Cõi Đem (v)

from novelist Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn at Làng Văn

“Bên ngoài, trời dã sáng lắm.”

Outside, it was bright already.

“Nắng ban mai vượt khỏi ngọn cây, chiếu xiên qua lớp man cửa số trắng đục, chạy dài tới mép giường, soi rõ hai ống chân khảng khiu của Trực vừa thò ra khỏi tấm chăn mỏng.”

Sun shone over the trees and the top of the blackout curtain along the edge of the bed on Trực’s shins poking out of the covers.

“Gã nằm ngửa, mồm hơi há ra, hơi thở khò khè mệt mỏi.”

The guy was on his back, mouth barely open, beat, wheezing lightly.

“Toàn thân từ trên xuống dưới hiện rõ hình ảnh của một gã đàn ông trác táng mà giá cứ như bình thường thì ai bắt gặp cũng sẽ nhìn bằng cặp mắt khinh bỉ.”

Top to bottom he was the picture of a drunk who normally we all look down on.

“Ấy thế mà cả thành phố, khắp hang cùng ngõ hẻm, thiên hạ đang cực kỳ trọng vọng Trực, bởi Trực không phải là một người bình thường: Gã là Việt kiều vừa từ Canada về thăm nhà!”

But the whole city, every nook and alley, the world are now proud and excited about Trực, since Trực was not an ordinary man: the guy was an overseas Vietnamese come home from Canada to visit!

I would like to carry on like this for a whole chapter at least. That would pass from fair use for purposes of criticism and education to theft of intellectual property.

It would be wrong. This novel concerns itself with right and wrong, and the abuse of humanity by ignorance. Let me see what to do.

This is the fifth Viet Nam letter of 6 so far on Cõi Đem by Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn. The first posted on March 23 2022, the second on April 23, 2022, the third on May 25, 2022, the fourth on July 2, 2022, then the sixth on February 22, 2023.

Viet Nam letters respects the property of others under paragraph 107 of United States Code Title 17. If we asked for permission it wouldn’t be criticism. We explain our fair use at length in the letter of September 12, 2022.

The colophon of these Viet Nam letters, directly above, shows the janitor speaking with poet David A. Willson on a Veterans Day.