Saturday morning Munch woke up with the Bay City Rollers song, Saturday Night stuck in his head. It was looping over and over:
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night...
He didn't even like the song, but it would just not stop. As he took his shower it was still going full blast through his brain. It did not stop when he stood before his closet trying do decide what to wear. He wanted to look good, but his clothes and shoes had to be functional. The plan, according to Lolly, was that they would go for a walk down by the steam. He and Lolly used to play down there they were kids. He couldn't even remember the last time he had walked all the way through his grandpa's cotton field. Not that any cotton grew in in it now. There were however still rows of upraised earth where the cotton once grew. After much thought, he chose gray dungarees, a paisley sweatshirt and work boots he had gotten from Good Will. It wasn't the best thing he'd ever worn but it would have to do because walk to the stream meant contending with mud, bugs and an occasional snake. Three things Munch was not overly fond of. Still, none of that would matter because Thahn Ho would be there.
At 1 p.m. The green Volvo appeared on the road and turned down the drive. And yes, Munch had been glued to the window since 12:30 in anticipation of this moment. As he watch the car approach, he saw Le bouncing around in the back seat. That kid had more energy than Mitzi. The car turned down the drive that lead to Grandma Toady and Aunt Jessie’s trailer house. He went to his bedroom window so he could see her get out of the car. The Volvo stopped. Not Only did Thahn Ho get out of the car, so did her mom and little brother. Mrs. Duong probably wanted to meet Grandma Toady. Though Grandma Toady could be A LOT, she was a kind and generous person. The front door of the trailer opened. It was not opened by Grandma Toady or Lolly, it was opened by Mitzi. From this distance it looked like Mitzi had gotten into her mother’s make up bag again. He saw the child tilt back her head and yell into the trailer. This was the way she introduced people.Munch groaned. Aunt Jessie appeared in the door and pulled Mitzi inside. Munch watched as Thanh Ho and her family entered the trailer. He wished he was already there, but Thahn Ho was Lolly’s guest, not his.
It seemed to take forever before Mrs. Duong came outside again. He watched her walk to her car. She was very prim. Her back was straight and she carried herself like royalty. When she reached the Volvo, Munch saw that Le was not with her. Le WAS NOT with her! Great. Not that he had anything against Le, but it meant that his walk through the pasture with the girls would probably include the company of Le and Mitzi. Who knew, Max, Grandma Toady and Aunt Jessie might want to tag along too. A crowd, that was just what he needed. Lolly and her people were really into crowds. His mood was sinking. What had he expected? Well, not this.
The phone rang. He heard his mother answer it in the kitchen. By the tone of her voice he could tell she was talking to THAT MAN.
Across the way, Munch saw Max come out of the trailer and perch on Grandma Toady’s porch. There was the sound of another vehicle in the drive. The blue Toyota stopped in front of the trailer. Was Max going or staying? Long, tall Kevin opened his door and unfolded himself as he got out of the passenger’s side. How tall was that boy gonna be? From Aunt Jessie’s trailer came the booming bark of of Bruno. The double wide trailer was visibly shaking as the big dog bounced up and down in the front window. Max shouted, “Knock it off.”
Bruno had no intention of knocking it off. Aunt Jessie came onto Grandma Toady's porch and crossed over to her own trailer with her was Mitzi, and Le. Well, that was a relief. He did not want to have to deal with those two. Maybe the walk Lolly planned would turn out okay. He saw Max and Kevin head out toward the barn.
All Munch wanted to do was go to Lolly’s NOW, but he mustn’t seem too eager. Lolly had told him to come over around 2:00. He glanced at his bedside digital clock. It was 1:15 pm. he still had to wait 45 minutes. How was he going to passl the time? The only way to make time pass more quickly was to fill it. He went up stairs and started to work on the dress he was altering for Mama. Down stairs he could hear her voice. She was still on the phone with THAT MAN.
Finally, 2:00 p.m. rolled around. Munch put up his supplies and headed to the kitchen. Mama was finally off the phone. She looked none too happy. He told her, “I’m going to Lolly’s.”
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“She’s got company doesn’t she?” This was a leading question.
Had Mama seen Thahn Ho arrive? Did Mama suspect something? Regardless, he had to answer her question very carefully. “Yeah, but she asked me over too.”
There was a faint spark in Mama’s eyes when she asked, “Oh, did she now?”
“Yeah. See ya.” He went out the door.
The distance between the trailer houses and his house was not far. As he made his way down the drive his heart started kerthumping. He felt his lips go dry and then his mouth. Nervousness was over taking him. When he reached the door he knocked. Mitzi opened the door. Great, she was back. She looked up at him and asked, “Why you knocking? You never knock.”
His mind went blank. He didn’t know what to say.
Le ran to the door and looked up at him. He said, “Hello Crrrunchy!”
Mitzi put her hand over her mouth and giggled.
How many times had Munch heard this very lame joke? He smiled at the kid. What else could he do? The little runt was Thahn Ho’s brother.
He entered the trailer.On the floor were Max’s cast off Hotwheels. From the kitchen, came the voices of Aunt Jessie and Grandma Toady. They were arguing about something. They sounded angry.
Mitzi whispered, “I sure hope Mama and Granma don’t get divorced too, I couldn’t take that.”
Le busted out laughing. “Only married people can get divorced, not grandmas and mamas."
This did not sit well with Mitzi. She put her hand on her hip and said loudly, “Shut the f— up.”
Aunt Jessie was in the room in a flash. She put her hands on Mitzi’s shoulder’s and asked, “Where did you hear that word?”
Mitzi glanced at Munch. Her eyes plead for help. Much to his dismay decided to try to intervene. Not a good move, but he had to do something. He asked, “Mitzi, do you even know what that word means?”
She dropped her gaze. “Well, it must be bad. I just hear Max and his friends say it so much I thought it was normal.”
It was normal for thirteen year old boys, but not almost five year old girls or boys of six.
Beside him, Le whispered, “F—, f—, f—.”
Aunt Jessie heard him too. The gleam in her eyes said there where was about to be hell to pay and Max would be the one paying. She let go of Mitzi and told Le, “That is not a good word to say. If your mama hears you say it, you will be in trouble.”
He looked up at Aunt Jessie and said, “Why is it bad? It just sounds like duck. Duck’s not a bad word is it?”
“No, it’s not. But I am going to have to tell your mama what you heard.”
Solemnly Le nodded at Aunt Jessie.
Grandma Toady came into the living room. “Its a lovely day. You kids should be outside.” She called out, “Lolly, I need you to take these kids for a walk or something.”
NO NOT THAT! EVERYTHING WAS RUINED. Oh, wonderful, oh fabulous. Munch was about to get to be in the company of two little kids who had just said the F word. This was not how he imagine it would be AT ALL.
Lolly and Thahn Ho came out of Lolly’s room. Lolly gave Munch a look. She knew he was disappointed. It couldn’t be helped. The important thing was that he was going to get to be near, but no close to Thahn Ho. Resignation settled over him.
Lolly helped Mitzi into her sweatshirt and pinned Puccini to the hood of it with a diaper pin. Le was fascinated by the grubby little bear.
He asked, “Don’t your mom make you wash it. Its filthy.”
This kid really knew how to get off on the wrong foot.
Mitzi glared at him. “Puccini is NOT A IT, he is a he. And HE is NOT filthy. Just well loved.” She turned her back on him.
Le of course was not the least bit fazed. Thahn Ho was having quite a time getting him into his navy sweater. Finally, the little kids were dressed. They went outside. There was a tinge of cold in the air. Munch hadn’t even noticed it on his way to the trailer. The girls held the kids hands and he walked between the girls. Sun light played across Thahn Ho’s dark hair. The shine reminded Munch of star shine on water.
The grass in the field was so tall it came up to the little kids waists. Munch remembered when it used to be that tall on him.
Mitzi and Lolly chattered away. Le was holding a one sided conversation with his sister about the mysteries of toad pee. This little boy was weird.
When Le took a breath, Thahn Ho asked Munch, “Have you always lived on this farm?”
“Since I was six, but it’s been in the family for three generations.”
“So had my grandparents’ farm, but then the Viet Cong came. They burned or blew up everything.
With new eyes Munch saw the land he always took for granted. What would it be like to have this bit of land destroyed? What would it be like to never see it again? He asked, “Did you live on it?”
She nodded her head. “I was very little at the time so I don’t remember it. Me has pictures of it." She looked around her and added, "It was not so different from this farm."
The word Me, said more like Meh, momentarily confused Munch and then he remembered that Me was what Thahn Ho called her mother.
Thahn Ho continued. “My grandparents fled from the Viet Cong and came to the United States. My mom went to college here. Le and I were born here.”
Le asked, “Are you talking about me?”
“Just telling Michael where we were born.”
He asked, “Who’s Michael?”
Thahn Ho gave Munch an exasperated look. To Le, she pointed and said, “He is Michael.”
Le shook his head. “Nuhuh. He is CRUNCHY!”
He and Mitzi burst into giggles. This little kid was a piece of work.