Gang fight, knives, late with a latte

There was a big fight between two gangs less than two miles from our house on Vo Thi Sau, one of Bien Hoa's major streets. My buddy Joy and I rode past the scene of the fight on our motorbikes about two hours before it started when we were coming home from work.  The fight took place at about 11 p.m. in front of a restaurant (where I've eaten a few times) and involved about 30 or 40 people. Swords and big knives apparently are the weapons of choice here. One guy got his arm chopped off and another took a spectacular gash to his face. There was talk of "homemade" guns, but information about these types of things is sketchy and inconsistent. We probably know more about Kim Jong-nam's murder. Anyway, I saw a cellphone video of the fight, and it appeared most of the participants were throwing bricks at each other and running back and forth. I was told by my wife and students who are following the fight that it took a little time for the police to arrive at the scene and that about 21 people were eventually arrested. No word on the one-armed man.  I was also told that some of these guys could serve anywhere from six months to 15 years in prison for involvement. And  most of these guys looked like teenagers.
An event like this is a rarity here. When I was single and stupid, I would walk home from a restaurant or night out in the city at midnight or 1 a.m. and feel quite safe. Now that I'm married and stupid, I really have no interest going out because of the drunken and/or light-less motorbike riders on the road. But one of my co-worders told me that riding a motorbike is no problem here and they've never had an accident or any problems. Only some of the people are rude, she said, telling me I need to calm down. This was the same person who told me "you don't understand." I'm sure she's correct, despite my five accidents (none my fault) and getting hit 11 times by motorbikes when I take my daily walk on the sidewalk (yes, I count. I was hit twice last week, but the riders took the brunt of the collision because I carry a cane). I'm sure getting hit was my fault because I've been known to be a rude walker. But every once in a while -- about once a month -- a young guy will stop his bike, smile, and motion for me to go ahead. It's rare, but some people will give me the right of way when I have the right of way. It restores my faith in mankind. I've written this many times before: Nice Vietnamese people are some of the nicest people I've ever met anywhere. Morons are morons no matter where you live.
Speaking of morons, a friend of mine had a dispute with a neighbor over the neighbor parking his motorbike in front of my friend's door/house. The neighbor apparently was unhappy my friend complained and came to my friend's  house with a big knife to settle the issue. Like I said,  knives and swords are the weapons of choice. My friend wisely moved out of the house and the neighbor will wait to get his arm cut off one day.
My lovely daughter Joanna is changing every day. She'll use a chair, couch, my pant legs, chest hair, – anything she can grab – to pull herself into a standing position. She sort of "walks" when she stands and pushes a chair forward. And this little pumpkin is only seven months and one week old.  Phuong and I know we've got our hands full, and we love it. Joanna and Phuong bring so much happiness to my life that I don't worry about anything when we're together. Even the motorbikes.
Classes have been very, very good. One group of high school and 20-something students like to text on their cellphones when I teach, but they're wasting their parents' money, not mine. And they're quiet and good kids, but they probably needed some classes in manners before they took English. I'm always prepared for classes, but sometimes students stroll in very late with latte in hand, more interested in socializing than learning. I understand because I was one of those students in the U.S., only I would stroll in late with a cappuccino in hand.