First rain has visited the city over the past week. But not enough to quench the heat, or dust off the pavement.
On both sides of the city’s canal, you can find young people sitting on stools and share a hot-pot. A pony tail guitarist/singer entertains you (Vietnam Mariachi version). I heard “your Song”, ” I started a joke” etc….
as the breeze carried his voice and rhythm into the night, still young by their standard.
Young people. Restless dream.
Plenty of options to go both right and wrong. The future is now.
“oh I believe in Yesterday”.
They celebrated John Lennon’s birthday here. Can you “imagine”?
Helmets on. Zoom zoom. Consumerism is taking hold.
Start a mobile account, win a Mini Cooper.
Big wheel keeps on turning, proud Mary keeps on rolling.
It’s the age of franchise: Pho 24, KFC, Lotteria, Co-op neighborhood mini-marts, high-end coffee, New York Steak House, French cuisine (ironically, housed in colonial French maison, without having to build one from the ground up).
At 3AM, it starts to get quiet. A few night clubs push the boundaries to close at 4AM.
At that time, flight attendants are getting ready for early take offs.
And the cycle gets going again. Everybody seems to know where the best sandwich is (O-Moi) and where to snack even at 3AM (Tan Dinh market).
Saving face but not saving account.
Code of silence.
As long as everyone can get along, stay on the same page.
Look but do not see. New rules. Paradigm shift. Infrastructure up.
And old society gets a make over. And old ladies get a face lift.
Things are moving forward, one rung at a time. Darwinian process at work.
Isn’t everywhere else? To end this on a funny note. I got approached by a guy wearing a FBI blue cap. He asked me to buy a lottery ticket. Got me jolted for a moment.
Thang Nguyen 555 