Ended up to buy eggs, no shrimps and fish

Once I was a new graduate officer in Pinne Taw camp. The camp was built near the entrance of Pinne Taw village (meaning Jade Fruit Farm Village). The village had about seventy houses. The village head was a Kayin woman. We call her Amoe the Chief (Mom, the village chief). It was always good to meet with her, ever chewing the beetle nuts in her mouth. She always talk to me in a friendly way.

I also asked what I wanted to know as a new captain in that new land. As she became acquainted with me, she told me as honestly as she could. Sooner, we became like a family members. Regarding to visit the village, there are two reasons, we, junior officers are allowed without asking permit from seniors are: colleting information and shopping.

We, the juniors are also instructed to take turns responsibilities – getting information and shopping. The informant can spend the day in the village, but the shoper has to shop and rush to the camp to cook the meal.

The news aggregator’s jobwas not very difficult, but the shopper used to have little difficulties. Because you have to manage the fixed money well to buy a day’s food. There was no fixed price. There were small home shops. If you were able to buy the red meat, it was a lucky day for you. Then you had to rush the camp to cook to be ready on time.

To buy fish and shrimes, you have to go to the west part of the village where fishermen live. We used to get in trouble in case, when the battalion commanderwanted to eat prawns or goat meat, said, “I want to eat prawns …” “Can’t you get goat meat (chevon)? ” Anytime, we got in trouble to find something difficult to find, we rushed toAmoe, the chief for help.

After such acquantances and intimacy between us, one day, Amoe the Chief told me, “Captain, if you go to the fishermen houses in the western part of the village these days, go with companions or guards. Never go there alone.” I didn’t get it, so I asked, “Amoe, What? Can you clearly explain to me, why?” She silent, pretended to be nothing special. “It’s fine. I’m just saying… I meant I am going to ask them to give you more meat and fish … ” I was skeptical. It was as if something was wrong with Amoe the chief. But after a while, I forgot her advice.

One day it was my turn to go shopping. The battalion commander said he wanted to eat shrimp. After buying shrimp for him, the rest of the money could not buy any meat. Because the meat was so expensive, we would not have enough money for that, except some fish. Shrimp were also rarely available at that time, so it was an urgent to go to the fishermen in the western part of the village.

As I was about to go shopping, I recalled that Amoe the chief’s advice to go there with companions. But I did not have time to go to her and ask for help. So I went there with an armed sergant.

When we go to the village, we usually wear civilian clothes at the top and uniform pants at the bottom. My companion, the sergant was armed with an folded MA3 under overcoat. The two of us hurried to the western part of the village and went from house to house asking fishermen who could catch shrimps and fish.

There was no other reason to ask the housewives but to check if their husbands would return with the shrimp we wanted.

In a home we used to visit, “Auntie, Would uncle bring shrimp today? We want to buy shrimps and fish if possible?” We asked. The auntie came out. ‘ohh.. come and sit in the home. Your uncle would be back home soon with shrimps. Have a hot water to wait him” said the auntie with hospitality.

The house was leaf roofed with long legs. Underneath the house, fishing rods, fishing nets were packed as a typical fishing family used to do. We went up the stairs and sat down and drank the hot water the auntie gave us. And the aunties and her friends are working at the back.

She brought us the kettle and the cups and went back to the back. About an hour later, I saw two Kayin men coming from a distance, hearing their speaking in Kayin, to the house where we were sitting. As we talked, the two of them went upstairs to where we were sitting. So far nothing had happened.

When they came up without seeing us or expecting us, they were staring at us. We were strangers, but with a smile, I said, “Are you buying fish? I think Auntie is busy in there.” “Auntie, here comes the guest” I shouted to let know the fish buyers were coming. “come and have a sit hre” handing the hot water cups to them, my companion sergeant welcomed them.

They nodded and smiled and tried to sat down. As one of them sat down, he heard a “gutt” sound, comes from something hit with the floor.

When I glanced at it, I could see the gun at the back hit the floor. He too pretended not to know. The sergant and I did not know what to do. I think they sat next to us and looked at us carefully.

We, with civillian clothes on top and uniform pants down, it would be almost noticeable for them. The four of us were sitting on the floor, but we did not talk to each other at all. Silent! The situation is not good for both of us. It was obvious that they were silent and their faces expresessions are something strange. My sergant and I were sweating profusely.

They did not move for a long time. Neither of us dared to move. No words between us. I was praying for the auntie to come back to intervene, but she must be gone when she saw that we were facing with arms in this little house.

Her husband, the fisherman also did not dare to return home in this situation. Finally, I decided that what I really needed to do it right. “A Kyot” as I called them, they surprised.One of them asked with facial experession, “what is it? And I continued “Aunties seem busying now, We are leaving now.” I spoke in Bamar language.

As we talked, we both got up, and they both got ready to go, too. Worrying that language barrier might lead to something unnecessary. Nervous.

Being confused and leaving the house, we  cared their move. They were staring at us. When we got down from the house, we did not know which way to go. It would only worsen the trouble if we went on the same path.

I must say we were lucky.As we turned to face to the way we came, they turned in the opposite direction. But in my heart I did not dare to believe that we were lucky. Keep checking, and keep walking. They did the same with us. when we reached to at a distance, do you know what happened to us and to them? As if both parties consulted before and well arranged it, we all ran.

We ran straight to the west of the village where the camp was. “Run sergant!” I shouted as I ran. “Yes, captain!” he responed and ran ever faster than before.

I used to take him with me every 30 miles of training in the army, but I had to follow him a lot this time. Fortunately, they did not turn around and shoot. And we did not get any shrimps or fish for the day.

As we reached to the home of Amoe the chief, we told her the whole story and laughed. We were exhausted, much tiredness! “phoekwa (son), That’s why I told you to take care. If I were with you, it would not happen. But happy that no clashes between two parties” she said to me.

“when I asked the reason, you pretended it was not serious” I said to her.

“Oh, we are intermediaries. The people who used to get along well with both parties. We don’t want either party suffer or lost because of our words. That’s why we don’t say what we don’t need to say.” Amoe the chief replied.

Only when he said this I fully understood her intentions. I also realized that we need to be friendly with the local people everywhere. I also learned that good relations with the local people do not cause me harm, even if it does not benefit me. I thanked from the bottom of my heart that there was nothing wrong with either of parties on that day.

In the end, I ended up buying eggs, no shrimps and fish. Time was running out and could not find anything expect eggs. When I got back to the camp, I gave eggs to the cook for the the battalion commander. But the battalion commander didn’t eat eggs for he brought lot of fries from his house.

My sergeant and I looked at the egg in the bowland prayed in our hearts, “Long live to the two dudes we encountered on that day!”

Sincerely,

HtetMyat

Translated into English by YuuTu