Some recollections in memory of our friend, Van Nguu

Ngưu and me, besides some short gatherings, had three long periods with nearby living:

1) At Sai-Gon Agricultural University 1966-1070 in the School’s Dormitory. Four years with numerous evenings and 1001 talks on earth, we called it “enlarged gossip”.

2) At UP Los-Banos 1971-1974, from Vietnam to the Philippines, on the same flight were Ngưu-Tịnh-Xuân-Hiền. For more than 3 years, every late afternoon, we played volley-ball and tossed “street-style” Vietnamese words, without fear of being blamed by other people! Again, 1001 life stories and talks over the years. In mid-1974, I returned to Vietnam; Nguu and another younger friend saw me off at the Manila Airport…

3) At Quezon City 1980-1991 when I took coursework at UP Diliman, only 2 km from Nguu’s residence. Every 2 or 3 weeks, I came to see Ngưu; and 2 bottles of beer, divided into 1.5+0.5 (I took the less for weaker dose), and again 1001 stories in the world… Afterwards in 1992-1993 IRRI Los-Banos and Ngưu went abroad for work, so fewer meetings…

In 2016, I was in Los-Banos for the SEARCA’s 50-year Ceremony, I met many friends of the old Los-Banos time (1970’s and 1990’s). The last day before returning to Vietnam, I went to Manila, stayed at Ngưu’s home, was brought to go around the city and and to visit my old U.P Diliman. Next morning at 4 A.M, Ngưu went with me to Nino Aquino Airport (he did not drive due to poor eyesight) for a second seeing off. I did not expect that it was the last time with Ngưu, but it is now…

Retrieving old pictures with lot of souvenirs, I realize something… Over the years, old friends did not have a single call; just 1-2 emails generally. Maybe we are still affected by old happenings: One post letter took one month to arrive; a 3-minute phone call costed 18 USD! Maybe with old age we forget internet… When alive and gathering together, we are happy; but “out of sight out of mind” until someone passed away, then “Sincere Condolences”. Same case with our friends Ly Tung… R.I.P Tung and Nguu.

Thus I am trying to remedy… Every week I shall call a friend (throughViber, Skype, etc), of course if he/she agreed to talk, and “tám888” (Vietnamese for gossip of everything, not only people); at too old ages, we won’t talk of businesses. Going around 5-10 persons, then in about 3 months, we come back again to the same friend.