As the two ladies paddle to the market Mrs.Orn can’t help but talk about that person.

“Is that person a guy or girl, that face just look beautiful and handsome the same time? But how can a girl be a soldier?” Mrs.Orn pause to think for a bit, no answer from her daughter.

“I’m thinking too much, must be a guy, anyway he looks very young.” Mrs.Orn still continue, “Hurr…I don’t know how his parents must feel to have him away from home without knowing the future”

“Mom you don’t have to feel sorry for them, they think they’re more superior so they can do anything to us.”

“Aom, I didn’t see he act that way, that smile is very kind. He’s probably lonely being away from home and all, might want to talk to new people”

“I don’t want to talk to them, I hate them”

“Honey, you have to separate people and war. He just doing his duty that’s all, and we do our, don’t mixed these feelings. They show kindness to us and we can show it back”

“But I don’t like it” Aom still not backing down. “I don’t want to be close to people I hate, like that person, no matter what I will still hate it”

Mrs.Orn gives up trying to convince her daughter, she knows once Aom makes up her mind about loving or hating anyone it’s hard to change.

The Ta Tien Water Market in the morning is crowded. It is a place where people shop for fresh fruits and vegetables on row boat. Because of the war, everything seem to sell easier and more expensive because people want to stock up. Mrs.Orn counted the money and ask her daughter,

“Honey, do you want to go buy something on land?”

“Yeah, I think I’ll go buy some dessert for Grandma”

The two ladies walk up from their boat and go to the land market.

“Sora wa non dezka? (What is this?)”

That playful voice make Mrs.Orn can’t help but to turn and see. She sees that on the sidewalk there’s mountain of watermelon on it. And that playful voice is bending down to pick up the fruit and trying to talk to the merchant.

“What? Anyway this is a watermelon, you want to buy it?” the old lady merchant asks.

“Huh?” that person look at the merchant with a questionable face.

People around there stop and look at the incident like it’s an entertainment.

“Eikura dez ka? (How much is it?)”

“What the hell is this person saying? You see this is a watermelon. Its sweet, do you have it in your country? Watermelon..”

“Water…me..lon” that playful voice try to sound it out.

“Yeah yeah it’s sweet and the texture inside is sandy, very good you know.. how many do you want?”

That person take off once hat and scratch his head, because he can’t understand much of what the merchant is saying. This make people who stop and look, laugh at the incident. That person try to look around for help. Once he turn to see Mrs.Orn’s face, he smiles widely and walk straight to her.

“Tessu dunte gudasai”

Mrs.Orn jaw drop because she doesn’t understand what that person is saying either but still want to try to help, “what is that again?”

Now that person try to talk to her in English, “Can you please help me Miss? I ask the merchant what kind of fruit is this and how much is it? But she doesn’t seem to understand what I’m saying, if I’m not mistaken, these are watermelon right?”

Mrs.Orn shook her head “I don’t know how to speak English but you can ask my daughter”

But the petite girl that follow Mrs.Orn try to act like she doesn’t know what’s going on and doesn’t want to get involve.

“Aom can you help him, look he really follow us…”

“Mom, don’t get involve… just let them talk it out”

“Tessu dunte gudasai” that person said it out of instinct, before translating in English “Please help me Miss”

But the petite girl still show no reaction and pretend not to know anything. That person smile back a little with kindness and realize that this petite girl doesn’t want to help. That person bow his head down a little with respect and tell her in a low voice…

“Domo arikato goraimus (that’s ok, thank you very much)”

The tall figure now turn back to the merchant and continue…

“Do you want it? 5 bucks each…”