CHAPTER SEVEN
SAIGON
Michael awoke from his semiconscious dream infected state of mind, in which he had relived some of his life. It was like awaking from the dead because it had all felt so real to him. After all wasn't that what happened to you when you died.
Trying to gathering up his wits, he was urgently trying to work out where he was. What was he doing here and what had happened to him. After blinking his eyes a couple of times and bringing them to focus. He suddenly became aware that he was starring in to the eyes of a pretty young Asian nurse who was leaning over him and speaking.
"Are you with us," she asked.
Michael responded by slightly nodded his head.
"How do you feel, my name is nurse Waa," she told him.
He could not help noticing how beautiful she looked, and far younger than most of the big butch ones back home in the English hospitals.
Then before he knew what was happening, once again he drifted off in to a world of his own. Only this time in his dreams was the picture of the pretty face of nurse Waa.
This deep sleep lasted for almost a full day, but finally he opened his eyes once more and had a good look at his surroundings. His brain was starting to functioning correctly, as his eyes searched out every corner of the large room. It did not take him long to work out that he was in a Hospital, and a military one at that. But where was that pretty nurse that he thought worked here. As his eyes desperately searched around the ward looking for her. His eyes fell upon a couple of sisters, at the far end of the room, but there was no sign of the pretty one he remembered leaning over and looking into his eyes.
His moving around in the bed caught the attention of one of the nurses who walked over to him.
"I see you are still with us Mr Thompson." She said.
"Just about, but I've got a thumping headache," he replied.
"Would you like something for it," She asked.
"Please," Michael replied.
"But where is nurse Waa," he added pronouncing the name incorrectly.
"Oh you mean Nurse Waa, she'll be on duty later this afternoon," replied the nurse.
"I'm nurse Anne, if you want anything else, just call out and we'll come running," she said as she giggled and walked away.
Michael settled back to wait for some tablets so that at least he could relieve the pain from within his head. Feeling himself over he did not seem to be in to bad a shape. His upper left arm was all bandaged up and felt a little sore. However, his leg was in a different category feeling very painful, and seemed to be bandaged up quite tight. From what he could remember of the battles he had gone through, it was remarkable that he had even survived.
Later during the afternoon while Michael was waking up from a light snooze a young Nurse entered the ward and walked straight over to stand by the side of his bed.
"I hear that you were asking for me Mr Thompson," she asked.
"It's Michael, and yes I was wanting to see that pretty face and smile once more," he replied.
"They are all pretty here," replied nurse Waa jokingly.
"Yes but not as pretty as you," insisted Michael.
"When you have starred death in the face and survived to wake up looking at somebody as pretty as you. Well that's a memory that you do not want to give up in a hurry," he went on already starting to feel a little embarrassed at what he was saying.
"I bet you say that to all of your girlfriends," nurse Waa said.
"No just you, and anyway I haven't got a girlfriend," he answered.
"Here open your mouth," she said, as she stuck a thermometer under his tongue.
"That should keep you quiet for a few minutes," she said as she turned and walked away for a few moments to get a stethoscope from her desk.
When she came back to the bed she took hold of his wrist feeling for a pulse then looking at her watch she preceded to count his pulse.
"Boy that's up," she said.
" sooo ittt shoul ee," he tried to say.
"What's that," asked nurse Waa, removing the thermometer from his mouth.
"I said and so it should be, with a nice good looking nurse like you holding my hand, what do you expect," Michael answered.
"Well you are on the mend nicely Michael," said nurse Waa.
"I will see you again later" she said.
"I hope so, by the way you did not tell me if you had a boyfriend," Michael asked.
"No not at the moment," she replied, and with that she turned and walked away shaking the thermometer.
Michael could not believe his luck she was the most beautiful girl he had seen in a long time. If he didn't know better he had to believe that she might have just been flirting with him.
During the next few days he spent a lot of time calling her over for every little problem that he believed was wrong with him. It was just his excuse so that he could talk to her at every opportunity. It was a good job that the ward was only half full otherwise he may have got her in to a lot of trouble. Not only was the ward only half full, but it had guys who were badly wounded who were semi or completely unconscious. So that Michael had nobody else to talk to. There was one other guy down the far end of the ward who also kept calling her over. Michael suspected that he was also making a play for her and why not after all she was a good looker. Although Michael believed he was home and dry with this one or at least that's what he was hoping. This one was for Michael, she was the angel that was going to nurse him back to health again.
His persistent chat to nurse Waa did not go unnoticed, and he received a visit from the staff nurse a big European lady asking if he could let the nurse get on with her work. After all he was not the only guy that had been injured in this war. Michael told her that it was her good looks that had saved him from certain death. As she was the first female face that he had seen since gaining consciousness. It was only natural that he thought a lot of the person behind the face. Then he played his masterstroke by telling her that if she had been the one leaning over him when he opened his eye, then he would have wanted to place all of his affections onto her. With that he sat up in bed and kissed her on the side of her cheek. The nurse smiled at him turned round and slowly walked away. Michael heard no more about the subject. However, he did notice that the staff nurse visited him on a more regular basis. So Michael used the situation and strung her along a little, as it was all good for his therapy and ego.
The leg wound that he had received while brushing up against a sharp piece of bamboo. Had been badly infected and at one time it had even been discussed as to amputating the lower part of the leg. Luckily, they had persevered with antibiotics and the leg had been saved. However, it would take a long time to heal as a small section of dead tissue had been removed. This had left him immobile and frustrated at not being able to get around the ward.
A big surprise awaited him one afternoon when nurse Waa arrived in the ward on her scheduled day off. To take him out for a walk around the hospital grounds in a wheel chair. Michael was turned from a very miserable looking young man to an over the moon little kid. If it hadn't been for the bandaged leg he would have jumped for joy. He could not believe his luck and of all people it was dear nurse Waa. This also did his ego a world of good as well, thinking that maybe he had finally cracked it and scored with the best looking nurse in the hospital.
Once out of the building she pushed him around the grounds of the hospital. While they were both trying to talk at the same time. She was pointing out different building and explaining to him what they were. While he was asking as many questions as possible about her and where she lived before she came to Saigon. After a time she stopped under a large tree by a small lake that had some waterfowl swimming in the middle. Once she had positioned the wheel chair by a wooden bench and placed its brake on, she sat down beside him. From a bag that she had been carrying she produced a few biscuits and chocolate, which she offered to Michael. However, Michael was in a hurry to hear all about her and what had she been doing all of her life.
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According to Waa she had not done much and had told him just about everything worth knowing within ten minutes. She had been born in to a wealthy South Vietnamese family and had been brought up in a small town just outside and to the North of Saigon. After leaving school she had been lucky to go in for higher education and gained a few certificates. Then her parents had moved into Saigon and she had been lucky enough to get a job at the hospital. Once the doctors had seen how good and dedicated she was, she became one of the lucky ones to be trained as a full time nurse.
Michael chirped in "And a darn good one at that".
She smiled at him and thanked him for his kind remark. Waa had been a nurse for almost five years and in that time she had seen a lot of Americans come through the hospital, a lot of them badly wounded and never survived. Most of them had tried to date her and every one to a man had promised that they would take her away from the horrors that lay within her country, and back to the relative calm of North America. So she was very hesitant with Michael's remarks towards her, wondering if in fact he was just like all of the others.
Then it was Michaels turn Waa wanted to know all about him and what he had been up to most of his life. He was not going to mention why he was in Vietnam because if it were to leak out then there would have been a diplomatic incident at a very high level. However, he settled to tell her all about his early childhood and what it was like being brought up in England. This was a country that she had not learnt much about and that Michael was the first English guy to be cared for in her hospital.
Michael told her a few stories of his growing up, but they lacked a lot of detail. While he constantly kept telling her that he liked her very much, and that he wanted to see her once again. That he had fallen in love with her. However, of his future he was not sure. He had no idea where he went from here or of how long he would even be in Vietnam. That he would love to spend as much time as possible with her before whatever was about to happen to him, actually took place.
Before they knew it they had been in each other's company for nearly three hours, like two young people in love, time means nothing. The time had passed so quickly because they were just engrossed in each other, whatever was going on in the rest of the world around them was of no consequence to them.
One morning three Australians friends who had flown from Sydney with him arrived in the ward for a visit and to see how he was progressing. Michael talked them into helping him into his wheel chair and to wheeling him outside for some fresh air. Once outside and sitting by the lake all he wanted to know, was for them to bring him up to date with what he had missed. First he needed to know about his last patrol and had it all been successful or a shear waste of life and time.
The Aussies laughed when the subject came up that Michael would probably get a medal, for the part that he had played. You won't get a medal from the Aussies mate, back home we are an embarrassment to our government. The last thing they want is to have your picture on the front of the newspapers to stir it all up once more. No their attitude is as long as we are out of sight we are out of mind. This is the war they did not want to be involved in, but in order to keep on the right side of the United States they had reluctantly agreed to send its young men to help out. One of them laughed and said that maybe the Yanks would give him a medal. Stuff the medals, Michael said all I want is a bit of paper to tell me that I will survive this stupid war and be able to go home in one piece.
Michael went on to tell his friends that he was going to be in hospital for a few more weeks and then he had no idea where he was going. For the moment it was just a case of wait and see what the Generals had in store for him. However, he was hoping to go home to England for a spot of leave, he was missing its lush green fields and country lanes.
Although he did tell them about nurse Waa and how he had fallen for her. Going on to tell them that it was nothing to serious at the moment but the minute he was up on his own two legs then it would be full on for them.
Just then and to his surprise nurse Waa approached and started telling the guys off for keeping him out of the ward to long. He was missing his regular medicine checks by the nurses. This sparked off a bit of leg pulling by the Aussies, that he had picked a regimental one and that he had better get used to her giving the orders around the house. Michael surprised them by saying that he would love to take orders from her, if she would accept his offer of love towards her. With that she grabbed hold of the wheel chair swung it round and whisked him back to the ward and his regular session of injections that he had to receive each afternoon.
Once all the bandages had been removed from his leg Michael was given a crutch to assist him getting around. He was no longer confined to his bed and the wheel chair. He gave most of the nurses a bit of a problem in trying to find him. Because at every opportunity he would spend time looking around the hospital and its grounds. The doctors gave him permission to take the occasional day out so that he could have a look around Saigon.
This was where Waa came in to his plans. On her first day off she picked him up and called a taxi to take them to the hub of the city. From there she delighted in showing off her fine city to him. Michael loved the place and fell in love with it, he just seemed to love anything that was oriental. It was such a pity that it was all being spoilt by the war that was going on in the country at the moment. It was also abundantly clear that the South was losing the battle. The Northern Armies was getting ever closer to Saigon and at times the sound of heavy gun fire could be heard in Saigon its self.
They stopped at a roadside teahouse or at least that's what Michael called it to the laughter of Waa. Where they sat and chatted but it was mainly Waa that did all of the talking. While she tried to explain as much of the city's history as she could. Michael leaned over the table to grasp one of her hands as she was talking. He was clearly in love with her and wanted to express it at every opportunity. This was the first time that they had been together and it had not been him that was doing all of the talking. She had confessed to Michael a couple of times that she liked him a lot but was still a little apprehensive about giving herself completely to the relationship. They had kissed a few times but that was as far as it had gone. Not that they had ever been on their own in a private situation for one moment. Although she had to confess that she enjoyed his company and wanted to keep the relationship going, but of the future she was not sure. She told Michael that because of the war nobody really knew what the outcome would bring. Therefore, it was a case of live for today and worry about tomorrow at a later date.
Suddenly an explosion was heard at what seemed like only a couple of kilometers away from where they were sitting, but further into the city centre, Waa jumped up.
"We must go," she said.
"Go where," answered Michael.
"We must get away from the shelling," she pleaded with him as she tugged at his hand.
"But how do you know where to go, how do you know where the next shell is going to explode," Michael tried to reason with her.
"I'm afraid we will be blown up," she said to him with a small tear in the corner of her eye.
Michael went on to explain to her that he had a philosophy in life. If you were going to die from one of those shells, well then it had your name on it. No matter where you tried to run or hide it would find you. So you might as well stay where you are. He tried to comfort her by saying that he had survived many situations just like this, and that by staying calm was the best way to handle it. Anyway wasn't he still alive to prove his theory. She smiled at him as Michael gave her a small kiss on the hand he had been holding.
There were no more explosions that afternoon and Michael told Waa that it had probably not been a shell more like somebody had planted a bomb. This was now becoming a worry to everybody it was a bad sign that for the first time the war was being brought to the beautiful city of Saigon.
A few days later Waa took Michael out once again this time she took him to a different part of the city that included
the Royal Palace. It was while they were there that the Vietcong launched a major attack against the city. They were just walking down one of the little side streets that were strewn around the area, when several explosions took place all around them. Michael grabbed Waa by the waist and dived with her in his grasp down a side ally and behind some large steel rubbish bins that were awaiting collection. He had thrust Waa to the ground and he was lying on top of her. He whispered in to her ear that they were okay and that if they stayed where they were till it was all over, then nothing was going to happen to them. He also told her that the explosions were shells this time as he could hear them coming. He also noted that they were not coming from a great distance if he was not mistaken they were being fired within the city limits. If he was correct it was a bad sign it meant that the Vietcong already had a foothold in the city. Michael counted over a dozen shells that had landed in their vicinity the closes would have been only about three hundred meters from them. Even at that distance a vast amount of debris and rubble had fallen on them. However, they were in luck none of it was of any weight or size. They could hear people screaming and shouting but Michael insisted that they stay where they were just a little longer, until he was sure that the bombardment was over.
Once the shelling had ceased and Michael thought that it was relatively safe to move. He quietly whispered to Waa that he thought it was all over and that it might be safe to move. Before he let her up he gave her a long passionate kiss and told her that he loved her very much. He also asked if she would marry him and then he would be able to take her away from the troubles that they now found themselves in. Waa was hesitant to answered but when she did she explained that she was worried about all of her family. She could not leave them all behind to what she expected to be certain death. Michael pretended that he had not heard her, and let her get up and dusted each other off before moving on.
Waa wanted to get back to her Hospital as fast as she could, there were bound to be lots of casualties and she would be needed. They had to pick their way through burnt out buildings and vehicles while all around lay bodies. Waa ran over to a couple of them to see if there was anything that she could do, but they were all dead. The few that were alive already had other people trying to help them. The only advice she could give their carers was to get them to hospital a quick as possible. They had to run a distance before they managed to hail down a taxi that would take them to the hospital. Michael was assessing the situation and from what he could see this was looking like a full-scale onslaught against the city. Once he reached the hospital he told Waa that he must try and reach his unit or at least one of the military bases that were positioned around the city. They stood on the pavement outside the hospital in a very warm embrace for just a few seconds while Michael kept telling her that he loved her and that he would return to get her. However, first he would try and find out what was happening. Then they kissed each other for a final time said their farewells and Waa turned and ran in to the hospital while Michael got back into the taxi.
Michael asked the driver to take him to the military head quarters in the city. At first the driver was hesitant until Michael waved a handful of money in front of him. With that they shot off at breakneck speed but in what direction Michael had no idea.
The taxi driver dropped him off outside of the heavily guarded headquarters that Michael had been searching for. The next problem he had was in trying to persuade the guards who he was. He had identification but no authority to enter the building. However, after what seemed like a lifetime he was escorted in to the building and to the Duty officer. He was still limping a little but all in all his leg was not in too bad shape. He could certainly shoot a rifle if called upon to defend the base. Once the Officer realised who he was he made arrangements for Michael to be returned to his unit, that had been moved to a strategic position covering the Saigon Airport.
Michael did not find one face that he knew from the past and even on enquiring of his friends nobody had heard of them. Although they had certainly heard of him and his heroic bombardment of his own position earlier in the Year.
Because of his limp he was not expected to go out on any patrols but his expertise was used at most of the briefings for others. At least this way he was still very much involved and had a good idea of what was going. And indeed what the city could expect to have thrown at them.
Three days after he had arrived the Vietcong launch another attack on the city. The shelling went on for almost four days this time and was at times very intense. Michael found himself worrying about Waa and if she was all okay. He had no way of contacting her for the moment. The only thing he could do was to wait till the present crisis was over. Then if he was lucky maybe he could get a leave pass, so that he could go to the hospital to see if she was safe.
After two days of shelling, rumours began to circle the camp that the Vietcong had gained a foothold on the western side of the city. It was also reported that the shelling had coursed a considerable amount of damage throughout that area. Then came the news he did not want to hear that one of the major hospitals had taken a direct hit and had been almost completely destroyed. For the moment nobody seemed to know which one it was.
Once the raiders had been forced back out of the city and things quietened down and got back to what resembled some sort of normality. Michael was granted a twenty-four hour pass to go and search out his girl friend Waa. He hitched a lift from a service vehicle that was heading towards the city. From there he grabbed a taxi and headed straight for the Hospital. Sadly what greeted him as the taxi rounded that last corner was utter shock. Over half of the hospital lay in ruins, in parts it was still smouldering. From what Michael could see it looked like it had taken more than one direct hit, it was just a heap of rumble. He paid the driver and took a walk around the place. Working his way around the debris not really certain what he was looking for or what he was expecting to find. There were several other people clawing their way through the rubble, some were crying and some looked like they were just in a trance.
He came upon a couple of people and one he recognised as the European staff nurses. Without hesitation he went straight up to her enquiring about Waa. The staff nurse shaking her head from side to side told him that she did not know where she was. Adding that a lot of people had been inside when it was hit. Turning and pointing at the spot where the ward should have been standing, she was by this time crying. She had been lucky that day it had been her day off. However, nurse Waa would have been on duty at the time but nobody was sure who was inside when it got hit. Nurse Waa had not been seen since the devastation so they had to assume the worse that she had been killed along with all the others. Michael could not contain himself and cried openly in front of them.
Back at his base by the Airport it had been decided that his leg was still not healing correctly. So he had been informed that he was to be repatriated back to Australia and that he was going to be leaving in two days. Bringing his present Tour of Duty in Vietnam to close. While leaving many of his close friends dead on the battle field. The world would be a lesser place without them.
About the Author
I was born during the Second World War while my Father was chasing Rommel out of North Africa and Italy, for this reason I never saw him until late 1946. I grew up in the sleepy little Suffolk country side town of Stowmarket, and underwent an education that to me seemed an absolute waste of time. Although with that wonderful tool known as hindsight, my reading and writing skills would have served me well in the writing of this book. I should have taken the trouble and given the teachers my full undivided attention and not the girls sitting next to me, while behind me was always the wall. Yes I was a back of class type of guy who was always getting into trouble and talking during class. Upon leaving school I became what was known as a Teddy boy and hung around with the Ipswich town local gangs. Once the novelty began to wear off, and I realised that if I carried on along the path I had chosen, it would only lead me into trouble with the la
w, so I decided on a complete life style change and joined the Royal Marines. My growing up during this period of time can certainly be attributed to my Royal Marine training, something that is still part of my life to this day. I tell of my service years and of being on active service in Borneo. Upon my release I became very interested and involved in the Rock n Roll music of the day, and helped form a local band in the town of Leiston in Suffolk. I also became involved in the then new sport of hang gliding. Which later lead me to strapping an engine on to my glider, and being amongst the first in the UK to pioneer the sport of Microlighting, and to set a record that still stands to this day. Eventually while working for Bernard Matthews I upped my family and immigrated to New Zealand, to help build a new factory in a small county town of Waipukurau on the North Island. Where I experienced a complete new style of living that my family and I all enjoyed, and took to it like ducks to water. It was a taste of what was to come when after three years I once again up rooted my family and move over the ditch as they say to Australia. Where I later became involved in the changing of history involving the invention of the modern Hang Glider.
Other Books by this Author
'Almost Total Recall' an Autobiography by Terry Aspinall. Who grew up in Stowmarket and the Teddy Boy gangs of Ipswich. Later to serve in the Royal Marines Commandos and saw active service in Borneo. Was involved in Hang Gliding during its early days of development in the UK. Played in several Rock n Roll bands around the world, before emigrating to New Zealand and a few years later to Australia.
'The Autumn Reunion' a fictitious story of a school reunion that tempted James through the painful journey of having to chose one girlfriend above another.
'The Fabulous Spawlszoff Brothers' a fictitious story, that is based on actual funny events that the author has experienced during his 50 years in the music industry.
'Johnny Morris and the Convertibles' is a fictitious story that is based on actual events that the author has experienced during his 50 years in the music industry.
'The British Hang Gliding History' is an updated history of how the hang glider was invented in Australia during 1963, and of how it arrived in the UK to be manufactured and flown for the first time during 1972. This book is a shortened version of the successful website of the same name www.british-hang-gliding-history.com there are working hyperlinks to the BHGA early Hang Gliding magazine 'Wings' and also the BMAA early Microlight magazine 'Front Line'.
'The Adventures of Henri and Charlie' is a very young children's short story about the authors pet Peach Face Parrot and Canary that escape from their cages and are taken on a wild ride, with no hope of returning to the security of their own cages back home. In this story the birds talk to each other.
'Matthew Returns' Matthew has been discharged from the British Army after serving 22 years. He returns to Suffolk and the small country side town of Stowmarket, in which he grew up. At first he finds it hard to settle back into the life he once knew. Finding it hard to obtain employment with skills he had picked up while serving in the Army. However, a shock awaits him when it comes to finding himself a girl friend.
'Unexpected' John is in a great relationship with his partner until the day she disappears. His friends and the locals turn against him, thinking that he has done something wrong. Luckily he befriends somebody who takes him for who he is. However, he is in for a shock and an ending that he did not expect.
'The Kansas Rascal' Ten years after his wife died, Australian Bradley Newman is living a lonely life. Never being able to accept her death has made it hard for him to find another partner. His love of music and magic has been his saving grace. Accepting that he will never find that special person that could replace her. After his son sets him up with a computer he becomes excited at the prospect of learning a new technology. Then by chance during 1998 while on line he meets a girl from America, and falls in love with her. However he has not the courage to tell her of his feeling. He secretly fly's to America to meet up with her, but walks into a lot of trouble that he did not see coming. Feelings of love can sometimes blind the beholder.
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