Fun-Filled Days

Lyn and T’ hang were of Vietnamese extraction; the former being a girl and the latter a boy attended Coldwater Canyon Elementary School. Of consanguineous relation both had become regular walking companions of mine. When the bell rang, signalizing the discontinuance of that day in school, I usually walked with them to their apartment. They did not live too far from where Elizabeth stayed. Although, I could get to their place by two different directions, I normally chose one way of arrival. Walking down Coldwater Canyon Avenue to Vose I would make a right. Proceeding up this street I reached Alcove where I turned left. Advancing further I would come to Barbra Ann Street. Here I entered an enclosed alleyway before finally making it to my classmates’ neighborhood.

   Upon returning to Coldwater Canyon Apartment, if I did not take the inversion of course, I would go down Barbra Ann to Alcove then Goodland. I remember passing by rows of gardenias prior to turning on to Basset St. Presently, whenever I smell the sweet scent from those fragrant blossoms on shrub trees, it never fails to trigger memories. I recall quite vividly those evenings as a child; I walked from Lyn and T’ hang’s apartment unhurried. At last, I would turn on Coldwater Canyon Avenue. Either way going to my young schoolmates’ abode or returning to mine, I had to cross the narrow alley passage for pedestrians. When my friends and I walked through this thoroughfare amid the street block, we were constantly confronted with the less desirable side of the city.

     On the left and right of us stood chained locked fences. Behind these concrete walls could be seen with graffiti sprawled across them. This is quite common in Los Angeles. Gangs claiming their turf or insulting those who are considered rivals, spray paint obscene remarks of the other on walls; especially in alleyways like the one Lyn, T’ hang and I often crossed. Emerging from the opposite end, there off to the right stood a maple tree. This appeared to be the only beautiful object that graced my view. Its leaves bedazzled me. There sugar brown foliage with a blend of yellow and red seemed to reflect a spectrum of other colors. I recollect a light wind blew softly as the laminas rustled. It was indicative of a blissful season. The immaculate hues of autumn gently touched earth’s bosom.

     Vibrant shades vested the day with the panoply of eloquence. Slightly bent to a nuance it was the quintessential or otherwise unvarnished scene of perfection. As I stepped forth from the alley, I could sense by ear the fluttering of fallen leaves, that is before, I actually saw them lying on the ground. When my classmates’ and I came to the vicinity of their residence, we followed a street which curved. On one side of it was a succession of two story unit apartments sitting in juxtaposition. Across from these brick homes sat aside each other. As the road straightened more came into view with the linear way. Upon coming to Lyn and T hang’s apartment, the two would go inside to put their books away. When they reappeared the three of us never hesitated to dabble in a game of black jacks on their front porch.

     It never lasted long however; my elementary classmates’ parents would always call them inside an hour later. Lyn and T’ hang apprised me of their Vietnamese tradition. At a certain time of the day their family paid homage to an ancient teacher called Buddha; thus practicing a religion that is known as Buddhism. This belief system is much a part of the Asian culture; especially among those who live in the eastern and central regions of Asiatic lands. Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was a spiritual guru who lived somewhere during the first and second century. His birth is uncertain. His death is even more of a mystery, though some speculate he may have died between 486 to 483 B.C.E. Whatever the time of his demise he did exist, and the religion of Buddhism was founded on his teachings.

     The word Buddha means awakened or enlightened one. This was the import of what he taught through a life of abstinence and mediation. There is an antiquated account given of Siddhartha, which originated in India. The story explains how he was initially a prince. His father… the king of his domain… attempted to shield Siddhartha from the outside world by keeping him within the palace walls. However, overcome with curiosity to see beyond his royal confines, the regal heir asked his own personal charioteer to take him on a series of rides through the countryside. During the Buddha’s journeys he encountered an aged man, a sick man, and a corpse. The stark realities of old age, disease, and death caused the prince to become depressed. It was not long before a wandering an ascetic passed his way.

     At Siddhartha’s inquisitive request, the charioteer disclosed to him how the man renounced material possessions; therefore, releasing himself from suffering and death. Eventually, the noble ruler decided to reflect on his experiences. After much introspection, he too chose to live an abstemious existence. He desired to prevent aging. He relinquished all his wealth, and traversed the country teaching the method of achieving enlightenment; hence Buddhism began. Lyn and T’ hang’s parents revered their pedagogic guide. Daily they did obeisance to what was considered an immortal figure. My conjecture is that they mediated before a representation of Buddha as they hummed or chanted. I am not sure of how the ritual was done however.

     My relationship with Lyn and T’ hang eventually terminated, and had an end similar to Elizabeth’s, except religion would play a part in the separation. It happened on my usual walk to their place. It was T’ hang and I on foot talking. What all two children discussed I have only vague recollections. Lyn was not present with us that day, if memory serves me correctly. She remained at home sick. Anyhow, as my friend and I headed in the direction of his apartment, I began asking him about his religion. He told me what he understood it to be or rather what his body of beliefs was as a central point of the Vietnamese custom. In return I shared the religious tenants taught me. My mother, a practicing Christian had early instilled biblical principles in the lives of my brothers and me.

     Often, she would tell us of those holy men of antiquity. The most dominant subject Wallace, Marcus, and I heard was the Exodus narrative. My mother not infrequently told us of those Hebrews who was unruly towards their visible leader, Moses. She said because my brothers and I were so unmanageable we could be deemed similar to those Israelites who wandered in the desert solitudes. My mind was most impressionable at this juncture in my life. I retained much of what was told to me. I repeated to T’ hang the lessons learned. He had questions about my religion as I had of his. When the both of us reached my schoolmate’s residence, he disappeared inside. He stayed there for some time. At length, coming back outside, he informed me that his parents did not want me to return anymore.

     As the predicament with Elizabeth and I was not understood, the situation with Lyn and T’ hang’s parents had a dense obscurity of which I could not comprehend. When I matured… reflecting of that time… I rationalized Lyn and T’ hang’s parents did not want me to tell their son or daughter for that matter, about the Christian religion.  Most Vietnamese during the 80’s likely judged Christianity as a corrupt western view. If so, this attitude might stem back to the Vietnamese War. I have read somewhere those who held sacred office in the Catholic Church endeavored to convert the natives on the island of Vietnam to Catholicism. Actually, this work started prior to the war. Although, few were proselytized, a large majority refused.

     A select work of history teaches the result of anyone who resist the gentle offers of acceptance from the Catholic Church, particularly from the Society of Jesus, or those who comprise the Jesuit priesthood.  As an example of such implications, during the 1900’s, Nazis murdered many orthodox Christians. One certain ethnic group who were believers of the ancient faith from the Byzantine period, the Croats, did not accept Catholicism. They received terrible retribution for this choice. The evidence is overwhelming when the cohorts of the Oust chi organization are better understood. It was this party that gave those resistant Christians the most inhumane treatment. Members served as an extension of the Nazis. They were as a death squad sent on a mission to kill any Christian contrary to the catholic religion.

     Many Croats were tortured and murdered in cold blood. Massacres had taken place on a large scale. The Outs chi committed such monstrous acts on their victims that it defied all logic. It was genocide in every sense of the word. Interestingly enough, the primary participants in these brutal slayings were Jesuit priests. The Jesuit pope B. who lived during this era once said, “Anathema on the one who says the Holy Spirit does not want us to kill the heretic”. M. Frederic Hoffet, a Parisian who also existed in the same period stated, “Hitler, Goebbels, Himmler, and most members of the old party guard were Catholics”. It is apparent from these quotes that the Church did not mind killing heretics. Furthermore, the Nazis were of Catholic affiliation. By the 1950’s there was already a strong Jesuit presence on the island of Vietnam. Essaying to convert the aboriginals only resulted in failure. There was very little success during the 16^th century.

     At the turn of the 20^th century conversion of the Vietnamese still remained slow. Most clung to Buddhism in spite of the Church’s overtures. Some years later, war was initiated by the United States of America. Many in our country considered it an aimless conflict.  It was never understood why the war in the first place. There are few who hold the belief that those higher up in the Catholic hierarchy instigated the battle. Whether it is true or not is up for debate. However, what is a noteworthy fact is that the Vietnam War was also called Spelly’s War. Cardinal Spellman, the 43^rd Archbishop of New York held holy office. He went on numerous occasions to the warfront to encourage the soldiers. The commander of the American forces was General Westmoreland, himself a roman catholic. Although, there is no evidence of Cardinal Spellman’s motives or agenda, it can be said with certainty that he oversaw the war in conjunction with Westmoreland.

     I did not see Lyn and T’ hang ever again, but I still walked to their neighborhood. I associated myself with other children from the Coldwater Canyon Elementary School. There was Maria, Carol, Marcos, and many others. Since the area had a large part of Hispanics, I found myself in company with that group the most. It was here I attended my first Mexican party. A young woman had arranged a social gathering for her daughter’s birthday. Children who lived near the girl came to this special occasion. The party was held above from where Lyn and T’ hang stayed. They did not attend as only I knew the reason why. There were lots of food, entertainment, and many kids from the neighborhood. Besides eating cake and ice cream… as a child I played incessantly with those other children present; all seemed like one big round of fun.

     Funny, how I thought that moment would never end. At the height of the party a donkey of papier-mâché or what is known as a piñata was suspended in the air. Within it were fruits, candies, and gifts of Latin concoction. The birthday girl was the first blind-folded, a baseball bat or stick placed in her hand. She swung hitting the piñata. It spent around in an axis and oscillated until she made contact a second time. The inanimate donkey was not breached. Finally, the girl gave up allowing other children to try. Girls and boys made constant impacts until at last the material fabricated donkey split, and what was inside had come to be extricated. As the day began to wane, the crowds of children lessened. They slowly disappeared inside their places. The sun blazed luminously in its sphere, appearing like a circular mirage. It seemed to peer through an elusive blue sky. In the distance it hung upon the vast nothingness—silently staring as though it were—its intensity like the penetrating gaze of an angry God.

     Finally, gliding down a silver horizon, the great orb of light slipped in an ocean of twilight. The last remaining kids withdrew inside. Night had fully settled in. All was completely silent. I had come to this neighborhood many of days. I watched more than a thousand sunsets from this area I frequented. It was late for a child such as me when I began to walk home. At around 8:00 p.m., I made my way through the alleyway. This was dangerous looking back in hindsight. I could have been abducted, molested, or murdered. There was a plethora of criminals in the vicinity who only waited to do some harm to a child. It had taken about thirty-minutes to reach the Coldwater Canyon Apartment Building. My mother never liked when I came home passed 6:00p.m., and she could not find me because she did not know of my whereabouts.

     She feared for my safety. Though she scolded me, I disregarded her reproofs. It was at this point I started to rebel. I had always felt something missing from my life. My vexed soul could not then articulate the vicissitudes of my psyche. When I went around other children, I yearned for some distant happiness seen on each smiling face. Though I enjoyed my childhood to a certain degree, inside I could not subdue my insatiable desire to be accepted. I observed Hispanic kids constantly surrounded by family members. They all seemed to have a contentment that I wanted illimitably. I can honestly say it was my first thought of intrigue with the Latin culture.  My mother never neglected or showed a lack of solicitude towards me as a young boy. Notwithstanding, I had feelings of some deep seated rejection. I could not fully interpret my emotions, yet they harassed me. Somehow, I had the impression I was out of place. My life today might be the fulfillment of those once conflicting feelings I sensed as a lad. Through the years it would unfold.