Hien Pham

I wonder where Hien Pham is right now, and what he's doing. He was my very first best friend. We met in the 1st grade, and became friends because we were both Asian boys living in the Mexican ghetto. We were best friends until 7th grade, when he started wearing baggy pants and kissing girls, and running around with a Vietnamese gang called "Azn Pride" or "Azn Pryde" or something. He changed on me, while I stayed the same, and so he disappeared from my life. I wonder where he is now. I know so little about him post-elementary-school, that he could be studying Electrical Engineering at UCLA or be dead in a gutter in El Monte right now equally easily, in my mind. We used to have so much in common, too, like Power Rangers, being good at our multiplication tables (i.e., being Asian), wanting to learn Kung Fu -- and Vivian Huang.

She was beautiful, the most beautiful 2nd grader on the playground. I had a crush on her that I never told about to anyone, not even Hien. And then one day in 4th grade, I heard Vivian and Hien had feelings for each other, and I saw them hang out together more. I still liked her until the 5th grade though, and I still never told anyone. I was happy for Hien. She was beautiful, after all. But she moved in the 6th grade to Irvine or someplace like that, and I kind of got over it. I can barely recall what she looked like now, but she definitely doesn't seem as beautiful as she did when I would watch her on the playground playing on the swings. The swings were her favorite.

So I wonder if Hien remembers me, and what memories come up when he wonders where I am today. I wonder if he'd be surprised about where and who I am. He probably has no idea that I moved to Texas. He probably still thinks I'm in California. I don't even know if we would recognize each other if we passed each other on the street now, two adults, basically, living our adult college lives.

I miss the simple times. I miss you, Hien. You were my best friend.