Page 4
Minh stared at the egg lying on the floor.
He stayed silent for three seconds.
The owner stayed silent for three seconds too.
The two of them looked at each other.
Minh sighed.
“I guess it didn’t want to end up in my stomach.”
The woman burst out laughing and gave him another egg.
This time, Minh lowered his face almost into the bowl and used both hands to shield it.
He ate so slowly that it looked like he was protecting a national treasure.
After finishing his meal, Minh took a job delivering six water containers.
He tied them onto his crooked old bicycle.
He pedaled for two meters before the front wheel began wobbling as if it were dancing.
Minh leaned left, and the bicycle leaned right.
He leaned right, and the bicycle leaned left.
An old woman by the roadside watched for a while before asking, “Young man, are you riding a bicycle or practicing a dance?”
Minh replied, “Honestly, ma’am, I’m not succeeding at either.”
When he reached a hill, Minh got off and started pushing the bicycle on foot.
Sweat poured into his eyes, stinging badly.
As he pushed, he encouraged himself, “Come on, Minh.
Just a little farther.”
A minute later, he looked back.
The hill was still there, looking exactly the same.
He placed both hands on his knees and gasped, “Who built this hill so long?”
An old man watering his plants replied, “It was here before you were born.”
Minh gritted his teeth and kept pushing.
When he finally reached the top, he was so happy that he threw both hands into the air.
Suddenly, the bicycle behind him slipped backward.
Minh spun around and chased after it.
The six water containers shook violently.
One fell off and began rolling down the road like a giant wheel.
Minh ran after it, shouting, “Stop!
Water!
You’re my delivery!”
The people on the street turned around and laughed hysterically.
The last water container crashed into the leg of a man who was standing nearby talking on his phone.
The man jumped in surprise.
His phone flew into the air and landed directly on Minh’s head.
Minh grabbed his forehead and crouched down.
The man panicked and quickly apologized.
Minh looked up, his vision spinning, but he still managed to smile.
“It’s okay.
At least today, my head got…
a bath from a cellphone.”
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