Heaven and Earth Chapter 6

"...my father decided that a life without his family was not worth living.  When he was finally released, he bought a box of rat poison in Danang and consumed it with a final meal at hour house.  Fortunately, his hereditary "warrior physique" was stronger than his spirit and the poison only sickened him."
After Le Ly and her mother left Ky La, her father was extremely upset without any members of his family.  He began to hallucinate, drink heavily, and eventually attempted suicide.  Each year, over one million men, women, and children commit suicide throughout the world; however, 10 to 20 million attempt suicide and fail, like Le Ly's father.

Le Ly moved into her sister Lan's apartment and began to work as her personal maid.  In Danang, Le Ly gave birth to her son (Hung) and started her new job selling Vietnamese handicrafts and other items to the American GI's.  She made enough of a profit to start renting her own aparment where she would live with her mother and son.  This made Le Ly independent, and she was able to finally enjoy life a little after years of turmoil.

In the chapter, there was a Maxim, which is a concise statement, often offering advice, or an adage.  Le Ly recalled, Tranh nha nguoi le dung get nha nguoi lun, which meant, "Don't sign contracts with the cross-eyed; don't get short-changed by a short man."  However, she ignored this proverb and continued to interact with the "short, fat fellow with glasses," who greatly appreciated the attention she gave him.

Many times, I have read a book called The Infidel by Georgia Elizabeth Taylor in which Jimenita, the main character, spends a lot of time with a man considered ugly by everyone but her.  They become good friends and actually fall in love by the end of the novel after the man she originally loves is murdered.  This is a great novel, and I was immediately reminded of it after reading this chapter in When Heaven and Earth Changed Places.