Life in Ho Chi Minh City is often compared to a painting containing many contrasting colors. Besides the luxurious, bustling places and big houses, there are still old boarding houses and people struggling to make a living. In this city, the only thing they can rely on is the love of strangers.
Ho Chi Minh City people's love for "Mai's grandmother"
Under the harsh sunlight of a summer noon, right next to the bustling Saigon Square shopping center (Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1), there is an elderly woman sitting selling sweet soup, wearing an old, worn-out conical hat, her eyes red from many sleepless nights. That is Mrs. Pham Thi Mai (82 years old, Binh Thanh District) and her sweet soup stall that is over 30 years old.
Mrs. Mai is from Quang Ngai. Because her family was poor, she followed her acquaintances to Ho Chi Minh City to make a living since she was a child. Many years ago, when she was still healthy, she carried her goods along the streets, the sweet taste of the pot of sweet soup she cooked was the childhood of many people living in Ho Chi Minh City. She said that in the Ben Nghe and Ben Thanh wards (District 1), she had many acquaintances.
Mrs. Mai has been selling tea in Ho Chi Minh City for over 30 years.
"Before, just hearing her call, the children would run out to support her. Now many of them are married and know that she sells here so they stop by from time to time. In a strange place, I can only rely on the love of my uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters to survive," she choked up.
Having worked hard all her life, at her old age, fate still did not let her go, cruelly taking away too many things from her. First was her husband, who shared her happiness and sadness, then her son with a heart disease. Now she only has her mentally ill son, half conscious and half unconscious, living in the countryside, and asking relatives to help take care of him.
Her right eye was no longer clear, and one shoulder of her shirt was also covered with patches.
"Many times, she wanted to follow him to get better, but then she thought, her poor son in the countryside still needed his mother, needed the few coins his mother sent home every month to buy medicine. So, come rain or shine, she tried to hold on, living day by day," her eyes were sunken, it had been a long time since she had a good night's sleep.
When I came to see her, I happened to meet Mr. Ngoc Duc (57 years old, Go Vap District) who bought her tea and gave her some gifts. The money was from a friend living abroad, who asked him to bring it to her for food and medicine.
Cups of tea contain the childhood of many people in Ho Chi Minh City
"I have passed by her many times, seeing her old but still struggling like that, I feel sorry for her, and also miss my mother. This little gift is not worth much, but at least it helps her have more motivation to continue living. In Ho Chi Minh City, people love each other for no reason at all, just helping her a little, I and everyone else are happy," Mr. Duc confided.
Talking to Mrs. Mai, I really felt sorry for her miserable life. Such a long life, with the heavy burden of the two poles on her shoulders, she never dared to think about resting. I asked her what made her happy, she smiled toothlessly and shook her head, she said she didn't dare to hope for happiness, she just wanted to live a little longer to take care of her children.
Mr. Ngoc Duc came to buy tea and give gifts to Mrs. Mai.
The weather in Ho Chi Minh City is hot and humid, but some people, not minding the traffic jam, lingered to buy her a cup of mung bean sweet soup. Those who had more money gave her a few tens of thousands more for dinner, while those who were less fortunate gave her a hug, a handshake, and sweet words of encouragement, "Grandma, keep trying!"
"Wait for me a moment, son!"
In Ho Chi Minh City, people often call the older street vendors “mother” or “grandmother.” It sounds so warm and affectionate. This city is famous for its rush, rush to work, rush to finish work, yet there are still people who patiently stand in line for hours to buy mixed rice paper from Grandma Tam.
"Please wait a little bit, my hands are shaking so I'm working slowly, please wait a little bit", Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tam (82 years old, District 10) slowly said. I don't know whether to use the word "carrier" or "shop" because the place where Mrs. Tam sells is just a small corner sitting in front of her neighbor's gate. She has been selling mixed rice paper for nearly 30 years, since the time when it only cost a few thousand VND per portion.
Over 80 years old, every night Mrs. Tam sells goods until late at night to make a living.
Her husband died early, so Mrs. Tam and her daughter depended on each other to survive. Feeling sorry for her daughter's hardship, at her old age, she still regularly sells rice paper to earn money to help her daughter. Sympathizing with her situation, many young people came to film, take pictures, and share them on social networks in the hope that she would have more customers.
Her tools are very simple, just rice paper, satay, scallion oil, quail eggs, pork rinds, a little mango and Vietnamese coriander. Yet when mixed together, they create a special, indescribable flavor, bringing back the childhood of many people in Ho Chi Minh City.
A group of young people in Ho Chi Minh City painted a sign for Mrs. Tam to help customers find her more easily.
"Living in Ho Chi Minh City, who doesn't love mixed rice paper? Young and old, rich and poor, everyone can eat a bag of rice paper, sip it and talk to each other until late at night. In the past, mixed rice paper was much simpler, but now it's different, many places add all kinds of spices. I'm old so I don't know, I just mix the same old recipe but many friends praise it as delicious and addicted," Mrs. Tam laughed heartily.
Her smile was bright and shining, hidden behind her skin that was wrinkled by time. She kept saying thank you. Thank you for buying for her, for waiting for her, for loving her and not minding the long distance.
Simple ingredients made by Mrs. Tam herself
"I am very grateful to you and everyone. I am old so my hands and feet are not as agile. Sometimes it takes nearly 15 minutes to mix the cake. But everyone patiently waits, without any complaints. One friend bought a portion of twenty and gave me a little extra to buy milk," Mrs. Tam smiled brightly.
When asked if she had any wishes, she said she did not dare to dream of becoming rich, she just wanted to have a small amount of money to rest, not have to work hard anymore. At that time, she wanted to go sightseeing, go to the temple to worship Buddha, do charity work in Ho Chi Minh City... Her wishes from when she was young have not yet come true.
Talking to Ms. Vo Thi Oanh (36 years old, District 3), I learned that every week she spends one day here to eat cakes to support her. "Looking at Ms. Tam, I miss my grandmother. When I have the means, I no longer have the opportunity to show my gratitude to her. Seeing Ms. Tam, who is old but still sells until late every night, I feel so sorry for her. I just hope she is healthy, and as long as I am in Ho Chi Minh City, I can still support her," Ms. Oanh confided.
Ms. Oanh often comes to support and stays to help Ms. Tam sell.
In their old age, grandmothers and mothers like Mrs. Mai and Mrs. Tam struggle to make a living, saving every penny to take care of their families. Despite facing countless difficulties, they still have hope and optimism inside them, which strangers in Ho Chi Minh City have helped to cultivate.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/song-o-tphcm-luon-nang-ganh-muu-sinh-thuong-nhau-chang-vi-ly-do-gi-ca-185240525111105551.htm
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