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"Sigo!" The voice was faint, barely
audible.
But that was enough for me.
At the landing ground, the person
who had saved my sister gently placed her on
the floor. Before she could run to me with her
injured body, I quickly sprinted and hugged
her with all the worries leaving me. At that
moment nothing seemed to matter anymore.
It was just me and my sister in the whole
world until a firm voice broke me away from
my reverie.
"Mr. Tengo have you minimized the
damage of the flood?"
"Yes, Your Grace. We have already
informed the citizens in the flooding route
to evacuate until further notice." An officer
replied while passing a map with complicated
markings and symbols. The man who had
been addressed as 'Your Grace' took it and
observed it carefully.
"We could apply Vetiver grass
around here to improve the soil condition
and yielding. Ms. Gonri, if you please take
care of this matter. The villagers will also
need to learn how to conserve their forest
and properly take care of the environment to
reduce the severity of flash flood." He ordered
professionally, then proceeded to distribute
tasks to the other officers. No wonder that he
was called Aldo the Knowledgeable...
"Hey Aldo!" After all these years of
suffering, of fearing to lose someone precious
to you, I would finally be able to ask that
question.
"Why hadn’t you done anything Many years later, dreadful news arrived. Aldo the Knowledgeable had left us after so
until now?! Why had you let us suffer for so many years of helping citizens and working towards a sustainable future. Many mourned and
long?!" cried for him but I did not. He was still with us in one way or another. His legacy, his teaching and
He paused midway through his his efforts made me able to have today. The future was still laid in front of us and it was up to us
planning as my shout was heard. His calm how we would choose our paths. I believed in him and his teaching after all he had done for us
demeanor never wavered for a second but and other people as well. Maybe somewhere up above, he would be smiling if he knew his people
I could catch the tiniest bit of his expression were doing well and lived a sustainable life...
that was overcome with a tinge of guilt.
Slowly, Aldo walked towards me and my sister
that was still in my arms, kneeling until we August 19, 1946
were at the same level. “There were so many people at Ratchadamnoen Road. So close that I was
"I'm sorry I couldn't get here afraid that our car would run over their feet. When we got to Benjamabopit
sooner." He started. "I knew you had to suffer
a lot. But don't worry. Everything will be Temple, the car sped up a bit and I heard someone shout, “Don’t abandon
better from now on. We will fix the problem your people”. At that moment I wanted to shout back that if people don’t
and there will be no flash floods anymore." He ‘abandon’ me then how can I ‘abandon’ them? But the car drove too fast and
offered me a smile, a sincere one. Being able it was already too far away.”
to see him up close and after what he had King Bhumibol Adulyadej in ‘When I left Siam for Switzerland’
done today made me momentarily forget the
grudge I once held against him. Suddenly, I The moment during the journey to Don Muang Airport, departing to study in
realized once again why everyone worshipped Switzerland
and praised him as if he were a god.
"I'll have to go now. There are still
a lot of people out there needing our help."
With that he stood up and headed back to the
helicopter. Before I could recover from the
earlier realization, he spoke a few last words Picture from >> tvpoolonline.com/content/277870
to me.
"Take a good care of your little
sister."
I took those words heartily as I
never forgot what had happened on that day.
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