The Encounter

In a dramatic encounter, a Vietnamese village boy creeps up to physical inspect a resting American.

It was late morning in the summer 0f 1969 when The American entered the dispensary yelling, "I need Vic Hundahl now! Where is he?" 

I introduced my self to overweight out of shape impatient fifty or so old man. He just flew in from Saigon central office and arrived at the military Chu Lai base. He explained that he had to deliver a check and have documents signed by a relative of a company worker killed in a work-related accident. He loudly demanded that I help him now. 

This bureaucrat is the type I disliked the most, they would come from their comfortable air-conditioned office in Saigon or Washington DC, and be ignorant of the local situation or have any knowledge of Asian culture, and would give orders not understanding their consequences. I told him I would help him to most of my ability, but in my thoughts, I would make his time with me very uncomfortable. 

Looking at his documents and conferring with my interpreter Nhan Do, I explained to him that the Quang Ngai area where we were going was a prime Viet Cong enemy-held territory, which was very dangerous, and I could not guaranty his safety. 

Showing his arrogance, the "Boss Man" ordered me to "get going now"!  

Ok, let's do it," I replied.

Driving on Highway one With the "Boss Man,"  Nhan and  I pointed up to the sky where a phantom fighter jet was making bombing runs parallel to us. We could feel the vibration from the bombs, followed by the BOOM. The "Boss Man" body started to shake, and his lips trembled. So I tried to reassure him by telling him the fighter jet is making his bombing run parallel to the highway.

 "No need to worry, unless he becomes disorientated and mistakenly drops a bomb on us." "You won't feel a thing if the bomb hits us!" I said.

 The"Boss Man" started complaining profusely, "I shouldn't be out here, I am not leaving Saigon again!" 

I am getting some satisfaction now. I then explained to the "Boss Man" that he should be more worried about coming across escaping enemy troops that survived the bombing. 

"They would show no mercy to us," I told him.

 I thought it was a remote chance that we would run into any, but you never knew. Anyway, my interpreter Nhan and I enjoyed the "Boss Man" discomfort and complaints.

Accurate maps in Vietnam were non-existent, or there were none at all. I always depended on my interpreter or by asking people along the way to get where we wanted to go.  After being directed by some peasant rice farmers, we turned off Highway one and followed the dirt road up toward the house, which sat on a hill. Getting out of the pickup, I took the lead walking up the path; scanning for any visible or surface disturbance which indicated possible concealed booby traps or tripwires, with Nhan and the "Boss Man" following me. 

Getting to the house, Nhan announced us, and we entered the dark unlighted room where a Vietnamese man with an angry-sullen face was staring at us from across a table. "This is not going to be easy," I thought. I told the "Boss Man" it would be better if I waited outside and let him try to negotiate, and I would return in about 20 minutes. I found a spot on the slope and leaned back against a small palm tree to relax and enjoy the peaceful, bright green vegetation with crisscrossing rice paddy landscape, as the Phantom jet made his last bombing run. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him! A Vietnamese peasant boy, while squatting, was slowly creeping through the bushes toward me. He would stop then stare at me, then move to crawl on hands and knees toward me a few feet at a time. He seemed more curious about me than threatening. I used the same tactic that I used as a kid in the forest of Montana. Don't move a muscle, and don't look at the animal that was trying to investigate you. The animal's curiosity would cause them to get close and inspect you if you didn't alarm them. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that he was clothed only in black shorts and was barefoot.  

The unkempt country boy about 15 years was dirty and grimy from working the rice fields. Trembling and with caution, the boy slowly moved closer to inspect me. He was so close that I could see his slightly yellowed teeth, so close that he was now in the kill zone, and if he had a concealed knife, he could slash my throat.  He bent over me and with shaking hands, cautiously reached out, touching and stroking the sweating white skin of my forearm.  It was apparent he had never seen a white person before. The encounter became more intense as he inched so close and hunched over me that our faces were inches from each other as he studied my white face. He looked bewildered as he stared deep into my blue eyes, seeing blue eyes for the first time. It was an encounter based on basic primal curiosity instinct. Even with the fear of what the unknown response would be from this strange looking foreigner, he was driven to investigate. 

I to shared concern, would the Vietnamese boy be impulsive with hate and suddenly attack? The time to kill if needed was now! Should I strike before he does or wait for the event to unfold? Was I a fool for taking this risk and letting this game play out? Then, after completing his examination of me, the boy abruptly moved slowly backward, keeping me insight as he crawled back to the safety of the rice paddies. Not a spoken word was exchanged between him and me during the encounter. All of our communications were by silent, non-verbal body language tied to mutual trust.  I sat there for a few moments thinking of what had just transpired, then got up and walked back to the house.

 

I walked into the semi-dark house and found that the Vietnamese man was angerly refusing to accept the check and was demanding additional money.  The "Boss Man," was at a loss of how to deal with him, he looked at me, signaling for help. Speaking in short sentences so that Nhan could translate effectively, I explained to the angry man that the "Boss Man" had flown in from Saigon this morning. That the three of us being unarmed and in the dangerous territory came to show respect and honor and to provide some financial benefits to the family.  We were acting as messengers and had no authority except to deliver and have the documents signed. I explained that it would be necessary for him to go to Saigon and talk directly to higher officials. I then asked "Boss Man" to walk out first then asked Nhan to follow me out with both us, slowly walking down the path to allow time for the  Vietnamese man time to think and come to a favorable decision for us. Suddenly the angry man yelled something.

 Nhan said, "Vic, he wants to sign!" 

The "Boss Man" and Nhan went back into the home to give the check to the angry man and have the documents signed.  

With our mission completed and back in the pickup, the "Boss Man" said, "thank God we are getting out of here and are safe." 

I replied, "You are making the same mistake many green lieutenants make. They achieved there primary objective by knocking out an enemy unit. As they make their way back through the dense jungle to return to the base camp, they are exhausted, relaxed, and not on guard and are rushing it. The Viet Cong are expecting their return, set up an ambush attacking the American unit. We are not safe until we get back into the base confines." 

The "Boss Man started trembling again but remained silent on the way back to the Chu Lai airbase.

On our short adventure, the previously arrogant demanding "Boss Man" had become humble, and instead of barking orders let Nhan, and I take the lead as the situation unfolded. I came about to have some respect for him. The "Boss Man" who was trembling with fear didn't quit or turn back; he completed his assignment, and at once caught a flight back to his somewhat safer Saigon office.

       

   

Reviews

[Einstein Noodle]

i am amazed that you have had such experiences and live to tell the tale ;) very relatable for all those who serve .. that "Boss Man" is cloned in every unit and has a lot more "discomfort" put on him than your Boss Man ;) i like the story ... i like it more because your are recounting something that happened to you ... i easily imagined the scenes as they unfolded ... would not have minded even more descriptive language and you missed the smells of the jungle and the bombing at such close range ..i love the story, the characters and the history ... you have a very unique perspective to talk about Viet Nam, Vic ... thank you for sharing
E.

[Coyote Poetry]

You made the situation come alive. I liked the description and you made the people, landscape and the Boss man come alive to the reader. I liked how you described the situations. Thank you Vic for sharing the outstanding story.
Coyote