The Strange Day Helper (Chapter 9)

At night, while climbing on the divan, Qui Rom complained to chubby:

- What were you doing? Almost caused me to have a heart attack.

- Am I not right by saying so! – Tieu Long snorted – Clearly when Lil’ Gai’s finger is healed, only then your “ghost” task is done.

- Right. – Qui Rom lost his momentum.

Tieu Long turned to his side so he can look at Qui Rom:

- So is her finger almost healed?

- I really don’t know. – Qui Rom sighed – I saw her finger is still wrapped tightly today.

- Then you will hang out at Thoi’s house this whole summer?

- I guess so, yes.

Tieu Long used his hand to prop his head up and clicked his tongue:

- De Lua stopped by to see you this afternoon.

Qui Rom’s stomach contracted:

- Does he have something for me?

- He said he heard you and me have returned here for the summer.  However, he hasn’t seen you so he was just looking.

Qui Rom raised his head:

- What did you tell him?

- I told him you went out to battle ghosts in the nearby village.-  Tieu Long showed a toothy grin – I told him this ghost is particularly fierce so you are gone all the time.

- Right!  Whoever inquires about me you just tell them the same story, okay chubby!  When my task is done, I will go down to Cat Co hill to visit them.

Tieu Long blinked:

- De Lua kept following me and asking questions this afternoon.  He asked for the name and location of the nearby village.  He insisted on coming to Thoi house to look for you.  However, I blocked him.  I repeated what you just said.  I told him it’s a hanging ghost and very fierce.  I said, “Qui Rom didn’t even let me, Tac Ke Bong, and Luom come along.”  Only then he gave up.

Qui Rom nudged his friend ribcage and complement:

- You did well, chubby.

As if thinking the complement wasn’t enough, he added:

- Honestly, I haven’t met someone who gotten along with me as well. 

Qui Rom should have just compliment Tieu Long once and that would have been enough.  His second compliment no longer fits the situation.

In actuality, Tieu Long doesn’t always “understood” Qui Rom.

Qui Rom doesn’t like anybody coming to Thoi house.  Earlier, Qui Rom already warned, “If none of you can help me tutor Lil’ Gai in math, then none of you are allowed to come near Thoi house, okay.”  At the time, Tieu Long, Tac Ke Bong, and Luom all three nodded and agreed.

However, a week had gone by and the three obedient heads no longer nodded in agreement.  Every evening, before Qui Rom came home, the three heads would look at each other, their lips pressed tight and their foreheads wrinkled. 

- What should we do now? – Tieu Long speaking to no one, his voice resigned.

- Right, what should we do? – Luom voice trailed behind.  As if thinking he sounded too much like an echo from behind a rock wall, he complained – Do we just let Qui sticks his neck out for Thoi to boss around from one day to the next?

Tac Ke Bong snorted:

- Tieu Long wanted to bring the whole gang up there to help him out but he declined.

Luom swung his hand:

- Why don’t we just show up.

- We can’t, Luom. – Tieu Long shrugged – Your brother Qui’s temperament, I know too well.

- Then we will tie our hands then? – Luom temper flared.

Tieu Long and the gang did tie their hands for several days.

However, when Qui Rom compliment Tieu Long as someone who “knows” him, the next day Tieu Long lethargic head suddenly came up with a clever plan:

- Yes, we will come up to Thoi house tomorrow.

Luom’s eyes widened like a frog:

- You are not afraid of Qui complaining?

Tieu Long patted his brother’s shoulder:

- We’ll say we come for the bike.  I’ll say your father needs the bike to see your grandpa.  He is being treated at Mr. Giao Hoa house.

Luom clapped his hands:

- Excellent!

Tac Ke Bong smiled:

- Your excuse is excellent, Tieu Long.

Tieu Long’s nose swollen with pride.  He happily continued:

- Naturally we won’t take the bike right away.  We will pretend to look around Thoi house and see what Qui Rom has to do.  While we are there, we can lend the skinny kid a hand.

- Right! – Tac Ke Bong nodded – Then Qui Rom won’t have a reason to blame us.  Friend helping friend is a normal thing.

Luom excited:

- Since we helped him once, we can run up to help him subsequent time.

His eyes closed from grinning broadly, his hands swung wildly:

- I’m going to try peeling bananas tomorrow.

- Tomorrow, only Tac Ke Bong and I will go.

Tieu Long interrupted Luom, deflating his excitement.  He stuttered like someone who couldn’t find his footing:

- Well…well…

- No if or well.  If you also go down there, who is going to herd the cows to Cat Co hill?

In reality, Tieu Long could easily assign the task to Tac Ke Bong.  However, after deliberation, he believed Tac Ke Bong and him should go to Thoi house.

Thoi is a mean kid with a temper, and with his large size, Tieu Long guesses him as someone who enjoys fighting.  Meanwhile, Luom is small in stature.  It must be two large kids like Tac Ke Bong and him for Thoi to be a little bit wary.  If he is wary, then it’s unlikely that a fight would occur.  Furthermore, he would stop picking on Qui Rom.  In his gut, Tieu Long doesn’t want to fight with Thoi.  He knows if something happened between the two sides, Qui Rom surely stops looking at him.

With his mind set, the next day, Tieu Long adviced Tac Ke Bong while the two walked there:

- When we reach the house, remember not to get in a fight with him.

- I’ll remember.

- Even if Thoi picks on you or does something mean, you have to bear it.

- I will.

- However, can you perform something unique to cool him down?

Tac Ke Bong took a deep breath and expanded his stomach:

- I will use my stomach to push his water vat over.

- Can’t do that! – Tieu Long interrupted – If the vat broke, where would we get the money to repay him?

- Right! – Tac Ke Bong rubbed his head – Okay, we will improvise something later.  I’ll look for bricks or something.  And you?

- I don’t know.  But if I have the chance to show my skill of head breaking.

- It’s a good performance. – Tac Ke Bong excited – I’m going to gather the bricks together for you to break using my stomach.

The two enthusiastically planned everything out while walking.  After a short period, they reached the mulberry hedge outside of Thoi house.

- We’re here? – Tac Ke Bong asked when he saw Tieu Long slowed down.

- Right! Thoi’s house is the one with the mulberry hedge wrapped with pink vines.

Tieu Long stooped down while answering.  Behind him, Tac Ke Bong shuffled behind.

The two lay outside the hedge, their eyes wide and stared into the yard.

- Qui Rom is sweeping the yard. – Tieu Long whispered into Tac Ke Bong ear when he heard the sound of the broom against the stoned floor.

- I don’t think it’s the skinny kid.

Tac Ke Bong whispered back, his hand cleared the leaves that block his vision.

- What? It’s not him? – Tieu Long asked with astonish, this time he saw who is sweeping the yard – Ah, it’s Thoi.

Tac Ke Bong startled:

- So Thoi is this kid?

- Yeah.

Tac Ke Bong wetted his lips:

- Hey, his appearance looks pretty mean. 

Tieu Long grunted, his eyes scan the whole yard looking for Qui Rom.

While scanning the yard, he suddenly heard Qui Rom voice from somewhere inside the house sounding out:

- Thoi, are you done sweeping?

- Nope! – Thoi halted his sweeping, his head raised to look inside the house, obediently answered:

Again, Qui Rom’s voice rang out:

- It’s a small yard, what’s taking you so long?

- I’m almost done!

After replying, Thoi continued sweeping.  This time, however, his sweeping motion is much more urgent.

Tieu Long couldn’t believe both his eyes and ears.  The round of questions and answers are all too familiar to him because Luom recounted the first time he followed Qui Rom.  However, according to Luom’s account, Qui Rom and Thoi role should have been reversed.

This time, the kid sitting in the shade issuing orders was Qui Rom, and the one bearing the sun outside was Thoi.

Tac Ke Bong was also equally surprise, mixed with a little bit of suspicion.  He looked at Tieu Long as if he was looking at a con-artist:

- How come Qui Rom, Luom and you all say this Thoi kid is really bossy, and he orders Qui Rom around.

- Well…to be honest…- Suddenly, Tieu Long found himself stuttering.

- No, please be honest! – Tac Ke Bong muttered through gritted teeth, he would yell loudly if they weren’t hiding outside – You guys are lying to me?

- No…no...- Tieu Long hesitantly replied while agonizingly realized it’s still difficulty to move his jaw.

Tac Ke Bong didn’t have time to continue his questioning when Lil’ Gai’s voice rang out:

- Older brother, please run to get Qui some water.  Qui’s throat is dry.

Not waiting for the little sister to repeat herself, Thoi tossed the broom and hurriedly ran to the kitchen while babbling:

- Yes, right away!  Right away!

On the other side of the hedge, Tac Ke Bong elbowed Tieu Long in the side and growled:

- Clearly you guys conspired to deceive me!

- No, not at all! – Tieu Long continued to grimace; his face resembles a piece of crumpled paper.

- How do you explain that?- Tac Ke Bong grinded his teeth, his face started to show a few red spots- I’m not blind you know.

Tieu Long clicked his tongue:

- Why would I want to lie to you?

- So I would go herd the cows for Luom, that’s why!

Tieu Long knew he is being framed.  However, he doesn’t know how to explain to his friend.  At the moment, his emotions are mixed and more confused than Tac Ke Bong.  Tac Ke Bong is just suspicious, while he is both confused and shocked at the same time.   The other day, Luom and him hid outside and spied inside.  He himself witnessed Thoi commanded Qui Rom to carry water, peel bananas for pigs.  Thoi yelled once and Qui Rom already started running…

Tac Ke Bong didn’t know Tieu Long was thinking.  Seeing the fat kid remained quiet, he sarcastically laughed:

- I’m right, and your jaw is locked, right?

Tieu Long’s jaw is locked, but not because Tac Ke Bong was right.  Seeing how Tieu Long sat there without replying, Tac Ke Bong became increasingly furious and became more convince that the whole gang is tricking him. 

Tac Ke Bong became so angry that when he saw Thoi ran outside again, he picked up the broom and suddenly stood up:

- Hey, Thoi!

Tac Ke Bong’s decision was outside of Tieu Long expectation.  He frantically hit Tac Ke Bong in the foot and whispered:

- Are you crazy?  Sit down!

Tieu Long’s frantic move and his command had no effect on Tac Ke Bong as he remained standing upright.  And Thoi was not deaf.

Thoi jumped a little.  Looking outside, he was surprised to see a kid standing on the other side of his hedge angrily looking back.

- Who are you? – Thoi regained his composure and lifted his chin.

Tac Ke Bong yanked his ankle from Tieu Long’s grip and slowly walked along the hedge and entered the yard:

- Who am I? I’m a friend of the “rich landowner”…

- The rich landowner? – Thoi widened his eyes.

- Oh, I meant I’m Qui’s friend. – Tac Ke Bong quickly corrected himself.

Thoi face visibly relaxed:

- Ah, so you are his friend.

Thoi observed Tac Ke Bong with curiosity:

- Qui did say he has a few buddies living in the upper village.

- Right! – Tac Ke Bong interrupted – I’m Tac Ke Bong.

- Ah, where are Tieu Long and Luom?

- Luom is herding the cows. – Tac Ke Bong shrugged, forgetting everything Tieu Long told him in his anger – There is only Tieu Long and I came here to check out your “health” today.

Thoi looked around:

- Where is Tieu Long?

Tac Ke Bong pointed at the spot where the fat kid is hiding:

- He is hiding over there.

With his location revealed, Tieu Long bashfully stood up from behind the mulberry hedge, silently cursing Tac Ke Bong the traitor.

- Ah, so you are Tieu Long. – Thoi nodded – How come you guys didn’t come inside instead of hiding outside?

- Well…well…- Tieu Long face turned red – We are scared of being bitten by dogs.

Thoi laughed out loud:

- You guys don’t need to worry.  My house doesn’t have dogs.

Recalling Tac Ke Bong’s “health” question, Thoi furrowed his brows and honestly asked, without thinking that these guys wanted to cause trouble:

- Did Quy tell you guys I’m sick?

- Nope. – Tieu Long confused.

- Really?  Then how come Tac Ke Bong said you guys are here to check out my “health”?

Tac Ke Bong formed a fist:

- “Check out your health” means “using this”.

- What did you say? – Thoi took a step back, his eyes wide, hands tightly gripped the broom handle. 

Tac Ke Bong looked around but he didn’t see anything he could use to show off his stomach strength.  There were no bricks in the yard.  There was a single brick near the mulberry hedge.

He walked over and picked up the brick, turned to Tieu Long and said:

- Hey, show him your “head kungfu”!

Having said so, Tac Ke Bong immediately raised the brick and smashed down on Tieu Long head.

“Krack!” and the brick broke in half in front of a shocked Thoi.

Tac Ke Bong looked at Thoi and smiled arrogantly:

- Do you see “the master” skills?

- “Master” your head! – Thoi didn’t have time to response, Tieu Long already complained while rubbing his head – You almost broke my head.

Tac Ke Bong answered loudly to intimidate Thoi:

- You are a “kung fu master, a strong man with scissor kick and head of steel”, there is no chance of me breaking your head!

Tieu Long grimaced:

- You smashed my head right away so I didn’t have time to prepare.

Tieu Long continued to rub his forehead:

- Luckily, at the last moment I managed to take a deep breath.

With his boasting deflated by Tieu Long, Tac Ke Bong glanced at Thoi and loudly said:

- We heard that you really boss Qui around here, so we came to punish you.  Turned out, it was all a lie.

Although Thoi outwardly seemed happy when Tac Ke Bong suddenly appeared, inwardly he started to get suspicious.

He became more cautious and alert when Tieu Long showed his face.  These two’s suspicious actions clearly indicate that they were up to no good.

However, Thoi had not reached a decision yet.

These two kids are Qui Rom friends, and Qui Rom is tutoring the brother sister duo in math-while he hasn’t said anything outloud, he already looked to Qui Rom as his teacher.

It wouldn’t be right if the “student” engaged in a fistfight with friends of “the teacher.”

Furthermore, his “teacher” seems to have some tough looking friends.

Each one loomed large in stature like a guardian at the temple, especially this hard-headed, brick-breaking kid named Tieu Long.

His fists are useless against this guy.

While pondering this, Thoi suddenly exuded an “ah” and his eyes shone brightly:

- I remember now.  You are the one who used “head of steel” kungfu when fought against De Lua, the leader of Duoi village, two years ago, right?

Tieu Long was surprised:

- Oh, so you also know this story?

- Of course.  At that time, the little kids in Tren and Duoi villages all recounted this story.

Recalling that Tieu Long is coming here today to use his “head of steel” kungfu against him, Thoi ceased speaking.

He swallowed hard, didn’t have time to explain himself when Tac Ke Bong kicked the broken brick to the hedge, his voice irritated:

- This means Qui invented the story about your sister cutting her finger and you forcing him to stoop down and repay the blood debt.  In reality, he comes here to be everybody’s teacher.  The skinny kid intentionally deceived me so that I would brave the sun and the rain to herd cows for Luom.  Hmm, now I know he is the worse friend in the world.  Truly bad!
It hasn’t rained in the last few days, but Tac Ke Bong added the raining part to add more hardship to his complaint.

At first, when he heard Tac Ke Bong called Qui Rom a liar and the part about Qui Rom forced to work from dawn to dusk by him pure fiction, Thoi felt relief.

He was going to smooth things over by remaining silent.

However, the more he heard Qui Rom being unfairly mischaracterized, the less he could stand it.

Ever since the day Qui Rom agreed to tutor the brother and sister duo, Thoi already started to have kind affection toward the kid.

And now, his affection grew larger when he heard Qui Rom was willing to break his back working for him because he felt bad for hurting Lil’ Gai’s finger, not because he was afraid of Thoi’s fist.

Thoi thought, “Right, his friend Tieu Long is skillful in martial arts, he shouldn’t be afraid of me!”

- Qui is not a bad friend. – Thoi stuck out his neck – He did not invent stories.  Everything he recounted to you was factual.

- Now you are in league to trick me, Thoi? – Tac Ke Bong scowled – He sat in one place and commanded you to sweep the yard, pour water, etc…I’ve heard everything.

Thoi scratched his thigh with the broom handle, hesitated:

- Well, this role reversal just occurred the last few days.

- What do you mean the last few days?

Tac Ke Bong rubbed his stomach, his face in disbelief.  Standing near him, Tieu Long also raised his ears, anxious to hear Thoi reply.

- It’s true I’d forced Qui to perform all manual chores in the house inlieu of my sister before.  However, when he started to tutor me and my sister….

Thoi suddenly stopped while talking.  He was unable to explain the changes that occurred within him.

However, even if he could explain them, he still feel hesitant.  He suddenly realized it’s much easier for him to say he hates Qui instead of saying he likes the kid.

Even thinking about it turned his face a crimson red.

Tac Ke Bong attentively looked at Thoi’s face and sarcastically commented:

-Your face suddenly turned red, which only means you guys are inventing story.  Hmm, so all of you are…

- All of us are what! – Qui Rom’s voice materialized – Tac Ke Bong, let me as you this, “Is your head still on your neck?”

The three turned around and saw Qui Rom and Lil’ Gai standing by the doorway looking out.  While Tieu Long paid attention to “the little something” standing next to Qui Rom, Tac Ke Bong cleared his throat:

- You mean beside my eyes and nose, what else is on my head, right?

- That is what I would like to know! – Qui Rom irate – You don’t know anything, yet keep on talking.  None of the things I’ve told you were made up.

He suddenly grabbed Lil’ Gai hand and raised it up:

- Why don’t you open your eyes wide and look at this!

Tac Ke Bong opened his eyes wide, saw the wrap on Lil’ Gai’s finger and nodded:

- Ah, so it  was genuine.

- I’d told you guys already. – Qui Rom exhaled – I already caused her finger to look like this, I have the responsibility to help her with chores.  If you were me, wouldn’t you do the same, Tac Ke Bong?

Tac Ke Bong blinked:

- Right, I would have done the same.
- And Thoi, he has the right to hate me because I am the one to blame, and because he really loves his little sister.  However, when I start to tutor both of them, he has the right to cease disliking me.  If someone helps you study better, would you hate that person in return, Tac Ke Bong?

One more time, Tac Ke Bong lost his steam:

- Right, I can’t hate that person.

Thoi, standing to one side listening to Qui Rom lectures, his ears tickled with delight.

There are many things he feels that are hard to convey, yet Qui Rom succintly stated them no problem.

Even better still was Tac Ke Bong’s aggresiveness suddenly evaporated and no longer called his “teacher” a bad friend.

With his head in the cloud, Thoi enthusiastically chorused:

- Not only I don’t hate him, I really like him. My little sister also feels the same way.  She likes him to the point that her finger healed several days ago, yet she still keep it wrapped so Qui will come up to hang out with her…

Thoi has lungs of a cow.

His natural ad-lib mortified Qui Rom, causing his face to turn red with his feet planted on the ground like a tree.

When he hesitantly turned to his side, Lil’ Gai already ran off somewhere else.

Qui Rom looked out to the yard and saw Thoi, realizing he’d spoken too much, supretiously scratched his neck.

Standing across from Thoi, Tieu Long and Tac Ke Bong covered their mouths to suppress their giggle.

- Is something funny?- Qui Rom turned angry out of embarrassment – Who lets you guys came up here, huh?

Tieu Long continued to keep his hand on his mouth.

He kept it there as if pressing against a gun barrel, fearing if he lets go, then the “bullets” will fly out uncontrollably.  He spoke, the air coming through his fingers:

- We came to take the bicycle back to uncle Nam Chieu so he can visit grandpa.

Qui Rom is the king of lies. He knows Tieu Long is lying to him.

However, the “king of lies” had to give in when Tieu Long used uncle Nam Chieu as an excuse.

With quicking thinking, Qui Rom sensed that in this situation, honesty is the best solution.

When you are honest, then no one had the heart to poke fun at you.

Honesty will make people go easier on you.  He cleared his throat several times, and with eyes closed, loudly said:

-Truthfully, I also really like Thoi and his sibling.  Even if Lil’ Gai could uncover her wrap, I still come up here to hang out with them everyday.

Qui Rom closed his eyes but his mouth was wide opened.  He intentionally spoke louder so Lil’ Gai, hiding inside the house, can hear him.

Sensing that he needs to be more convincing, Qui Rom hurriedly added, this time with the hope that no one thinks he is lying:

-In truth, I knew Lil’ Gai’s finger healed a long time ago.

Qui Rom finished his sentence and suddenly heard a loud sound from the back.

Normally, he would tighten his stomach and glance around to see who is making fun of him.

However, he is no longer the same Qui Rom as before.

After a period of acting as a dayhelper, he knew where that sound originated from.

He looked behind and yelled:

- Oh Gai, it’s time to prepare food for the pigs!

The End

Those wanting to correspond with Qui Rom’s, Tieu Long’s, and Hanh’s fans club can write to: clbkinhvanhoa@yahoo.com.