The village road, once stained with red dust, has now been paved with concrete. But the old crape myrtle tree, its bark gnarled with the marks of time, still stands there, silently providing shade and blooming when the seasons change.
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| The River of Childhood - Photo by Minh Linh |
In my free time, I still visit my "sunny-flowered crape myrtle tree." Back then, elementary and middle school students (now called primary and secondary school) all walked to school. The distance from home to school was about 2km, and we walked in groups, forming long, noisy clusters that filled the street corner. On scorching hot days, we would choose the crape myrtle tree at the end of the alley to rest before going home. And that's not all; when our parents scolded us, we would go to the crape myrtle tree and cry quietly. After crying our fill, we would go home.
Even at just 12 or 13 years old, children in rural areas at that time already knew how to help their parents with countless household chores, from taking care of younger siblings and picking vegetables to cooking meals every day. Back then, I often envied my peers who got to herd buffalo and cows, because all they had to do was drive them to the fields, and they could read to their heart's content. In the cold winter, they would light a fire to keep warm. Experiencing the vastness of nature every day gave them a rich imagination; the stories they told were always thrilling and captivating, becoming the center of attention for the whole class...
Visiting a rural market is a fascinating experience for many. Just a stroll around the market allows you to understand the farming practices, dialect, and cultural identity of the people in that rural area. Since childhood, I've been connected to My Duc Market, a famous and bustling market in the 1980s and 1990s of the 20th century in Le Thuy District, Quang Binh Province (formerly). My grandmother was a trader at the market, and I often helped her prepare the goods. Back then, goods were mainly transported by train. Therefore, whenever the train stopped at My Duc station, traders would unload their goods, and we would go to receive them and bring them back to my grandmother.
The main goods sold were sugar, MSG, instant noodles, and other daily necessities. However, due to the centrally planned economy and underdeveloped trade, buying these items wasn't easy. But my grandmother managed to do it. Many women came to buy from her. Later, as I grew up, I understood that it was because she was generous, compassionate, sold goods cheaply, and often gave to the poor that people sought her out. Sadly, my grandmother fell seriously ill and passed away prematurely. No one in the family continued her business.
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| A corner of My Duc market today - Photo by Minh Linh |
Now, more than 35 years later, My Duc market still sits beside the Cam Ly River. In the past, people from Le Thuy commune (formerly Loc Thuy, An Thuy, and Phong Thuy communes) would travel up the river by boat to sell shrimp, fish, rice, and other produce at My Duc market, and buy local specialties from the semi-mountainous region such as jackfruit, cassava, and sweet potatoes. The goods at My Duc market back then were more abundant and cheaper than those at other markets in the area.
My grandmother's old stall has now been replaced by another vendor. Many of her generation have passed away. The bustling atmosphere of the old My Duc market is now a thing of the past. Because my hometown now has many convenience stores and small and medium-sized supermarkets that are gradually replacing the traditional way of buying and selling.
Near the old My Duc market used to be a row of tailor shops. Uncle Binh and Uncle Soa were famous tailors back then. Their sons were the same age as me; after finishing junior high school, they went to Ho Chi Minh City to work in tailoring. I heard that now they are successful, owning large garment factories. Interestingly, despite their old age and declining health, Uncle Binh and Uncle Soa still maintain their tailoring trade. Their customers are still the elderly women and mothers from the countryside, accustomed to simple, rustic clothing. Watching them engrossed in their needlework, I suddenly thought, sometimes people work not for a living but out of habit, because they want to cling to the golden age of their youth…
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| My Duc train station today - Photo by Minh Linh |
In this busy life, one day you will no longer see the old locksmith sitting by the familiar banyan tree; you will no longer see the vegetable vendor at the corner of the market… and then you will feel sad, you will feel regret. They are like my grandmother, like the old tailor of yesteryear… They are people of the past, sweet memories of childhood.
Ngoc Trang
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202605/nhung-nguoi-muon-nam-cu-0e2176b/
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