Sabaydii,

 

Here is the continuation of a series ‘Coming home’ entitled ‘Douangdeuane – a moon that shines’

 

Hakphaang,

 

 

Getting the phone from Euay Dara

I called Euay Douangdeuane

Her sister

Setting a time to meet

I took off to her place

Half way to Wattay airport

 

As it turned out to be

Her place

Once occupied by her beloved dad

Maha Sila Viravong[1] himself

 

I myself never been to the place

But heard a lot about it

A SamLo[2] driver thought

He knew where it was

So we went together

 

Once there

Making sure

I wasn’t stranded

He kindly waited outside the gate

While I checked out the place

 

A young woman came to the door

Knowing who I was

She invited me in

 

Looking back at the gate

The SamLo driver raised a thumb up

And took off

To where he came from

 

Everywhere in Muang Lao

If you look hard enough

You will still find nice people

Ready to embrace you

With all Lao hospitality

The Lao of old was known of

 

Was told

Once inside

Euay Douangdeuane would be back soon

After bringing in a glass of water

The woman left

 

While waiting

I looked around the spacious living room

Decorating with all the rare and precious Lao antiques

Among them was the old elephant horn

 

Then prominently displayed at the center wall

Were the pictures of her late dad

Both in younger and later years

 

 

At the end of the room

B the dining table

Stood a bookshelf case

Lining up with many kinds of books

Mostly in Lao

A rare sight indeed

 

Enthralled and fascinated by what I saw

I didn’t even notice

When Euay Douangdeuane

Stood in front of me

 

A little awkward

Being caught with a wide eye

I told her

How much I admired the works of her dad

Being in his house

Among his dear possessions

Gave me an incredible feeling

Of a rendezvous with all the Lao great

 

Euay Douangdeuane

Always gracious

Unlike her big sister

She hardly knew me

Maybe at one time or another we met

That was a long long time ago

 

Still

She kindly showed me

All her dad’s manuscripts

And proudly related his life story

 

When we parted

She even gave me

Many invaluable copies

Of her dad’s works

And the old issues

Of PhaiNam[3]

She highly treasured

 

As I came to know

PaiNam was where she started

As a writer

And came to make a name for herself

DokKed

 

And it was through this magazine

She came to meet Ai Outhine[4]

Her spouse for life

Giving her two beautiful daughters

 

On the way to the hotel

Kindly dropped off by a young man

Raised in her family

With his scooter

 

 

My heart reminded me

I would be back

To visit her about-to-finish library

devoted to her dad

at Nam Ngum[5]

 

That was at least I could do

for the man

and his family

done so much for

this uncared-for Muang Lao of thee

 

9.4.03