Sabaydii,

Here is the continuation of a series 'Coming Home' entitled 'Exploring

Pakse’.

Hakphaang,

Kongkeo Saycocie

This was the last day 

Our Japanese friends would be with us

Before sending them off

At the Thai border in Ubol[1]

I seized a moment 

To explore Pakse again

First I strolled leisurely

Towards the Xe[2] my favorite spot

At a distance I saw

A lone man fishing in his small boat

Very much like the Zen[3] painting

I admired

Captured by this image

I stood still

No less different than the man himself

Broken the spell

Was the voice of the kids

Playing by river

asking

'Looking for crocodile?'

I couldn't help but smile

At the innocence

This land had much to offer

'Is there a crocodile here?'

I replied with a question

In front of me

Stood two kids

One with no shirt on - a boy

And another a girl

Dragging her wooden toy car

Behind her

'Yes. I saw a humongous crocodile yesterday.

My dad saw it too.'

The boy pointed his index finger to the man

Inside the hut by the junk yard

Nodding in acknowledgement

I smiled at him 

And walked away

With an unsettling feeling

What on earth

This smart-looking boy doing here?

Judging from what I saw

He must be a year or two older 

Than my son currently in preschool

Pakse

Though 30 years have passed

Still very much lived in the past

Most buildings in town

Concrete or moss covered

Were a constant reminder 

Past the old regime

To the colonial era itself

The new planned market

Wasn't even built yet

Its grand architecture 

Posted outside the vacant lot

Once stood the old market

Destroyed by the ravage of fire

Was kind of making a mockery

At the whole town 

Full of promises

But ever elusive

Then out of nowhere

A female voice shot at me

'Where are you from?'

realizing that I must look like a tourist

always carrying a camcorder

I answered

'America[4]'

'My son is in Australia.

Is it near America?'

Not to make little of her geography

I just said

'No'

she then added

'he said he did very well and

would bring his sister along'

she proudly said

I remember

The young man at the hotel

I stayed

Would join his father in the U.S. too

Wonder 

If they would ever be back

Or there were enough for them in Muang Lao

'did you have anything to eat yet?'

the old lady asked

I just said

'I am not hungry yet'

'don't be a stranger. 

Come inside and have breakfast with us.'

seeing that I was already late

I just said

'thank you. Maybe next time'

not knowing whether there would be next time or not.

'stop by any time you are here.'

With quick feet

I took off

Couldn't help but taken 

By her hospitality

Southern hospitality

If Muang Lao is still this way

I will sure come back one day

For how can I forget Pakse

The land of my wife[5]

Always as beautiful as 

Beauty itself

8.8.03