May 2000.

Each day seems to have a magic moment for me. I never know when it will happen. Quang Tri, route 9. Our bus takes us by places of war. But it is a peaceful place now. Where it was brown with dust or mud it is all green now. There are many trucks lumbering up or down the road. It seems to be a rule here to honk your horn at all times.

Far from Dong Ha we stop at a rest area for trucks. There is a large bamboo and straw building. The truck drivers sit inside drinking a beer and talking with friends.

My friends go inside for a drink but I'm not thirsty. Thinking there might be a good picture to take I went around the side of the building. There I saw a little boy. He is about two years old and is wearing only a shirt. Raising my camera to take his picture, he is gone around the back. Bad luck! It would have been a great picture.

Back to the bus. Sitting, looking out the window, my friends are outside talking. Then I saw the little boy in the doorway. I took a little toy truck from my bag and went inside. The little boy was standing in the middle of the room. I try to hand him the toy but he will not take it. He is shy or afraid. Looking up I see all the truck drivers watching. All the talking has stopped. What to do? I walk back away from the boy and roll the toy truck over to his bare feet. The boy picks up the toy and smiles! The truck drivers shout "Hooray"! They smile at me and give me the thumbs up and I walk out to the bus with a big grin.

It was a magic moment. One that can't be planned but just happens. I still carry the picture in my mind of the boy and the truck drivers on that day. I hope that they do too!

My vacation in Vietnam has been the vacation of a life time. All you have to do is wait for the magic to happen.

 

Copyright 2002 - Jim Murtaugh