Four Day Weekend

Today is 30 April 2012.  For most Americans my age, it probably doesn't even tingle as any particularly important day in history. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for my lot in life, the day wouldn't mean much, if anything, to me either.

But, since I may or may not have your interest now, I will endeavor to educate.  Today is what we Americans call "Fall of Saigon" Day and the Vietnamese call Liberation Day. So the little history lesson is that on this day in 1975 the communist rolled their tanks through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon and claimed victory over the Republic of Vietnam. Forget about the fact that they could have just walked through with no opposition or that they had to stage the event to film for posterity's sake, because in the end Saigon fell and the country became as one.

Counter to what one may think, I sped through the streets to work and back home with little or no attention cast upon me. There is no animosity - no bad feelings to share with this white boy from Alabama. I only mention this because I have been often asked whether the Vietnamese hate me.  In fact, even in the early 90's when the state of the country was still very bleak and economic recovery from the war was still ongoing, I can't recall anyone ever showing me ill-will in Hanoi, Saigon or Danang. There were one or two occasions in Quang Binh when I - as a member of a team - had a farming tool shaken at me and certain mean-sounding words shouted at me (no idea what was said at the time as I was new in country and the Quang Binh farmer's dialect isn't the easiest to comprehend - especially when angry), but as it was explained to me later the man had lost his entire family to the effects of bombs falling from the sky. I guess that would make it pretty personal for him.

Today, things were very normal. The only notable things in my daily routine were: 1) It was perhaps one thousand degrees outside on my way back home (I know this because my skin was cooking off of my arms as I maneuvered my way through the streets), and 2) Since it is a holiday, people were swimming in the pool when I got back. This second thing was notable only in that I was not able to enjoy this hottest day of the year so far by frolicking in the cool water.  Frankly at my age and weight, I don't think frolicking is the most accurate term to use, but it'll do.

Tomorrow is May Day (Labor Day), another holiday for the masses. I can't help but to think General Giap delayed the push into Saigon to get a four day weekend in perpetuity.