Black American Dog.

Kieu put on the long white ao dai, Vietnamese long dress, carefully not to rip the fresh stiches she had added under left arm’s seam. Then she put on the pants that had seen better days, but Kieu had managed to sew up the tare by adding a few mismatched colors schemes, and tucked right under the long dress – where if she just kept walking normally, no one would notice the rainbow canvass behind her buttock. Tied her hair into a pig tail Kieu quickly grabbed her black backpack and quickly ran out the door, almost tripped on her father, who was the only one still lie on the floor, sleeping.

Outside, a young man in white short-sleeve shirt, tucked in navy blue pants, on bicycle waited near a wooden fence. Seeing Kieu, he released a welcome smile. Caught the hazel eyes, and warm smile, Kieu couldn’t content, shyly, she looked away, coquettishly. Without a single syllable, the couple knew each other by heart, Kieu, sat perpendicular in the carriage behind the paddler, Tuan, took bicycle onto the dirt road. The device sped forward caring the butterflies and rainbows with it. Laboring at first, but soon the momentum pickup the ride became smoother. The gentle breeze of fresh young rice plan marinated with fresh morning weed dance around Kieu nose complimented it were Tuan body odor made it smell like plum. The sweetest smell in the life of a young Vietnamese woman, with no care in the world.

Passing through the sugar cane field, far in the distance, Kieu could see the siloquitte of a person. Kieu knew immediately it was her mother, because no one work this early in the field. She gently opened her bag, and glided her hand inside, touched the bracelet, wondering how much money it would fetch at the market today, and why her mother so desperated enough to sell such momento. Dad must had some gambling debt again, Kieu thought to herself.

“did you study for the test?” Tuan interrupted.
“I didn’t get a chance to, I’ve been too busy with the chores at home. Will you let me peek at your?” Kieu replied.
“After school today, if you want, we can study together. I can help you with calculus.” Tuan suggested. “I’ve to go to the market today. Can you take me there?”
“It’s O.K, I will go with Lien. It’s not a good idea when too much people see us together, they will gossip.” Kieu replied quietly

Tuan understood the consequence when people gossip, it could cost people their good name, and especially in a small community like Dong Thap. Good name is the only thing you’ve in place of currency. And especially in Tuan well-to-do world trust is important. In order to build trust it’s started with a good reputation.

Out in the distance, the outline of Le Quy Don Highschool loomed into view. Kieu requested Tuan to drop her off and Tuan paddle on but wishing the time with Kieu could be longer, but he chose not to exercise such measure. Walked alone, on the grassy field, Kieu’s stomach growl. Ramping through her backpack, she took out a small, yellow sweet potatoes, and quickly swallowed it. When her stick figure body stop screaming for neutrient, Kieu quickly thought of her four siblings. She wondered if they had enough to eat, the 3 growing boys needs all the food they can get, maybe later this afternoon I’ll go raiding the neighbor ducks farm for some eggs.

“wait up Kieu” Someone yelled from behind. Kieu kept on walking toward the school. Without turning around, Kieu knew it was her only friend. Lien heavy body thumping against the ground as she rushed to catch up with Kieu. The white ao dai barely contented the bundle of flesh that its wearer trying to conceal, unable to manage, if look carefully the thread was on it last hinge.

“ready for the exam tomorrow?” Kieu asked.
Stop to catch her breath, Lien complained, “why you didn’t stop, I’m almost out of breath.”
“you’ll be alright. Just a short little run.” Kieu replied
“it’s easy for your to say, you don’t have to carry this” Lien’s right index finger pointed to her huge breast, and left index finger pointed to her buttock.
“Give me some of that.” Kieu put out her hands ready to grab the two hanging melons, but Lien quickly snider away holding her chest. Kieu ran after Lien toward the school. Inside the gated school, with a large flame tree stood in the middle where student stood around waiting for the bell to rang. Zing zang around the three narrowly hit the many fellow student, the two giggling in a game of catch up. Until someone chimed in.

“look at the number 1 chase after the 0” Someone mocked.
“who the fuck said that,” Lien stopped to inquire, furiously.

A group of girl in the far west corner, the tall, chubby, with oval face, stood up. In their well pressed ao dai, colorfully decorated, and highly priced, moved forward.
“I said that, black american dog.” Chubby confronted. Fuming with anger, with bulging eyes, Lien ran toward the girls, but quickly held back by Kieu's right arm.
“Let’s go to class Lien.” Kieu tugged her friend. The crowd gathered around watching the event unfolded.
“what’s going here.” An authoritative voice demanded.
No one spoke. Kieu and Lien stared the floor.
“Principal, that black girl want to make trouble.” Chubby explained.
“Enough, all of you. The bell had rung. Go to class, before I haul all of you to detention.” The principal threaten. Gingerly, the student disperse and headed to class. Trailed behind was Kieu and her friend.
“Don’t be sad Lien.” Kieu comforted.
“They don’t like me because I’m black?” Lien raised the question.
I don’t know, maybe they were just being kid, or maybe people are just afraid of something being different, Kieu thought.

The bell rang at 12 noon. The class hurried to leave.

“Lien, you want to go with me to the market?” Kieu asked

“What for?” Lien inquired

“My mother have in tasked me to ran an errand.”

The two friends cheerfully left walk out the school.

10 minutes into their journey. Chubby and her posse stood by the road as Kieu and Lien approached.

“American throwaway.” chubby called out in confrontations, stepping forward.

Outnumbered, Lien and Kieu turned around, decided to head back to the direction where they came from. The posse, headed by Chubby quickly rushed to block them.

“where do you think you are going?” Chubby taunted, walking back and forth.

Kieu and Lien were quickly surrounded. Knowing full well, there was no way of escape, the two stood their ground.

“what do you want?” Lien asked.

“you know what my dad told me about black American dog like you?” Chubby continued, “he said black dog like you are garbage. And that your mother is a sell out. She slept with the enemy and that’s how she gave birth to you. You’re an unwanted child.” Chubby sneered.

“Shut up!” Lien shouted.

“Stop it” Kieu added.

“Black do…,” before chubby could finish her word, Lien was quickly on top of her, but quickly peeled off and tossed her aside.

“Bitch” Chubby screamed, rushing toward Lien, who trying to get up but quickly got pushed back down to the ground again. The group surrounded Lien, they started kicking and punching. She screamed.

“American dog,”

“unwanted,”

“traitor,”

“stop it” Kieu yelled, threw her self on top of Lien.

The horde, didn’t care. The bombardments keep on coming. To protect vital organs, Kieu and Lien curled up shield themselves from the attacks.

“I teach you a lesson.” Chubby said, pulled Kieu’s hair. The pains shot to Kieu brain. She tried to fight it, pull it back, but it just was overwhelming. Followed the command to ease the pain, Kieu stood up, but a solid slap slammed on the right cheek, sent her sprawling a few feet away, knocked her out a few minutes.

When Kieu came to few minutes later, Lien was sitting up, her back onto a bamboo, snivel. Looked around the posse was gone. Pushed herself up, the pains in her right arm immediate sent a jolt to her body, looked into it, a laceration ozzed of blood show off the evidence of her altercation earlier. Took the front panel of her ao dai, she covered the wound, and laid pressure on it. Slowly stumbled toward Lien. Sat next to her friend, Kieu put her hands on her back. Lien turned to face Kieu. Kieu gasped.

The once normal face now covered with deep cut on top of her eyes. Her nose got crushed in and bleeding. Her lip show a deep cuts, painting her white red.

Lien’s head felt onto Kieu shoulder.

“are you o.k?” Kieu inquired.

Lien didn’t answer. She breath hot air into Kieu’s neck, mixed with hot liquid, that Kieu assumed that it was blood trailed down into her chest.

“let get something to clean you up.” Kieu insisted, nudging for Lien to stand up.

Kieu franticly looking around for someone to help. But no one to be found.

“Come on Lien.” Kieu urged, again with no words, Kieu sat there, hopefully with few more minutes her friend could gather some energies to stand up. Kieu wondered what she would do next, should she report this to the principal? What could he do? Chubby parents were one of the most powerful people in this town. They are the judge in the people’s court, the highest authority in the land. Even thought they only had a highest education that of a tenth grader, but hey in order to held such powerful position in society of monkeys, who needs education? As long as one’s party connection is powerful enough there would be no need to do anything. If you were a medical staff, with an over night upgrade, you became a doctor, with reasoning that your experience is enough to warrant a doctor. Finished six grade? You become a teacher, as long as you can cited the word of the party that’s all good.

“Why, do they hate me so much?” Lien inquired, interrupting Kieu’s thought. Lien sniveled, then sobbed, uncontrollably. Like most children, they didn’t ask to be born into the world. A consummated between a woman and a man was the consequence of such interaction. Lien was the only child. She lived with her mother in a hut. Before the war ended in April of 30, 1975, Lien mother, Ms. Lam married to a U.S marines name Charlie. Together they live at the Swift base. Life was comfortable with her American husband. A year after their marriage a girl entered into their lives. The young couple were happy, there wasn’t much of an issue among fighting men in uniform. At the base the family was well fed. American luxuries were being brought abroad to keep the spirit strong. Everything was fine until it lasted. Charlie left quickly with his unit back to America. He promised to come and look for Ms. Lam. When she lost her house to the party’s men, she moved to the hut at the out skirt of the village. Without a single belonging, mother and daughter livelihood depended on Lam labor for the local farm.

“I think because we’re nail. We stood out – we’re different.” Kieu answered.

“I’m no different Kieu. I’ve a mother like everyone else. My bloods are red. I’ve feelings. I’ve a heart.” Lien moaned, “I know my skin is dark. To some I look like coal, black. But you know, I didn’t ask to born this way.”

“Let’s go report to the police.” Kieu said

“You know Chubby family belong to the party. We’ll get even more trouble if we report this. This world belong to them.” Lien explained.

“How about we report this to school. Maybe our teach or the principal can help us.”

“it’s alright Kieu. This happened before. When I went into the market with my mother a few years a go, people throw stuff at me and my mother. We fought back, the more anger they become. In the end the police came and arrested us for in sighting anger. In jail my mother got beaten, and they called her traitor for marrying my dad, an American solider, their enemies. And for me they tortured me. Calling me bastard. And said that was unwanted child, that’s why my father didn’t take me with him to America,” Lien continued “Am I unwanted Kieu?”

“That’s not very fair” Kieu interjected.

“that was when we learned to live and to mind our business. I often stayed at home as much as I can. School is the only thing that I left the house for. All I want is to be normal to have friends like you. To play on the street without people throw stuff at me.” Lien looked up into the heaven.

“Is that too much to ask?” Lien asked gazing up into the blue horizon, asking, pondering, seeking for answer.

None came, maybe she would be able to find those answers when she die in 2 weeks.