Fish Sauce

Our Hero

Our Hero By Anhthao Bui


Last night, Dan said to me, “Honey, tomorrow we will meet our hero: the greatest man in the world.”
My eyes were wide open to ask him, “Really? Who? Where? And when?”
Dan laughed, “Ms. Bui, I’m not your student! Why so serious?”
I embarrassedly told him, “I'm not talking to you with my teacher’s voice.”
Dan laughed loudly and recited as he sung, “Ms. Bui, who, what, where, when, and why are teacher’s words to teach writing.”
I understood and hit him, “Oh, I am sorry. Mr. Lambert, you’re a bad boy. You tease Ms. Bui.”
I went back to the question, “Dan, aren't we going to Disneyland tomorrow? Don’t tell me that our plan is changing.”
Dan embraced me, “No, Baby. Wait and see tomorrow.”
With a sleepy voice, I agreed with him, “Okay!”

At Disneyland, the "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" show is located in a huge building located in Main Street near the entrance to Disneyland. A big sign on top of the building reads: “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.” When we enter the theatre, our eyes hit the capital Dome model that is in the central hall. Abraham Lincoln's portrait is on the wall facing the entrance. A black bust of Lincoln is in the left corner. Photos of Lincoln surround us. Two men in nineteenth-century attire, wearing bow ties, coats and tails, warmly welcome us and direct us to the show in the adjoining theater.
We walk in and find our seats. As we sit down, the doors are closed, and an announcer welcomes us. “Ladies and Gentlemen, we welcome you to Great Moments With Mister Lincoln.” A beautiful, scarlet curtain is slowly raised, and the United States’ significant landscapes and symbols are projected onto a screen, accompanied by the song, “America the Beautiful.” I sing along with the song: “America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw / Confirm thy soul in self-control / Thy liberty in law.” My hot, patriotic blood makes my face turn red. This is the United States which I love! I believe that the dark clouds of the recession facing our country will end soon. We Americans will mend every flaw through each individual American’s ability, because the universal echo of the Liberty Bell rumbles around the world.

The announcer introduces Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. A painting of Lincoln fills the screen. He sits at a table in dim light, writing his autobiography. Lincoln shares with me his childhood and his youth, saying: “I was born in Kentucky in a log cabin. At a very young age, an axe was put into my hands and I began to use this most useful instrument.” Lincoln recalls his hard work, his love of books, his self-education, and the many times he overcame hardships to succeed.

I sit up straight, my eyes directly looking at the scene without blinking. My eyes are wet; I am in the nineteenth century in Kentucky; in the log cabin. I have traveled back in time to meet Abraham Lincoln. Dan warmly holds my hands. The screen shifts to the Civil War and battlefield illustrations accompanied by the song “Two Brothers.” This is the story of two brothers fighting on both sides of the Civil War: the North and the South. The curtain closes to the sound of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration speech.
The voice of announcer Paul Frees bellows from the speakers. “We pay tribute here not to the man who lived a century ago, but to the individual who lives today in the hearts of all freedom people.” Oh, yeah! So that is why I adore Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln is not only in the heart of the original Americans, but he is the hero of African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and others who come to the United States to share the radiance of the Torch of Liberty.
The curtain opens, and Abraham Lincoln sits on a big, overstuffed red chair in the dim light. The background is red. He gradually stands up. His hand holds a piece of white paper. His eyes survey the crowd and land on me. I dare not breathe because I am afraid my breath is going to pollute the immaculate atmosphere. Finally, I am meeting Abraham Lincoln in person. My blood is frozen; my heart stands still. I rub my eyes. Am I sleeping and in a dream or am I awake? Lincoln finishes his address; the address in which he reminds us that if our country fails, it will be because it has rotted from within. No foreign power can destroy America without the cooperation and culpability of the American people.
As Lincoln sits down, the background changes to blue behind him. The tiny stars twinkle and the dawn breaks over the sky. The curtain closes.
My hand is still in Dan’s hand. I am petrified. I murmur, “Dan, I have met Abraham Lincoln, our great hero. How honored I am.”
Dan nods, “I know, Baby. I told you last night.”
I apologize to him, “Sorry for getting mad at you last night.”
I share my thoughts with Dan, “Abraham Lincoln looks real. If I did not know he lived in the nineteenth century, I would have thought that robot is Abraham Lincoln.”
Dan laughs, “My mom also thought that was Abraham Lincoln. When my dad took my mom on their first date, he took her to "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" and told her the robot was a real person. First, she believed him, and then she remembered that Abraham Lincoln was dead, but she thought maybe the robot was an actor playing Lincoln. The show first opened in 1965, and it closed for several years before reopening last December.”
I jump up and down, “I am lucky to see Abraham Lincoln this time! If I came to Disneyland before, I could not. This is fate.”
Dan winks, “Especially because you went to the show with a special man.”
I lower my voice, “The performance was so amazing. I admire Walt Disney for designing this tribute to Abraham Lincoln. My heart raced when I saw Abraham Lincoln, heard his voice, and lived with the Civil War in the nineteenth century. Lincoln’s speech is liberal. He focuses on the idea of liberty and often repeats the word "freedom." The last words of the speech are about all religions, different languages, and people with different lifestyles, such as domestic partners, coming together to make the United States great. I like this image. When Lincoln started talking, the background was a nighttime scene with stars that represent the stars of our flag. The night represents the hideous Civil War. When Lincoln finished his speech, daybreak appeared which symbolizes Lincoln leading the United States out of the darkness.”
Dan kisses me, “Honey, I can tell how you felt by looking at your face and your eyes during the show.”
I bury my face in his chest, “Thank you for bringing me to the show.”
Dan embraces me in his strong arms, “Darling, thank you for coming to the United States. Thank you for loving the United States and me. Your understanding of history and your love of the United States are huge.”
Dan continues, “The two brothers in the song represent the two sides in the civil War: the North and the South. The Civil War was similar to the Vietnam War. North Vietnam fought against South Vietnam.”
I look at Dan with admiration, “Dan, you are my dream man. I also compare the Civil War and the Vietnam War. We have many things in common, and even our thoughts are similar. I also admire your large knowledge of everything.”
Dan covers me with kisses. We kiss each other in front of Abraham Lincoln’s portrait. Abraham Lincoln gives us his blessing. We share our happiness with President Lincoln.

Condoling Poetry

A respectful star falls down
His relatives gather to mourn
Their love one rests in the ground

Divine folks give him a crown
They throw flowers and cry out
“A heroic king is found.”
(My condolences to Mr. Nguyen Hien’s family)

Rogers Elementary School

Virtue

Virtue

Haikus XII

South San Francisco

South San Francisco

Haiku 93

As Mighty As

As Mighty As


As mighty as the Rocky Mountain
As calm as the Gold Rush
As smart as the Bear Flag
As sunshine as the Golden Poppies

He is a friend of domestic partners
He respects free choice
To support same- sex marriage,
And abortion rights

He is grieving with hard teaching labor
Favoring raising salaries for teachers,
Avoiding cutting to education
Limiting administrative bureaucracy

He gives his shoulder to undertake California’s mess
To determine running the U.S. Senate
To fix the loophole budgets
To give back the California prosperity and wealth

He is unshaken under the tsunami of opponents’ assaults:
Too liberal, inhuman, and controversial to the marriage’s law
He conceives the political enlightenment is a must
To catch up with high technology,
Social and cultural revolution in the twenty first century

Haiku 92