Xuan was nowhere near being ready. His room was covered with clothes; feeling he didn’t pack enough and decided to wear the suit he wore at the funeral of his family.
It reminded him of the mission that he had set out for. Five years ago, his wife was raped by the Americans officers; one being Vietnamese. They then murdered his daughter in cold blood lighting the house on fire. Xuan was out at work and came home heartbroken; seeing the men savagely destroy his life before his very eyes.
The Vietnam War left unbearable scars. Putting on this suit was one of many scars that Xuan Lang would always remember. The last time he wore it, he was reminded of his angels going to the heavens.
Sighing, he buttoned it up and straightened his posture in front of the mirror. Tonight, Xuan knew he'd have to look presentable.
A taxi came by to take him to Tim’s home. As they rode through the streets, Xuan thought about him not saying a word to his neighbors. It's been almost ten days since he arrived and he knew that they were watching him. They had to, simply for the fact that he was the only Asian in the neighborhood of military veteran families. Since there was heavy traffic, he knew he'd be at least fifteen minutes late. Tim and Anna didn’t seem to mind and welcomed him telling him to come right in.
“We’ve been expecting you, Xuan.” Anna embraced him as Tim looked on, jealous.
“Traffic was a nightmare! I'm sorry.”
The house was a mansion, and it was strange that a person who had financial problems could afford living here.
There was jazz playing in the background and Xuan heard laughter. Xuan’s breathing hitched when he spotted four men; all who were responsible for the death of his family. They were seated at a wooden table, laughing.
“Where are the other three?” thought Xuan referring to Joshua Warren, Ronald Ravens, and Duong Gian. Duong was an interpreter contracted by the US Marines and was the main culprit leading the rape of Xuan’s wife as Xuan and his daughter watched.
“Please take a seat,” said Anna breaking Xuan’s thoughts. The feeling of seeing these men sent chills through the old man's body. He wanted to lunge and stab them to death but he had to remain calm and patient.
He sat in silence, listening to a few men who showed up for the special gathering but the bidders hadn't arrived yet. After a few refreshments and chatting with the guests, Tim and Anna finally joined everyone at the table, clicking their wine glasses to get everyone's attention. “Unfortunately, the buyers from last night's auction will not be able to join us today except for Mr. Xuan Lang. Fellas be nice as we’d like to say cheers for new friendships.”
The men stopped talking and stood up.
“Cheers to that,” a man by the name of Zachary spoke as the group laughed.
“Now, I hope our food appeases your taste buds. Anna tried her best here,” said Tim as he hugged Anna.
Xuan didn't see Anna as serious. She was young and looked as if she was always out of the home perhaps with her girlfriends more than Tim.
“It smells delicious,” said Ben staring at the food.
“Please, dig in gentleman,” said Anna.
Xuan took a few slices of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and salad. When he took a bite, he was ready to spit it out. Anna’s cooking was nowhere near complimentary. She should have hired a catering service instead. As Xuan ate, he had the urge to vomit, shutting his eyes to avoid its dullness.
“How do you like the food, Xuan?”
Tim looked at Xuan strangely as even he was having second thoughts about his wife’s cooking.
“One of the best meals I’ve had in a while.”
“I’m so flattered, you’ve just made my day, Xuan,” giggled Anna as Tim watched her reaction.
Tim was a dick. After a few words with Anna, he cleared his throat. “Gentlemen, you haven’t told me about what you’ve been working on lately.” He turned his focus on the three cowards opposite to Xuan.
“Don’t act as if you don’t know, Tim. We’ve been struggling as of late with the new city ordinances, but I think we'll be open for business soon,” said Matthew as he wiped his mouth with a cloth.
“What kind of company are you gentlemen springing up, if you don’t mind me asking?” The men turned their attention to the old man as Anna stuffed herself, not wanting to be a part of the conversation.
“A new car dealership,” said Zachary.
“That’s smart. Do you think it could make big money out here?”
“Why wouldn’t it? The roads are being improved daily and many are looking to buying new cars before a recession hits. Damn, Reagan is coming in office in a few months,” said Matthew.
“I must admit there's still a lot of work to be done,” added Zachary.
Xuan wasn't interested in anything they had to say but wanted to build a relationship to get closer to the men. As they chatted on, all of them had a different outlook on the business.
Then Zachary broke the ice, “That’s why I have these two buds by my side,” grinned Zachary as he hugged Matthew and Duong, pulling them tightly.
Xuan felt defeated by their happiness and wanted to change topics. “Hopefully, I’ll find some friends as true as you before I die.”
“I truly hope you do, my little Asian friend,” answered Matthew sarcastically.
“By the way, I’m Xuan Lang.”
“Where are you from?” asked Ben, seemingly curious by Xuan’s name.
“I'm from the Philippines.”
“What business do you have here in America?” probed Matthew.
“I’m opening an herb shop not too far from downtown.” Xuan expected them to laugh.
“That’s an unusual career for a man your age,” said Matthew. The men were maybe ten years younger, so it was funny how they looked down on the old man. “Fucking Americans.” Xuan took another bite of the bland roast beef.
“It truly is but an old man has a passion for fixing people.”
“Don’t we all?” exclaimed Tim raising his glass as everyone followed.
Within an hour and a half, Xuan wrapped up the paperwork and took possession of his painting. Just as he was about to leave, Zachary came over to him, “Xuan, we'd be honored if you could spare us some of your time this week and go golfing with us.”
“Why are you inviting me? You don't even know why I'm here." Xuan was thinking as Zachary spoke.
“We feel bad for treating you the way we did in the beginning. Our little town is not used to strangers. Since most of us come from military families, we have a code of honor. Please accept our apologies.”
“Ok, I'll accept that and think about it.”
* * *
The next morning, Xuan was awakened by loud knocks. Xuan came downstairs in his pajamas and opened the door. Standing there, was his neighbor Katherine.
“Xuan, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Katherine said looking at Xuan puzzled.
“Oh no, Katherine, it’s fine. How can I help you?” Xuan grabbed the handle of the door, resting on it.
“The owners couldn’t get a hold of you yesterday,” said Katherine taking out a folder.
“I’ve been pretty busy these days. Sorry!”
“Well, they said the house comes in a package deal with the store they own.”
“A store? Why didn’t they mention this before?” Xuan opened the door, inviting her inside. There were boxes of empty Chinese food on the table. “Sorry for the mess, I haven’t had guests yet.” He set a case to the side and directed her to the sofa.
“It’s fine.” Katherine opened the folder, taking out the papers. “The owners had a convenience store, but it failed miserably. Let’s say they weren’t keeping stock like they were supposed to.”
Xuan wondered what happened as it looked like Katherine wasn’t fond of them.
“Is the store nearby?”
“Yes, just down on the corner, but I have to admit that it needs some fixing.” Katherine chuckled as she handed Xuan the folder. “You'll need to sign here and I'll mail it to them. They are away on vacation in Maui for God knows how long.” After reading over everything, Xuan signed off and handed the contract back. As Katherine was leaving, she left the remaining papers and keys to the store on the table.
Xuan retired close to five years ago from the army and opened his first business in selling herbs after the tragedy. He was given his pension and lived a simple life. However, fate played with him dearly. Countless times, he blamed God for his unfortunate happenings. He was a man destroyed by those who destroyed his family.
As Katherine closed the door, Xuan was anxious to know of the store’s condition. He changed quickly and headed down the road, remembering Katherine's directions vaguely. As he walked, he almost started doubting her. “Maybe I’m on the wrong road?” After passing by a few stores, he saw some bold letters written on the front of a closed storefront reading - “Seamans.” Xuan fumbled the keys while unlocking the door, excited about going inside.
He looked around, seeing the store was full of dust and cobwebs. "A free store but a lot of work," questioned the old man if this shop had a chance of turning a profit.
Xuan graduated from college in holistic medicine and knew almost every herb that existed. Slowly, a vision of how to set up the place was already being planted. What about the customers. Do they use holistic remedies? The location seemed perfect, and by it not having any pharmacies close by, the business could flourish.
There were boxes stacked up to the ceiling in the back storage room, almost tumbling over when Xuan opened the door. The area was smaller than the front but big enough to stock inventory. The paint on the wall was peeling off, but there were a sink and other appliances. Not being able to tolerate the mess any longer, Xuan started putting the boxes on top of one another and pushing them aside to one corner.
“Xuan!?”
Katherine's voice startled him, making him jump. She was holding plastic bags and from Xuan’s conclusion, she’d just done grocery shopping.
“You scared me.” He said, dusting off his hands.
“Sorry, I was passing by from the market and saw the door open. I didn’t think you were coming here right away.”
“Yeah, I wanted to give the place a good look. I have time today.” Xuan sat down on an old chair in the center of the room.
“I’m impressed. I thought you would leave it be and didn’t want anything to do with it. For sure, you proved me wrong."
“How could I not?” Xuan stood up and walked Katherine to the front area, where an old cash register was left behind. “This could be put to use. If we can put a little muscle in this old shop, it would be nice,” hinted Xuan
“You’re right. It’s an excellent idea opening an herbal shop yourself in this neighborhood. There are always sick people here. Many got ill when returning from the War," said Katherine following behind Xuan and looking around.
“I’m planning for just that. By the way, do they have this time of shop around here?”
“Oh my, no!” Katherine said, setting aside her bags. “And I'd be glad to spread the word about the business for you. I know everyone in this area.”
“So, this sounds like a partnership?” laughed Xuan.
“I guess so. Where should I start?” She rolled up her sleeves, placing her hands on her hips, ready.
“There is a lot of dirt,” said Xuan pointing to the floor. “We can start here. Let me pay for some supplies.”
“No, no. I have enough at home.” Katherine went home and brought the supplies back and Xuan realized it would be a longer day than usual.
Xuan began cleaning what he could until Katherine returned. The plumbing wasn’t working properly in the back as the sink clogged. After many attempts to unclog it, Xuan sighed, “This is useless," sitting down on one of the stools and wiping his forehead. The shop's bell chimed and Katherine walked in, donning a pair of gloves, fully ready.
“Isn’t this a bit over the top?” asked Xuan.
“Not at all, have you seen this place?” She set a bucket down, placing her hands on her hips while looking around.
“It’s not as bad as you think it is. You'll see, partner.” She started by dumping the boxes, one by one outside. Then, she went to the storage shelves, clearing out the outdated cans of food and other rubbish. Xuan had the easiest chore, sweeping the rooms and putting trash from Katherine in the dumpster.
After four hours, they finished and Xuan was tired even though he didn't work as hard. He invited Katherine over for coffee which she did after bathing. She told Xuan she was a nurse at the local hospital and had two children in college. Her new husband's a bank accountant who's barely home and always away. Xuan then told her about his family back in Vietnam. Before midnight, Katherine had left. Xuan saw Katherine as a nice person to have as a partner but knew not to trust her with his mission. Then, he sat regretting about allowing her to get close to him. The old man vowed not to let anyone inside.
Xuan didn’t know whether to accept Tim's invitation to go golfing or not. Inside, he came up with many excuses. He never wanted to see their faces again, but he must. Xuan was confused, realizing that he had no gear for the occasion. The only thing that resembled golf in his possession was a green polo shirt. When his phone rang in the wee hours of the morning, it caught the old man off-guard. He stumbled down the staircase to hurry and answer it.
“Hello?”
“Xuan?”
“Who’s this?” Xuan knew who it was.
“Zachary.” How the hell did he get my number?
“I’m calling to make sure if you’re coming tonight at six, pal?”
Xuan cleared his throat after a long silence. “Yeah, sure. Why at six? Isn't it late?”
“Bud, golf is fun at night. Believe me, you'll see.”
“If you say so.”
“All right, I’ll see you at the Walden. Don’t forget—” added Zachary.
Before he hung up, Xuan asked, “Wait, how did you get my number?”
“I got it from Tim. He has your information from the auction, remember?”
Xuan never thought Tim would give his contact information. “I see. Thanks, see you later, Zach.” Xuan ran back upstairs to his closet, raging inside. Furthermore, he didn’t have a precise plan on how he was going to kill all seven. He put on his shirt and would leave everything else to the guys.
The 6 o'clock hour came quickly and the weather outside was warm and mild. Xuan didn't have any emotion about meeting his least favored individuals. Now, it feels like he's sleeping with the enemy.
The Walden Golf Club was only a few miles away. By the looks of the outside, it was sealed off from the public. Xuan fastened his duffle bag over his shoulder and walked inside. The reception was high-end and the ceiling had pictures engraved of some of the world’s most famous golfers. The staff greeted everyone warmly and the old man didn't have a clue where he was headed. How would Zachary know I arrived? He stood close by the receptionist desk, patiently waiting.
For close to fifteen minutes, many passed by, all wearing polo shirts and white shorts. They matched the people he saw on an American show called "The Loveboat," but its subtitles were in Vietnamese. As the old man started drifting away in thought, a voice startled him.
“Xuan!”
“Xuan!”
Xuan turned, seeing seven men coming to the reception area; Joshua, Ronald, Ben, Matthew, Tim, Zachary, and Duong Gian.
He was taken aback by their presence, tumbling back as the striking memory of his family’s murder resurfaced. Those men have no shame and didn't know Xuan was here to settle the score once and for all. No one knew what these cowards had done, and Xuan Lang was planning on exposing all.
“Good day, gentlemen.” Xuan held out his hand to shake theirs.
“Are you ready?” chuckled Zachary.
The others laughed, probably because of Xuan’s outfit. They were dressed in white pants and blue polo shirts. A few of them were wearing USA caps and it was hilarious. “You all may be dressed like Arnold Palmer, but I have what it takes to beat you.” The joke was corny, but the men grinned.
“Nice one, Xuan,” said Matthew, grabbing him on the shoulder. “My new Asian friend, Xuan Lang. You’ve met Tim of course, Ben and Zachary.”
As Matthew introduced him to the others, Xuan looked at them straight in the eye. There was no backing down now. This was a dangerous game, and the seven criminals were the players.
“Joshua Warren.” The man had blonde hair and bright blue eyes. By his looks, he seemed unfriendly as if he was having a bad day.
Xuan continued to the second one on his left.
“I’m Ronald Ravens.” Ronald took both Xuan’s hands trying to mimic an Asian salute of some sort. He had a wrinkled face and seemed kind.
Xuan had second thoughts on turning to the last. “Duong Gian. I think we met a few days ago. You’re from the Philippines, right?”
“Oh, oh yes! We sure did,” stuttered Xuan.
Right away, Xuan recognized Duoug’s accent.
“This way,” Tim stated, walking to the sliding doors of the patio. Tim and Ben carried the golf balls while the caddies took the clubs and rest of the equipment. Ronald held the keys to the golf carts. The group of men followed behind and saw the golf course light up from a distance, contrasting the dusk.
Xuan stared in awe at the beautiful view while the others had seen it many times before. After walking down a long set of stairs to the area of the golf carts, Xuan jumped inside with Joshua, Zachary, and Tim. The others paired up and drove ahead.
The endless terrain of the green was reeling leaving Xuan in a trance. The warmness of the evening sun was getting the better of him. It started becoming hotter than the daylight and Xuan knew it was his blood boiling. As they neared their portion of the course, Xuan started imagining where these guys learned how to play.
“Do you know how to golf, Xuan?” yelled Tim from the front seat.
“Honestly, I do not, but I'll learn from you, guys tonight.”
“So, you won’t beat us after all. Bud, It’s easy. All you have to do is put the ball in the hole.” Tim and Zachary chuckled at Joshua’s description.
“It’s settled then; I’m good at that.”
The men roared like wild animals and Xuan wasn't impressed.
The cart came to a sudden screech, and everyone jumped out. “Finally, we get to have a rematch,” shouted Ben from the other side. Then they gathered in a circle to divide the teams into fours while the caddies prepared the course.
“I think we should split up like before since we already know who's with whom. We’ll take Xuan,” uttered Matthew.
Xuan believed they would surely lose now. He wasn't good at sports.
“I see you’re lucky.” Duong came beside Xuan.
“Let the best team win, fellas,” yelled Ben.
“You’re first dickheads,” taunted Tim. Xuan was grouped with Matthew, Tim, and Joshua while Ronald, Duong, Ben, and Zachary were the challengers.
Eighteen holes of golf will make it a long evening. Ronald had hired some college-women caddies to spark up things. Ben was the first one to start. Setting the golf ball on the tee and gripping the club tightly, he focused on his swing while sweating profusely.
Ben hit the ball and it landed near to the hole, almost going in. The caddies clapped and kissed Ben as his teammates cheered him on.
“I see you got better than the last time,” mocked Joshua.
They continued, taking turns until it was Xuan’s. His team gave him instructions while the opposing team mimicked the way he clutched the golf club. Xuan calculated the distance from the ball to the hole almost resembling a professional. When he swung, the golf ball flew across a little left of his target but close enough for a bogey.
His teammates clapped, surprised at the old man. Zachary whistled, taunting Xuan. “So many fake people,” thought Xuan. Now, it was time to focus on getting the ball inside the hole. Xuan walked to the spot with the caddies, measuring the distance mentally as he approached. He then swung, resulting the ball going inside the hole. Everyone cheered and one of the caddies hugged Xuan while kissing him on the cheek. The guys laughed, seeing Xuan uneasiness.
“Cheer up, bud. The girl likes you,” said Matthew.
“Not my cup of tea.”
“Haha.”
Now, it was Tim's turn. Xuan didn't pay much attention, tuning into Duong and Joshua's conversation. Xuan walked over to join in.
"I already started the shipment and it will reach Vietnam in about two to three days, tops." Duong lowered his voice as he saw Xuan approaching. They cleared their throats when he walked up.
“Gentlemen. I’m impressed. An amazing job for an old hag, am I right?" joked Xuan about himself, causing them to laugh. While the others played, the three began chatting.
“Don’t joke around like that, Xuan. We are honorable military men. There is no pride. This is a friendly game of golf. We’ve allowed you in our little circle. Be a little bit more humble.” Duong saw the seriousness of Joshua while Xuan was clearly puzzled.
“Hey man, I’m kidding." All three burst in laughter.
“You know I was about to kill you,” returned Xuan giggling.
“I bet you were,” joked Joshua.
“Duong!” Ben called. “It’s your turn, you fucking cunt.”
The men and the caddies started moving to the next hole and Duong was excited to show what he could do. He put on a show, striking the ball right in the hole without hesitation. Surely, Duong played this game many times before as it appeared he was the best player in the group.
Everyone clapped, and within the next two hours, they were at the last hole. Tired and sweaty, the sun had already started set. The match was thrilling, but for Xuan, he couldn’t wait to go.
Tim was the last to go, and to the team’s dismay, it ended it with a total error, leaving Duong’s team to win. Xuan’s first target, Tim was sad and the old man put his arm around him to comfort him.
After the match, Tim invited Xuan for a drink at his house and as much as he didn’t want to go, he came along.
When they pulled up to Tim's, Tim noticed his living room’s lights were dimmed and Anna’s car was parked in the garage. “Lord, this woman will want to talk all night,” thought Tim. They rang the doorbell and waited for his wife to answer. “Why doesn't he have the key? Strange!” thought Xuan. She didn’t answer but there was some bustle coming from behind the door. Someone was inside. Tim banged on the door nonstop.
“Anna! Open up right now or I'll fucking kill you!” When she didn't, Tim kicked the door down and stared.
His wife was half naked while a young man was climbing out of the kitchen window, naked with his clothes in his hands. She froze at the sight of Tim and Xuan. Tim ran to the kitchen, pushing Anna down to the ground and out of the way to catch the guy, but he was gone.
“What the fuck have you done?”
“Tim, please I can explain.” Anna picked up the leftover pieces of clothing off the couch. Xuan watched, started.
“You have nothing to explain. Save yourself the humiliation. How could the fuck could you do this to me?” Tim's voice was cracked and he was about to cry. Xuan couldn’t believe this was playing out like a movie.
“He is just a co-worker. We were—”
“I don’t care who he is. This is my house, and you don’t get to disrespect me like this.” He pointed around. “Get your stuff and get the fuck out now! I'll be having my lawyer write up the divorce papers in the morning.”
Tim sat on the couch; the same one Anna had been making out on. Xuan remained standing, not knowing what to do or say. Xuan partly smiled, knowing Tim had it coming.
Anna came down the stairs, with her mascara smeared down her eyes from her crying. “I love you, Tim.” Those were her last words.
The scene worsened when Tim started weeping. Xuan had no choice but to comfort him. “Kill him now! Frame Anna” imagined Xuan.
“Listen, it will get better.” Tim didn’t respond, resting his head on his hands, breathing out wearily.
“It won’t, Xuan. She’s the only woman I love more than my own life.”
“Women like her don’t deserve your love, Tim. I’m sure you'll find someone worthy.” The night's winds rushed inside from door being left open and Xuan got up to shut it.
The night passed as Tim kept crying over Anna while Xuan patiently listened. Xuan excused himself to use the restroom. He sneaked into Tim’s bedroom, opened his drawers, spotting papers of bank transfers and receipts to Anna. Tim had spent a fortune on jewelry, rental cars, and hair appointments for her. Xuan remembered Anna talking about their money problems and she was responsible for them.
Xuan came back downstairs, finding Tim in the same spot. His vulnerability was to Xuan’s advantage and killing him would be easier than the old man thought.
“Tim, I’m sorry bud, but I have to go. I have work in the morning.” Tim escorted Xuan to the door and didn’t say a single word.
“Take it easy, Bud. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”