I woke up on Christmas morning and smiled. I took one of those deep breaths where you feel the winds of relaxation rush from the happy pit of your belly. One simple reason: a much needed day off to be spent with friends. The staff at work pooled their money and bought me a gift the day before. I was questioned intently about what I wanted. I really didn’t want anything, and I especially did not want to break their banks. “A scarf?” my friend pleaded with me. “Ok, yes, a scarf would be fantastic.” So the next day a group of excited kids with sparkling eyes shuffled like little robots into my adjusting room. “Merry Christmas!” they shouted, and presented me with a gift wrapped in paper covered in christmas trees and santas. They all looked so proud. My boss followed them in. “I am so surprised!” she said. “I didn’t tell them to do this, they did it by themselves. You know they are very poor.” My little angels. I opened my scarf, which turned out to be a beautiful flowing red knitted poncho. Ouch. My heart. I was speechless. I can’t wait to come up with something really great to get them all for their New Year next month. My boss got me the best mattress in Vietnam. I’ve been sleeping on thin squishy foam. Last night was a dream. There were nights in Vietnam when my mom and I slept on box springs where every position comes with a jab. I am in deep appreciation.
So I get out of bed on Christmas morning, and I get ready to go. I have to be at my friends’ house in 20 minutes. Then the doorbell rings. Ka chunk, ka chunk, I turn the lock in the door and anticipate a possible bill collector (they just show up, I’m not in any financial trouble). So there’s Kaz, fresh off the airplane from Thailand. I met Kaz in my parent’s kitchen. His aunt worked with my dad on the Starbound in the Bering Sea of Alaska. At the time he walked in the front door, said, “Hey. Kaz.” I said, “No, I’m Cass.” “He said, “No, I’m Kaz.” Ahhh. Kaz has to renew his Thai visa. I was expecting him the day before, but then he didn’t have a visa to enter this country, and told me he would have to sit in Bangkok for two days. Kaz just turned 21. He’s got on those moon boot skater shoes, fluorescent swim trunks, a tank top covered by a flannel, and a shark tooth necklace. He can’t believe how cold it is here. He made it all the way to my door by himself; a true christmas miracle in this country of backward streets and labyrinths. “Just in time for Christmas brunch. Come on.”
So we did brunch at a high end restaurant with seven americans, one auzzie, and one brit-auzzie. We were quite a group. The vietnamese santa came and gave us candy, and we stayed for four hours and finished off the night bar hopping. Now I’ve got a little brother to watch out for for two weeks while he’s here in Vietnam. That’s what I like about encounters across the world. You see your friend from kindergarten in your home town, and it’s all, “Hey, great to see you.” Someone you met for the smallest moment in time becomes like family when you are far away.
We had coffee, beer, wine, and spiced red wine TO CHOOSE FROM (endless glass) So we just got one of each, most of us : )
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