Knowing the spirit in thy will, defying adversity no tears will spill, while dignity is rising from this better pill, a lesson taught to me by this man of steel.
A late afternoon in Hanoi Vietnam I was coming from a Historical Landmark for every fool with a camera, westerners call it Hoa Phong Tower not knowing I would be given an education in less than an hour. As I strolled along the lake blissfully ignorant it had to be fate, at a distant I saw a man in a chair he made me stop my reasons were unclear. It was not his limbs which were racked with deformity, it was the regal pride and dignity in the way he set I could feel his enormity.
As westerners do I took before asking, snap on a telephoto lens and took his picture. Like theft in the night, I was satisfied to run off with booty but no! he wouldn’t let me. I look at the picture in the back of my camera that I had just stolen, it called to me to stand before him. I was feeling the less honorable of the two, I approached this man like a fool without a cue. I would ease my pride the westerner’s way with cash to save the day.
Where the sins of a fool end my education would begin, I walked up to this man smiled said hello and handed him some money. The sum of money for this story is irrelevant for its importance in the western economy would have been irrelevant. Though I had no need or use for what he was selling he look at what I had given him then began to pack up most of his inventory to give to me.
I didn’t want to take it but when I looked into his eyes any fool could see this was a man of honor and it was I who felt the shame of trying to buy what he would have given had I only asked. No! he was not a beggar and he was not for sale, so I took my merchandise went on my way not wanting to put upon this man any longer a little wiser.
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