“A Fluttering Alley”

Two old friends and a fluttering alley, filled with unspoken love…

We unexpectedly crossed paths at a seaside café. It had been ages, but with just a few surprised glances, we nodded and smiled. Quietly, we sat across from each other, gazing out at the endless waves. Our conversation started hesitantly, with pauses and slow remarks, but gradually, it drifted back to the cherished memories we shared.

“I still remember our provincial grade 9 team preparing for the National Excellent Student Contest that year. The afternoons spent listening to poetry lectures, my mind often wandering to the scenes outside the window. The mornings with new friends in a class that was as talented as it was mischievous. I remember…” He paused, smiling as he turned to me: “What do you remember?”

“I remember when we cycled along the beach, listening to the waves and the wind rustling through the coconut leaves. There was an essay you wrote that made me realize how superficial my understanding of poetry was. And those moments when the teacher asked you to answer a question, and amid the attentive eyes, someone always blushed…” I smiled softly.

He shook his head and laughed, “Why did I blush so much back then? Was it because I was always being watched too closely, especially by the Vice President of the class? Even though I hid at the back of the class, I couldn’t escape her attention.”

I was indifferent to his provocative gaze. “Of course, I had to take care of the new members in our class. Our homeroom teacher instructed me to monitor and help you for the month you joined. But in reality, I couldn’t help much at all because you were all such good students.”

“You know, near our dormitory back then, there was a little shop selling Nha Trang’s bánh căn. Every morning, we’d go there for breakfast. After returning to my hometown, every time I ate bánh căn, I missed our friends and I missed Nha Trang. There’s something about Nha Trang’s bánh căn that has stayed with me forever.”

The culinary thread in me began to vibrate as I tried to find a reason. “I remember that Nha Trang’s bánh căn was very simple back then – just scallion oil, fresh herbs, fish sauce with garlic and chili, or sometimes stewed fish sauce. During the mango season, there was also sweet and sour, crunchy shredded mango. It was just like in your hometown. I think you found it delicious because you ate it when you were hungry.”

He smiled, gazing out at the sea. “Probably. I also remember an alley with a beautiful bougainvillea trellis. Every time I walked by, the song A Fluttering Alley echoed in my heart.” He began to sing softly: “A fluttering alley lies in the city’s heart. A lovely voice makes tender feelings start. Autumn leaves dance, scattered and free. Under the midday sun, bougainvillea blooms, stirring my soul.”

His voice was warm and tinged with a hint of sadness. I complimented, “You sing so beautifully, but on the last night of the farewell party, we asked you to sing, and you refused. If you had sung this song then, many hearts would have been fluttering.”

He turned to look at me, remaining silent. I quickly apologized, “I was just kidding. I also love this song, especially the line, “longing to speak our hearts, we lingered in each other’s gaze.” The lyrics and melody are so gentle and lovely. It’s rare to find a song like that nowadays.”

He nodded in agreement, “Our time was hard but innocent, always filled with shyness. I passed by that bougainvillea trellis and that blue gate countless times, but I never dared to knock on the door. I could only let “Under the midday sun, bougainvillea blooms, stirring my soul.””

I smiled, “People who love and are talented in literature are truly romantic. But why didn’t you knock on the door? Who knows, maybe that person felt the same way you did.”

He fell silent. The waves lapping against the shore were as strong and continuous as the beat of a heart. The sip of coffee on my lips was bitter yet sweet. Today, the sky was clear, its blue as deep as the sea. It was truly “a silence with immense meanings.“

Before saying goodbye, he smiled at me: “I am always grateful to life for giving me a bougainvillea bloom and a fluttering alley, for me to remember when I feel empty. I am very happy to see you again today. Live happily and joyfully!”

I placed my hand in his, feeling the warmth of his gentle grasp. We shook hands tightly, looked into each other’s eyes, and smiled. Life had many paths, and as we parted, we didn’t know when we would meet again. But this gentle “fluttering” was enough to kindle a warmth in our hearts each time we reminisced.

* Song “A Fluttering Alley”, music and lyrics by Tran Quang Huy.

** Singer: Forgetmenot Nguyen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCqLo7lSa9o 

mlefood – Minh Lê