Poor Boy

Chapter 3: Shattered Dreams

The winter days continued to drag on with a bone-chilling cold that made every task in Minh’s household increasingly difficult. The ground felt frozen beneath each of his steps, and the biting wind whipped against his small frame. Minh huddled in his thin coat, his hands shaking with cracked skin, but he pressed on, stepping into a new day with a faint hope that something good might happen.

Today, Minh had to go to the market early to help his mother sell vegetables. The small, tender bunches of greens were all that the family could harvest from their small garden behind the house. Minh’s mother had woken up before dawn, her eyes hollow and the wrinkles on her face deepening with each passing day. Minh saw these signs every day and knew that time and worry had drained the life from her.

When Minh and his mother arrived at the market, the stalls were already being set up. The cold morning air, combined with the musty smell of the rural market, made it hard for Minh to breathe. But he knew he had to help his mother, not just out of duty as a child, but out of boundless love for the woman who had endured so much suffering.

His mother sat down at their stall, quietly arranging each bunch of vegetables. She said nothing, but Minh could tell she was anxious about today’s market. Lately, the number of people buying vegetables had dwindled, making it harder than ever to earn enough money for rice and medicine. Minh bent down to help his mother, his small hands full of responsibility.

As the sky brightened, customers began to appear. They walked past the stalls, selecting vegetables and fish with discerning and cautious eyes. But it seemed no one stopped at Minh’s mother’s stall. The fresh green vegetables seemed overshadowed by the more varied and abundant products from other vendors. Minh looked at his mother and saw her biting her lip, trying to hide the disappointment in her eyes.

An elderly woman stopped at their stall, clutching a small bag. She inspected the bunches of vegetables, then looked up at Minh’s mother with a skeptical gaze.

“Are these from your own garden?” she asked, her tone stern.

“Yes, ma’am. They’re clean, no pesticides,” Minh’s mother replied, trying to force a friendly smile.

The woman snorted, then shook her head. “They look fresh, but who can tell if they’re really clean? And the price is high. I can get cheaper at the stall over there.” With that, she walked away, leaving Minh and his mother standing there, confused and disheartened.

Minh watched his mother and saw the pain and disappointment in her eyes. The woman’s careless words seemed like a knife to his mother’s pride, making her unsure how to face this reality. Minh’s heart ached, but he didn’t know what to say to comfort her.

As the market day ended, the vegetables sold were barely worth counting. Minh’s mother sighed, her shoulders slumping as if she had lost all strength. She sat down on the ground, looking at the meager amount of money in her hand with a heavy heart.

“Is this all, Minh? How can I buy enough medicine for Grandpa and Grandma with this?” she whispered, her voice full of despair.

Minh didn’t know how to answer. He could only lower his head, feeling deeply guilty for not being able to do more to help his mother. He wished he could earn more money, wished he could do something to change their family’s circumstances. But Minh was just a child, and harsh reality had taught him that sometimes dreams cannot become reality.

In the afternoon, when Minh and his mother returned home, the sky had turned a grayish hue. The small house remained as it always was—cold and silent. Grandfather lay on the bed, his cloudy eyes staring at the ceiling as if waiting for something that would never come. Grandmother, with her weak hands, tried to lift a spoonful of porridge to her mouth but ended up spilling it onto the bed.

Minh’s mother hurried to the bed, cleaning the porridge off Grandmother and trying to feed her spoonful by spoonful. “Mom, try to eat a little, to have some strength to withstand this cold,” she said softly, but Minh could clearly hear the worry in her voice.

Grandfather turned his head, looking at his daughter with his cloudy eyes. “My dear... if there isn’t enough money, don’t buy the medicine. Save the money for the children; they need it more than we do.”

Minh’s mother froze, her hands trembling. “Dad, what are you saying? We need medicine to survive; without it, we won’t make it through the winter. Don’t worry, I’ll find a way, I’ll work more to earn money.”

But Grandfather only shook his head, his eyes filled with deep sadness. “We’re old now, our strength is spent. Medicine only prolongs things for a short while. The children have their whole lives ahead of them; you must take care of them first. Don’t let them suffer like we did.”

Minh stood there, listening to Grandfather’s words, feeling a deep pain in his heart. He knew Grandfather was right, but he also knew that this was unacceptable to his mother. She had spent her entire life worrying about her parents, and now she couldn’t accept abandoning them.

“Mom, don’t worry. I’ll try even harder, I’ll find a way to earn more money. I don’t want to lose Grandpa and Grandma, I won’t let that happen,” Minh said, his voice firm, even though his heart was filled with anxiety.

Minh’s mother looked at her son, her eyes red with emotion. “I know you’re trying, Minh. But this life isn’t easy, and I don’t want you to bear too many responsibilities. You’re still a child; you need to enjoy being a child, not worry about these things.”

Minh shook his head, his eyes showing determination. “I’m not a child anymore, Mom. I know what I have to do. We have no other choice; I must be strong to protect my family.”

His mother looked at him, seeing the early maturity in Minh’s eyes. She didn’t say anything more, only silently embraced her son, feeling his determination in each of his breaths.

That night, Minh sat at his study desk, but his mind couldn’t focus on the words before him. His thoughts were consumed with concerns about his family and what he needed to do to change their situation. He knew he couldn’t go on like this, couldn’t let his family’s life spiral into poverty and despair. But how to escape this? That was a question Minh constantly asked himself.

In the darkness, Minh silently promised himself that he would do everything he could to change their lives. He would not let his family suffer any more. But deep down, Minh also knew that the road ahead would be full of obstacles, and he needed to be mentally prepared for all the challenges to come.