddo'
kho^ng nghi~ hoa`n ca?nh ty. na.n mo+'i sang cu?a anh, da'm ddu+a anh
ra to`a ve^` to^.i ha`nh ha. su'c va^.t ddo' nhe. Ho^`i mo+'i sang
My~, co' tho+`i gian em la`m cashier cho mo^.t tie^.m grocery store
lo+'n o+? Dallas kie^?u Albertson. Mo^.t ba` My~ to be'o be^. ve^.
bu+o+'c ra qua^`y em ti'nh tie^`n, ba? du`ng tie^`n foot stamp tra?
cho nhu+~ng lon ddo^` ho^.p ddo^` a(n cu?a cho' (tie^`n phie^'u tro+.
ca^'p cu?a chi'nh phu? My~ cho ngu+o+`i nghe`o, chi? ddu+o+.c du`ng
dde^? mua thu+'c a(n cho ngu+o+`i). DDie^`u na`y sai nguye^n ta('c, em
du+'t khoa't kho^ng ddo^`ng y' ba'n cho ba?. Ba? su`ng qua', ddu`ng
ddu`ng tro+? vo^ cho+., ddem ra ma^'y mie^'ng thi.t bo` beef steak
ngon la`nh, qua't va`o ma(.t tha(`ng em.
- OK, ma`y kho^ng cho cho' tao a(n ddo^` cu?a no', tao cho no' a(n
thi.t bo` nga`y ho^m nay, ddu+o+.c kho^ng ha? ha??
Mi`nh tu+'c o'i ma'u, nhu+ng cu+'ng ho.ng, ba? cho+i ddu'ng lua^.t,
tie^`n foot stamp tra? cho thi.t bo`, chuye^.n ba? cho cho' a(n thi.t
bo` la` quye^`n cu?a ba?, ai ca^'m ddu+o+.c. Kho^ng co' ca'i xu+' na`o
tre^n the^' gio+'i, cho' me`o su+o+'ng ho+n ca'i xu+' Me~o na`y.
Va^~n co`n tha('c ma('c ca^u chuye^.n su+.c cho' tre^n dda^'t Me~o
cu?a anh Phu`ng, tui go+.i la.i ca^u ho?i.
- A` ma` no'i la.i chuye^.n su+.c cho', anh dda`o dda^u ra cho' dde^?
na(`m thi.t o+? New Mexico? cha(?ng le? anh mua cho' ve^` nuo^i ro^`i
thi.t nhu+ ga`?
- DDa`o dda^u ra cho' nuo^i ro^`i a(n, va? la.i ca'ch ddo' to^'t ke'm
la('m, chu' bie^'t cho' nuo^i be^n My~ na`y to^'n ke'm la('m, na`o la`
tie^`n thu' y, tie^`n ba?o hie^?m, tui co' ca'ch kha'c ddo^.c chie^u
ho+n nhie^`u.
Anh tu+` tu+` die^~n ta? ky~ thua^.t truy ca^?u tre^n dda^'t Me~o.
- DDa^`u tie^n, tui xem ba'o, coi nha` My~ na`o cho' sinh nhie^`u qua'
dda(ng cho. My~ no' ngo^. la('m, cho' no' thu+o+ng kho^ng ba'n, nhu+ng
sinh sa?n nhie^`u qua', nuo^i kho^ng xue^? thi` cho, dda(ng ba'o
dda`ng hoa`ng, trao con cho' cho mi`nh, ma` vo+. cho^`ng con ca'i
nu+o+'c ma('t lu+ng tro`ng, bao nhie^u lo+`i go+?i ga^'m nhu+ trao
ta(.ng tri ky?, ngu+o+`i ye^u cu?a no' cho mi`nh. The^' la` a le^
ha^'p, cho' ddem ve^` nha` la` tui cho va`o nha` ta('m, va(.n co^?
lo^.t lo^ng ngay, chi? dde^'n to^'i la` ca'c mo'n ru+.a ma^.n, cha?
chi`a dda~ sa(~n sa`ng no'ng ho^?i do.n le^n ba`n. DDo^` a(n e^ he^`
ma` dda^u co' da'm mo+`i ai, so+. chu'ng thu+a thi` bo? bo^', co' con
cho', ma` vo+. cho^`ng, ba tha(`ng con trai, a(n ma^'y nga`y mo+'i
he^'t. Tang va^.t xu+o+ng xa^?u, ddo+.i dde^m xuo^'ng, ddem ra vu+o+`n
sau, cho^n gia^'u sa.ch se~.
- The^' ma` co' la^`n tu+o+?ng bi. chu'ng bo? tu` dda^'y o^ng a., no'
cho con cho' ddi ro^`i, la^`n ddo' ba` xa~ tui que^n cho no' so^'
phone-ddi.a chi? tha^.t, no' go.i la.i ho?i "You know, Charlie is
doing OK? we miss him so much" Charlie la` te^n con cho', anh Charline
lu'c ddo' tui dda~ ca('t co^?, na(`m quay lo+ trong bo^`n ta('m, nghe
no' ho?i ma` tui toa't mo^` ho^i la.nh, tui tra? lo+`i run run trong
ddie^.n thoa.i "O+, Charlie is doing just fine, don't too worry, OK?",
a^'y the^' ma` mu+o+i phu't sau, ca? vo+. cho^`ng con ca'i no' cha.y
xo^.c to+'i nha` tui o^ng a., may ma` tha(`ng u't tui no' ba'o ddo^.ng
ki.p tho+`i, tui va'c ngay anh Charlie dda^`u rie^ng mo^.t go'i, tha^n
mo^.t bo.c ddem da^'u du+o+'i basement, ra mo+? cu+?a tui ba?o vo+'i
vo+. cho^`ng con ca'i chu'ng, ddang co`n su.t xi.t nu+o+'c ma('t
nu+o+'c mu~i lo`ng tho`ng nho+' Charlie, ra(`ng ba` xa~ tui da('t
Charlie ddi kha'm ba'c si~, the^' ma` ca? gia ddi`nh no' ngo^`i ddo+.i
dde^'n nu+?a tie^'ng mo+'i chi.u ve^`.
- Phu.c anh thie^.t, mie^'ng a(n ca(ng tha(?ng nhu+ the^' ma` anh
cu~ng ra'ng hi??
- Cu?a dda'ng to^.i, ca'i gi` u'p u'p le'n le'n nhu+ va^.y, no' ngon
la('m o^ng a.. DDe^? to^i ta?o lu`ng tha`nh pho^' Oregon na`y kie^'m
the^? na`o cu~ng ra mo^.t em ca^?u, la`m thi.t, mo+`i anh la.i du`ng
thu+? ta`i na^'u thi.t ca^`y cu?a tui.
To^i gia^.t mi`nh khie^'p vi'a.
- Tho^i, tho^i tui can anh. Tui kho^ng co' a(n cho' dda^u, ma` anh
cu~ng ddu+`ng lie^`u nu+~a, co' mie^'ng a(n ma` o+? tu` kho^ng dda'ng.
Anh Phu`ng nhi`n to^i cu+o+`i cu+o+`i thu+o+ng ha.i.
- To^.i nghie^.p ca^.u na`y thie^.t, ca^.u co' nghe ca^u "so^'ng tre^n
ddo+`i kho^ng a(n ddu+o+.c mie^'ng do^`i cho', che^'t xuo^'ng a^m phu?
la^'y dda^u ra ma` a(n"?
Ba(~ng ddi mo^.t tho+`i gian, anh Phu`ng ho.c xong, ro+`i Oregon tro+?
ve^` New Mexico, mo^.t bu+~a chie^`u no., ddang la`m, tui bo^?ng
nha^.n ddu+o+.c cu' ddie^.n thoa.i cu?a anh.
- Ha` ha` ddang xo+i ca^`y dda^y, bo^?ng nho+' dde^'n ca^.u, go.i ho?i
tha(m ti'.