Truyện ngắn " MỘT CÂU CHUYỆN BUỒN" của tôi được một người bạn bên Mỹ dịch ra tiếng Anh. Bản dịch truyện ngắn, người bạn đó nhờ một người Mỹ, đi du lịch Hội An, chuyển đến tay tôi. Nhận được bản dịch truyện ngắn " Một câu chuyện buồn" bằng tiếng Anh, tôi rất cảm động và vô cùng biết ơn người bạn không quen biết này.
Hiện tại, do sơ suất, tôi đã đánh mất địa chỉ cũng như họ, tên người dịch. Tôi vô cùng ân hận. Qua kytrungtran.com. tôi rất mong, nếu như người bạn đó có đọc được những dòng chữ này, liên lạc lại với tôi theo địa chỉ trên kytrungtran.com.
Tôi luôn luôn chờ đợi và hy vọng sẽ liên lạc lại được với người dịch truyện ngắn " MỘT CÂU CHUYỆN BUỒN".
Xin giới thiệu với bạn đọc truyện ngắn " MỘT CÂU CHYỆN BUỒN" bằng tiếng Anh.
A sad story
Today is the day that the “Public Security Special Issue” appeared and Teo had to get up early. After finishing taking care of his younger brother, he ran hurriedly over to the distributor’s kiosk.
Teo lived by selling newspapers. He liked most of all selling the “Public Security Special Issue” because it was a newspaper that published articles about crime, so it was very easy to sell. Teo didn’t know how to read and write but he made up for it by his intelligent looks and an enduring shape to his face. He needed only to have someone read to him the headings of the newspaper articles for Teo to know just what he’d have to yell out in order for people to notice him and buy a lot of newspapers. At one time, the “Public Security Special Issue” had sold four of five times more than other newspapers.
Now, Teo almost had enough money to buy a pair of pants for his father. Once, Teo’s father said: “I’ve never had a pair of pants that wasn’t torn.”
Teo loved his father very much. His mother became sick and died early on. His father remained a alone, taking care of Teo and his younger brother.
His father did everything. After he finished peddling from his cart, he hired out hauling sacks on his back. His live was very difficult. He had heard people say that “panning for gold is better than anything.” Teo’s father followed this advice and he left for one month, promising to return at the end of the month. The day his father got ready to leave, Teo’s younger brother, Ti, pulled on his father’s arm.
“If you get gold, remember to buy and bring back some chicken for me to eat, okay dad?”
His father rubbed the boy’s head and nodded:
“Dad will buy some for you for sure. It won’t be anything like what happened the other times.”
The father had made promises to little Ti so many times in the past. But, the hard thing was that he failed to keep his promises because he had no money. But this time...
Hearing what his father had said, Ti’s eyes seemed to say that he liked what he heard and he smacked his lips. Before leaving, the father told the two brothers:
“You have to be good while you’re at home. You can’t misbehave. Don’t steal anything, people will curse you and it will be humiliating. Dad will get money enough to take care of you two.”
Teo and Ti both nodded together. Little Ti continued to look at his father with two wide round innocent eyes, his mouth watering:
“Get me some chicken to eat and I’ll be good, okay?”
His father didn’t take much, except for a worn flat knapsack from the time he’d served in the military. He wore on his body a faded set of army pants and shirt, the pants patched on the rear with two pieces of purple material.
Teo came to the kiosk to pick up his newspapers. The kiosk where the newspapers were issued was on one corner of a large four-way intersection. The distributor was an older well-rounded heavyset person with his arms around a pile of “Public Security Special Issue” papers being distributed to each youngster who sold papers. Of the youngsters who sold papers, the old man liked Teo the most. The kid was fast, he sold all his papers quickly, he never tried to cheat by even so much as one penny. The old man always gave Teo more than the others. Upon seeing Teo, the old man waved:
“Hey, Teo! Here’s your part of the papers, get them. I’m giving you the first priority, you hear me?”
“Yes, sir!” Teo was elated. “Thank you. What news is in today’s paper, show me so I can call it out.”
The old newspaper distributor opened each page of the newspaper for Teo to see, the smell of printers ink still fresh.
“Here’s an item about a credit bank that crashed, the old director has fled...”
“That news isn’t important,” Teo thought to himself silently.
“Here’s an item about a child was depressed and committed suicide.”
“That item is a good one.” Teo thought about it and asked:
“Can you see if there is any other news items?”
The old distributors eyes became serious, emphasizing each news item one at a time:
“Here’s a story about the police having shot to death some highway robbers at Cu Mong Pass. Here’s an item about some thieves who were stealing telephone wire having been arrested.”
The old man pointed out one column to Teo.
“Nine people beat a robber to death...” The old man chuckled:
“You go ahead and yell out these news items that people should know...” “These are all good news items.”
The substance of the stories Teo would yell out had already taken shape in his head.
After counting out the newspapers, the old distributor turned them over. Teo wrapped his arms around the pile and took off. The first place he came to was the inter-province bus stop. Teo wormed his way into the seats where the passengers were seated waiting, his mouth rattling away:
“You all have to read the paper. There’s lots of news about crime in here. There was a shooting in the Cu Mong pass, lots of thieves stealing telephone wire were arrested...”
Many people took out money to buy the newspapers. Putting the bills quickly into his pocket, Teo continued his insistent screaming: “Here’s the latest ‘Public Security Special Issue’, nine people stabbed a thief to death, come on and buy it you all...”
He jumped into any place where there were lots of people and the stack of papers went down quickly. This made him both happier and drove him to sell newspapers. He jumped onto a vehicle that was about to depart, his hands waving newspapers as he screamed out loudly:
“Everybody buy the paper, buy the latest newspaper. There’s special news, nine people stabbed a thief to death. The thief’s already stiff. Come on everyone, buy it, buy it.”
Many passengers, upon seeing the young child’s sweat covered face, bought newspapers because they felt sorry for him.
Getting off the traveler’s vehicle, Teo’s face showed his elation and he was determined that the very next day he’d buy a pair of pants for his father. After thinking about it, he took off running down the street, his mouth once again ringing out:
“Everyone buy the new issue of ‘Public Security Special Issue’, there’s news about a horrible killing, nine people stabbed a thief to death... nine people stabbed a thief to death”
Drops of perspiration were falling from his face. His stomach was hungry, his mouth dry. Teo was tired, his legs were exhausted and he went over to sit down and rest at the base of a large tree along side the road. Teo figured under his breath that when he sold all of these newspapers that he’d have made a commission of two thousand and that money, when added to the amound of money he’d saved since the day his father went off to pan for gold would total fourteen thousand. It was enough to enough to buy his father a pair of long pants. He thought of the look of happiness in his father’s eyes when he would hold up the new pair of pants. Teo all but forgot his tiredness, even the feeling of hunger that was gnawing at him. He looked at the stack of newspapers now halfway gone: “I have to try hard for just a little while longer and then I’ll be about ready to buy a pair of pants for dad.”
Getting himself motivated. Teo stood up, stretching his shoulder muscles to reach over to a public water tap which he turned on and let the water run over his face. The cool stream of water reinvigorated him. Teo put his arms around the pile of newspapers and off he went into the noonday heat.
By that afternoon, Teo had sold almost all of the newspapers he had that day. At a place empty of people, he took out a small pouch that had been carefully sewn into the waistband of his trousers, in order to recount his money. Teo carefully counted out the money so carefully folded inside the pouch: “One thousand... two thousand... five thousand... eight thousand... twelve thousand...” There was more. Teo took out the two thousand in commission from today’s sales and added it in, making it exactly fourteen thousand. With a shaking hand, Teo took the sweaty money into the market, to the kiosk selling ready-made trousers.
Behind the kiosk was a rotund heavyset woman who sat there sound asleep. Beside her was a small fan turning at top speed, blowing her hair while making her chicken fat colored blouse flap open to reveal a naked white stomach. Teo looked at the trousers that several days earlier he had decided to buy. Teo came to the front of the fat woman’s kiosk and spoke:
“Auntie, sell me that pair of trousers.”
Hearing the inquiry, the startled sales woman suddenly opened her eyes.
“Which trousers do you want?”
“The one over there, maam.”
The kiosk owner got a long pole and snared the trousers, bringing the pants down and passing them to Teo. Teo checked the trousers over to be sure it was satisfactory.
“Auntie, I want to buy these pants.”
“Sixteen thousand, sonny.”
“But the other day I saw you sell a pair like this for only fourteen thousand.”
“The price has already gone up,” the seller explained. “Gold’s very high to day.”
Teo’s face showed his sadness and shock. He half wanted to go and half wanted to stay. Teo tried to bargain.
“Auntie, sell it to me for fourteen thousand. I only have so much. Come on, I’m buying it for my dad.”
Teo’s honest face and the tone of his voice made the seller feel sorry for him.
“I’ll sell it to you but you have to give me a newspaper.”
Hearing that, Teo immediately agreed. He quickly took out a newspaper and gave his handful of money to the sales woman. The sales woman appeared satisfied and took out other similar style trousers for Teo to chose from. After that, the woman took the newspaper Teo had given her and read to a woman sitting beside her so the two of them could hear.
For Teo, today was the happiest day. His father would have a new pair of trousers to wear. He tried hard to chose for his father the longest lasting pair of trousers for him to go to work. Selecting his purchase, Teo continued to listen to the steady sound of the sales woman’s reading from the newspaper. While reading, she let go of the newspaper and took a deep breath, appearing disheartened.
“What sort of reporters are these who only report news about murder.”
The woman beside her laughed: “The only way they can sell newspapers is to print that sort of news. Come on, continue reading to me.”
Teo also got into the conversation: “The other woman’s right. Go ahead and read the news item... Nine people beat a thief to death. I have just enough money to buy the trousers for my father. Read the article.”
The sales woman shook her head, raised up the newspaper and continued reading:
“... This is how the crime happened. In My Thanh Hamlet, Thanh Minh Village, Phuoc Hiep District, N... Provine, a heart-rending murder just took place. A man entered My Thanh Hamlet at night to steal a chicken but was captured by the people in this hamlet. Since this was only a small incident that would be settled administratively, the local residents took care of it themselves in a terrible way. They beat the thief with sticks and canes, shattering the persons entire face to the point that his face was no longer recognizable. Before he gasped his last breath, the chicken thief said only a few words:
“... I went to pan for gold... there was none... my son wanted chicken, I promised... I took it... I hope you all... forgive me... I’m dying... sen word to him...”
The action of the people at My Thanh Hamlet truly is a crime that must be punished severely. Note: Because his face was totally disfigured, we are unable to take his photograph. The victim was wearing a pair of worn army trousers with two pieces of purple material sewn onto the back. On the right sleeve were the letters LIEN, 28 August. Relatives the victim must come immediately to Public Security Post No. 6 on Ong Ich Khiem Street, in the city of N... to file...”.
Teo’s eyes glazed over and he dropped the trousers he had been holding. Yes, it was his father. Teo’s father, before leaving to pan for gold, had worn trousers just like that. LIEN was his mother’s name, 28 August was the date his mother passed on. His father had sewn that onto his shirt sleeve in remembrance of her. Oh my God! So, his father truly was dead. From morning until now he had been calling out about the death of his father and he had not even know it... Dad is dead, Ti... he’s dead...
Teo put down the pair of pants he had intended to buy. There was no need to get back his money. He held his head and ran, running and sobbing.
Seeing that the child had discarded the trousers, thrown down the money and fled as if chased by ghosts, the sales woman was shocked and called after him:
“Hey! Why aren’t you taking the pair of trousers back to your father?”
It was as if Teo could see and hear nothing. His shape disappeared into the road’s dust, leaving behind the “Public Security Special Edition ” newspapers which Huttered about in the air of the late afternoon sun.
|
