Bu`i Thanh Lie^m
Trong pha^`n gio+'i thie^.u ta'c pha^?m cu?a Nguye^n Sa, nha` va(n Mai Tha?o co' vie^'t: "DDa^y la` ca^u chuye^.n co' tha^.t tra(m pha^`n tra(m, vi` no^.i dung co^'t truye^.n hoa`n toa`n du+.a theo su+. tu+o+?ng tu+o+.ng."
"Ha?!" DDo' la` pha?n u+'ng cu?a to^i, sau khi ddo.c qua ca^u gio+'i thie^.u na`y\. Ne^'u la` ngu+o+`i na`o kha'c vie^'t nhu+ va^.y thi` co' le~ se~ bi. va? ngay va`o ma(.t, nhu+ng nhu+~ng lo+`i phe^ bi`nh na`y ho+i na(.ng ky', vi` xua^'t pha't tu+` mo^.t nha` va(n te^n tuo^?i\. Va(n chu+o+ng ha?i ngoa.i sao la`m kho' ngu+o+`i ddo.c qua'! Cu~ng nhu+ trong ho^.i ho.a, tre^n ma^'y bu+'c tranh tru+`u tu+o+.ng, vo+'i nhu+~ng ne't nguye^.ch ngoa.c nhu+ cu?a con ni't le^n ba, ne^'u kho^ng co' chu+~ ky' cu?a Picasso, Van Gogh hay Monet, thi` ngu+o+`i ta dda~ vu+'t va`o so.t ra'c; the^' ma` kho^ng hie^?u ta.i sao thie^n ha. la.i gia`nh nhau mua nhu+~ng bu+'c tranh na`y vo+'i gia' ba.c trie^.u\. Ba?n tha^n ngu+o+`i vie^'t dda~ ho.c qua nhie^`u lo+'p pha^n ti'ch ho^.i ho.a, ke^? ca? ho^.i ho.a tru+o+`ng pha'i tru+`u tu+o+.ng, nhu+ng ne^'u co' ai ho?i co' hie^?u tha^'u dda'o loa.i tranh na`y kho^ng, thi` ca^u tra? lo+`i cha('c cha('n se~ la` kho^ng. Ho^.i ho.a ca^.n dda.i sao ma` la`m kho' ngu+o+`i xem qua'! Nhie^`u khi ngu+o+`i vie^'t co`n nghi ngo+` la` chu+a cha('c ma^'y o^ng ho.a si~ (ho.a si~ qua' co^' ddu'ng ho+n) na`y co' hie^?u ma^'y o^?ng ddang ve~ ca'i gi`!
So+? di~ na~y gio+` pha?i no'i vo`ng vo tam quo^'c la` vi` BTL to^i sa('p ke^? quy' vi. nghe mo^.t ca^u chuye^.n vo+'i co^'t truye^.n hoa`n toa`n du+.a theo su+. tha^.t, co`n chuye^.n nghe co' ve? tha^.t hay kho^ng thi` tu`y ba.n ddo.c nha^.n xe't.
BTL
O^ng Harrison la` ngu+o+`i no^?i tie^'ng keo kie^.t, bu?n xi?n nha^'t trong tha`nh pho^' no+i to^i ddang so^'ng. DDa`nh ra(`ng ddo+`i so^'ng be^n My~ na`y kha'c ha(?n Vie^.t Nam, ra(`ng "dde`n nha` ai na^'y ra.ng", ra(`ng kho^ng co' ti`nh ha`ng xo'm. Nhu+ng bo+?i vi` ca'i tha`nh pho^' nha` que^ mie^`n Nam na`y co' be' xi'u, "ddi da(m ba bu+o+'c dda~ ve^` cho^'n cu~",ne^n chuye^.n gi` ai cu~ng bie^'t, va` chuye^.n o^ng Harrison ha` tie^.n o+? dda^y ai ma` kho^ng bie^'t.
The't ro^`i ca'i te^n "Harrison" tro+? tha`nh mo^.t ti'nh tu+` ma` ngu+o+`i da^n ddi.a phu+o+ng quanh dda^y du`ng dde^? a'm chi? nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i ke.o ke'o kho^ng ra, nhu+: "Na`y, sao chu' ma`y 'Harrison' qua' va^.y"\. Ne^'u kho^ng pha?i la` ngu+o+`i ddi.a phu+o+ng thi` cha('c kho^ng hie^?u ca^u na`y co' nghi~a gi`, gio^'ng nhu+ tru+o+`ng ho+.p nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i ro+`i Vie^.t Nam la^u na(m, lu'c dda^`u nghe ngu+o+`i mo+'i dde^'n no'i: "DDo^` 'Tru`m Xo`'" thi` cu~ng cha(?ng hie^?u ho. muo^'n no'i gi`\.
Ngu+o+`i nghe`o ma` ha` tie^.n thi` cu~ng kho^ng dda'ng no'i, dda(`ng na`y o^ng Harrison thuo^.c loa.i gia`u xu., tu+' ddo^' ddo^? va'ch. Thie^n ha. ba?o nhau va^.y, co' ke? co`n da'm minh xa'c tin na`y co' tha^.t, du+.a theo lo+`i ke^? la.i cu?a nha^n vie^n nga^n ha`ng no+i gia ddi`nh Harrison mo+? chu+o+ng mu.c va` tu+` nha^n vie^n khai thue^' lo+.i tu+'c ha`ng na(m cho gia ddi`nh la~o\. Kho^ng ro~ hu+ thu+.c ra sao, nhu+ng nhi`n be^` ngoa`i ngu+o+`i ta kho^ng the^? pha^n bie^.t ddu+o+.c la~o Harrison va` te^n la~ng tu+~ da dden, tu+' co^' vo^ tha^n so^'ng lang thang dda^`u ddu+o+`ng xo' cho+.\. Quanh na(m suo^'t tha'ng ngu+o+`i ta chi? tha^'y la~o xua^'t hie^.n vo+'i mo^.t bo^. ddo^` jean cu~ me`m. O+? My~ na`y muo^'n pha^n bie^.t gia`u nghe`o kho^ng pha?i chuye^.n de^~, cho+' co' tha^'y ngu+o+`i ta nha` cao cu+?a ro^.ng, cha.y BMW la` ke^'t lua^.n ho. gia`u\. To^i co' quen ngu+o+`i ba.n, hai vo+. cho^`ng la`m assembler, cu~ng ba`y dda(.t ta^.u nha` mo+'i, xe mo+'i nhu+ ai, nhu+ng he^~ ga(.p la` nghe vo+. cho^`ng no' than no+. na^`n nga^.p dda^`u, chie^'c xe mo+'i mu+o+`i na(m sau mo+'i du+'t no+., ca(n nha` thi` ga^`n nu+?a the^' ky? nu+~a mo+'i ddu+o+.c la`m chu?, co`n ddo^` dda.c ba`n ghe^' tu? giu+o+`ng trong nha` toa`n la` mua chi.u\. Nhi`n be^` ngoa`i sang tro.ng nhu+ va^.y ma` su+. tha^.t thi` vo+. cho^`ng tha(`ng ba.n ra'ch bu+o+m, nhu+ va^.y la~o Harrison cha('c co' le~ co`n te tua ho+n, vi` ca(n nha` vo+. cho^`ng la~o ddang so^'ng coi ra^'t xoa`ng, chie^'c xe la~o ddang cha.y dda'ng ddu+o+.c ddu+a va`o nghi~a ddi.a xe\.
Nhu+ng nhu+ to^i dda~ gia?i thi'ch tu+` dda^`u, tha`nh pho^' na`y be' xi'u, thi` kho^ng the^? du`ng va?i thu+a dde^? che ma('t tha'nh ddu+o+.c. Su+. tha^.t la` vo+. cho^`ng la~o Harrison giu+~ quye^`n so+? hu+~u chu? cu?a va`i trung ta^m ba'n xe ho+i va` ga^`n mo^.t chu.c tie^.m gia(.t u?i trong tha`nh pho^'\. Ca? hai di.ch vu. na`y dde^`u thi.nh vu+o+.ng tha^'y ro~, nhu+ va^.y thi` lo+`i ddo^`n ve^` su+. gia`u co' cu?a gia ddi`nh Harrison cu~ng co' pha^`n chi'nh xa'c.
DDa~ gia`u co' nhu+ va^.y ma` ho. la.i co`n chi tie^u ra^'t la` de` xe?n. Quanh na(m suo^'t tha'ng kho^ng tha^'y bo'ng hai vo+. cho^`ng lai va~ng o+? ca'c nha` ha`ng. Vo+. to^i ke^? la.i ra(`ng chi'nh ma('t na`ng tha^'y hai o^ng ba` Harrison co' ma(.t trong nhu+~ng buo^?i sa'ng so+'m thu+' ba?y o+? cho^~ ba'n ddo^` "garage sale" hay "yard sale", va` ho. mua ddo^` tra? gia' vo+'t va't tu+`ng ddo^`ng xu ca('c ba.c. Co`n khi ddi cho+. o+? ca'c sie^u thi., lu'c ra tra? tie^`n ho. thu? sa(~n trong bo'p mo^.t mo+' "coupons". To^i co`n la. gi` ca'i tro` ca'c ba` ca'c co^ ca('t xe'n ma^'y ta^'m phie^'u coupon dde^? tie^'t kie^.m ddu+o+.c ddo^`ng na`o hay ddo^`ng ddo'\. Chi? co' ma^'y ba` ma^'y co^ mo+'i co' tho+`i gio+` la`m ma^'y chuye^.n na`y, dda`n o^ng kho^ng bao gio+` chi ly dde^'n mu+'c ddo'\. Nghi~ dde^'n ddo', to^i nghi ra(`ng mu. vo+. cu?a la~o Harrison la` dda^`u da^y mo^'i nho+. cu?a ti'nh bu?n xi?n, va` to^i ca?m tha^'y to^.i nghie^.p cho la~o vo^ cu`ng, co' tie^`n ma` kho^ng da'm xa`i, no'i ddu'ng ho+n la` kho^ng ddu+o+.c cho phe'p xa`i\.
Ma~i sau na`y to^i mo+'i bie^'t ddu+o+.c la` mi`nh nghi oan cho ba` Harrison. So^' la` vi` vo+. to^i la`m o+? tie^.m cha(m so'c mo'ng tay, no+i ba` Harrison thu+o+`ng xuye^n lui to+'i dde^? la`m mo'ng, tu+` ddo' ba` co' di.p ta^m su+. vo+'i vo+. to^i\. Ba` than phie^`n ve^` o^ng cho^`ng keo kie^.t cu?a mi`nh, tie^`n co' bao nhie^u o^ng mang nhe't he^'t vo^ trong chu+o+ng mu.c, ba` muo^'n xa`i mo^.t ddo^`ng cu~ng pha?i tho^ng qua o^ng. Ba` no'i vo+'i vo+. to^i:
- Chi? co' khi na`o ga~ che^'t ddi thi` tao mo+'i thoa't kho?i ca'i ca?nh "ngu+o+`i gia`u ddo^.i lo+'p ngu+o+`i nghe`o" na`y!
Nhu+ng ro^`i o+? ddo+`i co' ai ho.c ddu+o+.c chu+~ ngo+`, va` u+o+'c nguye^.n cu?a ba` Harrison ddo^.t nhie^n tro+? tha`nh hie^.n thu+.c. La~o Harrison ddang kho?e ma.nh, mo^.t ho^m bi. tru'ng gio', nga~ la(n quay ra, che^'t kho^ng ki.p nga'p. Thie^n ha. co`n ddo^`n ra(`ng la~o qua' "Harrison", kho^ng chi.u mo+? ma'y su+o+?i trong nha`, so+. to^'n gas. Tro+`i mu`a ddo^ng la.nh le?o, tuo^?i gia` kho^ng ddu? su+'c dde^` kha'ng nhu+~ng bie^'n chuye^?n ba^'t ngo+` cu?a tho+`i tie^'t, va` ga~ dda~ ddi ba'n muo^'i va`o mo^.t nga`y cho+'m ddo^ng.
Ngu+o+`i My~ kha'c Vie^.t Nam ta o+? cho^~ ho. ra^'t tha^.t tha`, ruo^.t ngu+.a\. Ba` Harrison la` mo^.t ba(`ng chu+'ng hie^?n nhie^n. Nga`y cho^`ng ba` che^'t, ba` le^n tie^.m vo+. to^i, vo+'i ne't ma(.t ho+'n ho+? ba` o^m vo+. to^i, no'i lo+'n:
- Tao tu+. do ro^`i DDa`o a.! Ba('t dda^`u tu+` ho^m nay tao mo+'i tha^.t su+. so^'ng cho tao, muo^'n a(n gi` thi` a(n, muo^'n sa('m gi` thi` sa('m. Thu+' ba?y na`y ma`y co' chu+o+ng tri`nh gi` kho^ng? Ne^'u kho^ng, thi` tao mo+`i vo+. cho^`ng nha` ma`y dde^'n du+. buo^?i tie^.c ta.i gia\. Tao mo+`i ddo^ng la('m, nho+' dde^'n cho+i cho vui nhe'\. Nha^'t ddi.nh phen na`y, con na`y se~ cho mo.i ngu+o+`i bie^'t no' kho^ng "Harrison" nhu+ ho. va^~n nghi~\.
Ba` ta no'i lie^`n mo^.t ho+i nhu+ chu+a bao gio+` ddu+o+.c no'i, qua? tha^.t ba` ta dda~ ddu+o+.c tra? tu+. do, tu+. do a(n xa`i nhu+ ba` ta vu+`a tuye^n bo^', va` ca? tu+. do no'i na(ng. Tuy nhie^n vo+. to^i cu~ng ca?nh gia'c ba` ta, na`ng ho?i:
- Ba` co' ddo.c qua di chu'c cu?a o^?ng chu+a\?
Ba` Harrison thoa'ng gia^.t mi`nh, la('c dda^`u:
- Nga`y mai tao mo+'i ga(.p lua^.t su+ cu?a tha(`ng cha?, ma` cha('c kho^ng sao dda^u, ho. ha`ng ba` con quye^'n thuo^.c cu?a tha(`ng cha?, cha? dda~ ca('t lie^n la.c ta^'t vi` xu+a nay cha? va^~n so+. ho. tha^'y ngu+o+`i sang ba('t qua`ng la`m ho.\. Cha('c ca? gia ta`i dde^? la.i cho tao tho^i\.
Vo+. to^i tie^'p tu.c ca?nh gia'c:
- Bie^'t dda^u cha? dde^? la.i cho ho^.i tu+` thie^.n na`o thi` sao\?
Nghe dde^'n ddo' ba` Harrison pha' le^n cu+o+`i, va` no'i:
- Hey, ma`y ne^n nho+' Harrison va^~n la` "Harrison"
Cuo^'i tua^`n ddo', vo+. cho^`ng to^i ddi du+. dda'm tang cu?a cho^`ng ba`\. O+? nghi~a trang, ba` Harrison trang phu.c bo^. ddo^` dden, ddo^.i mu~ dden, ddi gia^`y dden, xa'ch bo'p dden. Ta^'t ca? mo^.t ma`u dden tang to'c, nhu+ng chu'ng to^i bie^'t ro~ trong lo`ng ba` kho^ng dde^'n no^~i dden nhu+ va^.y, cuo^.c ddo+`i ba` tu+` dda^y mo^.t ma`u ddo? chan ho`a\. DDa^y la` la^`n dda^`u tie^n to^i ddi du+. dda'm tang be^n My~, tha^'y co' kha'c vo+'i ma^'y ca'i dda'm ma be^n que^ nha`, vi` o+? dda^y kho^ng co' ca?nh ngu+o+`i kho'c mu+o+'n, kho^ng co' ke`n tro^'ng i? o^i, kho^ng co' xe dda'm ma die^~n ha`nh, nhang kho'i nghi ngu't. Chi? co' o^ng cha ddo.c ma^'y ca^u tha'nh kinh, ca^`u nguye^.n cho linh ho^`n cu?a ke? qua' co^' so+'m ve^` nu+o+'c Chu'a\.
Thie^n ha. ddi du+. ho^m ddo' kha' ddo^ng, pha^`n lo+'n trong so^' na`y to` mo` muo^'n dde^'n xem ca'i tang le^~ cu?a ke? no^?i tie^'ng bu?n xi?n nha^'t tha`nh pho^' co' kha'c o+? cho^~ na`o\. Ho. tha^'t vo.ng, bo? ve^` vi` tha^'y ca'i tang le^~ na`y cu~ng tri.nh tro.ng to^'n ke'm, cu~ng xe limousine dden cho+? quan ta`i, cu~ng co' cha la`m le^~ ca^`u sie^u, vv... Ho. dda^u co' bie^'t ra(`ng ba` Harrison dda~ lo+.i du.ng co+ ho^.i na`y dde^? pho^ tru+o+ng cho thie^n ha. bie^'t ba` ta cu~ng bie^'t xa`i tie^`n.
Lo+.i du.ng lu'c va('ng ve?, vo+. to^i ke'o ba` Harrison ra mo^.t go'c, na`ng ho?i:
- Sao, ba` dda~ nghe qua di chu'c cu?a ga~ chu+a\?
Mo^.t nu. cu+o+`i no+? tre^n mo^i ngu+o+`i go'a phu.:
- Ro^`i, tro.n pha^`n gia ta`i la` cu?a tao\. Tuy nhie^n ga~ co' ddo`i ho?i mo^.t ddie^`u duy nha^'t.
"DDie^`u gi`?" Vo+. to^i vo^.i ho?i\.
- Ga~ muo^'n tru+o+'c khi ddu+o+.c cho^n ca^'t, ta^'t ca? pha^`n tie^`n trong nga^n ha`ng pha?i ddu+o+.c ddo^?i ra tha`nh gia^'y 100 va` 1000 ro^`i ddem ddo^'t, ta^?m lie^.m trong quan ta`i, cha('c ga~ muo^'n khi ve^` be^n kia the^' gio+'i co' tie^`n dde^? ma` xa`i\.
Vo+. to^i buo^.t mie^.ng no'i ba(`ng tie^'ng Vie^.t:
- Tie^n su+ tha(`ng gia`! Ngu?m cu? to?i ro^`i ma` co`n tham lam!
Ba` Harrison kho^ng hie^?u na`ng no'i gi`, be`n ho?i la.i:
- Ca'i gi`?
Vo+. to^i xua tay:
- Kho^ng co' gi` he^'t. Nhu+ va^.y ba` ti'nh sao\?
- Co`n ti'nh sao nu+~a, thi` pha?i thu+.c hie^.n theo u+o+'c muo^'n cu?a tha(`ng cha? chu+' sao, chu+' kho^ng tha(`ng cha? hie^.n ho^`n ve^` ddo`i no+. thi` tao la`m sao ma` ye^n o^?n so^'ng dda^y!
- Tro+`i! To^i cha('c so^' tie^`n ddo' kho^ng pha?i la` i't.
- Co`n pha?i no'i, cu~ng ca? chu.c trie^.u chu+' i't gi`!
Nhu+ng ro^`i ne't ma(.t ba` ta ha^n hoan le^n tha^'y ro~, ba` ke^? tie^'p:
- Tuy nhie^n tao dda~ la`m vu+`a lo`ng tha(`ng cha?, tu+'c la` ddem ddo^'t mo^.t chu.c trie^.u, ma` chi? to^'n co' va`i ddo^`ng ba.c.
Vo+. to^i nga.c nhie^n:
- To^i kho^ng hie^?u ba` muo^'n no'i gi`!
Ba` Harrison ha. gio.ng no'i nho?:
- Tao ho.c ddu+o+.c ca'i tro` ddo^'t tie^`n cu'ng co^ ho^`n cu?a bo.n A'-DDo^ng tu.i ma`y dda^'y\. Tao ra cho+. Ta`u, mua ddu'ng mo^.t chu.c trie^.u tie^`n ma~ kim...
Vo+. to^i dda~ vo+~ le~, na`ng ba('t tay chu'c mu+`ng ba`\. Ro^`i na`ng quay qua no'i vo+'i to^i:
- I't nha^'t ba` ta cu~ng kho^ng dde^'n no^~i ngu\. Chi? to^.i nghie^.p cho o^ng gia`, dde^'n che^'t cu~ng kho^ng ddu+o+.c cho^n vo+'i tie^`n tha^.t.
To^i no'i ddu`a mo^.t ca^u:
- To^.i nghie^.p cho o^?ng co' mo^.t ba` vo+. qua' "Harrison"!
Lu'c quan ta`i cu?a ke? qua' co^' ddu+o+.c ddu+a xuo^'ng lo`ng huye^.t sa^u, to^i tu+. ho?i be^n trong ta^'m a'o quan kia, o^ng Harrison ddang nghi~ gi`\? O^ng ddang vui vo+'i so^' tie^`n ma` o^ng tu+o+?ng la` tie^`n tha^.t, dde^'n lu'c che^'t cu~ng co`n ke^` ca.nh be^n o^ng. Hay la` o^ng ddang bu+.c bo^.i bo+?i ca'i dda'm tro lu.i ta`n cu?a ddo^'ng va`ng ma~ re? tie^`n ddang ba'm quanh o^ng, cho dde^'n lu'c che^'t.
(c) Copyright Bu`i Thanh Lie^m, 10/95