I love… "Grandma Sau" bread

For many years now, Mrs. Sau's bread stall on the side of Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Tan An Ward, Thu Dau Mot City has become very familiar to the locals and those who often pass by here.

Every day, at around 4am, when the city is still asleep, under the yellow street lights, people who exercise early or return from night shifts see Grandma Sau and her bread cart already sitting in their usual spot, preparing to sell to the first customers. Grandma Sau’s customers are mostly workers, motorbike taxi drivers and freelancers.

Hot and crispy bread with meatballs, vegetables, pork skin rolls, etc. were prepared by Grandma Sau since 2am. Grandma Sau carefully made each loaf of bread for each person and did not forget to chat and ask questions like every day. Some people ate there, others took it back to their rented room or to the company to have a snack before going to work.

Ngoai Sau carefully takes care of each loaf of bread to make it delicious before it reaches the buyer.

People who buy bread from Grandma Sau for the first time are surprised when she sells a full loaf of bread, as delicious as those in other stores, even very tasty for many people, but she only charges five thousand dong.

Many people ask why the price is so cheap, why not increase the price, how can you make a profit selling like this? Grandma Sau said that it has increased, during the pandemic she only sold for two or three thousand, but now anyone who doesn't have enough five thousand still sells, "even if they forget to bring money, they still sell, why sell so expensive. Selling cheap so that workers and students can have breakfast before going to work or school, if it's too expensive, it's a sin for them...", Grandma Sau said and smiled toothlessly.

Grandma Sau said she didn't want to raise the price because many people were still struggling, but recently the price of meat had gone up so much that she had to raise it by five thousand. Some people bought a loaf and gave ten thousand and told Grandma not to give them change, but they insisted on giving it back. Some people took the change and then secretly put it in Grandma's basket, while others ran away without waiting for Grandma to give them change.

Grandma sells cheaply to everyone but also cleverly refuses to sell too many cakes to one person because she is worried that the next person who comes late will not have any more noodles to buy. The regular customers who come to Grandma not only get a delicious breakfast but also come to Grandma Sau to share the joys and sorrows in life and work through Grandma's care and conversation. They don't know since when they have considered Grandma as a familiar mother or grandmother in the family.

Many freelancers, students, and workers are Ngoai Sau's regular customers.

Having reached a rare age for several years now, Grandma Sau's children advised her to rest, but she said she could still work, and there were many poor people who came to buy bread every day, so how could she rest!

The children did not know what to say when Grandma Sau said that, so they helped her buy ingredients to prepare for the mornings of selling bread to help the needy. “I am old, so I do not need much money. I just want to have good health to continue selling bread to the needy. I only know how to help others, but at my age, what else can I do…” Grandma Sau said, sounding strangely sympathetic.

So, amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life today, there are still simple yet noble people who quietly contribute, without showing off but leaving a deep impression like Mrs. Sau - Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngang - who silently gave warm breakfasts to students, workers and poor laborers.

From her small bread stall, Grandma Sau has spread humanity, shared love so that compassion can flourish, multiply and spread a beautiful way of life in everyday life and in the life of each person.

Hau Temple

Source: https://baobinhduong.vn/thuong-lam-banh-mi-ngoai-sau--a347177.html