Xua^n No^`ng

Bu`i Thanh Lie^m

Chu+o+ng co`m nga'p da`i mo^.t ca'i ga^`n toa'c dde^'n mang tai\. Ga~ va.ch co^? tay a'o, nhi`n ddo^`ng ho^`. Ga~ thoa'ng gia^.t mi`nh, dda~ 2 gio+` sa'ng. The^' la` ga~ dda~ ngo^`i mo.c re^~ tru+o+'c chie^'c ma'y ddie^.n toa'n ga^`n 8 tie^'ng ddo^`ng ho^`. Kho^ng bie^'t tu+` bao gio+`, Chu+o+ng co`m dda^m ra "ghie^`n" ca'i tro` cho+i "xa lo^. tin ho.c" na`y\. Cu~ng nhu+ ngu+o+`i du`ng ma-tu'y la^u na(m, lie^`u lu+o+.ng chi? co' ta(ng chu+' kho^ng co' gia?m.

Nga`y xu+a, lu'c mo+'i ddu+o+.c gio+'i thie^.u vo+'i ca'i tro` cho+i na`y, Chu+o+ng co`m ba('t dda^`u ba(`ng ca'ch tham gia ma.ng lu+o+'i tho^ng tin cu?a nho'm Vie^.t Nam, co' te^n go.i la` "VietNet". Ca'i die^~n dda`n na`y ho+.p vo+'i ba?n ti'nh to` mo` cu?a Chu+o+ng co`m. Tre^n ddo' thie^n ha. ha`ng nga`y dda(ng ta?i ca? tra(m la' thu+ ddie^.n tu+?, nhu+~ng la' thu+ ddo^i khi vie^'t ba(`ng tie^'ng Anh, ddo^i khi ba(`ng tie^'ng Vie^.t. No^.i dung cu?a nhu+~ng la' thu+ na`y ra^'t dda da.ng; co' ngu+o+`i mang chuye^.n chi'nh tri., to^n gia'o le^n ddo' ma` ba`n ca~i, cu~ng co' nhu+~ng ma^`m non va(n nghe^. chia se~ vo+'i thie^n ha. nhu+~ng ma^?u truye^.n nga('n, nhu+~ng ba`i tho+ con co'c, cu~ng co' ke? la.i mang chuye^.n tu+ thu` le^n ddo' ma` gia?i quye^'t.

Tho+`i gian sau Chu+o+ng co`m ddi xa ho+n mo^.t bu+o+'c la` tru+.c tie^'p lie^n la.c vo+'i ngu+o+`i gu+?i thu+, thay vi` ddi qua die^~n dda`n. So+? di~ go.i xa ho+n mo^.t bu+o+'c la` vi` tru+o+`ng ho+.p na`y co' ve? rie^ng tu+ ho+n. Cu~ng nho+` ca'i tro` cho+i na`y ma` Chu+o+ng co`m la`m quen ddu+o+.c va`i co^, ma` cu~ng kho^ng bie^'t co' pha?i la` ma^'y co^ thie^.t kho^ng hay la` la.i ma^'y ga~ gia? ga'i\. De^~ qua' ma`, kho^ng tha^'y ma(.t nhau thi` co' tro+`i mo+'i bie^'t ddu+o+.c ke? o+? dda^`u be^n kia la` ai, va` chi? ca^`n bie^'t so+ ve^` he^. tho^'ng ddie^.n toa'n tho^i la` ngu+o+`i ta co' the^? de^~ da`ng su+?a ca'i te^n tre^n ma'y cho no' co' ve? nu+~ pha'i mo^.t ti'. Co' ai ngo+` ddu+o+.c nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i va^~n tu+. xu+ng tre^n ma'y la` Bi'ch, Kim Anh, Loan, Lie^n, Mai, Ngo.c, Uye^n, hay Ye^'n la` ma^'y ga~ ddu+.c ru+.a chi'nh hie^.u\. Cu~ng co' tru+o+`ng ho+.p be' ca'i la^`m vi` tre^n ba`n ma'y tie^'ng My~ kho^ng co' bo? da^'u, nhu+ Hoa chi'nh la` Ho`a, Dung la` Du~ng, Truc va` Van tu+o+?ng la` Tru'c va` Va^n nhu+ng la.i la` Tru+.c va` Va(n! DDo' la` chu+a ke^? tru+o+`ng ho+.p nhu+~ng ca'i te^n Vie^.t Nam dde^`u co' the^? la` trai hay ga'i cu~ng ddu+o+.c.

Tho+`i gian sau na`y co' ngu+o+`i ma'ch cho Chu+o+ng co`m ve^` mo^.t di.ch vu. mo+'i cu?a xa lo^. tin ho.c, go.i la` "Internet Relay Chat (IRC)". Vo+'i di.ch vu. na`y ngu+o+`i ta co' the^? ddi tha(?ng va`o nhu+~ng ba(ng ta^`n, tu+o+ng tu+. ma^'y ba(ng ta^`n cu?a dda`i pha't thanh, dde^? ma` no'i chuye^.n tru+.c tie^'p vo+'i nhau ba(`ng ca'ch go~ va`o ba`n ma'y\. Theo qua?ng ca'o, vo+'i di.ch vu. na`y, ngu+o+`i du`ng co' the^? lie^n la.c vo+'i nhau tu+` kha('p ba'n ca^`u ma` kho^ng to^'n mo^.t xu tie^`n ddie^.n thoa.i\. Chu+o+ng co`m quan nie^.m chi? co' ca'ch lie^n la.c nhu+ va^.y ga~ mo+'i co' the^? pha^`n na`o ddoa'n ddu+o+.c ngu+o+`i ddang go~ ma'y la` nam hay nu+~. The^' la` Chu+o+ng co`m tham gia va`o di.ch vu. IRC na`y kho^ng mo^.t chu't do du+.. Cho dde^'n ho^m nay ca'i ha^.u qua? cu?a vie^.c la`m na`y tha^.t la` tai ha.i, kho^ng lu+o+`ng ddu+o+.c. Chu+o+ng co`m va^~n y' thu+'c ddu+o+.c su+. ta'c ha.i na`y, nhu+ng ga~ kho^ng the^? du+'t ddu+o+.c, cu~ng nhu+ ngu+o+`i nghie^.n thuo^'c la', bie^'t la` ha.i pho^?i nhu+ng va^~n cu+' hu't. IRC co' mo^.t ma?nh lu+.c ghe^ ho^`n, no' chie^'m he^'t mo.i sinh hoa.t thu+o+`ng nha^.t cu?a Chu+o+ng co`m. Ha`ng nga`y ga~ di'nh cha^'u IRC tu+` sa'ng dde^'n to^'i, kho^ng lo ho.c ha`nh gi` he^'t. Chu+o+ng co`m hie^.n ddang co`n la` sinh vie^n. Na(m nay chi? mo+'i la` na(m thu+' hai dda.i ho.c cu?a ga~, nhu+ng ga~ co' trie^?n vo.ng ddu+o+.c mo+`i ra tru+o+`ng so+'m ne^'u ca'i dda` ho.c ha`nh na`y cu+' tie^'p tu.c. Nhu+ng ma(.c ke^.. Chu+o+ng co`m ba^'t cha^'p. Ga~ va^~n quan nie^.m "ho.c ma` kho^ng cho+i ha.i ddo+`i tuo^?i tre?". Na(m nay Chu+o+ng co`m mo+'i tro`n 25 ca'i xua^n xanh.

Cu~ng nho+` la`n so'ng IRC na`y ma` Chu+o+ng co`m dda~ la`m quen ddu+o+.c mo^.t va`i co^ be' Vie^.t Nam. Trong so^' ddo', Chu+o+ng co`m co' ca?m ti`nh nha^'t vo+'i Oanh. Phu't dda^`u ga(.p go+~ tre^n ma'y, Chu+o+ng co`m dda~ chu' y' to+'i Oanh ngay; vo+'i mo^.t lo^'i dda`m thoa.i de^~ thu+o+ng va` hoa.t ba't, Oanh dda~ no^?i ba^.t le^n so vo+'i ca'c na`ng co' ma(.t trong IRC ho^m ddo'. The^' la` Chu+o+ng co`m ba('t dda^`u tie^'n ha`nh ke^' hoa.ch ta'n ti?nh tre^n ma'y\. Ga~ ba('t dda^`u ba(`ng ca'ch ba('n dde^'n ddi.a chi? thu+ ddie^.n cu?a Oanh mo^.t loa.t tho+ ti`nh, tri'ch ra tu+` cuo^'n Vie^.t Nam Thi Nha^n Tie^`n Chie^'n cu?a Nguye^~n Ta^'n Long. Ga~ co`n bo? tho+`i gio+` ngo^`i ve~ tre^n ma'y nhu+~ng ddo'a hoa ho^`ng dde^? gu+?i dde^'n na`ng. Chi? co' nhie^u ddo' tho^i cu~ng ddu? ga^y ddu+o+.c su+. chu' y' cu?a Oanh. The^' la` Chu+o+ng co`m tha`nh co^ng. Qua ti`m hie^?u tre^n ma'y ddie^.n toa'n va` thu+ tu+` qua la.i, Chu+o+ng co`m bie^'t ddu+o+.c Oanh hie^.n ddang so^'ng va` la`m vie^.c o+? Schenectady, mo^.t tha`nh pho^' nho?, to.a la.c phi'a Ba('c cu?a tie^?u bang New York. Na`ng sang My~ ddu+o+.c 5 na(m, tuo^?i ddo+`i 24, tu+'c la` thua Chu+o+ng co`m 1 tuo^?i\. Co^? nha^n co' ca^u: "Ga'i ho+n hai, trai ho+n mo^.t!" Nhu+ va^.y la` ra^'t xu+'ng ddo^i vu+`a lu+'a, Chu+o+ng co`m nghi~ tha^`m. Sau na`y, nha^.n ddu+o+.c hi`nh cu?a Oanh, ga~ ca`ng tha^'y na`ng ga^`n gu~i va` tha^n thu+o+ng ho+n. "Khi ye^u qua? a^'u cu~ng tro`n, bo^` ho`n cu~ng ngo.t!" Chu+o+ng co`m co' ca?m tu+o+?ng hoa ha^.u Hoa Ky`, co^ Heather Whitestone, dde.p la('m thi` cu~ng chi? ba(`ng Oanh cu?a ga~ la` cu`ng.

Ba tha'ng tro+`i tro^i qua, mo^'i quan he^. ma^.t thie^'t giu+~a ga~ va` Oanh tha^.t la` ga('n bo'. Thoa'ng ddo' ma` ca'i Te^'t Nguye^n DDa'n dda~ ga^`n ke^`. Te^'t na(m nay Chu+o+ng co`m nha^'t ddi.nh se~ thu+.c hie^.n ca'i ke^' hoa.ch ma` ga~ dda~ nung na^'u suo^'t ba tha'ng tro+`i nay\. Nhu+ bao nhie^u ca'i Te^'t Ta tro^i qua tre^n xu+' ngu+o+`i, ngoa.i tru+` nhu+~ng vu`ng ddo^ng Vie^.t Nam nhu+ Cali hay Texas, ai cu~ng bie^'t ro~ nhu+~ng tie^?u bang mie^`n DDo^ng ba(ng gia' la`m gi` co' chuye^.n a(n mu+`ng Te^'t A^m Li.ch, va` ca'i tha`nh pho^' que^ mu`a Schenectady cu~ng kho^ng pha?i ngoa.i le^.. Ke^' hoa.ch cu?a Chu+o+ng co`m trong ma^'y nga`y Te^'t nha^'t na`y la` bay le^n ta^.n vu`ng DDo^ng Ba('c Hoa Ky`, cho ngu+o+`i ti`nh "ddie^.n toa'n" cu?a ga~ mo^.t ca'i nga.c nhie^n. Suo^'t ma^'y tha'ng tro+`i qua Chu+o+ng co`m dda^`u ta('t ma(.t to^'i, ca`y mo^.t lu'c hai "job", cuo^'i cu`ng ga~ cu~ng da`nh du.m ddu? tie^`n cho chie^'c ve' ma'y bay khu+' ho^`i va` va`i tra(m dde^? tie^u va(.t, da^~n ngu+o+`i ye^u ddi cho+i\. Chi? mo+'i tu+o+?ng tu+o+.ng ra ca'i ca?nh o^m Oanh trong vo`ng tay, nga('m nhi`n tuye^'t ro+i be^n ngoa`i khung cu+?a tho^i ma` ga~ dda~ ca?m tha^'y cha^u tha^n no'ng bu+`ng. Va` Chu+o+ng co`m a^m tha^`m thi ha`nh ke^' hoa.ch. Ga~ mua ve' ma'y bay, dda'p xuo^'ng phi tru+o+`ng Albany, thu? phu? cu?a tie^?u bang New York, va`o ddu'ng dde^m Giao Thu+`a\.

"Anh dde^'n tha(m em dde^m ba mu+o+i\. Co`n dde^m na`o vui ba(`ng dde^m ba mu+o+i\." DDe^m ba mu+o+i, Chu+o+ng co`m kha(n go'i qua? mu+o+'p dde^'n tha(m ngu+o+`i ti`nh ddie^.n toa'n cu?a mi`nh. Theo ddi.a chi? tre^n phong bi` Chu+o+ng co`m ti`m ra nha` de^~ da`ng, cu~ng nho+` o+? dda^y dda^'t ro^.ng ngu+o+`i thu+a, nha` cu+?a pha^n chia ro~ re^.t. Chu+o+ng co`m ghe' tai va`o trong khe cu+?a, ga~ nghe ro~ co' tie^'ng tre? con Vie^.t Nam ddang no^ ddu`a be^n trong. Ga~ mu+`ng tha^`m la` dda~ ti`m ddu'ng nha`. Chu+o+ng co`m hi't mo^.t ho+i da`i la^'y bi`nh ti~nh tru+o+'c khi go~ cu+?a\. Ra mo+? cu+?a la` mo^.t tha(`ng be' khoa?ng tre^n du+o+'i 10 tuo^?i\. Tha(`ng nho? no'i tie^'ng Vie^.t kha' so~i:

"Da. thu+a chu' kie^'m ai\?"

"Cho ho?i dda^y co' pha?i la` nha` cu?a co^ Oanh kho^ng?"

Co' mo^.t ddu+'a be' ga'i, tro^ng co' ve? lo+'n ho+n tha(`ng be', tho` dda^`u ra:

"Mo+. cha'u ddi ra cho+. co' vie^.c, mo+`i chu' vo^ nha` ngo^`i ddo+.i, ti' xi'u mo+. ve^`."

Chu+o+ng co`m tu+o+?ng mi`nh ddi la^`m nha`. Theo ga~ bie^'t, Oanh mo+'i co' 24 tuo^?i, la`m sao ma` co' ddu+o+.c nhu+~ng ddu+'a cha'u lo+'n to^`ng ngo^`ng nhu+ the^' ddu+o+.c! Cha('c co' le~ la` ho. ha`ng xa\. Ga~ nhi`n la.i ddi.a chi? mo^.t la^`n nu+~a, kho^ng the^? la^`m ddu+o+.c. Ga~ tu+. nhu?: "Tho^i thi` dda~ lo+~ dde^'n dda^y, cu+' va`o trong ca'i dda~, mo.i chuye^.n se~ ha. ho^`i pha^n gia?i\." Co' ddie^`u ga~ la^'y la`m la. la` da^n ti`nh o+? dda^y co' ve? hie^'u kha'ch, ngu+o+`i la. mo+'i ga(.p la^`n dda^`u ma` da'm mo+`i va`o trong nha`.

Chu+o+ng co`m bu+o+'c va`o pho`ng kha'ch. Chie^'c ma'y ddie^.n toa'n dda(.t tre^n ba`n dda^.p va`o ma('t ga~ tru+o+'c tie^n. Ga~ ddi dde^'n to` mo` do` xe't. Hi`nh nhu+ ngu+o+`i du`ng vu+`a mo+'i xa`i IRC xong, da^'u ti'ch co`n ghi la.i tre^n ma`n a?nh. Ro^`i Chu+o+ng co`m gia^.t ba('n ngu+o+`i\. Ta^'m a?nh ngu+o+`i con ga'i my~ mie^`u ma` ga~ nha^.n ddu+o+.c ca'ch dda^y ma^'y tha'ng, ddang ba`y ra dda^`y da^~y tre^n ba`n. Nhi`n ky~ thi` tha^'y dda^y la` nhu+~ng ba?n chu.p la.i tre^n gia^'y cu+'ng. Ta^'m a?nh go^'c ddu+o+.c ca('t ra tu+` mo^.t to+` ta.p chi' ngu+o+`i ma^~u A' DDo^ng. Chu+o+ng co`m nha(.t nhanh mo^.t ta^'m, ddi dde^'n ho?i 2 ddu+'a be':

"DDa^y co' pha?i la` mo+. Oanh cu?a ma^'y cha'u kho^ng?"

Hai ddu+'a be' la('c dda^`u\. Chu+o+ng co`m ho?i tie^'p:

"Trong nha` co' ta^'m hi`nh na`o cu?a mo+. Oanh kho^ng?"

Tha(`ng be' cha.y nhanh va`o pho`ng ngu?, mo^.t la't sau tro+? ra, tre^n tay la` mo^.t khung hi`nh lo+'n, co+~ cuo^'n ta^.p ho.c tro`. Chu+o+ng co`m ddo+~ la^'y khung hi`nh tu+` tay tha(`ng be'. Hai ma('t ga~ bo^~ng tro+.n tru+`ng, cha^n tay ca?m tha^'y ru.ng ro+`i\. Ho+~i o^i! Tru+o+'c ma('t ga~ la` cha^n dung cu?a mo^.t thie^'u phu. o+? lu+'a tuo^?i tu+' tua^`n vo+'i nhan sa('c cu?a mo^.t ngu+o+`i dda`n ba` ma` "tro+`i ba('t pha?i xa^'u".

Co' tie^'ng xe ddo^~ la.i tru+o+'c nha`. Chu+o+ng co`m su+.c ti?nh. Ga~ pha?i thoa't nhanh ra kho?i dda^y\. Ga~ cha`o hai ddu+'a be' ro^`i pho'ng nhanh ra cu+?a sau\. Tru+o+'c khi ma^'t da.ng ga~ co`n nghe ro~ ma^~u ddo^'i thoa.i tu+` trong nha` vang ra\.

"Ho^`i na~y lu'c mo+. ddi va('ng co' ngu+o+`i dde^'n ti`m mo+.." DDu+'a be' ga'i le^n tie^'ng.

"Va^.y ho. dda^u ro^`i\?" Chu+o+ng co`m ddoa'n dda^y la` gio.ng no'i cu?a Oanh.

"Chu' a^'y vu+`a mo+'i ddi kho?i thi` mo+. ve^` dde^'n."

"The^' a`?" Co' tie^'ng ddo'ng cu+?a\. Va` gio.ng no'i cu?a thie^'u phu. tie^'p tu.c:

"Da.o na`y tro^.m cu+o+'p to+.n la('m dda^'y! La^`n sau mo+. ddi va('ng, ca'c con tuye^.t ddo^'i kho^ng ddu+o+.c mo+? cu+?a cho ngu+o+`i la. va`o nha` nghe chu+a\?"

Ho'a ra Oanh la` me. cu?a hai ddu+'a be' kia, chi? vi` ngu+o+`i Ba('c go.i me. ba(`ng mo+. va^.y ma` Chu+o+ng co`m cu+' tha('c ma('c na~y gio+`. Ga~ ba(ng qua ddu+o+`ng, ddo'n ta('c-xi tro+? ve^` kha'ch sa.n ta.m tru', cho+` nga`y ro+`i kho?i ca'i vu`ng khi? ho co` ga'y na`y\. Tuye^'t ddang la^'t pha^'t ro+i, to^ ddie^?m the^m tre^n ba^`u tro+`i la~ng ma.n mu`a xua^n. Theo le~ thu+o+`ng thi` "ngu+o+`i buo^`n ca?nh co' vui dda^u bao gio+`". Nhu+ng ba^y gio+`, tha^.m chi' ddu+'ng tru+o+'c khung ca?nh mu`a xua^n vui tu+o+i ro^.n ra~, lo`ng Chu+o+ng co`m va^~n tan na't, trong mo^.t ta^m tra.ng ma^'t ma't, ca? chi` la^~n cha`i\.