I came off a small boat and onto the shores at a small fishing village. I was at a small island south of Phu Quoc, Island. Around a cove were straw huts and shacks that were the homes of a fishermen. One such man sat outside his home and called out to me;”Zero calorie, zero calorie…” this man spoke out as he sipped his zero calorie beverage which accompanied his lunch of fish, rice, and a cigarette. He kept laughing and smiling as he pointed at his drink. Then he waved a fish and offered it to me. Here I am on a remote island fishing hamlet and this happens. It’s what one would call an unforgettable and somewhat surreal moment. He was funny, he was jubilant, and he kept insisting I sit and eat with him.
Linh Vien Thai is Amerasian, born in Dalat, South Vietnam, where he continued to lived during the war. He left for the U.S. and is now an American living in Tokyo. He enjoys adventure traveling and doing what’s right to make the world a better place.
