The Strange Day Helper (Chapter 8)

At this point, Luom could not stay quiet anymore.  He kicked his foot into the haystack, his face enraged:

- The little rascal!

Tac Ke Bong exhaled:

- So the bruise on your shoulder was from that.

Tieu Long barely contained his anger:

- I’m going to beat him.  Sooner or later, I will beat him up.

- Beat!  Beat who?  Let it goes! – Qui Rom tsk tsk – Everything was caused by me.

- But you did not have bad intention. – Tac Ke Bong defended his friend.

Qui Rom sadly smiled:

- Good intention or not, Gai’s finger is still lacerated.

Luom nervously asked:

- Then what happened after that brother?

Tieu Long answered for Qui Rom because he is still angry at the skinny kid for not letting him take revenge:

- He fell and stood up, struggling to stand up just like a cat that fell in water!

- You are right, chubby! – Qui Rom indifferent – But I didn’t stand up by myself.

Just like Qui Rom narrative, Lil’ Gai was head over heel trying to help him stand up.

While pulling Qui Rom up, Lil’ Gai argued with her brother:

- Older brother, you are rude, punching this person out of the blue.

Thoi ignored his little sister.  He pointed at Qui Rom, his voice low:

- You listen to me!  My little sister is the main workforce in this family.  You cause my sister’s injury, you have to replace her.  Everyday you have to come here and obey my order.  When my sister’s finger healed, then you are free, understand?

Normally, hearing Thoi arrogant voice, Qui Rom surely will open his mouth wide to argue.  However, in this “finger case”, he already felt really bad in the beginning.  He felt it was his fault.  He also promised Lil’ Gai that he will help her in all of her chores until his little friend’s finger healed.  He readily agreed with whatever Thoi demanded.

- Understood! – Qui Rom answered easily.

Thoi was a little bit skeptical when he received Qui Rom’s answer.  He sized up Qui Rom from head to toe, up and down, then signal with his chin:

- Where do you lived?

- I live in the Tren neighborhood.

- If you know what’s good for you, you better not escape. – Thoi squinted his eyes – From my house to the Tren neighborhood is really close.  If you don’t show up here, I will go there to get you.

Fearing Qui Rom didn’t get his threat, he also threatened:

- If you make me mad, I will sue you at court.  For sure you will be sent to jail.

Qui Rom quickly agreed:

- I’m not going to dodge work.

Qui Rom acquiesced so easily caused Thoi to look at him without blinking.  Thoi’s suspicious stare lingered on Qui Rom’s face so long, it caused his neck to turn red.

- Why are you staring at me? – Qui Rom grimaced – Once I made a promise, I’d never broken it. 

- Good.  I temporarily believe in you. – Thoi nodded – This is your first task: you run out to the rice grinder place and polish rice for me.  The rice left out there by my little sister this morning.

Lil’ Gai jumped up:

- Let me carry it home.

- You are injured; you can’t do anything worth of salt! – Thoi yelled at her – Let the skinny kid do it!

- I can do it. – Qui Rom looked at Lil’ Gai and reassured her with his smile. 

Lil’ Gai looked at Qui Rom. Her eyes wanted to convey something to him.  Girls are normally hard to understand, there were things Qui Rom didn’t decipher in that look.  He only understood one thing in her eyes: “Skin and bone like you, how would you be able to carry anything!”

%%%%%%%%%

That day, Qui Rom did manage to carry the rice home.

He didn’t carry it on his shoulder, he doesn’t know how.  Instead, he borrowed from the owner two large nylon bags.  One for the rice, the other for the coating.  He then borrowed a few plastic strings, tied one bag behind his bicycle, then biked back.  He had to make three trips.  The first two times were for the two bags, and the third time was for the baskets and accessories. 

Thoi paced back and for in the front yard.  Everytime he saw Qui Rom entering the gate he would praise:

- Pretty good, Skinny!

Qui Rom reached this point, Tieu Long exhaled one loud breath:

- So from that point on, you became Thoi’s hired help?

Tac Ke Bong pursed his lips:

- More like his foot soldier!

Luom saddened:

- Then not only the rich old man but even Miss Ut also takes advantage of the hired helper.

- You don’t know anything so don’t blindly guess! – Qui Rom glanced at the runt – With me helping, Lil’ Gai can worry less.  However, she doesn’t want her older brother to torture me.  A few days ago, she unwound the dressing on her finger and excitedly told her brother, “The wound is healed, Brother.  I can do everything now”.  Thoi carefully examined his sister’s finger and angrily yelled, “Cover it right away!  It’s not healed yet!  Do you want to permanently lose your finger, Gai?”.

Luom swallowed hard:

- Then Gai’s finger is not healed?

- Right. – Qui Rom clicked his jaw – With that kind of injury, how could it heal in just a few days?  She was doing it just to “release” me.

- That little girl is really kind hearted! – Luom stroked his hair and exclaimed.

- You can say that! – Qui Rom nodded, happy that the runt complimented Lil’ Gai – Because she treats me well, her brother constantly scolds her.  She tirelessly covered all the chores inside the house.  She wants to share a little bit with me.  That is why she has a mild fever yesterday.  Her finger constantly twitches.

- What about Thoi? – Tieu Long inexplicably asked – How come he didn’t do anything?

Qui Rom unhappied:

- Lil’ Gai told me her brother is really naughty.  I can’t help but agreed with her.  He is out on the street everyday and never touch anything with his hands. 

- Hmm, sounds like you!

Tieu Long interruption caused Qui Rom to lose his momentum:

- Well…similar…he is not like me!  At the least I still love to study.  Meanwhile, this Thoi did so well in school that this year, the school held him back one grade and placed him in his sister’s class.

- Thoi doesn’t like to fool around. – Luom jumped in – Everytime I came up there, he was always home.

- He only likes to stay home when he acquires me. – Qui Rom forced a smile – He wants to intimidate me.  He really thinks I’m afraid of him. 

The story suddenly winded down at this point.  Qui Rom ceased to speak.  His friends also stopped being curious.  Qui Rom and his “exorcism” is no longer a secret.  The hanging ghost is nonexistent.  In this life, there is only Thoi the bully.  Qui Rom never fought with a ghost.  Only Thoi beat  him up. 

Qui Rom comes from a household that doesn’t like to be intimidated.  Just because he feels guilty for Gai, he bit his tongue and put up with Thoi.  One really feels sorry for him!

A tense atmosphere surrounded the haystack.  Tieu Long, Tac Ke Bong, and Luom spaced out for a long time.  When they were talking loudly, no one paid attention but now that everything is silent, they can hear the crickets chirping under the haystack.

The musical chirp of the cricket band caused Tieu Long to be depressed.  He looked up at the stars glittering through the branches and softly murmured:

- Qui Rom you.

- Wassup?

- About tomorrow.

- What about tomorrow?

Tieu Long had difficulty completing his sentence:

- Tomorrow…tomorrow…we are going to go to Thoi’s house with you.

Qui Rom face disapproved:

- I already said you can’t touch that guy, Thoi.

- My intention is not that. – Tieu Long rubbed his nose – We want to help you sweep the house…

-…help sweep the yard, peel banana, prepare food for the pigs, pour water into the earthern wares!- Like a machine gun that suddenly became unjammed, Luom high-spiritedly spoke in great length as if Tieu Long’s words suddenly found their way into his mouth.

- When I help Lil’ Gai in math, can you guys help me tutor her?

With a simple question, Qui Rom immediately taped shut his friend mouths.  With a confused look, Tieu Long became incomprehensible like a mouse that fell into a trap:

- Well…umm…

Nearby, Tac Ke Bong and Luom stood speechless.  Tieu Long is a student from the city and his face turned white at the mention of the word “math”, let alone students in the countryside like them.  In addition, Gai and her brother are older than them by one or two grades.  End of this summer, Tac Ke Bong will enter 8th grade, while Luom will enter 7th grade.

Qui Rom brushed his pants and stood up, his expression serious and his eyes scanned every single face, his voice cold:

- If you guys can’t help me tutor Lil’ Gai in math, then no one among you can come near Thoi house, you hear.

Qui Rom used his cold face.  However, he felt warm inside.  He knew his friends wanted to lessen his burden.  His friends couldn’t stand the thought of him doing hard labor.  The most heart warming fact was that they didn’t mention about the hanging ghost.  Qui Rom is the king of lies.  This time, however, they were sympathetic with his lies.

The next day, Qui Rom poked his head past Thoi’s house gate with a giddy feeling.  He no longer had to stealthily put his bicycle at Mr. Sau Canh’s place.  He rode his bike straight to his “workplace.”

- Where did you find this piece of junk? – Thoi glanced at Qui’s bicycle and asked out of the corner of his mouth.

- I borrowed it.  The same one I used to carry the rice.

- Good! – Thoi nodded – With this bicycle, I can assign you more tasks.

While Qui Rom tensed his stomach in anticipation, Thoi lowered his head to think.

- Ah, I thought of something for you!- Thoi looked up, his face brightened – Don’t sweep the yard yet.  Now you bike out to Nga Ba market and buy me a plastic ball.  After that, you bike up to…

- Brother! – Lil’ Gai voice rang out. She has been standing by the doorway all along, looking out – Why don’t you bike yourself and buy it, don’t boss Qui around.

Thoi looked at his sister over his shoulder, seemingly upset:

- What’s wrong with you, Gai?  Your finger has not healed yet, and this skinny kid has the responsibility to…

- Let him stay home to help me with math. – One more time, Lil’ Gai stubbornly interrupted her brother.

Thoi is a hot tempered person, but he also loves his little sister.  This is probably why Qui Rom doesn’t harbor a dislike toward this guy, despite being bullied around from dusk until dawn.  Thoi reminded Qui Rom of his own feeling toward his younger sister.  From back then onward, Qui Rom really cared for his sister, Diep.  Really, really cared for her. Similar to the way Tieu Long intensely cares for his Lil’ Oanh.  Now Qui Rom found out another older brother who cares for his little sister no less than him and Tieu Long.  That person is Thoi.

Thoi, standing in the middle of the courtyard and assiduously scratching his head, became unsure of himself:

- Oh so you have to do math?  Right…right…then I will let the skinny kid stays home..

He snuck a glance at Qui Rom:

- However, I don’t know if this skinny kid is really good at math or not.

That day, Qui Rom for the first time didn’t feel tired from “working”.  No sore feet, hands or shoulders, etc…

That whole morning, he sat at one end of the table and enthusiastically explained every intricate details to Lil’ Gai.  Tutoring math is Qui Rom’s “strong suit”, despite contradictory pronouncement from his disciples that he is a harsh teacher who likes to yell and lecture.  Furthermore, they pronounce they rather go out and pick nylon bags than having him as a teacher.

That was when he tutored Tieu Long and Lil’ Diep.

With Lil’ Gai, Qui Rom was surprised to see himself patience and soft-spoken as if someone else has took over his body.  Otherwise, there is no way to explain how he would be able to utter such honey laced words as followed:

- This part is hard to understand, right? Don’t you worry, let me explain it to you one more time so you can understand, okay.

In reality, the hard to understand part was the easiest part to comprehend. If he was tutoring Tieu Long, this would be the part where he would open his mouth wide and lecture, “Oh my god! What is attached to your neck huh Tieu Long?”

With Lil’ Gai, he would not speak to her like that even if someone paid him gold to do it.  The whole day he whispered and patiently explained over and over in sections that would only need explaining once or twice.

He put so much effort in tutoring that even Lil’ Gai’s mother, laying in her bedroom, impatiently called out to her daughter:

- Why are you so slow to understand, Gai?  Your friend’s throat is dried from explaining to you.

Lil’ Gai mother was certain that Qui Rom is a friend of both Thoi and Lil’ Gai.  The first time she heard a stranger’s voice, she inquired and her son responded, “Our friend mom.”

The “friend”, in reality, was not afraid of being hoarse.  He was just afraid of sweeping the house, the courtyard, peeling bananas or carrying water pails. He was afraid Thoi will force him to bike a few twenty or so kilometers in the afternoon heat.

- Not to worry, auntie.

Qui Rom reassured Lil’ Gai’s mother and then happily resumed explaining for the eleventh time.

Qui Rom also had his own reason for being happy.  If Lil’ Gai is too smart, if she understand the concept right away, then he wouldn’t have that much time to take a break.  Thoi will come in to force him to work like a slave.  Without much reasoning, Qui Rom understood that sitting behind a table is much more comfortable than having to sit behind the kitchen, near the pig pen to peel the large and long bananas.

That was why, despite his dried throat, his face remained happy and bright.

Qui Rom was a math genius at Tu Do school.  He was the pride of the teachers and students at the school last year, the year before, and the year before that.

Among his friends, one even joked once, “With a super-student like Qui Rom as a tutor, someone dumb like a donkey can still attend the international math competition!”  Of course the statement was a little bit exaggerated, but it showed that if Qui Rom tutors a student, that person will surely make progress.

That was when Qui Rom still screamed and lectured while tutoring someone.  If the math genius reduces his screaming and lecturing, then his “disciple” surely will progress even faster.

Understandably, tutoring someone without the yelling and lecturing is not Qui Rom’s style.  However, like the solar eclipse, this rare occurrence occasionally took place. 

For 3 days straight, Lil’ Gai didn’t do anything the whole day except praising Qui Rom:

- Qui is really something, brother!  He explained math better than my math teacher.

Lil’ Gai would compliment when she walked in the house, and then praised again when she walked outside, to the point that Thoi became annoyed:

- You’re making me deaf!

- I’m speaking the truth.

- Nonsense, not truth!

Lil’ Gai ignored her brother’s bad mood.  She blinked and reconciliated:

- Let me ask Qui to also tutor you, okay?

Thoi sounded hurt:

- You want me to raise him to the status of a teacher, Gai?

- Not teacher! – Qui Rom stepped outside, smiling – End of this summer I’m entering tenth grade.  I’m just passing on information from the ninth grade coursework to you guys.

Thoi almost responded, “I’d also finished 9^th grade” but he stopped in time.  Last year he was in 9^th grade, and this year he will enter 9^th grade again.  To say out loud would only make him look bad.  He doesn’t know that Lil’ Gai already told Qui Rom about him having to attend 9^th grade again.

Thoi bit his lips and debated with himself.  From the beginning of this summer, he was busy hanging out, while Lil’ Gai too busy working.  Both of them didn’t have time to take summer classes like other children in the neighborhood.  Furthermore, he rather hung out than studied.  However, he doesn’t want to be held back one grade one more time.  He doesn’t like being embarrassed around his friends, and doesn’t want his mom to be sad.

Thoi thought for a long time.  He changed his posture two or three times without reaching a decision.  Having a “teacher” who comes to his house to clean the house and tutor him is truly heaven on earth.  However, he doesn’t want to call someone he normally bosses around a “teacher”. 

- What do you think? – Lil’ Gai impatiently asked, her eyes staring at her brother, waiting for an answer.

Thoi rubbed his chin, still debating:

- Well…well…let me think about this…

Sensing her brother could be swayed, Lil’ Gai added:

- You can study on days that you feel like studying, and not when you don’t feel like it.  No one asks you to study everyday.

- No one can tell me that! – Thoi raised his voice. All of a sudden, he was struck by an idea, his eyes lit up – Okay, I can study!  Hmm, I’m studying to test whether this skinny kid is really that good!

Qui Rom could see Thoi’s mischievous design.  However, he didn’t say anything.  He just smiled and said:

- Then maybe tomorrow you can start “testing” me, sounds good?

 %%%%%

Thoi “tested” Qui Rom on the first day and he was humbled.

Waiting for Qui Rom to go outside, he nudged his little sister and muttered:

- Qui is really good at teaching.

Thoi ceased calling Qui Rom a “skinny kid”.  Lil’ Gai recognized the change in tone.  She happily said:

- I told you so but you didn’t believe me!

Thoi reconciliated:

- Now I believe you.

He nodded and bragged:

- That last math problem, last year I heard it explained almost to the point of ruining my hearing without understand.  But Qui just explained briefly and I instantly understand.

Lil’ Gai invited her brother:

- Why don’t you start studying with me tomorrow.

- Can’t! – Thoi shook his head – Girl and boy can’t study together!

Lil’ Gai softly chuckled:

- Who said girl and boy can’t study together. We are brother and sister.

Thoi exhaled and confessed:

- I’m a…below average student.  I’m slow to understand, you can’t sit her and wait for me.

- Then why did you say Qui just briefly explained and you understand right away?

Thoi embarrassed:

- Right…truthfully Qui did explain to me…over ten times before I understand.

Ever since he changed his tone and started calling Qui by his name instead of calling him “the skinny kid”, Thoi also started to treat Qui Rom differently.

Qui Rom didn’t know about this change, and he almost fainted the next day when he was just about to sweep the courtyard when Thoi rushed to him and said:

- Let me do the sweeping.

- Well…

- Why don’t you go over there and tutor my sister.

Five minutes later, Qui Rom once again almost fainted when Thoi carried a glass of water to him and mumbled:

- You said a lot of things today; drink a little bit to keep your throat from being dried.

To speak in metaphor like Luom, Qui Rom now became “the rich landowner”, and Thoi changed into the role of a “servant”.  “The rich landowner” stared at “Ut”

- What happened to your brother Thoi?

Lil’ Gai smiled knowingly:

- I don’t know.

Qui Rom caught off guard.  He sat there tutor Lil’ Gai but found himself unable to concentrate.  The sound of the broom sweeping outside causes him to be a little bit jumpy.  His eyes constantly glanced outside.

Similar to Qui Rom, Thoi had never lay his hands on a broom before.  This is why it took him a whole day to sweep the yard.  Lil’ Gai finished studying and ran outside when she saw her brother still sweeping:

- You go study.  Hand me the broom, I’ll continue sweeping.

Gai grabbed the broom while talking at the same time.  However, Thoi steadfastly refused.  He held the broomstick tightly:

- Leave it to me!

- Let me!

- You little!  Your finger is like that, don’t bother arguing with me!

The two became involved in a tug of war, and suddenly the wrap on Lil’ Gai’s finger fell to the ground.

Thoi gasped and hurriedly stooped down to pick up the wrap, his mouth moving rapidly:

- I’m so sorry.  Give me your finger so I can wrap it again.

Thoi grabbed Lil’ Gai hand before she can hide it behind her back.  He pulled her hand close to his face and tsk:

- Let me see whether your finger is healing well!

While Lil’ Gai bashfully turned her face away, Thoi opened his eyes to observe his sister’s finger.  He was surprised to see his sister’s finger fully healed.  There was thin scar line running from the tip of the finger to the middle of the finger, but this scar has a new layer of skin on top.  Compared with a normal finger, his sister finger is a little bit crooked, a little bit unsightly, possibly from the loss of a piece of bone at the tip.  Clearly, the cut on the finger already healed two or three days ago.

Yet Lil’ Gai stayed quiet about this latest development.  She continued to wrap her finger as if she is still in pain.  Thoi recalled a while back, when the wound hadn’t healed, Lil’ Gai hurriedly unwound the wrap and lied that her finger has healed.  Thoi knew Lil’ Gai did it with the hope that he will free Qui Rom.  At that time, Thoi wasn’t surprised, just mildly annoyed.  However, at the moment he is dazed and confused, unable to comprehend.  Before, when it hasn’t healed, she lied and said it healed; at the moment it has healed but she pretended it has not healed.  “Girls are full of complications,” Thoi muttered to himself.  Suddenly Thoi had an idea, “Could it be Gai liked Qui Rom? Her feelings for him blossom over time?  Could it be she pretended to wrap her finger so Qui Rom continues to come here and tutor her and talk with her?”

Thoi glanced at Lil’ Gai and saw his little sister still looking over the mulberry hedge.  Maybe she was caught and his little sister couldn’t look at him in the eyes.  His little sister is embarrassed.  Suddenly Thoi pitied his sister.  All of a sudden, he felt the love for his sister.

- Your finger seems healed but in reality, it hasn’t.  It’s probably still hurting you.  Don’t move, let me wrap it up for you. – Thoi pretended and unwrapped the roll of gauze and carefully wrapped his little sister finger.

As if waiting for that moment, Lil’ Gai turned around and pretended to complain:

- Please don’t use too much force, brother!

When Lil’ Gai turned her face around, then it was Thoi’s turn to look away.  His turn to avert from his sister’s look.  He was afraid his sister would find out he was lying.  His throat was still hot.

That meant there has been a change in the order of things.  Changed at a dizzying pace.  From that day onward, after leaning his bike against the wall at Thoi house, Qui Rom would grandly sit down behind the table as if he is a little prince.

At first, Qui Rom felt a little bit weird.  He didn’t want to wipe clean his promise to Lil’ Gai with the math tutoring session.  However, if he grabbed a broom, a peeling knife, or a water pail, Thoi would be there to take over the task.  Ah, not just Thoi who took over his tasks, but also Lil’ Gai.

Qui Rom looked at Gai’s wrapped finger, his brows furrowed:

- How can you work like that?

- Not a problem.  My finger is almost healed.

Lil’ Gai replied, and she brushed Qui Rom’s hand aside:

- Why don’t you go inside and help my brother with math.

Thoi also repeated the same line to Qui Rom:

- Why don’t you go inside and help my sister with math.

With that said, Thoi nudged Qui Rom inside and kept him away from the pig pen or the kitchen where pig food is being prepared.

Lil’ Gai and Thoi kept pushing his hands aside and nudging him inside that eventually, he no longer resembled a house helper.  Now he resembled more of a private tutor.

After tutoring Thoi or Lil’ Gai, he remained inside the house with nothing to do.  All of a sudden, he became an unemployed person.

However, Qui Rom doesn’t like this arrangement.  Thoi swept the house, Lil’ Gai cooked for the pigs, Qui Rom also ran outside to water the vegetable garden or refill the water vat.

The brother and sister initially protested, but seeing Qui Rom disregarded their protests, they let him be.  Thoi had a strange thought, “Right, Qui can do whatever he want, as long as he continues to come up here and keep my sister happy!”