# Bahn Mi lunch day



## Kevin (Nov 2, 2017)

[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]It smells like steamed cockroach in here. I make sure I am sitting somewhere where a breeze blows in the front, and away the stink. Place has smelled like rotten food before. But they have sandwiches I like. Best I've had, and I've tried a few. [/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]Been eating here forever. [/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]Oh shit, the boba tea got a little smaller. Oh well, still good. _Fuck you, American! Numba-10! _[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]Where was that from? Oh yeah, A Rumor of War. What a great book. It was a memoir of an American soldier in the Vietnam War. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]I remember they had this one part, in the book, and this was after he'd been 'in-country' awhile, where he, the author, and a friend were exposed, rolling on the ground, laughing hysterically while in the middle of a firefight. Bullets and explosions were everywhere, and they were laughing; shooting back; fighting. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]They had this thing in Vietnam, a pidgin thing, where things were judged or measured by numbers - a scale- like here - only ten was the worst, and one was best, ten worst, backwards from here where ten is best. Telling someone 'number ten' was a put down, like they were the worst. The kids in the city would sometimes yell that at the G.I.s. while passing by on their motor scooters. That was a long time ago...[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]I wonder if the microbes are immigrants, too?[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]"Hot Saigon sandwich", "Bahn Mi", on crispy-outside, flakey even, fresh, soft, French bread. "Fuck you GI. Numba ten." Mmm-boy. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]The Frenchies were more brutal than we were. They took over and made everyone their slave. Like Haiti, it was a big, giant, slave plantation-colony/country. So civilized, and enlightened. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]The Vietnamese kept their bread, and kicked their fucking asses out. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]And then we dropped in right as they left.[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]Now that was a clusterfuck. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]And finally, we left. And then the boat people came here, and sell us these lovely sandwiches. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]The owner's old; he's like me. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]He hated the fucking commies and got out of there. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]I was still a kid when it ended. I only know what I saw on tv or read, or things I heard from people who'd experienced it. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]They won; we lost, and they brutalized a generation, but it was their own people. They finally were on their own, however fucked. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]I think I'd go visit...just to see it. It's all young people now, born after the war. They like us, or so I've heard. We have factories there and I wear all the latest Vietnamese-made fashion. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Display][FONT=.SFUIDisplay-Semibold]This sandwich is really good. Hm..[/FONT][/FONT]
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Sent from my iPhone


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## Plasticweld (Nov 2, 2017)

A different style of writing for you Kevin.   Did you mean "The Place"  or just "Place"


You represent the lost feeling well.


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## Kevin (Nov 2, 2017)

I meant Place. I wonder if I should represent it like  'place  or -place ? Maybe the second one. Or... ; place... That's probably better, huh? The ";" denoting an afterthought or added thought that's not a full sentence; a fragment. .  Good catch.


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## sas (Nov 7, 2017)

First line could be "where a breeze blows stink away." 

This could be a great poem, too. Someone, who doesn't write poetry, (forgot name), just took his prose story (posted) and converted into one of the best poems in WF. Take a look.

The Vietnam era affected my generation, who paid a dear price . . .for nothing. American friends vacation there now. Love it. It's a 1.


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## Kevin (Nov 7, 2017)

Thanks sas. I posted this from the sandwich shop. I keep finding edits. The owners were/are greatful for the attempt we (U.S.) made to keep them from being communist. From what I read the communist leadership were utterly committed. They would never quit no matter the level of destruction we 'visited' upon them. 
Anyway... I'll look for that poem. 58,000 Americans and 'couple million Viets..


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## sas (Nov 7, 2017)

The converted prose poem can be found in the Workshop.


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## sas (Nov 7, 2017)

Kevin, the poem referenced is A Herron's Walk.


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## Kevin (Nov 7, 2017)

sas said:


> Kevin, the poem referenced is A Herron's Walk.


 got it.


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## LeeC (Nov 7, 2017)

Missed this in my drug stupor, but finally noticed, glad I did.

To me it's your usual narrator's voice, with variations depending on content, which I quite like. A kind of organized stream of consciousness style, that pulls me into a scene. Edit if "you" must, but I'm fine with it as is. 

Don't suppose it has much of a meaningful draw for that many anymore, with succeeding generations involved in their own experiences of getting by, only surface reading, or having formed some manipulated impression. You evoked memories for me though, not all of which I care to dwell on, damn you ;-) Yes, it was a hell of a clusterfuck, prompted by misguided fear of commies spreading, the far left and far right clashing. A bit of a two sided coin in that it motivated some to seek their dreams elsewhere. Even that is excusable, given what was behind the conflicts that followed. Our oil tycoons leading sheep to slaughter for the sake of profits, saving Kuwait in itself a noble gesture, but also used as an excuse. What isn't noted in the history books is that we were "involved" before the French left. There's much truth (and accurate timing) in the book "The Quiet American" by Graham Greene, which as expected was condemned by our "powers" as anti-American, not wanting the populace to get a glimpse of our dark side. We learned nothing, as evidenced by where we are now.

Whoa Lee! Your writing, drawing one in and engaging our rusty thinking doohickey, is a mark of what I consider effective presentation of a meaningful idea. Wish I could do as well with my own writing. 

Ride on bro, love your pieces.


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## Kevin (Nov 7, 2017)

LeeC said:


> Missed this in my drug stupor, but finally noticed, glad I did.
> 
> To me it's your usual narrator's voice, with variations depending on content, which I quite like. A kind of organized stream of consciousness style, that pulls me into a scene. Edit if "you" must, but I'm fine with it as is.
> 
> ...


 Graham Greene... I didn't read that. I did read the Pentagon Papers. Coming from a rightist,  reactionary point of view, the conclusion of the CIA was: don't go in there... Quagmire!

You know, things were so clear when it was us against the Nazis. Civil wars are a different deal. 

 I still have no clue as to the 'why' of Iraq. Destabilization? Is that it? Keep everything destabilized over there and it won't come over here?


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