The Strange Day Helper (Chapter 7)

On that day, Qui Rom did stop by Mr. Sau Canh house.

He stopped by with no real purpose in mind.  Qui Rom was only making his round and that was all.  Las year, he helped the gentleman expunged the ghost from this house.  And that was when he discovered the person throwing the stones on Mr. Sau Canh house every night was the two little kids hiding in the nearby café shop.  There wasn’t a ghost or demon. 

Mr. Sau Canh, of course, doesn’t know about this truth.  Qui Rom didn’t tell him because at the time, there were these two cashew pickers squatting in his abandoned house every night.  Out in the cashew plantation, there were tents for the cashew pickers, mostly kids, to stay overnight.  However, out there the wind blows really hard.  The younger sister was sick so the older one had to carry her in Mr. Sau Canh’s house to shelter her from the wind.  Qui Rom was afraid if he reveals the story, then Mr. Sau Canh will be angry and kicked out the two girls out of his house.

At that time, after Qui Rom pacified the “one-legged demons”, Mr. Sau Canh carried over two chickens and a whole ripened banana stem all the way to Uncle Nam Chieu house to express his gratitude toward Qui Rom.  According to him, “Qui Rom the nation’s most skilled ghost master, graduate the top percent from the prestigious Ta Lon mountain.”  He spoke with tears: “If you didn’t expunge “them”, I don’t know when I would be able to sell the house.”

That incident occurred last summer and Qui Rom was certain the house had has a new owner.  That was why when he biked into Mr. Sau Canh front yard, he didn’t think he would run into his “supporter” in there.

Mr. Sau Canh immediately recognized his “Reverend Master”.  He ran outside excited:

- Well, “The Reverend” is stopping by!  Please “Reverend”, come in here!

Hearing the grinder running and seeing people standing inside the house, Qui Rom suddenly panicked.  He pulled his “fan” to the corner of the yard and whispered:

-Mr. Sau!  Please don’t call me a “Reverend” this, “Reverend” that.  That sort of title should only be used when “necessary.”  If we overused it, then it will lose its “holiness.”  Normally, please just use the normal honorific between you and me. 

Qui Rom was close to pleading, but to Mr. Sau Canh, his plea was more like an “order” from a “Reverend.”  He panicky changed his tone:

- Really?  That’s so!  Turn out this occupation has its own set of rules and guidelines I didn’t know.

That day, after listened to Mr. Sau Canh, Qui Rom found out Mr. Sau Canh no longer put his house for sale; instead, he rented it for someone to place a rice grinder there.

- Where are you going kiddo? – Mr. Sau Canh asked.

- I’m going out, and you?

- I’m collecting rent today.

Qui Rom was just asking out of politeness.  He immediately forgot about Mr. Sau Canh.  He opened his eyes wide and stared at the machine with the brand Honda sitting right in the middle of the house.  Surrounding it was the ladies and younger girls with bamboo poles on their shoulders, both ends held up baskets full of rice, waiting for their turn.  Observing a little bit longer, Qui Rom saw that it wasn’t that hard to operate the machine.  First pulled the cord to start the engine, then pour unpolished rice into the big funnel on the top.  Polished rice came out on one side, and the other side was the coating.  To turn rice into smaller kernels or even grind it to smaller pieces, there were buttons for the desired effect.

Suddenly Qui Rom felt his hands and feet starting to itch.  As a toddler, he developed a fascination with machinery.  He enjoys the game of taking things apart and putting them together.  He had built some small, miniature machines.  However, he never had operated a large machine like this rice grinder. 

- Uncle Sau.

- Wassup kiddo?

- Who is that operating the machine?

- The machine’s owner, kiddo.

Qui Rom licked his lip, his voice raspy out of nervousness:

- Could you ask him to permit me…operate the machine a little bit?

- Let me check with him. – Mr. Sau Canh eager – Easy thing to do.

Perhaps the machine’s owner already heard about Qui Rom’s “importance” from the house owner so he enthusiastically agreed.  He immediately turned the machine off and began to describe the functions of the machine in detailed manner. 

Qui Rom stood there and listened, his head constantly nodded.

Then after five minutes, he became the younger machine operator.

The machine’s owner stood there to observe Qui Rom operates the machine and polishes rice for a while, he praised:

- You already mastered the operation, however, you are still a little bit weak on both of your hands, thus when you pull the cord to start the machine, make sure you are careful or the cord will snap into your mouth.

The house owner praised him, Qui Rom was somewhat estatic.  However, when he continued, Qui Rom was 100% happy:

-If you like, why don’t you stop by to run the machine everyday.  You can earn money, receive a salary.

Qui Rom’s stomach released each knot.  He felt giddy, and didn’t even think whether the machine’s owner was just inviting him to please the house owner, or he was truly that well-trained so the machine’s owner noticed.  From back then to now, Qui Rom never work anywhere for money, with the exception of the time he helped Tieu Long operate a lottery game to buy a  stuffed bear for his younger sibling.  Qui Rom family is not upperclass, but they living in poverty either.  What ever he needed, he can ask his parents.  His parents also don’t want him to work for money.  They wanted him to focus on his education.  “I usually see those students who work part time over the summer,” Qui Rom complained.  “Oh son, those are the ones with difficult family situation, otherwise no parents would want their kids to go work while they are being students,” his mom continued “The adults’ are responsible for earning and providing, while little kids’ responsibility is to study.  Wait until you are older to go work for money.”

To now, Qui Rom still remembered his mom’s words.  However, he still liked earning money.  Qui Rom wanted to make money not because he needed money, but because he believed that it’s a sign of maturity, independence.  That was why when the machine owner suggested the idea of working for him, Qui Rom could hardly suppress his excitement.

Qui Rom couldn’t contain his excitement.  He planned to polish a few more baskets of rice, and then ran straight home.  He wanted to tell Tieu Long the story.  He smiled at the enthusiasm he imagined his chubby friend will show.  No doubt Tieu Long will speak loudly: “That’s excellent!  Please let me come along!”  Of course.  He even planned to bring the chubby kid along to work alongside him.  The chubby kid will start the engine and help customers pour their rice into the large funnel.  As for him, he will be a “technician”, responsible for the important task of operating all the automatic buttons.

Qui Rom was estatic.  He became a dreamer without even knowing about it.  He can see clearly in his head how Lil’ Hanh will be wide eyes with admiration looking at him and Tieu Long showing her their stack of money while bragging: “Us guys worked part time over the summer!”

- Eh kid, rice is spilling out!

A loud voice interrupted Qui Rom’s beatiful daydream. 

He turned around and saw kernels of rice shooting out from somewhere from the machine.

Qui Rom looked around and was planning to ask the machine owner for help, but he was no where to be found.  Even Mr. Sau Canh was somewhere else and not at his original spot.

Qui Rom worriedly cranked his neck to take a look and saw a round rubber cover sticking out along the top frame of the grinder. The cover had partially popping out of the grinder, and from there kernels of rice spilled out. 

Qui Rom planned to come over, but he was busy collecting rice streaming out of the chute.

- Hey kid! – Seeing a girl standing around there, Qui Rom called loudly – Why are you just standing there to watch without lending me a hand?

The girl looked around 13, 14 years old.  Her face glowing tan with hair thin and sunburned, and dark yellow ponytail resembling a dry bundle of straws.  Hearing Qui Rom’s loud voice, she looked up dazed and confused:

- I don’t know what to do!

Qui Rom blood boiled over:

- Why are you being such a dolt!  Close the rubber cover!

- How do you closed it?

- Oh my goodness!  Use your hand to press it closed.  Don’t you have hands? 

The girl exuded an “ah” and hurriedly followed Qui Rom’s command.  She used her index finger and pressed on the rubber cover but the pressure pushing forth from within the machine was too great, causing the cover to slightly shook and resist being closed entirely. 

Seeing rice continued to spill out from there, steam almost came out of Qui Rom ears from being frustrated:

- Why don’t you use your thumb to press it closed.  Your index finger is too weak to be of any used!

The girl immediately followed Qui Rom adviced.  The result, after she used her thumb to press on the cover, was that the rubber cover was closed and rice stopped spilling out.

Qui Rom excited:

- You see!  I’ve never been wrong!

- Right! You are really talented.

The girl praised.  While complimenting Qui Rom, she didn’t press as hard with her thumb.  The plaster cover once again popped up and rice started to spill out.

- I’ve never someone as clumpsy as you! – Qui Rom scowed and yelled.

The girl became afraid and pressed down hard.

- Press harder! – Qui Rom yelled loudly – More pressure! More!  Use all your strength!

The girl exerted all her strength.

She pressed her lips and teeth together and exerted pressure, her face red.

“Pop!”, the plastic cover was pushed into the grinder by the girl’s thumb.  Her whole thumb also followed into the hole. 

At that moment, the girl didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary.  She heard a small cutting sound, but registered no pain.

She pulled her thumb out, clumsily wiped it on her shirt and apologetically looked at Qui Rom:

- I accidentally pressed down too hard…

However, Qui Rom didn’t answer.  His eyes wide opened and staring at the girl, his jaw slackened, and face a greyish color.  It appeared as if he just put on a color toned mask.

Mistakenly thought Qui Rom is still angry, the girl nervously said:

- You…you…

The girl is shaking.  Qui Rom also stuttered:

- Blood…blood…

The girl confused:

- What is it?

Qui Rom moaned, he was so shocked he didn’t know what to do:

- Look…look….look at your shirt!

At that moment, dozen of mouth joined in unison:

- Oh, blood!  Where’s all that blood came from?

- Oh no!  Look at the girl’s finger!

Dozen of people rushed toward the girl.

Now the girl saw her shirt red from bloodstain.  She just wiped her finger on her shirt.  Her thumb is cut almost in half, almost became unattached, and from that cut blood pouring out nonstop.

- Oy…oy…

The girl went into shock, uttered several sounds and then started crying.  Now the pain started to register.

- Bring her to the hospital right away!

Someone yelled out.  Hearing a familiar voice, Qui Rom turned around to see the owner just returned.  He was elated:

- Please watch the machine for me.  I’m going to bring her to the hospital.

Another woman accompanied Qui Rom to bring the girl to the hospital next to the post office.

- You stay here okay.  I have to go back to the house to watch my baskets of rice. – The woman told him when the doctor arrived.

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After the woman left, Qui Rom sat down on the chair next to the patient’s bed, anxiously looking at the doctor, who is examining the girl’s finger at the moment.  His heart was full of regrets.  If he didn’t force the girl to close the plastic cover, didn’t hurried the girl to apply more pressure on the cover, the girl’s finger wouldn’t be closed to being cut clean.

- Is it painful? – The doctor asked.

- Yes doctor.

- Bear it a little bit longer, okay. – The doctor held up a metallic tweezer and reassuringly said – I’m going to pick out the broken bone fragments, it will hurt just a little bit.

Qui Rom hairs stand on end hearing the bone fragments disposed into a metal bowl placed by the bed.

- What’s your name? – The doctor asked to keep the girl from paying attention to her fingertip.

- My name is Gai.

-Where do you live?

- It’s right by the Sat bridge.

- What grade are you in?

- I finished 8th grade.  After this summer I will enter 9th grade.

The doctor continued his questions, and Gai provided her answers.  The sound of bones hitting metal became less and less.

Out of the blue, the doctor said:

- I already picked all the bone fragments out.  If you want to recover quickly, you have to saw this finger off.

- No, no! – Lil’ Gai shook.  She almost stood up – I don’t want to.

- Okay, there won’t be an operation. – The doctor sighed – But if you leave it on, it will be slow to heal.

- Whenever it heals is fine. – Lil’ Gai happy – Sawing the finger off will be too ugly!  I don’t want to saw my finger off, not one bit!

That day, Qui Rom brought Lil’ Gai back to her house.

The two dragged their feet along the main road.

Seeing Lil’ Gai once in a while raised her large bandaged finger to her eyes looking to  and fro, Qui Rom became agitated:

- Please allow me to apologize, Gai. – He spoke softly.

- It’s not your fault!

- Entirely my fault.  It was my fault for telling you to press really hard on the cover.

- It was my fault.  If I didn’t let down my guard…

Qui Rom jumped in:

- My fault.

- No, my fault.

Sensing Lil’ Gai’s unwillingness to accept his apology, Qui Rom made peace:

- Okay, so it was both mine and yours fault.

This time, Lil’ Gai didn’t say anything.  After a while, she spoke as if she just recalled something:

- Hmm, how did you know my name?

- You are still young but why you are so easy to forget! – Qui Rom smiled broadly – Didn’t you just told the doctor your name!

- Right. – Lil’ Gai blinked – And you?

- I’m what?

- What’s your name?

- My name is Qui.

- You live in the Duoi village?

- No, I live in the city. Summer vacation, I come here to hang out with Luom and Tac Ke Bong at the Tren village.  Do you know those two?

- No. – Lil’ Gai answered softly, her voice suddenly choked up.

Qui Rom stared at her.  Despite making an effort to lower her head, Qui Rom still saw tears rolling on her cheeks. 

- What happened? – Qui Rom worriedly asked.

- Well, nothing.

- If it’s nothing, why are you crying? – Qui Rom looked down at her bandaged finger, his voice hesitant – Does it hurt badly?

- No.

- Don’t lie to me.  If it doesn’t hurt, then why are you crying?

Seeing Lil’ Gai continuing to cry instead of answering him, Qui Rom rubbed his nose and ventured a guess:

- Maybe you are afraid that once you are home, your parents will see your finger and surely will scold you?

- My father passed away a long time ago.

- Then your mother will scold you?

- My mom never scold me.  She is paralyze from the waist down, these last few years she’s been lying in one place.

- Then you are the only child?

- I have an older brother.

- Ah! – Qui Rom barely suppressed his excitement – Then you are afraid your brother will lecture you!

Lil’ Gai worriedly answered:

- I’m only worried I can’t do any house chores with my finger looking like this…

Without finishing her sentence, Lil’ Gai started to cry again.  Qui Rom looked at her sunburned skin and her dark yellow hairs and suddenly has a sinking feeling in his stomach.  He thought, “Right, girls in the countryside usually have thousands of chores.  With her family situation, she probably has to work from dawn until dusk.  Really pitiful!

- Don’t worry! – Qui Rom generously said.  In his generous mood, he changed honorific usage without even knowing it – I will help you, little sister.

Gai’s lips rounded:

- You are helping me?

- Right.

- You are going to sweep the house, carry the water pails, peel the bananas, and prepare pork food for me?

- Right, I will do it all.  I’m going to do it until your finger is healed.

Lil’ Gai was touched by Qui Rom’s kindness.

On the road leading home, there were two warmth-hearted individuals walking.

Lil’ Gai is moved but she is still a realist.  She looked at Qui Rom from head to toe:

- Can you do it?

Qui Rom put up with his friend’s suspicious eyes.  He knew Lil’ Gai is thinking to herself that he is all skin and bones.  He knew Lil’ Gai is thinking, “What can this skinny person do?”

Qui Rom suddenly started to feel itchy.  He had the sensation as if Gai’s eyes is scanning all over his body.  Qui Rom pretended to be indifferent, he didn’t want Lil’ Gai to be disappointed:

- You don’t know me.  I am used to doing to house chores

Fearing Lil’ Gai would not believe him, Qui Rom half-opened his eyes and added:

- There are a lot of people in my house.  My grandma, father, mother, older brother, younger sister, no one has to do anything.  I claim all the tasks, from little one to big ones.

Lil’ Gai looks at Qui Rom with admiration.  She doesn’t know why Qui Rom had to close his eyes when he listed all of his accomplishments.  Lil’ Gai doesn’t know the skinny kid is the master of lies.  Qui Rom is afraid of opening his eyes when he lies.  During that time, his eyes dart back and forth akin to a crook’s eyes.  Looking at his eyes, the listener will figure out that Qui Rom usually leave the chores, from big ones to small ones, to his grandma, his father, mother, older brother and his younger sister, not the other way around.