Now usually I don't do this as R. Kelly says, but... here's a post that is short and to the point and isn't trying to make some convoluted sociopolitical argument. I gotta bicycle! That's right, it's what you might call a "piece of shit" and it cost me a whole $20 (350,000 dong to be more precise), and in the words of the guy trying to sell it to me, as translated from the Vietnamese by my roomate Khoi, "you get what you pay for." Although I'm only going to be here for another 2 months, I figured it would be a good idea to get a bike so I can ride to and from school instead of taking cabs (something I wouldn't normally do but it's so cheap here) and xe oms (motorbikes), which are usually driven by swarthy, sweaty, drunk ne'er do wells and each ride is basically a near death experience. So anyway, here is my bike, which I've christened Al Green, or technically the Reverend Al Green.
It seriously might be a photo finish as to which expires first, my time in Vietnam or this bike. These pics really don't do justice to its sorry state. BTW almost all bicycles here feature the low "step through" crossbar, so I don't want to hear anyone say that I bought a girls' bike.
Ryan got a bike too but it started to fall apart earlier today so he destroyed it.
Also, I cut my hair.
-SJF
6 comments:
I can't tell you how happy I am for you, Steph-o. Not only because you found yourself a spiffy new bike, but mainly because you successfully incorporated the term "ne'er-do-well" into your post. Classic!
Girl's Bike!!!
Seriously though, step throughs are the wave of the future. Also, I would probably pay $20 for that bike here, if such a fine machine existed in this country.
Hey dude, you're not gonna believe either of these things:
1. I also named my bike Al Green (before you did).
2. Barack is prez.
let's move to sf.
Not General Kermit Da Frog?
I'm sincerely hoping that this site becomes the first result when searching for '350,000 dong'.
I would email more often, but I've been spending a lot of my free time staring at that picture of you on an ostrich.
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