GARY- SUCH A GUY cont

For the new year’s Eve, I asked him to join my class celebration at Son Thuy restaurant at 394 Vo Van Tan St. Having been told earlier, all of my learners enjoyed talking to him. I started the party by making a short speech and to everyone’s surprises, I withdrew a roll of paper from my pocket on which I had written a question in large words:
“What is your new year resolution?”
Gary was supposed to be the first to answer. He said smiling,
“Not making mistakes of finding a girl friend.”
Then I asked him to ask another. We took turn doing that and we all felt great. My reply was:
“Never miss any final sounds”
I pleased Gary that way as he had always been concerned about the matter.
Gary tried to be friendly with one of my learners and he took her a restaurant, a coffee shop and they had a good time. I introduced him to teach at where I was teaching and he was very welcome. We became partners. Dr. Hau, one of my former learners paid and treated us well and advertised us. We were invited to be the co-founders of a speaking club at Binh Dan hospital. Hung was so happy with what we had been doing that he offered us a trip to a fresh-sea food restaurant in Long Thanh. During the trip, he and I took turn asking responding to show Hung and his young employees how to learn to practice and I showed them the way I improved my English. Gary made such a good joke that Hung really enjoyed. We deserved being offered what Hung was paying for.
Failing to apply for my TESOL course, not making enough money for a family of 4, hearing my daughter starting her puberty, being concerned about what would be worse, I decided to go back home. Before leaving Gary, I had assigned an email. Till the last class I was in charge, I kept quiet. The following early morning, I emailed him. He phoned me as soon as he got it. He sympathized with my decision and reassured that he would welcome me back. Gary recognized a lack of my income that month so he asked my son- Canon- to meet him and he gave my son what would be called a gift of friend ship: 2 million dong.
Three months after I had left him, Gary had a big health problem. His sister encouraged him to go home and he did. On that day, not wanting to disturb me, he told my son not to let me know and at the airport he phoned me to say goodbye:
“Wherever we are, whatever happens to us, we are still friends.” said Gary.
“You bet.” simply I replied.
Rach Gia Feb 21, 10
Luong Ngoc Thanh-