Cyclo Killer (Qu’est-ce que c’est)
In Saigon, there are these guys, most all are around 50 years old and older, who take people (mostly tourists, of course) around town on cyclos. The bikes are modified so that in place of the front wheel, there is a rickshaw sort of seat for the passenger. The cyclo driver then sits and pedals like he was riding an ordinary bike.
These cyclo drivers were all connected with the Republic of Vietnam – the guys we were trying to help – during the War of American Aggression (as it is often referred to here). Their punishment is that they still can’t own property and are not really citizens, so there is nothing for them. They sleep on the streets and are not allowed to hold real jobs. Or so is the story.
Most of these guys speak fair English and the 3 I talked to were intelligent and articulate. They each carry a log book of previous clients, often with pictures and testimonials about their service as drivers. When they find out where you are from, they turn to a page in thier books with some comment from someone from your area. There weren’t any from Alaska, I had to settle for washington and new york.
I hired Mr Thu for the afternoon, and he took me to the War Crimes museum, Reunification Palace (The old American Embassy) and several temples. Of course, I paid too much (in a vietnamese sense), but a pittance by western standards- I was an easy target for a guilt trip as his sad story (well rehearsed, but probably true), did not try to hide that his life was the way it was because he sided with the Americans. In his particular case, it was a bit sadder considering that he was 3 years younger than I was, and he was being punished because his father was a senior officer in the ARVN and we was a university student at the end of the war.
Vietnam is slowly phasing out the cyclo drivers. Many ares of Saigon are off-limits to them and more to close soon. None of them know what they will be able to do next.
Tags: Travel
jpb