My Last Memory Before Revolution In 1975

I could not say exactly that how old I was. I only knew that I was too young at that time and just stayed at home or play around my house. But however, there were 3 things that I never forgot it.

First thing is a plane-helicopter, or another type of airplane. Its picture was in my head and it seemed its sound echoed in my eyes whenever I think of it. Before 1975, my village, Namkeungmai had an airport. It was situated in the north of the village. At that time, there were not many houses around the airport as these days. There were only rice stocks nearby.

I often saw a plane landing at my village. Every time, I heard its sound above my head. I would run out of my house and went to hind myself at the rice stock to look at it. It was sometime a helicopter and sometimes was another type of airplane.
Before it landed, if it was a helicopter, it did not take much time. Whenever, it was ready, it landed. Oppositely another type of airplane, it took time a little bit longer. It would fly around village until it was ready and then landed and run away for around one kilometer. At that time, there would be lots of dust being blew up around there as if smoke.

After it landed, I would go and have a close look at it. I sometimes saw the foreigner came down and sometimes I saw my aunt (who worked with foreigners) getting out from the plane. Every time he saw me, he would give me a loaf of bread. I was really happy. Sometimes I ran back home with bread happily. Sometimes I was just there and looked at the plane and touched it. I really like it and wish to drive it to the sky.

Second thing that I remember is foreigners with long mustaches. Almost every day, I saw foreigners who had long mustaches walking along the road and sometimes they walked past in front of my house. One night, while my older sister, brother and I were playing together and dancing in front of our house. There were a few foreigners walking to us. They took picture us and gave us some candies. It seemed they were very nice and kind.

Third or last thing is a rumor. At that time, there were no children allowing to go far away from home. There was a bad rumor. There were some people called thief like stealing children’s bile. If they found any children alone, they would kill and operate it. Then they would take their bile to sell out. I did not know whether it was true but this made me very afraid of it which I never forgot it in my life.