In 1968 there were two very interesting events which had happened. That Chinese New Year, we heard lots of fire crackers fired. We went outside to watch but found out they were real gunfire. We stood on the road curb and watched. My father had a telescope in his hand and watched the gunfire with dismay. An army official came and pointed a gun on my father’s head. He pushed my father low down on the ground and questioned him whether he was a Viet Cong. They took him on a police van and disappeared. My mother was worried like hell. She then used lots of money to get him out. It was a very scary event. My mother said it was lucky that Kong wanted the telescope and dad didn’t give it to him otherwise we would not see our brother Kong again.
The second interesting event happened in June 1968. It was few days after the Dragon Boat festival in the 5th month Luna calendar. My mother made lots of sticky rice dumpling wrapped with bamboo leaves. That afternoon my dad said, “Let’s evacuate the house and move to somewhere safe because the bombing and gunfire were too close.” It happened at the back of our house. We moved close to Saigon and stayed at a hotel. Our family of ten shared three rooms. One of the rooms could see the other room. It was a coincident that Kong’s Chinese teacher was at the back of our room. We peeped through the little window and found an interest in gazing at him. I was too short at that time and kept yelling at my brothers to push me up higher to see the teacher.
Staying at the hotel was fun. We had takeaway Chinese food for every single meal. My father took me down to the shop and got me some imported lollies. I love the mint flavoured cough lollies. There was one afternoon, my brother Kong stayed at the balcony from our room. He discovered something interesting. He yelled out: “Mum, come watch, there are lots of trucks full of something.” We rushed to the balcony and watched together. My mother said the trucks were full of dead bodies. Kong gave a sniff and vomited. The smell was foul and it was indescribable. We saw traces of legs tangled and lots of swollen bodies. Kong got right in side of our room and never stood by the balcony until we came back home.
We had pillow fights nearly every day. It was fun. Our neighbour also stayed at the same hotel. The hotel was just like a Disneyland for us. We ran around, yelled out loud, played chasey, hide and seek until we broke a teapot in our room. The hotel owner came and told us off. The cleaner also told us off every morning when she changed our bed linings. She commented that she had never seen anyone that dirty in her life. Just imagine there were more than 10 children running around in a four story hotel ranging from 6 to 17 year-old.
The second interesting event happened in June 1968. It was few days after the Dragon Boat festival in the 5th month Luna calendar. My mother made lots of sticky rice dumpling wrapped with bamboo leaves. That afternoon my dad said, “Let’s evacuate the house and move to somewhere safe because the bombing and gunfire were too close.” It happened at the back of our house. We moved close to Saigon and stayed at a hotel. Our family of ten shared three rooms. One of the rooms could see the other room. It was a coincident that Kong’s Chinese teacher was at the back of our room. We peeped through the little window and found an interest in gazing at him. I was too short at that time and kept yelling at my brothers to push me up higher to see the teacher.
Staying at the hotel was fun. We had takeaway Chinese food for every single meal. My father took me down to the shop and got me some imported lollies. I love the mint flavoured cough lollies. There was one afternoon, my brother Kong stayed at the balcony from our room. He discovered something interesting. He yelled out: “Mum, come watch, there are lots of trucks full of something.” We rushed to the balcony and watched together. My mother said the trucks were full of dead bodies. Kong gave a sniff and vomited. The smell was foul and it was indescribable. We saw traces of legs tangled and lots of swollen bodies. Kong got right in side of our room and never stood by the balcony until we came back home.
We had pillow fights nearly every day. It was fun. Our neighbour also stayed at the same hotel. The hotel was just like a Disneyland for us. We ran around, yelled out loud, played chasey, hide and seek until we broke a teapot in our room. The hotel owner came and told us off. The cleaner also told us off every morning when she changed our bed linings. She commented that she had never seen anyone that dirty in her life. Just imagine there were more than 10 children running around in a four story hotel ranging from 6 to 17 year-old.
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