INDEX ON CENSORSHIP 6/88

Vietnam
Nhat Tien were always more sales assistants than
customers. Most people withdrew from
before, nor that she had caught a cold
after exposing herself to the nightly frost
the main market to form a 'society on the the night before. She remembered that

The khaki margin of society'. All the members of

this society were ragged and dirty; all
were jostling each other in the chaos. On
rainy days the roads became muddy.
while using a pick she had hit a toad onto
its back. The animal had died
immediately. She felt a chill running
through her body as she thought about it.

coat Rubbish was scattered everywhere,

making it difficult to walk. Now and then
the whole crowd would be bottled up by
A toad, though small, is life itself. It was
she that had smashed that life and
reduced it to a formless mass. That night
A short story from Vietnam a bicycle with a saddle loaded with she had wandered vaguely from one
merchandise. Curses were exchanged. thought to another as she dug up the
Nhat Tien, now in his early fifties and one Words that were forbidden at agencies, earth. Now the stench rising from the pile
of the best-known Vietnamese writers, lived that could not be used or fully expressed of garbage at the edge of the market
in South Vietnam until a few years after to one's heart content at conferences, increased her nausea — she wanted to
the Communist fake-over in 1975. He has were let out here without any fear of vomit.
published 16 books (14 novels and two being condemned as a person who had She was on the point of leaving her place
collections of short stories) and received the compromised his political standing. when she noticed a woman standing just
Vietnamese National Literary Award in Youths cursed more often than in front of her. The woman gazed at the
1961 for his novel Them Hoang ('The anybody else. For some time the girl had coat as if attracted by some extra-
abandoned veranda') in 1961. He was vice- heard this young man shouting out his ordinarily powerful force. Then her face
president of the Vietnamese PEN club, vulgarities. She was not vexed at his turned pale. Stretching her hand out, she
director of the Huyen Tran Publishing Co, words but his shouts were so loud that took hold of the coat while she stared
and editor of the weekly Thieu NhL they hammered at her temples. She felt furiously at the girl's face. The girl didn't
In the-late 1970s he left Vietnam as a sick again. As she was about to take out like being stared at like that. Nor did she
'boat person' and he is now living in the of her pocket another farina candy, she like this woman's pale countenance. She
United States. The following short story is remembered her task. She held out the looked fifty but could have been younger.
reprinted from the collection Tieng Ken coat in her hand to a few passers-by. The girl was disturbed by the woman's
(Sound of a clarinet'), published in 1983 by The coat did attract people's attention. muddy eyes under her thick eyebrows.
Van Hoc, San Diego, California. It was a Western coat made out of The woman succeeded in taking the
golden-coloured khaki. Its long and coat off the girl's hands. The girl knew
Into this noisy crowd the young girl was roomy sleeves were so skilfully sewn to immediately that she did not intend
elbowing her way. The stench of the the two shoulders that no wrinkles were buying it. She wanted to grab back the
rubbish heap made her feel dizzy. It to be seen. Down the two lapels that left coat and run away with it, but holding it
revived the nausea that had lingered in bare the front part of the wearer's chest firmly with her two bony hands the
her throat since the previous day, though ran two rows of three carved copper woman asked in an authoritative manner,
she had tried to drown it down with a buttons on either side. The coat must 'Where did you get this coat?'
farina candy. The sweet flavour of sugar have belonged to a prosperous person The girl felt a chill again. She was
still stuck in her teeth though the candy who a few decades ago had certainly been intimidated by the woman's aggressive
had completely melted away. She could fashion-conscious. Because it had been manner. She knew what she had to do to
speak as loudly as she liked without the well-cared-for it still looked quite new. overcome this difficult situation. She said,
feeling of having something entangled in The girl held the coat over her head as 'I bought it to sell it again,' then tried to
her mouth. high as she could. To a youth who was snatch back the coat. Her arm was seized
She first greeted an old lady who was approaching her, she said, 'This coat fits by the woman. She felt her skin being
selling rolls of dry leaves of cigarettes you very well, buy it.' pinched by the woman's sharp fingernails.
displayed on a flat winnowing basket. The He stopped, looked indifferent. Though She realised she had made a mistake. She
old lady's reply was inaudible above the she knew that he was merely curious, she should have run away when she had the
noise of the crowd. She only heard the added all the same, 'Thirty piastres, you opportunity. It was too late now. The
loud voices of a few people who, standing can wear it over your sweater this winter. woman held her firm with her claws. In
next to her, were shouting their wares, How warm you will be!' spite of her slender body the woman had
including the obscenities of a few nearby The young man, who had intended to an extraordinary strength. The girl .
youths. On their arms hung several pairs try it on, changed his mind when he struggled hard to break free but to no
of Western trousers of different fabrics heard the price. He looked at the girl with avail.
and colours. Most were the khaki of the his laughing eyes. The young girl Frowning, the girl asked angrily, 'What
bo doi (soldier). A few passers-by stopped understood that it was far too expensive are you doing?'
to have a look, felt this side and that, for him. The woman demanded, 'I ask you —
then left without making any offer. Since Another wave of customers passed and where did you get this coat?'
the morning nobody had succeeded in she showed them the coat, but she had 'I bought it, to sell it again.'
selling anything, because people had had lost interest in selling it. She felt sick 'What a liar! Come to the public
to flee whenever public security men were again. She took another farina candy security post with me.'
on patrol. The whole place had a from her pocket and put it in her mouth. The girl struggled furiously to escape.
disorderly air compared with the main Then she discovered the cause of the The woman held firm and started to drag
Dong Xuan Market nearby. The problem nausea she had been having since the day her along, making a disturbance in this
with the main market was that most of before. It wasn't that she had eaten the corner of the market. People gathered
the displayed articles could only be sold bowl of stale wheat noodles left around and started asking questions:
to people with books of stamps; there unfinished by her sibling the afternoon 'Is she a thief?'

15
INDEX ON CENSORSHIP 6/88

Vietnam The khaki coat

'A looting?' girl and said, 'Be reasonable, tell me her living for two years by digging up
'Beat her. Doesn't like working! Just everything now, unless you want to spend graves. Because of his connection with the
wanted to be a parasite!' the rest of your life in prison until the puppet government, her father had been
A few 'comrades' who worked as security stocks round your neck are eaten by sent to a re-education camp and there he
agents in the market were on the spot woodworm.' had died. Her mother re-married, then
within a minute. One rushed forward and Glancing up, the girl retorted, 'Dear died a few years later. She herself had two
helped the woman by holding the girl's comrade, does our regime still use the siblings to look after. She had been
other arm. Her hair came loose, as did stocks?' through a number of jobs, but only
her vest, but she saw nothing, could The agent's face paled, then turned red. digging up graves to strip the dead had
distinguish nothing in the melee in front He raised his voice to erase the error he proved lucrative enough.
of her. She thought of her two siblings at had committed, 'Don't try to shy away At the request of the woman whose
home, she thought of the woman's furious from it. Tell me, where did you get the coat? husband's grave had been dug up, the girl
eyes, of the yellow coat, of the crushed 'Why should I not answer?' said the was detained to await trial, but one
toad. Everything was rushing so quickly girl, 'I have nothing to deny. And don't month later she reappeared at the flea-
through her mind that she felt dazzled, "thou" and "thee" me. I am one of the market. She looked pale and emaciated.
stifled and she let herself be dragged away masses. You serve the masses. You have Her health had deteriorated.
like an animal. no right to talk to me like that.' She squatted, gathering herself together
At the public security post the woman Struck dumb by these two successive in one corner of the pavement. In front of
said: blows, the agent looked at the girl sitting her were a few cans of condensed milk
. 'Dear comrades, my husband has been in front of him with surprise and and some packets of sugar. Her
buried just five days. I remember curiosity. Experience had taught him that curriculum vitae, still stainless, allowed
everything about it. I dressed him in this anyone with such a fearless attitude might her to assume any occupation she liked
khaki coat before his burial. This khaki have a relative worthy of respect. It was because, when brought to the Court, she
Western coat has been in our possession best to remain calm until he knew more had stated in these terms:
for a few decades. I can show you the about her. He softened and lowered his 'We are now living in a socialist
marks on it. While I was at the market voice, 'All right, I withdraw what I said. country. Materialism is being upheld and
today I saw this girl trying to sell the very But I warn you in advance that you have idealism being attacked. Only those whose
coat my husband was buried in. Please, to tell me everything. Where did you get minds are idealistic would think that to
dear comrades, find out how this coat has this coat?' dig up a grave is to violate a dead
re-appeared in this world? How does this The girl simply said, 'From the graves', person's soul. As for me, I earn my living
girl come to have it?' in her sharp unemotional voice. by my own labour. I do not live as a
Everyone in the public security office Everybody was stunned. Even the parasite, at somebody else's expense. I have
was stunned. The staff at nearby desks woman stopped sobbing, and looked with only taken what was buried in a grave, i.e.
stopped working to stare. Never before wide eyes at the girl. Of course it had what had been discarded by our society.
had anyone come across such a strange been taken from a grave, but she couldn't Furthermore I have used the profit I
story. All eyes were on the girl. She believe such a terrible deed had been made to bring up my siblings, which
looked tired after being dragged all the carried out by this slender girl. She means that by this kind of labour I've
way among a hostile crowd, but she had suddenly remembered what she had done reared two children who belong to the
recovered some of her calmness. H.er half an hour before. She'd caught this girl next generation and in whose hands will
demeanour hid her emotions. She stood in the middle of the market, brought her lie the fate of our socialist country.
like someone ready to stand and fight through a long street to this public Therefore, I am totally innocent.' •
against anything. security post — and hadn't been stabbed
To the woman she said, 'Yes, this by her. She felt she had indeed just Translated by Xuan Phong
coat's your husband's. There's no need to escaped a great calamity.
shout like that.' Now there was more seriousness in the
That was the confirmation the woman atmosphere. This was not a theft or a
wanted. She pointed her two hands robbery. It was digging up a grave. It was
toward the crowd of public security so rare they had never dealt with it
agents standing there as if she would have before. Every procedure had to be
liked to say, 'Well, don't you see? I didn't reconsidered. The matter had to be
make it up, did I?' Then she sat down, brought to the attention of the senior
breathing heavily. She had got what she official. Files scattered on the desks were re-
wanted; now it was up to the state. The arranged. A packet of white paper was
state should settle the matter for her. If brought for the secretary to write down
she was not satisfied, she would take it up the defendant's statement. The agent, who
with the town Committee. The a moment earlier had sat at the desk in
eagerness with which the public security the middle of the room, was replaced by
agents had so far dealt with this case had another man of higher rank.
given her a certain satisfaction. Her face The girl's interrogation lasted all day.
relaxed. Then everybody in the office She answered all the questions, told the
heard her sobbing. She used the belt of whole truth. She described everything,
her mourning clothes to wipe her face in including the fact that a toad had been
a deliberate way to draw everybody's crushed and deformed by a pick-axe. The
attention. This immediately brought the secretary, with his awkward handwriting,
desired result as the public security agent used up all his paper in the process.
on duty comforted her, then turned to the Now it was known that she had earned

16