On the night of the performance, she was radiant in my eyes and I think also radiant in the audience’s eyes. At night, I write poetry again, naive and awkward poems… – Photo: Freepik
At that time, I had to diligently review my lessons to prepare for the high school graduation exam but still had to take care of participating in the district’s entertainment night to celebrate the birthday of the March 26th Youth Union.
Known as a good student at school, with a certificate of merit from the Department of Education for my first semester academic achievement, I had to simultaneously worry about graduating with high scores and getting into university, while also worrying about the performance in my final year of high school. as a member of the Executive Committee of the School Youth Union.
I took that pressure on myself in the middle of my 11th grade year. Almost all student union members, both male and female, wrote letters to volunteer to join the army, going to the southwest border battlefield during the 1978 Red Army. I’m the one who stays, I have to do something worthy.
Running around and running, I finished two performances. The soloist is me with a song with very romantic lyrics: “The bridge is our date/On a bright moonlit night, you sit and I wash your clothes/On a bright moonlit night, you sit and play the flute/I join the army and make a bridge.” Hanging across the stream/ I built a pontoon bridge across a deep river wharf/ I connected my memories with bridges…”. I remember it was the song “Bridge connecting happy shores”.
New group performance. Mobilizing and mobilizing students to study 1-2 years behind me is truly a feat. “Advance under the military flag”, we had to go to the district team to ask for some costumes, contact the art shock team of the culture and information department to borrow some wooden guns and flags, then go back to practice with the vegetarian choreographer.
She was two years behind me, which meant she had just entered 10th grade a few months ago. I’m still shy, he said Is there anything I can go to your house to ask your parents’ permission for?. I held my nerve and opened my mouth, but it went well, with the condition that after practice, sooner or later, I would have to take my classmate and my neighbor home with me.
On the night of the performance, she was radiant in my eyes and I think also radiant in the audience’s eyes. I was so engrossed in looking at her that I forgot to remind a male singer in the class to sing the song “Bridge connecting the shores of joy” for me because I had a cold and my voice was hoarse for a few days. As luck would have it, that hoarseness created a unique feature when I tried to perform the song.
After the show, the group enjoyed a few glasses of smoothies and Ms. Ba’s sweet soup at the district market. At night, I write poems again, naive, clumsy poems…
Then I went to university. She also entered college two years later at another school, because she and I were in different exam grades.
That was the first turning point in my life with you. But as luck would have it, the two of us met again at the end of my third year performance at the Ngo Gia Tu dormitory. I’m dressed as a medical student, mature and salty compared to when I was in high school.
That day, I sang the song “Silent Huong”, “You two broke up, why didn’t you say anything/ But the silent scent always followed your steps…”.
My friend almost acted as my substitute in the previous performance night, also went on stage with the song “Footprints Ahead”, “When I was still a speck of dust, you boarded a train to go far away…”.
After the show, the two of them walked home together, and there was one person standing silently watching. With that luggage, I decided to join the military after graduating from university.
One day by chance, I found out her phone number. “You huh…” then the two didn’t say anything more.
During the holidays, I feel nostalgic about the old years, about you…
August 2024