Perhaps we had a little too much rice wine, because about halfway back to camp one day 
from a medical patrol, we felt a dire need to go swimming. 
We set up security on the Song Re River, stripped to our skivvies and went in.  
Joining us were four water buffalo, several Hre women and a flock of kids. 

We threw grenades in the water and everyone was happily picking up the floating fish.  
The fish were just stunned, so you had to work fast.  Like the Hre, I carried them ashore in my teeth.  
You needed both hands to swim in the current.

            A dozen yards downstream were remnants of a bridge that was once part of the major highway 
from Quang Ngai to Kontum.  Vines crawled over the bridge.

                                                                                                                                             Copyright 2007 © Loyd Little