Hoi An part II

I arrived in Hoi An early Saturday morning. I like getting a fresh start to my day. I embarked from the bus sleepy-eyed and in need of a proper night's rest. I was having trouble finding a hotel for less than $12 a night. I knew they existed so I persisted. Eventually I found a decent spot for $7. You look, you find, usually without a whole lot of trouble.

I was sitting on the bank of the river in town saying 'no thanks' to the endless number of people trying to make a living taking tourists on boat rides. This one guy kept sitting there and I eventually cracked. It was one dollar for a one hour boat ride. I'd definitely rather spend the dollar on him than the candy I'd have inevitably bought in the market if I didn't have that one hour distraction.

My oarsman was named Dung. I couldn't really hear him and that's what I heard so I'm sticking to it. It is a Vietnamese name after all - I'm not trying to be funny. He didn't speak much English and well, my Vietnamese is pretty limited, but we could communicate well enough.
He was 75. He lost his left leg when he stepped on a landmine left by the VC in 1972. He was a little older then than I am now. Man, how good do we have it?
This man, with his rugged face, calloused hands and foot, did not seem to show any of the suffering that had befallen him. I know time is supposed to heal all wounds, but I don't know if I can believe that. I think we just slowly adapt to new circumstances and eventually accept our fate whatever it may be.