Having just left his brother’s house, Nguyen Bao, or Bao Nguyen as he’d learned to introduce himself as in America, was driving in the remote wilderness. Bao had passed midlife over a decade before, but he still didn’t consider himself old. The highly physical job of plumbing had kept him in good shape for his age, even if all the bending over would occasionally tweak his back.
Directly to his right sat Lian, his youngest son. While loving all of his children, everyone knew Lian was the favorite. Lian had just returned home from completing his masters a week prior and they’d decided to take to visit family before Lian was dragged across the country for work.
With Bao’s brother living several hours out from the city, it gave him the perfect opportunity to partake in one of his favorite activities, hiking. After him and his family were mercifully rescued from Saigon, Bao quickly learned to love the natural beauty of his new home. Living in the city for work, he rarely got to imbibe in this passion.
Bao’s brother had given them specific instructions to use the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands to the south and to avoid the north at all costs. His brother had refused to go into specific detail, but bao understood something dangerous was occurring up there.
Unfortunately, Bao and Lian lacked a natural sense of direction. The overcast weather removed the sun as an orientational guide and their plan lacking a specific destination; they had gotten turned around. Rather than driving south for a fun afternoon of hiking, they were traveling north.
Continue reading “Himbo Contact”