Remember the season of flamboyant flowers

On weekends, I grab my camera and wander the familiar streets of the city, searching for interesting moments in everyday life.

(Illustrative image)

On weekends, I grab my camera and wander the familiar streets of the city, searching for interesting moments in everyday life. Today is a cool day after a series of hot days. Sitting and sipping iced tea after an afternoon wandering through many streets, I inadvertently heard the melody of the song "The Color of the Phoenix Flower" playing somewhere: “The cicadas sob, summer has arrived! In front of the school today, you and I… Looking at each other, speechless, tomorrow we will be separated by vast distances, who knows if this moment of parting will be joyful!”

Time flies! Summer is here already! I gently close my eyes to better feel the cicadas beginning their soft summer symphony under the flame trees, signaling the start of a long summer vacation for the students, and also the moment to say goodbye with a touch of nostalgia at the end of our school year. Somewhere, I seem to hear the laughter of my close friends from days gone by, the lectures of my teachers, and the "tung tung" sound of the school bell echoing in the corner of the schoolyard.

Ms. Nga's tea shop is my favorite spot whenever I need to relax after a stressful day at work. Not only does it help me recharge, but it also offers moments of peace as I immerse myself in the surroundings, admiring the vibrant bougainvillea and the beautiful rose bushes that she tends to every day. Especially noteworthy is that the shop is situated under the shade of an ancient flame tree, like a green umbrella providing coolness every time I visit.

Sitting under the tree, looking up at the sky, I could barely see the blue clouds, only the lush green foliage of the flame tree and the vibrant red of its butterfly-like flower clusters. Suddenly, I remembered a story my mother once told me about this flower: “Long ago, when the earth was still cold, the Jade Emperor sent his children down to earth to warm all living things. But his children were threatened by evil, so the Jade Emperor chose the flame tree to hang the sun; the flame tree became their dwelling place.”

Bending down to pick up a few fallen phoenix flower petals, gazing at them absentmindedly, a profound sense of regret welled up in my heart. I remembered that place – the school where I studied, filled with so many memories, both happy and sad . Those dreamy memories included images of chalk dust on the podium, the graying hair of the teachers, and the youthful heads of the students diligently taking notes. It was the place that nurtured the dreams of my beloved childhood, carrying so much longing and hope; a place that, no matter where I am, seeing the red blossoms of the phoenix flower will bring back a wonderful memory of my youth.

Almost ten years have passed since I left behind my innocent, mischievous school days, the days of being the "most naughty and troublesome" kids, the days of forgetting notebooks, not memorizing old lessons, and getting ink stains on my white shirt... Now I live in the hustle and bustle of life, burdened with worries about food, clothing, and money. For many, summer might just be one of the four seasons, holding no special meaning, but I secretly think that those who have experienced their school days cannot help but feel the same emotions and feelings when summer arrives, with the sound of cicadas, the blooming of flamboyant trees, and a deep-seated anticipation... Just like me, right now!

I remember every summer morning, cycling to school along the road lined with vibrant red flame trees. Occasionally, a few petals would fall, clinging to my bicycle basket as I rode to class. Sometimes, I would imagine myself as a princess lost in a beautiful and romantic scene. The flame trees blazed with a color full of life, filling my heart with excitement. Often, on the way home from school in the scorching midday sun, we students would quietly cycle, wiping away the sweat rolling down our dirt-stained faces, listening to the chirping of cicadas, the rustling of the wind, and admiring the beautiful road painted in a brilliant red. Those flame tree petals still shone with their red hue, as if silently giving strength to the white dresses that fluttered carefree in the sunlight.

During high school, Tung was my best friend. He was the smartest in the class, had a gentle face, and was quite shy. Tung had liked Lan, with her quirky ponytail, since 10th grade. Because of his shyness, he kept his feelings to himself year after year. Time flew by, and exam season was approaching. During recess, standing on the balcony admiring the clusters of bright red flame trees that seemed to adorn the school with the beauty of summer, I nudged Tung's shoulder and whispered, "Exam season is a season of farewells. If you don't say anything, Lan won't know about your feelings." Tung sighed softly.

There was a hint of sadness in his eyes, a lingering sadness for unspoken feelings: "I wouldn't dare say it." To ease that pure, unspoken affection, and in my capacity as a close friend and advisor, I said, "Every girl likes flowers. The flame trees are in full bloom right now, why don't you give Lan some?"...

Seeing my friend's embarrassed face, I shook my head in exasperation and decided to take matters into my own hands. After school, I stopped my bike by the flame trees near my house and climbed to pick the most beautiful bunch of flowers. Even though I'm a girl, climbing doesn't scare me at all. I hurried over to Tung's house, gave him the bunch of flowers, and grinned, discussing my plan to surprise his dream girl. I don't know what Tung wrote in the notebook he gave Lan, but the next morning, when she received the bunch of flame tree flowers and a small gift with pressed petals in her desk drawer, I saw Lan smiling to herself.

In my final year of high school, I bought myself a beautiful purple autograph book, and I pressed a phoenix flower petal, placing it alongside the farewell messages written in purple ink by my close friends. Those blossoms of parting still shine brightly in the sunlight, just like our innocent and mischievous souls back then. I longed to preserve those memories with the red phoenix flower petals, but now, every time I open that book, I have to be gentle and careful so as not to shatter the petals of those cherished memories… A space filled with my fond memories!

Linh Chau

Source: https://baolongan.vn/nho-mua-hoa-phuong-a194926.html