A week before Christmas, I asked my father to buy Santa clothes for me, take me traveling around Saigon which is capital in Vietnam and walk outside the DUC BA Church which is the biggest and oldest Church in Saigon. He promised me he would do that, so I was excited.
These are the Santa clothes which I wanted my father to buy for me.
This is the DUC BA Church in Saigon
On my mind, I always thought about Christmas and I couldn't wait. My father was tired and angry when I kept asking him the same question repeated many times a day: " Where are my Santa clothes, Daddy?". I was disappointed if got the answer from him that I needed to be patient until Christmas, so I counted down, day by day.
Finally, Christmas Eve came. I woke up so early and ran to my father's bedroom to remind him about his promise, but he wasn't in there. I thought he went to buy Santa clothes for me. I was waiting for him until the evening and walked back and forth all day. I saw him riding on his old bicycle far away, I ran toward him and asked him for my clothes. His face was sweaty, I could tell he was very tired, but I didn't care about him. I just wanted to know where my clothes was. He looked at me with hesitant eyes and told me to take a shower, so we could go out. I didn't forget asking where my Santa clothes was. Suddenly, he gave me a tight hug and said: " I'm so sorry, Baby. I wanted to buy you the nice Santa clothes, but I haven't gotten my salary yet and couldn't borrow money to buy it." I was extremely disappoint and badly upset. However, I calmed down when he made another promise. He would buy a big doll for me after he got his salary. Then I went to take a shower and hang out with him.
We traveled around Saigon on his old bicycle. He let me sit on the seat and he sat behind me. I asked him if I could sit on the back, but he didn't let me because he was worried I would fall or my feet would get stuck inside the wheel.
My father's old bicycle was similar to this one but a different color.
After traveling around, I was hungry, so he stopped at the pushcart that sold many kinds of food such as bread, sandwiches, juice, water and coffee in front of the zoo. He told me he would take me to the zoo and eat at the good restaurant next time. He bought only a sandwich and a bottle of water. I asked him: "Why do you buy only one, how about you?". He said he wasn't hungry. I was old enough to know he lied to me. I knew he didn't have enough money to buy food for him, so I told him cut half of my sandwich because I couldn't finish it by myself. He told me to eat it. If I was full, he would help me to finish it. I listened to him, but I didn't finish it. I shared with him half of my sandwich and my water, too. That was our dinner on Christmas Eve.
These are the Santa clothes which I wanted my father to buy for me.
On my mind, I always thought about Christmas and I couldn't wait. My father was tired and angry when I kept asking him the same question repeated many times a day: " Where are my Santa clothes, Daddy?". I was disappointed if got the answer from him that I needed to be patient until Christmas, so I counted down, day by day.
Finally, Christmas Eve came. I woke up so early and ran to my father's bedroom to remind him about his promise, but he wasn't in there. I thought he went to buy Santa clothes for me. I was waiting for him until the evening and walked back and forth all day. I saw him riding on his old bicycle far away, I ran toward him and asked him for my clothes. His face was sweaty, I could tell he was very tired, but I didn't care about him. I just wanted to know where my clothes was. He looked at me with hesitant eyes and told me to take a shower, so we could go out. I didn't forget asking where my Santa clothes was. Suddenly, he gave me a tight hug and said: " I'm so sorry, Baby. I wanted to buy you the nice Santa clothes, but I haven't gotten my salary yet and couldn't borrow money to buy it." I was extremely disappoint and badly upset. However, I calmed down when he made another promise. He would buy a big doll for me after he got his salary. Then I went to take a shower and hang out with him.
We traveled around Saigon on his old bicycle. He let me sit on the seat and he sat behind me. I asked him if I could sit on the back, but he didn't let me because he was worried I would fall or my feet would get stuck inside the wheel.
My father's old bicycle was similar to this one but a different color.
After traveling around, I was hungry, so he stopped at the pushcart that sold many kinds of food such as bread, sandwiches, juice, water and coffee in front of the zoo. He told me he would take me to the zoo and eat at the good restaurant next time. He bought only a sandwich and a bottle of water. I asked him: "Why do you buy only one, how about you?". He said he wasn't hungry. I was old enough to know he lied to me. I knew he didn't have enough money to buy food for him, so I told him cut half of my sandwich because I couldn't finish it by myself. He told me to eat it. If I was full, he would help me to finish it. I listened to him, but I didn't finish it. I shared with him half of my sandwich and my water, too. That was our dinner on Christmas Eve.
These are some pictures in Saigon on Christmas.
Although, I have gotten a lot of gifts and eaten delicious foods on Christmas since then, but that was my happiest and warmest time with my father.
Your stories are touching, Hanh....really lovely and very well told.
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