Monday, January 7, 2008

Last night at Mekong School

This morning I was waken up by alarm clock of Somsy’s mobile phone. Tiredness from graduation party last night didn’t want me to get up from bed. Then I realized that this morning Bong La and Long were leaving at 6 o’clock so I have better go to say good bye to them..

But when I came down stair, everything was still in the dark, quiet and empty. I thought that maybe it was too early and there was something wrong with Somsy’s cell phone. I went up to my bed room and sleepily asking Somsy about the time then she said “5.50!” I ran to Miao Miao’s room because she told me that she would leave very early , but she was not there! She also left?!? Dorn didn’t know what happened but at least her stuff were still there unpacked. Then we all ran to down stair straight to knock the door of Long’s room, no response! Oh, he left! I hadn’t said good bye to them!

Finally Bong La came down from his room with his lug gages. What about Mr.Long?
He slowly opened the door, looked at us like nothing happened, his hair a bit looked like bird nest cause of beer last night I think. After he realized about the time and came back later with his neat hair style as usaual while we kept talking in front of the gate. Chan Dein and Lao Zhang also joint us there.

It didn’t seem like they were leaving, eventually the hardest word came at last. What we could do was just keep saying that we will meet up again someday and keep in touch. Then the red car of Phi Pramuan brought them apart from us far way..

I had to do some thing otherwise I couldn’t stop thinking so I started clean up the yard. I felt much better because yesterday I watched 2 movies at the hospital with Somsy while my friends were working hard for preparing for party. Beautiful flowers were thrown away, yesterday they were so important for us but today they would become compose soon. Little by little, everything becomes the same again, then I heard a sound of laugh came from some where in my mind. We played badminton here for several months, earlier some people even didn’t know how to play it, I am sure they will miss it, like I am missing them now.

Breakfast went on slowly, a familiar sound of door opening comes from Anh’s room. He was still in white T-shirt with a sleepy face like everyday. We just looked at each other, didn’t know what to say then end up with a cup of coffee. Phi Ad came down and joint ‘Khao Tom’ with us. Lao Zhang tried to talk about politics among China and Vietnam, but this morning it was not very interesting for me like before.

About 9 o’clock the taxi had arrived, a hard time came again. We all went together to the front gate. Phi Pramuan also came so I was a bit busy talking to him about the mistake. I was able to shake hand with Anh for the last time. I went to “Wai” phi Ad and told her that I would call her. Miao Miao and Somsy started crying. No, don’t cry, I told myself. After that I straight to guitar and play “Duang Jam Pa song” again and again thinking that I should have sung better last night. I felt a bit confused with my own feeling like trying to hide sadness somewhere.

Taking a bath made me feel much better then I also started to pack my crazy stuff. Many times that we want to keep everything but it is impossible. I tried to keep as much as I can even though I know I will throw them away one day, but not this time. I kept looking for something to do so I thought about the students next year, what can I do for them? I designed some activities for building relationship which we didn’t do much at the beginning, but that was enough to make us have a very strong friendship like a big family.

Chan Dein ran to us once we were not ready to say another word like good bye again. We went to see him off at the gate. I hugged him like my brother then he played with Dorn like they used to plays for last several months. “Suu! Suu!” ( Fight! Fight!) it was the last word I could say to him. I promised myself that I will visit him in Kanchanaburi.

Many people kept sitting at the balcony outside, warmth was around us even there was no word. However, we couldn’t stop the time, this time Tee Pee, Miao Miao and Somsy were leaving. We left about 3.30 pm and straight to train station for Tee Pee and Miao Miao, other people were Tee Pee’s boyfriend and a Korean girl. We kept talking on the red car. Miao Miao was preparing to visit Laos, I really want to go with them if I had enough money. At least I got a small job in Laos for 6 months so I will be there soon.

Miao Miao made me cry at the train station. I do believe that I will meet her again and we will get the grant from RCSD together. Tee Pee’s boyfriend was busy with lots of lug gages of Tee Pee. I hope that I will get a wedding card from them soon.

Then it was Somsy’s turn, it was so quick so I couldn’t think about any thing much. Somsy found later that the flights was 3.00 o’clock!!! And it was 4.00 already!!! I made a big mistake, 3.00 o’clock was the time for flight not the time for leaving from home!

My face turned pale, I tried to do something otherwise Somsy had to take a bus home. Fortunately we were able to change the flight. Lao Zhang was the happiest one then he kept singing along the way back. I was also very happy because I didn’t want to stay alone tonight. We celebrated by going to have Som Tam and Kai Yang at our favorite place. There were many many people still but today it seemed like only Tin was able to talk more than us. I asked Non to stay with us, at least to see his smile make me feel a bit better.

Time for dinner came but there was no sound of buffalo bell by Phi Ad today. Lao Zhang said “Eat! Eat! Eat!” but no one really wanted to eat, only tried to accompany Lao Zhang. I looked at the living room and there was no Chan Dein lying down there, my tear started to come out. Phi Ad was not in front of television waiting for Jumong. There was no Vietnamese song from Anh’s computer. Only the sound of sigh from us time to time. Somsy got message from Long, we were so happy but that also made us miss him more.

Tin is the last one who said good bye to us today. I wanted to say more but felt like there is no word anymore. Tomorrow I am leaving by bus to Khonkaen, I will meet my family tomorrow. Many friends might be at home now, I wish they all are happy and I know they miss us too.

Tonight the restaurant nearby has a small party and they play very nice songs but it sounds so sad for me today. It would be better if I had more friends around me now. Only mosquitoes and Non who tries to be around me during this hard time..

Tomorrow my life will go on like everybody. I will do what I can do and what I want to do. I hope that our friendship will be with us forever like the flow of Mekong River. Only our hands will make our dream come true, not for us but the poor people along there.

And I will meet them all again from watershed to the mouth of river, my Mekong friends..

Ae

21 December 2007
8.26 PM
Chiangmai, Thailand