My son, our family owes a lot to the cyclo taxi
We work hard, day and night
Eating and sleeping in the street. Pedalling all the time
Some mornings, the backaches
nail you to the bed
l don't know where it all leads
This has been my life
When l die, l'll have nothing to leave you
lfyou can, see ifyou can find
something more worthy
You're late!
Look again and see if l'm right
"The People's Committee makes loans
"in line with the policy
"of fighting poverty"
Where is it? Show me
How old are you?
Eighteen
Parents' occupation?
We're very poor
Answer me, your parents?
My mother died in childbirth
My father too, an accident...
How did he die?
A truck...he died instantly, with two passengers
At Hang Xanh intersection, right?
Yes
Who's left?
My grandfather, my sisters
They study in the morning and work in the afternoon
What do they do?
The eldest delivers water to the market, the little one shines shoes
And your grandfather?
He repairs tires
Who rents you the cyclo taxi?
The boss lady in Cholon
Her name?
l don't know
How much per day?
5,000 dongs
And the deposit?
200,000 dongs
Okay, we'll consider your file
We'll let you know
Yes
These days it hurts
when l piss. What about you?
Me too. lt burns
You've got to drink, it helps
lt makes you sweat, wears you out
A doctor warned me, take anything to build muscles,
you end up impotent
Yeah, right! Who can afford a doctor?
Better to see a butcher
Shoe shine, sir, shoe shine?
You free, kid?
Cyclo !
Number 8, Le Loi Street
How dare you steal our clients?
lt's her...
This is our turf. lf you want to live, get lost!
Beat it, you're on our turf!
Yes, you're my little fish
So, how much?
lt's a good day. 26,000
5,000 for you, 21,000 for me
No problem?
The thugs took a passenger from me
Careful, each turf has its gang
You hungry?
Want to eat?
Wash him, give him something to eat
Go with him
He was born that way, he must be your age
Take care of your tooth
You see, l told you
Okay, that's enough, get out
Come on Grandpa, it's late
Yes, let's go home
Bring tobacco for grandfather
ls your shoulder better?
lt gets worse everyday
Do you have any balm left?
Hardly any
l'll bring some back for you
Grandfather, take the scale
they sent us by mistake
and change jobs, it'll be easier
See how it's done
Someone comes, you wipe
You invite him to try, 1000 dongs per person
We shouldn't. The scale isn't ours
Yes we can, we've waited long enough
No one has claimed it
Your shoulder's hurting
You can't keep pumping tires
Let's wait awhile
On the old riverbanks Leaves and flowers fade
The sun dies, icy, shuddering
Hesitant, l cross the hamlet
My childhood, l rememberyou
l rememberyourgraceful silhouette
You gazed at me, radiant, tender
l remember the sun was setting
On yourivory cheeks yourrippling hair
Put him to bed
Tomorrow, l'll come see if you're dead or not
Get up, little brother
Go wash up
lfl, the Heron, die by boiling
May it be in clearwater
To ease my children's suffering
Follow them
And not a word to anyone
Bom has a fan made ofpalm leaves
The Rich Man says, l'll trade you
Three cows and nine buffalo
l don't wantyourbuffalo
l'll give you
a pond full offish
l don't wantyourfish
l'll give you
a raft ofprecious wood
l don't wantyourwood
l'll give you
a bird...
Tomorrow, come to the icehouse
l'll tell you what to do
Go now and be discreet
What's the matter?
Who is it?
Why?
He stole my cyclo
Don't be stupid, he works for the boss lady
Let's go!
Wait here
Don't go out
Except to eat
and don't lock the door
Close your mouth, it stinks
Do you have any money?
No
We stayed up all night again
Let's go to sleep
Can l sleep here?
Another time
l don't want to do it
l came
because you wanted me to
l called, no one answered
Can l come in?
Don't touch her
lt's her first time
Would you like to pee?
You want to piss?
Peepee, you get it?
Understand?
Go on, pee!
Drink...go on, drink!
Drink and pee
Pee, please!
Drink again!
Again, drink up!
That's enough! Piss!
And do it standing up!
l brought you two friends
People are singing your praises
You're a Samaritan
You tried to save a drowning man?
The boss is happy
She sent you this reward
Damn, you're disgusting
She wants to see you, for anotherjob
What? What did you say?
l don't dare
l didn't ask your opinion!
You dare refuse?
What does he want? Say it again!
Open your mouth!
Open it!
This is a taste
Next time it'll be straight
Sabotage!
250 tons of mouldy rice
Do you know who did it?
lmagine yourself in the headlines?
That's a life sentence!
Nameless river
l was born sobbing
Blue sky, vast earth
Black stream water
lgrow with the months, the years
With no one to watch overme
Nameless is man
Nameless is the river
Colorless the flower
Perfume
Without a voice
O, riverl O, passer-byl
ln the closed cycle
Ofthe months, the years
l can't forget my debt to my roots
And l wander
Through worlds
Towards my land...
His father won't let me work
l'm bored
l'm going round in circles
So l busy myself
with small tasks
ls Papa well?
He just came home
When he leaves, l feel so alone
You're thin
When he was little, his nose bled
Does it still happen?
Yes. Sometimes
l'll show you a photo
What are you looking for?
He's still here?
He's our son
Please, speak to him
He came with his whore?
Please
What are you looking for?
He was five years old
Stay and eat with us
- Mama... - No, he won't let me
We were starving...
No rice...
People dying everywhere...
We loved each other deeply
At 16, or 17
We drank alcohol
to forget our hunger
A bit of shrimp paste...
on the end of a nail...
and we drank...
lt lasted a year...
Then the child was born
He came out backwards
Too late...almost dead
The doctor said "Abnormal"
Coward. He was a coward
The father left us
Why coward?
He was only 17
Younger than his son is now
And then...
How much for a bottle of gasoline?
5,000
And this?
10,000
Not bad! And all alone! You're a real pro!
No cop can catch me
l know all the shortcuts
Sure, you're a cyclo driver
You like skirts?
Women's underwear?
That's all there was
You sure you're a guy? Show me
That's my gift. Take it. For real
l want to join the gang
What did he say?
What did you just say?
l got a shock, too
Which gang were you talking about?
l want to be like you
Take him to Mr. Lullaby!
Look at my hands? See?
ln 1956
l was 17 a bullet cut the nerve
my hand stiffened up
And look at this...
A bullet, through the neck
lt came out the back
Guess which hole is bigger?
And then this
here
in 57, a bullet
shattered my shin
You know why l'm telling you all this?
l know what you're thinking faced with death
l understand you so well
Autumn wind blows
Sleep my child, sleep
The night is long
l'll watch overyou
Until the night is over l'll watch overyou
Listen carefully to
the art of syncopation
Sleep, my child, my beloved
My little one
Keep it as a souvenir
Take it!
Ah, for an iced tea!
Waiter! An iced tea!