Roland Menge
234. Morris is relocated from Sam Neua to a Lao village From Sam Neua, the group that included prisoner of war James Morris headed southwest, so far as he could determine from occasional glimpses of the sun through the canopy of leaves above the road on which the caravan was traveling. Then the shield of leaves dropped away briefly and Morris saw that the wagon was moving along on a road about 400 feet above a town with narrow streets and Chinese-style pagoda roofs. Some of the buildings were demolished and others were in flame. “That is Sam Neua, the actual town,” the third passenger informed. “Where was the camp then?” “Place called Xanthon. Just a few miles away.” “The damage here is from bombing?” “Yes, American planes.” “You’re a soldier?” Morris asked. The man was an American, Morris had already decided, based on the easy informality that he had learned set Americans off from other English-speaking people overseas. “No, I’m a clergyman. Catholic priest.” “Is that so?” “Yes. I’ve been working up in the mountains north of Long Thiueu for about five years. My name is Leonard Blair.” “Well, pleased to meet you, Father. I’m Jim Morris of the U.S. Air Force. And this here is Bryan Zastrowski of Air America.” “Pleased to meet you boys.” “How long have you been a captive?” “For just about a month.” “Group of soldiers came through the area I was working in. Guess they figured me for a spy.” “Well, that was not a good day!” “No, it was not.” “You speak Lao, I take it.” “I speak Lao Hmong,” the priest answered. “As I’m sure you know, there are a whole slew of Lao dialects. In most of the others, I can stumble around.” “How about this one here?” Morris inquired, nodding toward the two soldiers next to the wagon who at the moment were talking. “I more or less understand them and I can get a point across if I really need to, you know.” “Well, tell them I said to get fucked then, will you?” Zastrowski interjected. “That might not be a wise move,” the priest replied with a sm
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