[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[NQV] SF visit: 8/31/96 (6)


Saturday 8/31/96

(continued)

Lunch was called at around 12:30 PM, and as people milled around,
chewing on Vietnamese sub-sandwiches, it became much more casual
and easy to get to know one another (and to "bond").  Indeed, it
could be said that even more than the formal worshops, the breaks
in between were actually the most fruitful and effective moments
of communication and acquaintance.  To my delight, and occasional
surprise, several members of vn-gblf (current and former, and even
derivative readers of the list) came up to say hello and shared
warm feelings about the list.  (You know who you are! and I hope
that a few of you will feel more at ease -- and emboldened -- to
make your presence felt more strongly on the list by posting to
it from time to time, for, after all, the list is by/for and can
only be as active/inactive as the members therein!)  Several others
who had known of me through my sporadic contributions to Face to
Face magazine also came up to say hello and paid such generous
compliments that would make me blush in embarassment!  I chatted
a bit with Rick (a recent vn-gblf member!) and a Vietnamese friend
of his at Berkeley who had read my writings in Doi Dien and postings
on the list too.  Charles from SJ came up to say hello, which took
me by surprise.  I was also greeted by Khoi, a former resident of
Boston who had recently moved to SF.  Then I was introduced to Phi,
an old hand in QAVA from years back, whom I complimented for a most
ingenious revision of the words of Vu Thanh An's "Untitled Song #2"
to turn it into a such a gay/queer song (which he sang -- or should
I say "crooned"-- at the first Golden Summer Night fund-raiser in
1993 :-)).  As Phi lit up in a satisfied broad grin, deep down I had
to profess secret envy of his stunning good looks and suave manners.

After a while, I went to hang out at the registration table, and
to look at the photo album of the QAVA contingent at this year's
SF Pride March.  Linh was there, and as we struck up a chat, he
quickly dispelled the erroneous initial impressions of weary and
dour reservation I had picked up the previous night.  He seemed
quite gentle and soft-spoken, and for a while I was rather taken
aback by his inexplicably deferential manners of speaking until
I later found out that he was actually slightly younger in age
than I!  Nearby I noticed that Viet was his melodramatic bubbly
self (which edged out even Rolland when he joked about raising
fund for a sex-change to seek better luck with dating! :-)) as he
clowned around with funny (and quite expressive) body gestures and
perky remarks that barely covered the edges of a cutting (though
not at all mean-spirited) wit, not least when he tried to tease
two cute lesbians who were clinging to one another (even into the
restroom) like form and shadow. :-)  His tart tongue and over-the-
edge stand-up comic manners aside, I found him rather charming in
a kind of self-exhibitionistic manner.  What an entertaining and
delightful best friend Viet would make, I'd imagine, but heaven
helps he who could well be driven crazy as his boyfriend! :-)
All of a sudden I was surprised by a well-mannered greeting from
someone with a marked Hue accent, it turned out that he was Dinh,
colleague, best friend and fellow opera enthusiast of Illong who
had told me much about him and planned to introduce him to me in
person during my visit to the Bay Area (but unfortunately due to
the brevity of my visit, I couldn't make it down to San Jose to
enjoy Illong's company and hospitality).  Illong was apparently
late, and Dinh couldn't wait for long so he took his leave to
show his friend from So Cal (another Hue person) around town.

(to be continued)


-------------------------------------------------------------------