An old couple in Hai Phong has been keeping ships safe for 9 years.

Together with his wife, Mr. Dang stands guard by the railway tracks every day, regardless of the scorching sun, pouring rain or dark night, taking full responsibility for protecting the safety of the train.

From accident black spot to peaceful path

As the afternoon gradually fell in Duong Thai Nam village, the first winter wind blew from the fields, carrying with it the cold air and the pungent smell of grass and trees. The small road leading to Highway 5 was still crowded with people as usual.

Under the shade temporarily provided by dry branches stuck in the ground, Mr. Vu Van Dang (born in 1950) sat quietly, his eyes on the railway track. From afar, the train whistle echoed, small but sharp, signaling the train was about to arrive. He stood up, walked to the edge of the road, and raised a small flag to signal people to stop.

That job has been repeated for 9 years, since the day he took on the task of guarding the railway intersection between Duong Thai Nam village and National Highway 5. For the people here, the image of a man with silver hair, a small and thin figure, "watching the train" every day has become all too familiar, like a screen protecting the path of the whole village.

Before 2016, this railway crossing was one of three main ways for more than 600 households in the village to get to Highway 5. There were no barriers, no alarm bells, no automatic warning signals. Accidents happened so often that people in the village were scared just by hearing the train whistle. There were heartbreaking incidents that haunted the entire community.

When the village announced the need for people to be on duty, everyone shook their heads. The job was not too dangerous but it was hard and somewhat boring. But Mr. Dang only said one thing firmly: "If no one accepts, I will."

To avoid the scorching summer sun or the bitter cold on freezing days, Mr. Dang built a temporary shelter from dry tree branches stuck in the ground.

At that time, the salary was only 500,000 VND per month, not enough to cover expenses, but he still accepted because he thought simply: Just having someone standing there to remind him would save many people from danger.

With no shelter, he built a makeshift shelter out of tree branches to avoid the sun and rain. On rainy days, when the north wind blew, the makeshift shelter shook with each gust of wind, but he still clung to his post, his eyes fixed on the tracks.

Mr. Dang remembers clearly the 8 trains a day, which ones usually arrive early, which ones usually leave late. The two evening trips at 7:20 PM and 8:30 PM are the most difficult, it is pitch dark, the motorbike lights blend with the train lights, and there are many pedestrians. He always stands guard before the train departs, afraid that if he is even a beat late, disaster can happen in a split second.

Rear

Accompanying him in that silence is Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thoan (born in 1952), Mr. Dang’s wife. On days when he is tired or sick, she puts on a thick coat and a hat to stand in his place. “The train runs on time, but we have to get out first. If we miss even a second, it will be dangerous,” she said, looking at the narrow road that people pass by every day.

The image of an old couple sitting under a "station shed" made from a few dry branches, their eyes always on the railway tracks, has become familiar to the people here.

The couple have been taking turns keeping watch over the road for years, without having to remind each other. Even at the age of 70, they still consider this responsibility a part of life. Every time a train passes and people travel safely, they feel relieved.

Seeing clearly the changes of this road section, Party cell secretary and head of Duong Thai Nam village, Do Thi Hao, confided: "From 2016 until now, there has not been a single railway accident at this intersection. The greatest credit goes to Mr. Dang and his wife. Not everyone sits on the railway for 9 years, regardless of the hot sun or cold rain like them."

The house is located right next to the railway track, so every day Mr. Vu Dinh Thi sees Mr. Dang's figure in the early morning and late evening. "My house is right here, I can see everything. Even in heavy rain and strong winds, he still stands there. One day, he was soaked from head to toe but still raised his hand to warn passersby. It's not for the money, but because he's worried about accidents," Mr. Thi said.

For nearly 10 years of silently "watching the train", Mr. Dang and his wife remember clearly the 8 trains a day, which ones usually arrive early, which ones usually return late.

As the years passed, Mr. Dang's hair turned gray and his steps became slower, but whenever he heard the sound of a train, he stood up quickly as a reflex. Even on cold nights, he was still there on time. Sometimes when people were in a hurry, he did not hesitate to call out to them to stop.

Currently, in addition to his job as a security guard, he also works as a security guard at the local gymnasium. His income is not much, but for him, the important thing is that he still has enough strength to keep everyone safe.

Every train arrival was a tense moment and only when it passed safely could he breathe a sigh of relief.

Many villagers still tell each other: Just seeing Mr. Dang standing there, they feel more secure when crossing the railway. Children going to school are used to greeting the “village train guard” before driving their vehicles. No adult dares to drive carelessly when seeing his warning eyes.

There were evenings when the train lights illuminated the entire stretch of road. Two old figures, Mr. Dang in front and Mrs. Thoan behind, stood silently at the checkpoint. The train whistled past, followed by a strong wind that made the canopy shake. When the train disappeared, they breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to signal a few people waiting.

And no one recorded that moment, but it has been a beautiful part of the memories of Duong Thai Nam village for the past 9 years.

DO TUAN

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/vo-chong-ong-lao-o-hai-phong-9-nam-giu-binh-yen-cho-nhung-chuyen-tau-527448.html