Short story: Red phoenix flower cluster

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - The immense sunlight penetrated through the foliage and poured down onto the schoolyard. The cicadas had the opportunity to sing their summer song. The old royal poinciana tree in the corner of the schoolyard burst into clusters of bright red flowers. The school gate was quiet. These days, the students of the final grades were racing to review, preparing for the exams that would decide their future. Thanh walked by and looked into the school. The same bright sunlight and the bright red flowers reminded Thanh of distant memories.

That day, Thanh came to school to take on a class when he was just over twenty years old, an age full of promise, an age when the shadow of life had not yet weighed down on the matter of food and clothing. Thanh taught grades 10 and 11. Thanh's students were children of rural families, who were attached to the fields all year round. The students were used to the sun and rain. It seemed like they grew up from natural nutrients, always smiling and having bright eyes. The students loved Thanh's teaching and Thanh was also very happy with his job. In class 10B2, there was a student named Trang, a name that sounded like a girl's, but he was a bad boy. Usually in class, every teacher remembered the bad students and the good students. Trang was a bad student, but she did not cause trouble or disorder in class. However, Trang liked to look out the window during every class. From the window, she could see a hill, where there were endless sim trees, along with a vast field of sunshine and wind. Not knowing what to think, but during Thanh's class, Trang kept looking out at that sim hill. In the third lunar month, sim flowers bloomed purple in a corner of the sky. The purple sim flowers swayed innocently in the wind. Could it be that Trang loved Huu Loan's poetry that much? One time after class, Thanh went to Trang's house, a small house hidden at the foot of the hill. Trang was not home. Thanh was greeted by a middle-aged man with a haggard appearance. He rubbed his hands together and said:

- Hello teacher! Please sit here.

Having said that, he brought out a teapot with a chipped spout and a piece of plastic tube attached. The teapot was placed on an old tray. He poured some tea and offered it to Thanh.

- Please have a cup of water, teacher. It's been a long time since you've come here. Something must have happened, right, teacher? I heard that you've been teaching here for a long time, but at the parent-teacher meetings, I only met Ms. Hoa, Trang's homeroom teacher, but I didn't see you. I heard that you teach Literature. I wonder if Trang is doing well, teacher?

The man looked worried, wondering if his child had caused any trouble at school that the teacher had come to his house. He said:

- I won't hide anything from you, I only have him. Boys and girls, I only have him. I try to work in the fields, chop wood, send him to school to earn a living. I've worked hard all my life, I don't want my children to be stuck in the stubble, chopping wood and climbing ladders all year round like me.

- Yes, uncle, I came to visit and learn about our family's situation. If there are any difficulties, if I can help, I will report to the school to create conditions for Trang. At school, Trang does not cause trouble, nor does she quarrel or fight. But Trang rarely gets along with her friends. In the subject I teach, Trang learns quickly, understands the lesson and has many creative ideas in doing the exercises. In general, she is a good student. As for the teachers of other subjects, they commented that Trang does not pay attention to the board, is absent-minded, or often looks out at the hill.

The old man opened his mouth wide in surprise. Then he looked down, as if he was thinking about something vague. He remembered a day three years ago, when Trang was in 8th grade. It was a winter day, with strong wind and rain. The Tam Linh stream behind the house was flowing. That day, Mrs. Dung, Trang's mother, came home from the market. With a basket full of vegetables, she waded across the stream. And that was the fateful afternoon, he forever left his hard-working wife, who had shared his whole life with him. Two days later, when the water receded, people found the body of the unfortunate woman, next to an old sim bush near the stream. After burying his wife, the father and daughter were lonely during their quiet dinners. From then on, he saw Trang talk little, always looking pensive. In the afternoons, Trang would absentmindedly go to her mother's grave. In the afternoons when she didn't study, Trang would often sit under an old sim tree reading a book. As each page of the book passed before Trang's eyes, she could faintly see her thin mother carrying a basket in the rain. Trang went to her mother's grave and prayed that her mother's spirit would bless her and that she would study hard to not let her parents down.

Three seasons of royal poinciana flowers have passed. Three seasons of cicadas chirping have made Trang's heart flutter with anticipation. This is Trang's last royal poinciana season in high school. Every day the cicadas' chirping becomes more urgent, as if she is about to say goodbye to her final class, to her friends, and especially to Mr. Thanh. Mr. Thanh has moved up to teach grade 12. Trang once confided to him that she really likes studying Literature. Literature opens up a creative horizon for Trang, nurturing her emotions and human soul.

And then, Trang got accepted into university, the good news spread throughout the neighborhood. The person who was filled with tears of joy was Trang's father. He went to see Mr. Thanh to share the joy:

- To be honest, these past few days, everything I've eaten has been delicious. I've been working all day and I still don't feel tired! But behind that joy is worry, not knowing how to get him to school.
Mr. Thanh said:

- You just go home and take care of as much as you can. I will persuade the teachers and the school to create conditions for him. Just cheer up, don't make him give up, poor thing!

Trang, alone, could not sleep that night, waiting for the morning to come, to visit her mother's grave. Father and daughter both cried and laughed at the same time. Trang said:

- Mom, in a few days your son will leave this hill village, leave you, to embark on a new path. The path will surely be full of thorns and obstacles, but I promise you that I will pursue it to the end.

Coming home, Trang saw Mr. Thanh sitting in front of the porch.

- Hello uncle and sister. You are going to school tomorrow, right? The teacher and the school board have a little gift for you. We wish you a safe journey and progress in your studies.

Father and son thanked the school and thanked Mr. Thanh. Mr. Thanh left, not forgetting to shake hands with father and son again, as if wanting to pass on a little more love and trust to the poor student.

After Mr. Thanh left, Trang opened the gift package that had the words “Presented to me by the Teachers’ Council” written on the outside. Trang’s eyes welled up with tears. It was true that these two sets of clothes were the ones Mr. Thanh wore to class every day. He had washed and ironed them carefully and wrapped them here. He had even written on the outside “a little gift from me to you”. Wrapped inside the clothes was an envelope with a few million dong.

- Wake up Trang, wake up, it's time for class! The voice of her roommate woke Trang up. She had been reading reference materials for her semester exam all night. Trang was weak and pale. Sometimes she didn't dare look in the mirror, she felt so much thinner. But every time she thought of her parents, Trang felt stronger, forgetting all her difficulties. Her classmates in the journalism department sympathized with her situation, then Mr. Quoc Ca who taught literature theory, Mr. Hong who taught philosophy, all knew. The teachers knew Trang was a poor student who overcame difficulties. In her second year, the school announced that students who had not paid the second semester tuition would not be allowed to register for the upcoming semester exam. Hearing the announcement, Trang's heart was in turmoil. Every time, through her friend's phone number, Trang's father asked her how she was eating and if she had enough money for living expenses for the month. Trang always answered yes, enough, don't worry about me. But in fact Trang let her tears of grievance and anxiety fall to the ground.

These past few days, the journalism class no longer saw the slim student carrying his books to the lecture hall. When asked, they found out that because of difficult circumstances, Trang had dropped out of school. The whole class did not know where Trang had gone.

While riding on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Mr. Quoc Ca, who taught literature theory, suddenly saw a familiar figure. A young man wearing a wide-brimmed cloth hat, riding a bicycle, carrying a wooden box behind him. The teacher pulled the bike close to the curb and looked closely. He called out loudly:

- Trang? Is that Trang from class K4, journalism department?

The polite young man:

- Hello teacher. What are you doing down here?

- I attended a training class here. I came to Ho Chi Minh City two days ago. Why didn't you continue studying and come here to work? What is that wooden box you're carrying behind you for?

- Sir! My circumstances are too difficult, I probably can't continue my studies anymore, I would like to reserve my results, when I have the conditions, can I continue studying, sir? This box is a taffy box.

Master Quoc Ca said:

- So you came here to sell taffy? Go back to school. Your classmates have already pooled their money to pay your tuition. They've been trying to contact you for the past few days but couldn't. Listen to your teacher, go back to school and continue studying. Leave the rest to your teacher and classmates. Go back now, do you hear?

- Yes, I listen to you, teacher!

During the holiday, when Mr. Thanh was busy arranging some flower pots, a guest came from behind. Looking back, Mr. Thanh was surprised:

Hey, Trang, when did you come back? How have you been?

- Yes, I just came back and ran down to see you. Are you still well after retirement?

- I'm fine. How's your work?

- Yes, I'm fine. I work on the editorial board of a provincial newspaper.

It's been decades. Time flies like the wind.

The story of two teachers and students revolves around the difficult years but full of humanity. The dream of a poor student has come true.

Now, every summer, looking at the clusters of red phoenix flowers, Mr. Thanh remembers the old memories with immense nostalgia. The color of phoenix flowers in the school yard seems to contain the feelings of each generation of students that never ends.

CONVERSATION

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