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Eleven Orphan Daughters

By: mangrove jack



What am I doing here John thought as the Cathay Pacific jet screamed down the runway at Brisbane airport on its way to Hong Kong and then on to Hanoi. He shook his head as he thought back over the rapid changes to his life over the past few months. A tear ran down his cheek as he recalled how he had lost the urge to work when Mary his wife of 20 years died suddenly. 

He had sold their dairy farm, their grazing property and the three apartments they owned on the Gold Coast. With no family and much more money than he would ever need, he had virtually drifted into retirement. His mates from the bush had become worried. They realized he needed something to fill the void created by the loss of Mary and his farming lifestyle. 

They had invited him to a briefing on the emerging Vietnamese market in tropical dairy cattle. When he expressed an interest, they talked him into joining their Cattleman's mission to Vietnam. 

He settled back in his business class seat and ordered a scotch. He wondered what he would do for the next three weeks. His colleagues had assured him that he would be busy while they tried to sell Dairy Cattle to their Vietnamese counterparts. 

He need not have worried. Charlie and Glen was sitting two seats away planning to set John up with what they jokingly called a little Vietnamese filly. "After he has, one of those hot little bodies sit on his face he will forget the past and concentrate on things in hand." Glen said as they laughed and sipped their scotch. 

They left the airport in Ho Chi Minh at midnight. "You have all been booked into apartments so you can entertain a guest overnight. Most Hotels want you to kick a guest out of your room by 10 pm," Charlie explained with a broad wink when they asked why apartments. "There's a curfew but I know the woman in charge of the green bar if you want a drink before you turn in for the night come with me." 

Ten minutes later John looked around the bar at his mates. They all had one or two very scantily clad young Vietnamese women sitting on their lap. Two beautiful girls had collared him as soon as he entered. They immediately asked him to buy them a drink and proceeded to open his shirt and his fly.

"I'm Betty," one whispered, "This is Melody," pointing to her colleague. Melody had moved at surprising speed. She already had her hand in side his pants. "You want massage?" she whispered.

"Wait a minute, how old are you?" he asked. "We are both 24," she whispered as she kissed his ear. "You want to pay bar fine and take us home." "How much?" John asked out of curiosity. "50 US dollars each for bar. You pay us what you like when we finish."

John felt tired and a little overwhelmed. "Not tonight love," he whispered. He was surprised that his rejection only seemed to stir them to greater efforts. They worked his body from every angle. 

He was surprised when he found it necessary to take hold of Melody's hands. He rarely had an erection these days and had had to resort to Viagra in the past. "Careful," he groaned. "I'll come in a minute if you keep that up. Let me buy you another drink." John became relaxed as the pace slowed. Charlie was playing pool with one of the girls. Others from the delegation had disappeared into a back room.

"Blow job," Van said when she saw him watching a pair move into the room. She produced a cool moist cloth and commenced wiping his face. Melody wrapped her arms around him and stood between his legs rubbing her body against his erection. 

John was enjoying the feel of their small bodies. He listened as they answered his questions about their family and why they were working in a bar. As he listened and watched the antics of his colleagues, he became sorry for bar girls. 

Economic circumstances forced them to sell their bodies he rationalized. If money is the short answer maybe I can give their lives a bit of cheer he thought as he reached for his wallet.

He had some US twenty-dollar bills and 100 thousand dong notes. One hundred thousand dong was less than ten dollars Australian. It was big money for them but small change to him.

He looked around. There were two girls sitting alone. One of them was very beautiful. He called them over and gave them 20 dollars each. Then giving his two companions 50 dollars each he told them, "I don't want anything, I'm off to bed." Immediately Four tiny Vietnamese bodies mobbed him. They were all talking at once hugging and kissing him. Begging him to take them home now.

The next day the delegation flew to Hanoi. Charlie briefed them as they drove into town. "We will be here for a week or two. We will use it as a base to visit the nearby provinces." 

That night after a hard day's meetings John and his two mates headed off to a bar. Inside the door, a line up of smiling hostesses rose from their seats to greet them. John was embarrassed. He could not bring himself to inspect each girl like Charlie and Glen was doing. 

He looked around. One hostess seemed to be hanging back as though she too felt the process demeaning. She was about his height with a pretty face. He caught her eye but was loath to push through the others to her side. 

She noticed his hesitation and pushed through to take his hand drawing him away from the crowded door. She wiped his forehead with a cool cloth and poured his beer. "My name is Anh. I speak English," she whispered as she moved his legs apart and pushed her body against his thigh. John shook his head, "the boys back in Western Queensland will never believe me," he groaned.

"What you mean?" asked Anh. "Sweetheart I live in the country where the women are a lot bigger than you. My mates will never believe that pretty little Vietnamese girls would have anything to do with an old bloke like me."

"I wish I had my camera here to take your photo, "He said as he ran his hands over her tiny body. "No take photo here," she warned, "mamma won't let. Take me home and you can take photo. I pose for you." 

As the night wore on, he drank more beer. They talked about Australia and about Vietnam. The more they talked the more he liked her. She not only had a pretty face she had a figure that he had only dreamed of in the past. 

John eventually made up his mind that he wanted photographs to show to the boys back home. After some negotiation, he paid the bar fine and waited for Anh to change into street clothes.

He whistled to himself when she returned. Without the white face make-up, she was a different girl. She wore tight fitting jeans and a long sleeved silk top. She no longer looked like a bargirl.

In the apartment, Anh asked if she could shower first. While she was in the shower, John started to panic. What the hell am I doing, he thought. My second day in Vietnam and I've bought a prostitute home to my apartment. He started to recall all the warnings he had read about HIV/AIDS and started to think of how he could get rid of her. 

Things changed when Anh shyly peeked around the door. She was nude. Her firm breasts were small and hard. Her waist slim, her legs perfectly formed. He had never seen anything like her before in his life.

She moved over to him and sat on his lap, "You want to make love first?" she asked, "or take photo now and make love later." Still in a funk about the possibility of catching something, he opted for the photos. Anh was a delight. She posed in every possible way. "Let's lie down," she urged when John ran out of ideas for more poses. 

On the bed, she ran her hands over his body kissing his face and neck. He would not let her kiss his lips pulling away whenever she tried. She didn't seem to take any notice. Her lips kept returning to his face and chest. Her mouth and tongue nibbling licking and kissing wherever he would allow. 

Before long, he was kissing her breasts, nibbling her nipples and kissing down her body to her hips and pussy. "You want to kiss me there?" she asked with a smile.

"I would sweetheart if I knew you were safe." "Anh clean girl," she responded. "Me give you blow job. Not dirty Anh clean." "I have no doubt you are, but I'm not taking any risks," he whispered as he took her back in his arms and lay fingering her moist pussy. "Just sleep with me sweetie. I want to hold your horny body in my arms as I drift off to sleep." 

She startled him when she struggled out of his arms. "I can't stay all night I must go back to bar." She became so agitated that John finally agreed she should go. "I will give you US$50 for yourself and here is some Dong for the taxi." "You tell mamma I want to keep you out all night tomorrow," He whispered as he took her down to the ground floor to see she was not harassed by security. 

It was not hard to negotiate a fee with mamma. Every night since that first night, Anh had arrived early and stayed until dawn. John found the exploration of her young slim body exciting. He could hardly wait for each day's negotiations to end so he could return to his apartment where Anh waited patiently. 

As soon as possible, they went to bed. Each night John went through hours of frustrating hell but his fear of disease held him back.

It was becoming more difficult every night not to kiss her mouth or pussy. Especially when she begged and cried, "kiss me, let me give you blow job." Tonight when he refused, she lay back and fingered her pussy. She was smiling and licking her lips inviting him to make love. 

He could stand it no more. "I want you to go to the French hospital and have some tests," he told her as he took her in his arms. "I have to know." Anh became upset. "You think I'm dirty," she cried. "You won't let me kiss you. You will not make love. You do not want blowjob. You think Anh diseased." 

He held her close caressing her body and whispering how much he wanted her. He had learnt that she loved him to pinch the end of her nipples and pull them hard. She could not stay angry when he did that. He took more photos of her body in poses he had seen in playboy. 

His obvious admiration for her body made Anh forget the insult of his asking for health tests. That night before they went to sleep she agreed. Before she did, she forced him to promise that he would not go with other girls if she took the tests and was clean.

John was running late. He hurried over to the hotel cashiers desk trying to change some Vietnamese Dong into smaller amounts for tips. The cashier was busy and the guys were calling so he decided to leave it until they returned from dinner.

It was mid summer and the Street was hot and dark. They made their way down into the gloom from the bright lights of their five star Hotel. Immediately they hit the street they were confronted by a horde of people offering taxis motorbike rides and all sorts of paraphernalia.

Gradually the crowd thinned and they made their way down the street looking for a local coffee shop or restaurant. John was lagging behind still holding the100 thousand-dong note in his hand. 

In the gloom, he noticed what appeared to be an old Vietnamese woman carrying baskets of fruit on a pole over her shoulder. As he studied her tall thin frame, she tripped over a hole in the pavement and went down.

John moved quickly. He bent down and grabbed her arm to help her regain her feet. He was startled when his efforts brought a squeal of fear. He tried to explain but she didn't understand and he knew no Vietnamese. Fortunately, the delegation's interpreter had seen what happened. 

She rushed over to assure the old woman that John meant no harm. John embarrassed by the commotion he had caused, did the first thing that came to mind and offered her the 100 thousand Dong still in his hand. The old woman protested but he insisted and with the interpreters, help made her accept. 

John woke early the next morning. It was 5 am as he set out for his early morning walk. He made his way down the street where a group of Vietnamese selling fruit confronted him. 

One woman jumped up and headed over to greet him. It was the old woman he had seen fall the night before. She welcomed him with a warm smile and a torrent of apparently friendly words. 

John studied her closely as she tried to communicate with him in Vietnamese. She was a lot taller than he had though. My god she looks thin he thought as he studied her closely. Her eyes looked tired clearly showing the effects of long hours of hard work. She was speaking softly her hands moving excitedly. The women who had been selling food nearby joined her. All trying to help. It was bedlam. 

John signaled her to settle down, "take it easy," he said as he tried to sit her down. Gradually a little order was restored. Her body language gave him an inkling of what she was trying to tell him. If he read it right, she was saying thanks. She was calling him a friend. 

He did not know what to do. He did not want to insult her by walking away but it seemed the only alternative. In desperation, he looked at her baskets. They held bunches of very small bananas. He picked up a bunch and asked the price. 

When she replied He could not understand the answer. He still had not changed his money for smaller notes so he gave her 100,000 Dong. She indicated it was too much and tried to give him more bananas.

He signaled her to be quiet, and folded her hand shut over the note finally making her realize he wanted her to keep it. Each morning and each afternoon as he left the Hotel for his walk he would meet the old woman. Each day they went through the same ritual. Each time John's only answer was to give her 50 or 100 thousand dong. 

"Hey John your old girl friend is waiting for you outside," Charlie called as John joined them for a mid afternoon drink. Harry laughed, "What have you done to her? She is here every day from early morning until late at night." They ordered beers then gathered around laughing and joking. 

"Look guys I've probably given her over 100 bucks Australian that's a little more than a million dong. I have given Anh much more over the past few nights. I can afford it. It makes me feel good to see them so happy."

The group's Vietnamese interpreter had been listening. "You gave her a million dong?" she asked incredulously. "Yep, may be a little more." "That's more than she would earn selling bananas in a year. No wonder she is always waiting for you."

Charlie broke in, "There is a pretty young girl with her today. You can introduce her to me if you like." "Forget it," John said with a smile. "You are only interested in the girls from the bar and what they have between their legs." Outside he wandered over to the footpath. The young girl was very tall for a Vietnamese. Her long black hair moved with the breeze hanging down over her white schoolgirl's uniform. 

"My name is Mai. This is my mother. You have been giving her money. What do you want?" "Hi," John said as he took her hand and shook it, "I don't want anything. Your mother and I meet every day in the morning and again in the evening. I would love to talk to her and the other ladies but I don't know how."

Mai studied him closely. "She has told me about you. You have given her a lot of money. Our family was worried. We decided I should accompany her and meet you." She stopped talking when her mother pulled her away and spoke to her in Vietnamese. "I'm sorry mum wants me to ask. Would you like to sit here with her friends and have a cup tea or coffee?"

They sat on the footpath under the tree as Mai explained. "I am an orphan. Mrs. Nguyen has a family of seven daughters we are all orphans. Her husband was killed in the American war. He was a successful farmer. They grew fruit and vegetables. One month after their wedding the American bombers killed him." 

"Mrs. Nguyen saw the number of families destroyed by the war and offered a home to children who were orphans or those whose mothers had lost a husband and could not afford to raise a child."

"She is a wonderful woman. She works day and night to provide for us. We love her. We all call her mother. My sisters were worried when she told us about you. They want to know why you are giving her so much money. She says you will not take her fruit. What do you want?"

She stopped to explain to her mother and the other Vietnamese women what she had been saying to John. Turning back to him, she looked him straight in the eye. 

"Please answer my questions Mother says you are kind and have not molested or hurt her, please explain." John sipped the Vietnamese green tea and told her everything that had happened. When he completed the story of his meetings with her mother, he concluded by saying, "I'm an Australian. I have no family. I am here with a delegation. I am an old farmer. I meant her no harm." She interpreted for her mother and the others. John could see and feel them relaxing as she spoke.

"I don't know anyone in Vietnam. I only meet Vietnamese people at meetings or in bars. Finding your mother waiting for me each night and morning has become one of the highlights of my day. Do not worry about the money. I was not trying to bribe her. I would like to be friends." 

Mai interpreted his words for her mother and her friends. Listening to her reply, they discussed it together. She turned to John, "Mum asked would you like to visit our farm and meet our family."

"Will it be all right?" John asked anxiously? "I cannot speak Vietnamese. I think I am too old to learn. I don't want to cause any trouble." 

Mai whispered. "You will be the first foreigner to set foot in her house. We are poor but she is very proud. She honors you by inviting you home." They talked together while her mother waited. Then Mai told her mother. "He would love to visit our home on the weekend."

Anh was waiting in his apartment. She greeted him eagerly. "Doctor says ok," she said as she hugged him close. "We can spend weekend in bed." John kissed her on the lips for the first time. Her tiny tongue entered his mouth her hands holding him tenderly. Only me," she whispered. "You promised." 

"Yes sweetie, only you. You must do the same. No more bar work." Anh stepped back and dropped her shift to the floor. He gasped, "You shaved." She did not answer. She slowly turned so he could study her tiny body. He wet his lips as her hands reached for his belt. 

John ran his hands over her flat stomach. He grinned as he felt where she had shaved. "Beautiful," he whispered, "very beautiful." She was wet and his finger slid in easily. He moved the finger slowly using his thumb to uncover her clit. Remembering how she liked to pinch his nipples. He moved his other hand and pinched hard. She squealed.

He was pleased at her reaction. He moved his head up so he could bite a nipple between his teeth. Suddenly Anh pulled back and looked at him in mock anger, "why?" she asked. He knew what she meant his prick lay soft between his legs.

"I don't know," he cried. "I'm an old man it's not as good as it used to be." Her hands worked his prick to no avail. It responded a little but nowhere near hard enough to be of any use. 

He thought if he kept fondling Anh, his prick would respond. She came twice from his fingers but his prick showed no interest. Things got worse when he told her he was visiting a Vietnamese family for the weekend. "You promised," she cried. "You promised only me if I had tests. Now you do not want me. You have other girl."

Early next morning he packed a small carry bag and waited outside his hotel for Mai. "I don't have to be back until Monday lunch time," he told her as they waited for the bus. "That's great; Mum will have the whole weekend to show you our village. She wants you to meet her friends."

The bus took more than three hours to reach her village. The narrow roads were badly potholed and crowded with every type of vehicle. On the bus, Mai introduced him to some school pals. They told him they were learning English. 


Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 02



Visits from the Vietnamese Prime Minister the Australian Trade Commissioner and the delegation from John's home state caused local provincial officials to take much more interest in the feedlot. 

The provincial Party hosted a stream of senior Party officials from all over Vietnam. Many of them had never visited the province before. Ruby told the family that the feedlot had increased the standing of the Province and its officials. 

Never the less they procrastinated when John wanted to increase its size. He applied to take over three neighboring properties offering the families jobs with the feedlot and accommodation in the barracks.

The families were enthusiastic arguing that they would be better off with a regular income from feedlot jobs than struggling to eek out a living on their farms.

"It should have taken a bloody week not a bloody month," John fumed when Ruby finally told him that Rose had been given approval to buy the farms. "You're the bloody deputy party secretary tell them if we stay small we will fail. We must grow. Haven't they heard of economies of scale?" 

He cooled down and apologized to Ruby. "It's not your fault it's probably mine. I haven't really kept them informed of my plans." He put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Can you arrange a formal meeting with Provincial and Local officers so I can tell them what I would like to do next?" 

As the weeks rolled by the number of calves increased. "What are we going to do with all calves?" Rose asked one evening while John was enjoying one of Lelani's erotic massages. John groaned as Lelani's hands worked under the towels. "We will keep the females. They will add to our milking herd. The males will be killed for meat. They can be killed when they are still calves for veal or we can let them grow and then sell them for beef." 

He sat up when Rose said. "There are no beef slaughter houses that meet international standards in the north of Vietnam." His sudden movement made Lelani jump as the towel slipped threatening to expose what she had been doing.

"That could be an opening for us to start another sideline to our existing business," he said as he dragged the towel back over what was an obvious erection. "There is a company in the north of my state that builds small mobile slaughterhouses. We can buy a single module and start a new beef slaughter industry."

He turned to Pansy, "I'll give John Macdonald a ring and ask him to get them to send someone over to talk to us. In the meantime you check with Hanoi's Five Star hotels and its restaurants to see if they would be interested in fresh locally killed beef."

John employed another vet from the Ruminant Research Center in South Vietnam to help monitor cattle performance. "Two vets will make it easier for you to set up a daily training session," he told Rose as they lunched together.

Rose developed a small kitchen in the amenities block. "We have to make sure people who work for us eat well," she told John when she introduced him to the woman doing the cooking. "I have told them that we will supply one meal each day." She looked at John. "You want to make sure the cows and calves are well fed." She pointed to the workers, "they will work better if they are well fed themselves."

John agreed. "Its time we rewarded them for their hard work and loyalty. Review their wages and write a meal a day into the agreement. Make training a part of the package. Remind them if they do not want to do the training that we plan to get bigger. When we do, they will have an opportunity to move into better jobs with better pay. The new staff can takeover the more menial tasks."

With the experience of building the first large feedlot shed, John's gang of workers knew what to do when he explained that they were to build another two sheds exactly the same size on the new land.

Rose insisted that all supplies and construction should be bought locally if possible. She asked John for permission to loan two of her friends enough money to build a storage shed in the village. "More goods should be stored locally and not bought from Hanoi," She said when he asked why.

That evening he told the family that the feedlot was still loosing money. "We are selling a lot more milk each day. We are averaging 19 litres of milk per cow. With 90 cows milking, that is more than 1600 litres a day. Some cows are producing more than 25 litres others a lot less." 

"We need to spend more time on the quality and quantity of each individual cow's rations. Those of you who have complained that keeping daily records is a waste of time will learn that those records can help us provide each cow with a comfortable well-fed existence. The cow in turn will reward us with more milk and stronger calves." 

The new building was nearing completion when he met with the whole family again. "I have suggested to the Mr. Treet that he should lead a delegation to Australia to see how feedlots and dairies work. He has agreed and the central government has approved of his travel."

"He asked me to travel with him. I suggested Rose and Kim should accompany him and his officials. The government of my state will organize his program. John Macdonald will arrange for the delegation to inspect our next shipment of cattle. That shipment will fill one of the new sheds. We will finish building the other one but we won't purchase more cattle until we are ready." 

"I have bought another bull. Most of the new cows will not be in calf. I do not think pregnant cows travel as well as dry cows." He turned to Kim and Rose. "I have asked him to organize a session with an expert in artificial insemination. He will brief you on how it is done and what we will have to do back here before he comes over and inseminates our cows." 

Lelani laughed, "If they are going to be made pregnant artificially, why do we need the bull?" John smiled back, "there will always be a place for us males. We need the bull because we cannot be sure everyone will be successful. Our two bulls will pick up any that miss." He looked at Lelani as she whispered, "lucky cows." He winked, "Lucky bull."

Rose was worried. She had never traveled overseas before. "My Trip to Ho Chi Minh City was the only time I have been away from my family," she told him as they sat watching the moonrise over the reservoir.

"I don't want to leave my family. She looked at him tenderly, "Let me stay home. I will go to Australia with you when you go there again. I feel safe with you." 

John could see she was distressed. She had been unhappy since he told the family of the visit to Australia. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry, I will talk to Mr. Treet and suggest that Pansy replace you on the delegation." 

Rose heaved a sigh, "thank you," she cried. "I don't want to leave without you." She blushed. "Oh my," she whispered as she stood up and ran off to her room. John jumped up to follow her then sat down his mind in turmoil. 

"What are you doing sitting on your own with such a big smile on your face?" Pansy said as she strolled out to join him. When he didn't reply she took his hand and led him up to the rooftop. "Come on I'll give you a massage tonight," she whispered. "I'm better than Melissa."

Her remarks about Melissa wiped the smile off John's face. Melissa's massages had provided welcome relief when one or two beautiful members of the family had teased and flirted with him. She had been his relief valve when he struggled to keep his hands off Rose's daughters. John killed a steer and invited all those who had worked on the project including government and party officials to a farewell party for Mr. Treet, Kim and Pansy. 

"We have two reasons to throw a party and bar-b-que some beef," he told the gathering. "Pansy has reported that the major hotels and restaurants will be keen to buy beef slaughtered locally. Therefore, our first reason is to introduce our local beef."

"The second reason is to farewell the first Provincial delegation to my home state in Australia. If this delegation is a success they will sign an MOU guaranteeing closer ties between our province and my state."

Mr.Treet asked to speak. He thanked John and Rose for what they had done for the province. He pointed out that John's investment and Rose's steadfast support had brought benefits by way of business and jobs and created national interest in the province. 

He ended by reminding John that nowadays John spoke of "our province" like a local. "Maybe you should take a partner and settle permanently in our province." He said as he looked at Rose. 

John took the opportunity created by Kim and Pansy's visit to Australia to give other members of the family more responsibility. "We must finish the feedlot and investigate better crops for our other properties while they are away." He told them over dinner.

Rose brought the four young orphans she had rescued from the orphanage to talk to John. "Because Daisy speaks very good English we have been using her as a teacher. She wants to study to become a teacher. I think we should agree." 

"Her three sisters should go to college and maybe university in Hanoi. I don't want them to be held back because of the poor standard of English in our local schools." John agreed. "You should talk to all of our family. Ask them whether they would like to work in our business or whether they had other ideas about their future. In the meantime I will ask our people in Australia to see if they can find us a teacher who would like to work in our village school."

The next day Rose asked him to talk to Monica. "Monica has been a part of my family since she was seven. She is twenty-nine and has always looked after our poultry. She wants to breed chickens and sell them."

They sat and talked. John finally convinced her that she needed new sheds and a modern approach to chicken farming. "I'll download a design from the net and my construction team can build it for you," He promised.

He turned to Rose, "that was quick; there will probably be others with business ideas. We need diversification. Let's look at your fruit trees next. They never produce fruit because fruit fly infects them before the fruit ripens. There is a professor back home that is working in South Vietnam on a fruit fly project. You should offer our property as a place to test his baits. "

While all this was going on John Macdonald rang with the name of a retired schoolteacher who would teach in Vietnam if John would sponsor her. "Her name is Sarah Button. She is a fifty five year old widow looking for a challenge. I told her about you." He laughed, "I told her you were a challenge."

The local schoolteachers were overjoyed at the prospect of a foreign-trained teacher working in their local school and offered to accommodate her in one of their homes. They agreed to run an evening class for adults from the village when John said they could use the farms amenities block and air conditioned computer room at night. 

"We will have to wait and see if the Australian teacher improves our English training," John told Rose as they drove down to Hanoi to meet the returning delegation. Rose sat close on the bench seat. "You have done a lot while they were away," she whispered.

"Don't you think it's time we consolidated what we have done. I know it has been hard work for you but you have to think of what it has meant for our workers and my daughters. The extra hundred head of cattle will bring new challenges when they arrive. Artificial insemination will be an added skill for our vets to learn." 

John was about to put his arm around Rose as they sat in the VIP lounge waiting for the plane to arrive. She looked so beautiful that his heart had skipped a beat when she joined him. He wondered how she would react to a public show of affection and decided against it. His massage exploits weighed heavy on his mind as he kept his hands to himself. 

Pansy had implied that Rose had decided to make space for him in the new house after learning he was have nightly massages at the hotel. He had wondered if she had learnt that Melissa slept in his room every night. It seemed impossible that she would not know. 

She came up to his roof top area every night while Lelani's massages grew more adventurous. She must know what Lelani has been doing he thought as he recalled how Lelani frequently rubbed and nudged him under the towel while everyone sat around talking. 

The Public address announced the arrival of the Vietnam Airlines flight. She stood and held out her hand waiting for him to join her. My god she is stunning he thought as he watched a group of men turn and stare as they passed. 

With the arrival of the next hundred head of dairy cattle and another bull, Rose ordered that new construction should cease while the cattle settled down. "Things are moving to fast, too much worry," she said as she poured him a cold beer. "You need a rest." 

He told her that night that he would take her advice. "I won't start anything new but you can't expect things to stand still. We will have to finish some of the things we have started." 

As if to prove his point, the Australian artificial insemination expert arrived and commenced on the job training for the feedlot's two vets. 

Gradually the feedlot settled into a good working routine. John left the day-to-day management to Rose and started to talk to animal husbandry and treasury officials about his plan for a large provincial government owned feedlot. It proved much more difficult than he had envisaged. 

Officials who had approved the extension of Rose's feedlot agreeing it had to grow bigger to work properly were disinterested when he spoke of the provincial model. Every time they met, it received less support. 

"We want to develop the dairy industry to eliminate poverty amongst our farmers," one official told him. "Your proposal is not acceptable because it will not help eliminate poverty in our farming community."

John thought he had found the way to break the deadlock when Mai came home from school with a Vietnamese newspaper story. They sat together as she translated and read the story so he could understand. The headline read another Australian cow dies. It told the story of the difficulties farmers in South Vietnam were facing after paying expensive prices for imported Australian cattle. 

Thirty head of cattle imported and resold to individual farmers by a Vietnamese dealer had died over a short period. It went on to spell out that those farmers now faced major problems paying off the money they had borrowed to purchase the dead cows. 

John recognized the dealer's name. He had bought cattle from his former mates. "That's sad," he told her, "but it could help us. It should make them think twice before making the same mistake here." 

He raised the story at their weekly meeting and was stunned when they read it and dismissed it as the dealers fault. He bought poor cows," they argued, "It was not our farmers fault." He bit his tongue as they launched in to an attack on Australian cattle. John controlled his anger until the meeting finished. When they offered him a lift back to the farm he refused. 

He left the meeting angry and frustrated. He thought back over the discussion. His mood growing darker every minute he walked down to the hotel to pick up the local bus. 

Melissa spied him waiting and joined him. "You want massage?" she asked. "Why not," he replied as she led him next door. Her happy personality and warm hands soon had him relaxed and laughing at her fractured English. When she finished, he looked at the clock and realized he had missed his bus. 

He asked to use their phone and rang the farm office. No one answered. He tried two or three more times. "This bloody country will be the death of me. Nothing fucking works they can shove it, I give up," He kissed Melissa on the cheek, "book us a room love I'll catch a bus tomorrow." 

He slumped down on the settee with Melissa's two workmates and put an arm around each of them. "Have a drink with me," he cried as Melissa brought him a beer. Sometime during the night, he slipped the security guard one hundred thousand dong and took the three of them up to his room.

He awoke the next morning as the three girls rolled out of his bed. "Don't go," he moaned his head thumping. "I'm giving up. I am not going back to the farm. I'm going to have a holiday, stay with me." They showered together before heading down the street to get something to eat. 

Melissa and her two workmates waved and talked to people in the market introducing John as the Australian with the feedlot. As the tea cleared his brain, John realized the enormity of what he had done.

Well I have stuffed things now, he thought. Everyone knows these girls are prostitutes who work in a massage joint. They don't have to be detectives to know I have spent the night with them. It will not take long for it to get back to embarrass Rose and the family. 

He shook is head from side to side, "I may as well enjoy myself," he said as he gave Melissa three hundred dollars. "Look after your mates," he whispered. "I will," she cried. "Now let's go back to your room," 

John was sleeping his old body tired from hours in the arms of Melissa and her colleagues. He woke as the door opened. "Found you at last," Pansy said as she pushed inside." He pulled a sheet over his body as he realized they were all naked. 

Pansy took no notice of the three naked girls; she just pulled John up off the bed. Then as they sat naked watching, she helped him dress and without a word ushered him down the stairs. Outside Lelani sat in the driving seat waiting. She gave him a smile and winked. "Get in" she said. 

No one said a word on the drive home. At the farm, he avoided the office and went straight to work at the new slaughterhouse. The company that sold the plant had sent two Australians over to set it up and train the local operators. 

John could not help but smile when he received a typical Aussie welcome. "Where have you been, your late, did you bring a note," they called as they laughed and joked at his expense. They kept it up all afternoon. At every opportunity they rubbed it in. "Your in the shit. Everyone was asking where you were."

It was different with the family. They went about their work as though nothing had happened. He had expected questions about Melissa and her mates and even some anger at his failure to come home. But no one seemed to care. 

Lelani's massage gave the first indication that things may have changed. She very deliberately licked her lips as her hands dwelt between his legs. Pansy too showed renewed interest. Her body language indicating that she wanted to be more than friends. 

As the days flew by John realized that his escapade with Melissa and company had changed the way some members of the family looked at him. He was no longer a big lovable uncle. The days of jumping on his lap for a friendly cuddle were over. Now any cuddle or kiss had a sexual side. He was seen as an available man not just a friend. 

"You and Rose are becoming the two most popular persons in our province," Ruby told him when they met on the first night of the free English education program. "Look around," she said. "Most of these people especially the older ones have never had an opportunity to learn English. Because of your sponsorship we now have our own Foreign English teacher and free night classes for the people of our little village." "Everyone wants to work at the feedlot. You pay better wages than most other businesses. You promise promotion and more money in the future. Many of us would never have dreamed of these things until you came along."

"Come and have a cup of tea," he said as he urged her away from the gathering. "I want to tell you something and ask your advice." 




Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 02



He quickly told her about Melissa and his blow up after the Provincial meeting. Then he heaved a sigh. "That episode with Melissa changed things. For example, some of the girls now flirt with me in front of Rose. I don't want to hurt her. I don't know what to do."

"Do you love Rose?" she asked when he stopped. "I think I love her, but to be truthful I don't know. She is beautiful, so kind and gentle that I could never hurt her. That's my worry I think I have hurt her."

That sat together in silence then Ruby spoke. "Older Vietnamese women know their men seek younger companions. They accept that men look for sex outside the home. The big thing is that they expect them to be discreet and not embarrass their family." 

"Rose was only married for a month when her husband was killed by the American bombers. To my knowledge, she has not had a man since then. If you love her, she will expect you to respect her by not parading your sexual activity with prostitutes for everyone to see."



Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 03



With his mind full of his feelings for Rose John found it harder to get motivated. He was uncomfortable in her company avoiding her as much as possible. He missed the fun times with Melissa but did not go back to the hotel. He told Lelani, "No massages" and stopped going to the family evenings.

He took to roaming through the local markets early every morning. He spent hours drinking tea, talking to farmers about their crops and their families. They told him that Monica was having trouble with her chicken farm. 

The next morning he left the market early and went to her sheds. She made a great fuss calling her few workers together to meet him. "I am glad you came." she cried. "I was going to ask you for help but Kim told me you seemed to have lost interest in our family."

He was stung by that remark but had no chance to respond as she quickly continued." I fear I am going to fail. I am finding it impossible to buy sufficient young chickens to stock my sheds. I have rung all the large-scale chicken farms looking for stock. They have none to spare in fact they all want to buy more."

John laughed, "My god you don't have a problem that's an opportunity." "What opportunity?" she asked. "When you have all those farms wanting chickens and there are none available you have an opportunity to start a business supplying day old chicks. Come on I'll help you turn this place into a day old chick breeding facility."

When she hesitated, he said, "If you don't believe me check and see if I'm right. Put your workers on the phones. Have them ring those farms and tell them you are prepared to supply chickens. Tell them that you will contract to breed and grow young chicks to any age they want. " By mid morning, Monica was all smiles. She gave him a hug as her workers reported that most farms would sign contracts to buy chicks. 

Monica's chicken farm gave him a new lease of life. They spent long hours together reorganizing the internal areas of her sheds, installing automatic lighting and large commercial incubators. He spent hours on the phone and on the internet talking to a friend in far North Queensland who ran such a facility. 

His mate told him that a breeding farm with proper quality controls in place would find markets throughout Asia. John relayed that message to Monica. "You could end up with a bigger enterprise than the feedlot."

The feedlot generated a tremendous number of visitors. Now Monica's facility started to share the limelight. Most farms and houses raised a few chickens. People especially children came to see the hundreds of tiny chicks in Monica's sheds. Buyers for the large chicken farms crowded the street to the farm with their cars.

John spoke to the Queensland Government's roving trade commissioner about cattle imports when he visited Monica's farm. He confirmed that a few provinces in the south were lending their local farmers money to purchase Dairy cattle. 

He realized then that the province would opt for a similar dairy program. It was clearly a government or party policy to supply cows to individual farmers. He checked around. Local officials who supported Rose's feedlot told him that the decision was a policy matter beyond their control.

Mr.Treet called to invite him to dinner. "I know you think we are making a mistake selling cows to individual farmers but our advisors feel this will help them to become more self sufficient. Your system will always have them working at the feedlot for someone else."

They drank a couple of bottles of good red wine and moved to the lounge. They ordered more wine and sat talking. The conversation became less formal and more relaxed. "Stop calling me Mr. Treet. I call you John, its time you called me Duong." The party secretary said as he raised his glass. 

"You will always be Mr. Treet to me." John said. "I never had anything to do with politics and had never met a communist before I met you. I do not have much time for your party but you have earnt my respect for the way you use your position to help people in your province. Without your help, Rose and her orphans would still be scratching a living on that old farm."

Mr. Treet laughed. "Thank you, you know my people are worried about you. They wonder what we have done to offend you. They have grown to expect that you will want to change things." 

"They worry when you don't come up with new ideas or argue passionately with them over our policies. While they complain when you challenge them, most of my staff are disappointed when you don't. They say you have lost interest. What's gone wrong my friend?" 

John did not know how to answer. His embarrassment at the way he had stuffed up his relationship with Rose made it impossible for him to speak about it rationally. 

Unbeknown to John Mr. Treet and Ruby had discussed John and his problems. "I think he loves my mother," Ruby said. "He believes that she was embarrassed and distressed because everyone became aware that he was spending his nights with massage girls."

"I know Rose likes him a lot. Maybe she loves him. I am sure the fact that he is a typical male does not faze her. I think she is hurt by his avoidance of her. She has always been a person who does not show public emotion. Because she hasn't become angry and scolded him, he thinks she doesn't care."

They sat silent for a while then Ruby continued." I think it will take time. As long as they continue to bump into each other around the village and remember the good things they did together, it will resolve itself. We need a new project something that will give him a new interest like the chicken farm." 

Mr. Treet stood up and walked around the room. "John always complains about the lack of adequate accommodation for visitors." He laughed, "He tells me my party rooms are not visitor friendly. He has told everyone who will listen that we need a small boutique hotel." 

"Maybe if we free up that old French colonial building in your village we could interest him in redeveloping it as a guesthouse. Remember French bureaucrats used it as a holiday home. They would travel up here in their carriages when the weather became to hot in the city. So it could be suitable."

Ruby told John of Mr. Treet`s idea. "Not before time" he growled. "International visitors drag up and down that shocking road on long day trips because there is no quality accommodation in the province. Your Parties senior officials and government members would at least stay overnight and see more of your province if there was a good pub." He smiled at her; "it would also steal massage business from that dump where I stayed."

John had often admired the stately old building standing high on a hill overlooking the lake. He was pleasantly surprised at its very high ceilings and spacious rooms when he ventured inside. Although it had been used as a storehouse and was full of junk the major structure was intact. "It has been sadly neglected," he told Ruby "With a coat of paint and a good clean up it has possibilities. Let's go and talk to Mr. Treet."

Mr. Treet told John he could not allocate any provincial funds for the hotel. "The best I can do is provide you with a thirty year lease. You can pay no rent until it makes a profit. To cut your costs you can use my works department staff to restore the building."

John rang Glen in Queensland, "find me a retired Hotel manager or architect. I will give them a free holiday in Hanoi in return for a report on what how why etc and a possible budget. He rang his accountant who told him the Australian share market was booming and he could release another million Australian dollars if needed.

A week went by before John Macdonald rang. "I've heard you are going into the hotel business, is it true? If it is do you need a partner?"

John was stunned, "you would be most welcome." "Not me but I have a potential partner for you. Do you remember the Scott family that ran hotels right throughout the state? Well their daughter Shauna has inherited the business and sold it up. She must be worth millions." 

"We were at a function last night and Glen told everyone about your hotel. She said she was bored and looking for a new challenge. She is a blue-eyed blonde, forty-two and single. Mate she is a good sort, my wife says she has not married because she wears the pants and hasn't found anyone who could tame her." 

"I told her I would ring you. She will come over and bring a couple of experts. You won't have to pay. She says it will be fun to see what you are doing over there." "Send her over," John said, "a blue eyed blonde would be a nice challenge."

Shauna Scott was a challenge. She jumped out of her Mercedes cursing the roads and Vietnamese drivers. She strode through the old colonial building in her mini skirt issuing orders to her architect. John walked around behind her marveling at the way she sized up the building and ordered changes.

"Knock that wall down and make a bigger foyer, make that room the bar. There will be room for ensuites in those big rooms but we might have to sacrifice one or two. We must exploit that view. Construct a large terracotta patio outside looking over the water. We can turn this into a lovely hotel," she said to John. "Now let's talk about customers."

John arranged for her to meet Mr.Treet telling her that he was the most influential leader in the province. She handled Mr. Treet as she handled everyone else. John learnt more about the future plans for the province at her meeting than he had ever heard before. 

Shauna started by questioning him about numbers of foreign visitors. "Your locals won't stay in an expensive hotel but foreigners and government officials will," she winked "especially if their bills are paid by the firm or the government. Your terrible bloody roads will help make the hotel work. No visitor in his right mind would plan trips up and back in a day, when there are good beds and good food available." 

Mr. Treet spoke of the planned hydroelectric scheme in the nearby mountain streams. The deal with John's government back home on forestry development and the work underway to double the size of the sawmill. He told her of the renewed interest by foreign dairy and furniture firms in investing in the province.

The six-foot blonde foreign woman traveling backward and forward to Hanoi each day riding in a Mercedes soon became the major topic of discussion locally. Rumors swept through the tiny village that she was Mr. John's fancy woman. 

John introduced her to Rose telling her a little of Roses history. Thank god, she spoke fast and loud John thought when she asked, "Is this the woman that's got you by the short and curlies."

"We will to have to compare notes," she said one evening as she prepared for the drive back to Hanoi, "come back with me." They opened a bottle of wine and drank it as the car maneuvered its way through the traffic. "Book a room and charge it to my account," she said as they arrived at the hotel Metropole. I'll meet you for dinner in an hour."

John sat in the bar as she swept into the room. She knew all eyes were on her and played her entrance to the full. She was a walking wet dream. She moved so her long blonde hair swung around her bare shoulders. She had dressed so her full breasts were displayed to perfection in her slinky shiny red satin mini. My god she is hot, John thought as she swayed between the tables to join him.

Neither he nor most of the men in the room were used to seeing so much pearly white skin. Most Vietnamese women he knew wore longer dresses or the traditional elegant but demure "Ao Dai" when they went out at night. Living up in the province John could not remember the last time he had seen a woman in high heels and stockings.

She sat at the table and signaled her advisors to join them. "Let's get business out of the way first so we can enjoy ourselves," she purred, as she raised an eyebrow and looked John up and down. 

She threw a bound document on the table. "All the information you need to set up the hotel is there. My advisors estimate that it will be relatively inexpensive to set up especially with the promised help from Mr. Treet." 

"We calculate that it can turn a profit quickly." She wiped the smile of John's face when she added, "Frankly the estimated profit is not large enough for me to consider it as an investment. I am looking for bigger fish."

John picked up the papers. "Its no go then," he said as he shook his head negatively. "That's not what I said," she responded. "I said it was not big enough for me. I will look at investing in the South especially Ho Chi Minh City."

Her financial advisor broke in. "We think that given your connections in the province you can turn it into a profitable investment." He looked at Shauna and continued. "Demand fifty-year leases not thirty and ask for tax concessions. You should do better than those you received when you negotiated the feedlot investment." 

"Offer to set up an on the job hospitality training scheme and ask for Treet`s help. You will need trained staff but you can cut costs by having the province fund the import of overseas trainers. They will benefit by using your hotel as a hospitality school so they should contribute." 

Shauna ordered a bottle of red "There is a lot more in the reports. We will stay a few days if you want to ask questions or talk it over." She said as she dismissed her advisors.

They ate and then danced to the music of a single piano. Shauna was fun. She laughed and joked as they swapped stories about life in Queensland. She kept the red wine flowing until the pianist and one waiter were the only others left in the room. 

"They want to go to bed," John said as she ordered another bottle of wine, she looked around, "good idea," she whispered. They helped each other to the lift and stumbled out on her floor. It seemed quite natural to walk arm in arm down to her room. John on many occasions tried to remember how he ended up in her room. His memory was not blank when it came to what happened next. Shauna pushed him back on the bed and stood swaying inches from his face. Slowly ever so slowly, she raised her dress pulling it up over her head and throwing it across the room.

Forever etched on his memory was the sight of her standing their in her high heels wearing only a pearl necklace. "I didn't need undies," she whispered, "Neither do you." 

She tore his clothes off and pushed him flat on his back. "Are you fucking that Rose?" she asked. "No," he moaned. "Well fuck me," she cried as her mouth stopped further conversation. 



Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 04



"No one will know," Shauna had said when he answered her call for him to fuck her by saying "no."

"We are three hours from your girlfriend in the province and eight hours from my home what are you scared of you big wuss."

His mind told him he should leave. A voice in his head kept repeating, you have created enough problems do not start again. His body took no notice he was sporting an erection that he did not believe possible at his age. 

It was breakfast time when he woke. He rolled out of bed doing his best not to wake Shauna. He stood under the hot shower and tried to recall what had happened last night. 

He remembered the long drunken evening. His furry tongue was testament to the amount of red wine they had consumed. Bloody hell he thought when he remembered dancing slow sexy dances. I must have been drunk I can't dance. 

He stepped out of the shower and dried himself down as he walked back into the bedroom. He stood by the bed and studied Shauna's pearly white body. During the night, he had accepted her challenges and returned time and time again to push himself into her warm wet pussy. 

Even now, hours later he could not believe what he had done. In the past, he had to resort to Viagra to hold an erection. He had developed a problem as he grew older of growing hard quickly then becoming soft just as quick. 

Last night without the help of Viagra, she had kept him hard all night. Even now after over seven hours of wild exciting sex, he had an erection. 

He shook his head negatively. No matter what he thought, she could excite him as no other woman had done before. His heart beat faster as he dropped his towel and lay down on the bed beside her.

John caught the public bus back to the village first thing Wednesday morning. He had spent a very long weekend with Shauna.

He thanked his lucky stars that Rose and her family had not been in Hanoi to see what he had been doing. 

Shauna kissed him goodbye thoroughly. She ran her hand inside his fly before promising to keep in touch. Within hours, she packed up and flew south looking for property investment opportunities.

Before she left, she told John she would send two of her staff over to help him if he decided to go ahead. "With the very low wages paid here plus your connections and my help it will become a great little business." He looked at her in surprise. She laughed and kissed him "I said little it's not big enough for me."

"I'll send you two smart young men. They have been doing nothing since I sold the family hotels. I have kept them on the payroll because I do not want to loose them they are top operators. I'll need them when I start investing."

Her offer was the straw that broke the camels back. John decided to take on the hotel project himself. "If the government agrees I will be the sole investor," he told Mr. Treet. "To make it more profitable I will need all the concessions recommended in Miss Scott's report."

Within weeks, all approvals were in place. John in the meantime contacted the Queensland trade commissioner who promised to have a delegation from the tourism and hospitality sector and the Technical Education and Training sector visit Vietnam. 

He was enthusiastic. "This is a great opportunity for our state to get a foot in the door. "We have been talking about tourism training for some time with the big Vietnamese hotel chains and tour operators. I'll make sure they know this package has the support of the province and your hotel." 

John had Shauna's architect draw up sketch plans of the necessary alterations and sought Mr. Treet`s help in finding a local official to supervise the work.

Workers swarmed all over the site clearing the extensive grounds and removing all evidence of the last tenancies. Internal walls and partitions came down leaving the solid old colonial framework that would be come the basis of a modern boutique hotel.  

He had a room in what had obviously been the servant's quarters set up as a place for him to live then called the family together. "I am going to move up to the hotel. I want to be on the job."

They sat in stunned silence. "The feedlot is working well. It is returning a profit. The slaughterhouse is just about to break even; Monica's chicken farm is ready to sell its first chickens, everything is going well." He waved his arm to encompass them all, "You are already running the show. This place doesn't need me anymore." Rose looked at him. Questions showed in her eyes and on her face. 

The next few days were hard. Family members cried and begged him to stay. Workers he barely knew brought him small presents. He was embarrassed by their obvious distress. "Bloody hell." he exploded when Ruby Kim and Pansy confronted him and asked him to change his mind. "I'm not leaving the bloody country I will be less than two miles away." 

"We know. That's why we cannot work out why you want to leave. No one wants you to go. This is your home. Mum cried last night. She never cries. If you love her don't do this to her."

He waited one evening until Rose finished in the office and started to make her way back to the house. She was startled when she saw him waiting. "Hi," he whispered. 

"Hi," she replied blushing. "Can I walk you home?" He asked quietly.

"Thank you that would be nice." No other words were spoken they walked along the unlit road together. 

The next evening he finished work early and waited for Rose again. On the third night, he took her hand. A week went by before John raised the question of the hotel. "I want you to come up to the hotel with me tomorrow so I can show you what I am doing." He told her as he took her hand when she stumbled over some loose stones. 

He put his arm around her waist. "We met like this. Remember when you fell over in the street selling bananas. You were frightened of me and squealed out loud." 

She laughed, "Yes I did. I was scared." He leant over and kissed her on the cheek, "don't be scared love," he whispered.

The next day Rose and the family paid a visit to the hotel site. He showed them the sketches and walked them around the building and through what had been ornamental gardens and an orchard. 

Ronnie one of quietest daughters grew excited, "Those old fruit trees will survive so will some of those roses and ornamentals" she cried as she ran down the freshly cleared paths. "Can I move up here too? I've always wanted to work in a garden."

"There is no room for you up here at present," John said as he looked at Rose. "You can be my boss gardener I'll find someone to work with you."

John used the room at the hotel as his site office. Nothing more was said about moving. He met Rose every evening and walked her back to the house to have dinner with the family.

Shauna's experts arrived and introduced themselves as Mick and Eddie. They loved the old colonial building, rolled up their sleeves, and joined in the remodeling with gusto. They were typically young Australian men. Their first questions were about beer and women. 

John dug out the old esky he had bought from Australia on his second trip and filled it with ice from the cold room. That will fix your cold beer problem he said as he laid some cans of Hanoi beer on the ice. As for girls if you cannot find a local girlfriend in the village there is always Melissa and her girls over in the provincial hotel.

A few days later Eddie said, "Melissa sends her regards." When John looked surprised, he explained, "We grew tired of traveling up and down to Hanoi. Pansy booked us into the hotel and introduced us to Melissa and her mates." 

Shauna's report recommended an auxiliary power generator air conditioning and a large hot water system. It had spelt out that these big-ticket items would provide the very basic infrastructure needed. "Your guests will judge your hotel on four things," Mick told him as they worked with the plumbers setting up the bathrooms. 

"You need good staff they can make or break you when things go wrong." Eddie stopped work, "You need a good kitchen. Your dining room is another make or break item. Bad meals Bad name is a saying we use in the industry. it's one you should remember." 

"Most travelers want a good bed with good lighting and extra pillows and blankets." He pointed to Mick. "He hates the showers in that bloody no star hotel where we are staying. A good shower and bath with plenty of hot water is a must."

Each day saw another task completed. The painters finished their work as the floor sanders brought the old wood floors back to their former glory. Terracotta tiles covered the large outdoor dining area; the last of the kitchen equipment was installed and the non-slip floor laid. When Mick and Eddie were happy that all the dirty work was finished they laid the carpets.

With the carpet down Mr. Treet`s workers swarmed all over the building cleaning it from top to bottom. Mr. Treet became more excited as each day passed and started to visit the project every day "You know," he said one afternoon when they were alone. "I think my people take more notice of you than they do of me. They keep telling me that you are right when you say a good hotel will mean longer visits by top party officials." 

John smiled, "I think you know they're right. Your visitors spend three hours driving up here and three hours driving back. Because you cannot supply decent accommodation, they spend more time on the road on a one-day trip than they do in your province." 

"If they stay the night, they will have more time to inspect your projects and see what you have done. This hotel will probably do more for your province than any other single thing we have done."

When the carpet was down Mr. Treet brought the peoples committee Chairman along on an inspection. The Chairman had a well-known interest in local history. He congratulated them all. 

"You have surpassed my expectations by providing modern facilities while preserving the colonial features of this lovely old building. The province will mark the official opening by providing a mural showing our provincial history for the foyer."

John at Rose's insistence had contracted a small local furniture manufacturer to provide the hotels furniture. It was the biggest order they had ever received. John was angry when Mick told him delivery was slow. 

His anger disappeared when they unpacked the beautiful solid polished timber beds tables and chairs. Eddie told him that the rosewood timber reception desk was a work of art; "it is so good that we should feature it in our in-house brochures as a classic piece of local Vietnamese furniture." 

They spent days moving beds tables and chairs in and out of rooms until finally they were happy. "It's finished," Mick said as they sat drinking a cold beer. "That's the easy bit now comes the hard part, making it work." 

That evening John drove the whole family up to the hotel. "We are experimenting with the external lighting," he whispered to Rose as they spotted the flood lit façade of the beautifully restored French colonial building. Even before they got out of the bus, they were gasping in delight at the way the lights lit up featured trees and gardens.

Ronnie had found two magnificent Bonsais in very big old iron pots. Mick had helped her settle them in each side of the main steps. They decided to backlight them with a soft green light adding to the charm of the large granite columns at the entrance.

John took Rose by the arm and escorted her up the stairs. He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze as he drew her attention to Mick and Ronnie. They stood holding hands oblivious to the cheers of the rest of the family.

John asked all provincial officials responsible for labor and workplace regulations to inspect the hotel. "Tell us what we must do to meet all the applicable laws," he told Ruby when she accompanied the stream of officials 

Eddie and Mick moved in to the hotel. They commenced interviewing locals from the village specifying that applicants must have some English. Sarah Button came up to see them when some of her English language students failed to win jobs. 

She sat and talked it over with Mick and Eddie. "You confuse them when you ask questions using hotel and hospitality terms and words. It is no use waiting for the tourism and hospitality training under the MOU between Queensland and the province. They are still arguing about detail and costs. Nothing will happen in the next six months." 

"Let's structure our own course. We will teach them oral hospitality English. Most of your workers will not need to know how to read and write English but they will need to know how to answer a list of questions that the three of us will draw up together." 

Sarah trailed it for a week in her adult evening classes. She then told John of their plan challenging him to, "Come along tonight and ask some questions then listen to their answers." He took Pansy and Lelani along giving them a list of questions. The class performed very well both understanding and answering questions.

When it was his turn, he told them how proud he was of their efforts. "This will be the first small quality hotel in a small rural province in the whole of Vietnam. We want our guests to be happy and enjoy their stay with us. If they do, they will come again or tell their friends to stay with us."

"We will only succeed if you want us to succeed. If we fail, you will loose your jobs and will have to tell people when you look for work that you worked for a hotel that went broke. People everywhere will refer to us as failures."

"You laid it on a bit thick," Sarah said as the turned off the lights. "Yes I did. I wanted them to know that it will not be easy. Working with the public is not easy. Our staff will have to have an answer for the customer even when they do not understand the question or do not know the answer."

"Let's teach them to say, 'I will find out' or 'I do not know, could you please ask at reception,' or 'please ask the duty manager she has better English.'

"We have to realize that these young men and women come from a poor province. They have not had opportunities like some of their counterparts in the city. I do not expect that you can teach them to answer every question."

"I want you to find a dozen locals who with a little help will be capable of satisfying the most difficult customers. Teach the rest to refer matters to them when they do not know the answer."

"Remember Rose wants the locals to be given as many jobs as possible. I know we will have to bring in experts but I do not want to import too many from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City."

Shauna rang inviting him to fly down to Danang for the weekend. "I have been so busy," she groaned over the phone "I need a break. I need another weekend with you." 

John was tempted but put her off by telling her they were discussing budgets and consulting with the peoples committee about staff wages and conditions. 

John transferred Lelani from the feedlot to the hotel. "Shauna is sending a Vietnamese woman with years of experience as a food and beverage manager in hotels in South Vietnam up here to help us prepare for the soft opening." 

"I want you to be my eyes and ears," he told her. "Meet this woman and look after her. Do whatever she asks. Shauna would not send her here if she wasn't a top operator."

John took Eddie aside. "They tell me you have a harem of local girls vying for your charms; if I find that anyone of them has been told or even had a hint that they will get a job in return for sexual favors I will kick your arse until your nosebleeds."  

He brushed Eddies protests aside. "Look put yourself in their position, if they earn a dollar a day they're doing better than many of their friends. If they start with us they will receive $2 a day and in some cases a lot more." 

"That's not much to you and me but it's enough to buy them some security. It will buy three basic meals of rice vegetables and some tofu and pay the rent on a room. You can change their life just by giving them a start. Is it any wonder some of them offer themselves to you? Don't even think about it lad." 

A week later, they had their first dining room trial. John invited Rose and her eleven daughters as his guests. Ronnie approached him shyly. "Can I bring Mick?" she asked. 

If ever John needed evidence that his efforts had improved the lot of Rose and her family of orphans it was there to be seen in the way they were dressed that night. Not only were the clothes better than they had ever owned before but their confidence in themselves helped create an aura of beauty and success.

He introduced them one by one to Lua Xuan the beverage manager recommended by Shauna Scott. "Call me Spring," she laughed. "The English meaning of Lua Xuan is Spring Rain, so I like to be called Spring."

"We have employed a French trained chef who has worked in hotels throughout South East Asia. He is Vietnamese he was born in Halong Bay. He heard about our new hotel and approached me before I left Ho Chi Minh City. He wanted to return home to raise his children away from the bigger cities. I think he is very good. He is already has a number of local woman working with him as assistants."

"Your table will be looked after by my new assistant she is a local. She tells me she went to school with some of your family. Her name is Da`o, it means peach blossom." She laughed again, "I have started to call her Peach."

Peach was beautiful. She talked to them confidently answering questions about the hotel and her work. Her voice intrigued John she spoke softly giving the impression she was whispering to you alone. "Our menu tonight is not as big as we would like but there is sufficient to test both the kitchen and our waitresses." 

"We have some great Australian wine. I am told the reds are exceptional." "Have you tried them?" Kim asked. "No I don't drink so I cannot make a personal recommendation. She smiled, "I can personally recommend the frog legs in garlic sauce." She took their orders efficiently and delivered them without fuss

Spring returned to ask if they were satisfied. "We have spread the word that we are looking for a female uniform based on the Ao Dai. We want a uniform that is both beautiful and practical. Lelani said she would invite you to look them over before we make a selection."

She spoke to Rose, "it was a marvelous idea to invite the workers families to these dinners. It gives us an opportunity to teach our staff and try out the new facilities amongst friends."

Mick looked across the table at Rose. "It was a great idea. Lelani tells me that it made quite a few members of the dining room team much more relaxed about their first night." 

"We had so many family members from the feedlot alone that we will have dinners here every night for a week." He looked at john and Rose. "Would it be too much to ask you and John to join us each night? It would add a little extra for some of the locals to be able to say they met you at dinner. " 

Rose smiled and looked at John. "Come on lets meet them all." She stood up, took his hand and led him around the tables introducing him as, "my friend John."

The lobby lounge bar was crowded when Lelani introduced a local pop group. They played and sang Vietnamese and western love songs. John was surprised when the small dance floor quickly became crowded. He was more surprised when Lelani dimmed the lights making it more intimate and came over to ask him for a dance. 

"I can't dance," he growled. "Yes you can, my friend saw you and Shauna Scott dancing at the Metropole in Hanoi," she said as she dragged him out on to the floor. She wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him close as she maneuvered them into the middle of the floor. 

"This is the place to be if you want a cuddle," she whispered. "No one can see you from the tables and the dancers aren't interested in anyone other than their partner." Her hand slipped down to grab his rear. "Its time I gave you a real massage," she whispered as she leant her head on his shoulder. 




Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 04



John was pleased when the music ceased and the band announced a break. Lelani whispered, "I run the bar and need to talk to you about setting up a high class health club beauty saloon and massage parlor." 

Mick was talking to Rose when he returned to their table.

"I have a job for you," he told Mick when they finished talking. "Lelani wants to set up a massage parlor. Talk it over with Eddie and let me know what you think."

He looked at Rose who smiled, "that's a good idea you could have your massage here every evening." 

More to come... 



Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 05



The local pop band became a nightly feature at the hotel. Their mixture of Western and Vietnamese love songs were very popular.  Many of the older villagers who had never had access to regular entertainment other than Karaoke stood outside each night listening and singing along.

John walked outside one evening and saw them standing around. "Why don't they come inside?" he asked. Eddie sighed, "We had a problem with security so we hired some guys to enforce a dress code. They are too tough. So we have gone from too little to far too much." 

"Mick has worked out an answer. He wants to convert our site office and storeroom into a bar with a small dance floor to accommodate people other than hotel guests. We don't need the storeroom any more. It is big enough and it is adjacent to that big open patio. If you agree the builder can use material similar to the sandstone of the old building so it won't look out of place." 

John became angry, "I don't want them standing outside while we are inside living it up. I want locals to think this is their hotel not a hotel for foreign guests. Any suggestions that locals are not good enough or are to be treated differently will really stuff things up and give our opponents an opportunity to cause trouble." 

Eddie reacted quickly to John's anger. "Don't worry there won't be two dance floors only the one. The combo will play in the new area. The inside bar will become a place for a quiet drink". 

John was partly satisfied, "Tell Mick to get on with it and convert the bloody room. In the meantime, invite everyone to come inside while we are testing our facilities. I don't want to see anyone left out." He started to walk away then stopped. "Retrain those bloody security guys." 

John could hardly object when Lelani pursued her idea of a health club and beauty saloon. Rose had already agreed. He was surprised when Ruby called on him to offer her support. "I know why you men visit massage rooms," she said with a smile. 

"We are not against a well run massage business. What we would love, is for you to help Lelani set up a Beauty Salon with well-trained staff and modern equipment. Women up here have to travel to Hanoi for professional beauty care." 

"In the past most women in our province have been too poor to pay for professional help so no one has ever tried to set up a proper salon. You have given many local women a chance to earn real wages. Those women can afford to pay for beauty care." She smiled, as she looked hard at him. "If you build massage rooms to look after the men then to be fair you should build a beauty salon for the women." 

"I want to be fair but there is no room," he groaned. "You should have asked earlier." They sat silent until Eddie broke the deadlock. "They have a point," he argued as he opened a cold beer. "Let's renovate the old carriage house down on the road just inside the entrance gates to our grounds? It is a big barn with high ceilings. It's a bit decrepit but appears to be quite sound." 

Lelani and Ruby immediately went down and inspected the building. They came back all smiles, "it's perfect," Lelani, cried. They whispered together. "We know we cannot count on you two men to plan a beauty salon. We will give Shauna a call and ask her to come up and help."

Every morning John drove Rose to the various enterprises so she could talk to the workers and run a Vietnamese eye over the previous day's work. "We don't want to do anything that might offend," he said when he first suggested the daily visits. 

Eddie added the new entertainment area to their program. "You will be pleased to know that the new bar and dance floor are working well. I know you were both worried about the changes. They have not created an impression of first and second-class citizens. There hasn't been a single complaint."

He opened a door. "After the first few nights, we installed this external door to allow visitors to enter without tracking through the foyer. That door has reduced the congestion in the lobby. 

"On Sunday nights we run a teenage talent quest and the place fills to overflowing." He looked at Rose. "Lelani told us that you did not want the hotel to promote heavy drinking especially amongst young people. Our bar staff produce a non alcoholic local drink based on limes and sugar cane especially for the young ones." 

"We decided to have a fashion parade and ask locals to vote on our staff uniforms. We received entries from all over the country. So many locals turned up to watch we had to hold it out on the patio." 

"It was so successful that we have invited Vietnamese fashion designers to use our facilities at no cost. Many small designers have booked times to display their new fashions. We hope the top designers will accept the challenge so we can plan an annual country fashion week as a tourist attraction." 

"At the same time to satisfy the drinkers we have cut our margin on house wines and keg beer to keep prices down so more locals can afford them." 

"Lobby bar prices will be higher. They will be set to reflect prices in similar hotels in the major cities. We have retrained the security people. They will maintain a reasonable dress code."

Another month passed before Mick was satisfied that both staff and facilities were ready to accept customers. He asked John and Rose to join him for a final inspection. "Eddie and I have invited a number of foreign hotel management people and leading chefs working in Hanoi to visit this weekend." 

"They knew there were strings attached when they accepted our offer of a free weekend in the country. They have agreed to be positive. We have told them we do not want to know what is wrong. What we need to know is how to make it right." 

John was hanging fruit fly baits on trees in the old orchard with Ronnie and Mick when the foreign experts arrived. Two French women from the group walked down and asked what they were doing. "These trees would have been top specimens when they were planted by your French compatriots," Ronnie said as she introduced John and Mick.

"They have really only produced fruit full of maggots in recent years because of problems with fruit fly. A professor from a University in John's home state is working with a research center in South Vietnam seeking an answer to the fruit fly problem. Their research showed that a fruit fly seeks protein before laying her eggs in the fruit."

"They found that brewery waste is a cheap source of protein and negotiated with the Australian brewery in South Vietnam to utilize their waste and produce protein bait laced with chemicals." 

"Trials in the south have been successful with trees that have produced no usable fruit for years returning up to eighty and ninety percent recovery. We are going to trial the bait here, and if it works we will introduce it to farmers in our village."

The eldest of the two women introduced herself as Mali. "We can't get over the size and scope of your gardens. We haven't seen a real lawn and ornamental gardens like this since we left home." Her friend joined in, "When you select pictures to advertise your hotel I recommend that you feature your grounds. You rarely see anything like them in Vietnam." 

Mali made friends with Ronnie. She spent hours wandering through the orchard and the old ornamental gardens. "I can't believe how beautiful these old roses have grown," she said after Ronnie told her they were nearly dead when she took over the garden. 

Ronnie reacted with pride. "I was told that some of these roses are very unique. We were instructed to prune them very hard. We cut a few old plants so far back that I thought they would never recover. "With the weeds and rubbish cleaned away we fertilized and dusted them to control insects. As you can see most of them produced new shoots and started to flower. 

Mali took a real interest in the family and its various businesses. She worked with the local women in the Hotel gardens and listened to their fears. "This place needs a resident Doctor," she told Ronnie after helping a worker who had become ill. 

"I have an old friend who has retired he was a doctor in Hanoi for years. He is looking for a cheap place to live now that he no longer has free hospital accommodation. I reckon he would jump at the chance to become your feedlots medical officer if you offered him free room and board and a little spending money." When Ronnie told John of Mali's idea, he acted quickly. "Get Mali to ring him and invite him up. He can move straight in if he likes the place."

The doctor arrived within days. He spent a couple of days wandering around talking to locals. Then joined John for breakfast. "My names Henri Latogue. Call me Henri. I have lived in Hanoi for twenty years. I speak good Vietnamese. I like it here. I do not want to go home to France. Mali tells me that I may be able to set myself up here in semi retirement." 

They talked for a while then John asked. "What can we do to induce you to stay?" "Set me up a place to live and a consulting room and I will be back tomorrow," he said with a nervous laugh. 

Lelani quickly offered to set up an area in the health club where he could see patients. "You can live at the hotel until we find something in the village." "We now have our own French doctor," she told Rose that night.

The family spent hours arguing about a name for the hotel eventually settling on "The Grand Hotel," because Rose had said its high ceilings and colonial exterior reminded her of the Grand Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. "It really is grand" she whispered to John as they stood in the gardens and watched the young crowd enter.

The foreign experts made a number of recommendations including a major change to the dining room menu. The chefs took over the kitchen and asked each of the local assistant cooks to cook their favorite dishes. 

When they finished watching assisting and tasting, they reached a consensus. "You have an opportunity to be different. Use your local products and let your cooks produce their local specialties. Feature them as well as all the old favorites and you will have a provincial menu that people in our industry will talk about and trek up here to taste." 

Shauna breezed in for the official opening. Her dress was a voyeurs delight displaying far more than it hid. John stood and stared. He tried to think of an appropriate word to describe her as she waved to him from the top of the stairs. Lively lovely exciting were words that quickly sprang to mind. His body didn't need words. A hard lump showed in his pants.

Rose and her family were dressed beautifully in traditional elegant but understated Ao Dai`s. The comparison with Shauna could not have been more obvious. A hot-blooded male would always choose a hot and sexy woman over a refined and conservative lady when confronted with the chance to choose a partner for the night.

John knew whose bed he would like to share that night. He also knew that a night of passion would soon fade into memory. Shauna studiously avoided him throughout the evening saving him from having to make a decision. 

John sat with Rose and the family. During the evening, they visited every table so that Rose could introduce John and thank her friends for coming. The Peoples Committee chairman was the official guest. He was so pleased with the restoration of the old building that he had invited a table of senior Party officials from nearby provinces. 

They toasted Rose and John thanking him for his investment in a rural province. One or two Chairmen declared that he would be welcome to invest in their provinces. Although they said it in jest, it was made clear that he could have received a better deal elsewhere. "Yes but we had Rose," the local Chairman said with a grin. 

It was after midnight when John walked Rose to her room. He slipped his arm around her and leant down to kiss her on the lips. "You were very beautiful tonight," he whispered. 

In the past, she had generally turned her head deflecting his kisses from her lips onto her cheek. Tonight she welcomed his kiss. They stood kissing for a few minutes until Pansy disturbed them as she came up the stairs.

Shauna decided to spend a few days at the Hotel. "I am going to build a chain of serviced apartments in Asia," she told John as they lunched together. "I will need Eddie but Mick can stay a little longer. He tells me he has proposed marriage to one of Roses daughters. Silly boy," she laughed.

John wondered down to the Health center after dinner. Lelani had asked him to have a look at what she had done. "I'll throw in a free massage," she whispered on the phone.

John was pleasantly surprised. She had bought a container load of slightly used equipment from a failed five star salon in north Queensland. Glen had arranged shipment. "Its top gear" Glen told her. "They paid tons of money to get the best but their staff let them down and the customers deserted them."

"I don't know much about this stuff but it looks good to me," John said as he finished his inspection. "I am glad you're impressed," Lelani whispered. "Now come with me. You're the first customer for our new masseuse," She led him to a booth. He tried to protest that he had to go but she ushered him inside.

The lights were dim but he could not mistake the voice that whispered. "Take off your clothes." It was Shauna. She was naked when she moved from behind a screen. His mouth went dry he could not think straight, he groaned. "Lelani's set me up." "Yes she has," Shauna whispered as she stripped off his clothes. "Leave it to me darling; I will make sure you don't regret it."

Two hours later John slumped back on the bed and looked at his watch. He had been meeting Rose regularly each evening. It had become a habit to walk her to the door of her room and kiss her goodnight. He had to leave now if he was to meet her tonight. 

He raised his mouth to kiss Shauna's breasts. "I've got to go." He expected opposition but she surprised him. She ran her hands over his body and moaned, "Go on, you can go to your cold Vietnamese bitch but only if you promise to spend a weekend with me in Hanoi." He kept his fingers crossed as he whispered. "Ok." 



"Its on the news the government have closed a hospital in Hanoi because of this thing called SARS," Kim told him as they had breakfast. "Apparently some foreigner flew in from Hong Kong. He became sick and went to hospital. It turns out that he had this terrible new disease. They flew him back to Hong Kong and closed the Hospital." 

Day after day, the news became worse. At first it was reported that a number of nurses from the hospital were in intensive care. Then news came that some of them had died. Followed by news that doctors had died. 

People stopped traveling. Foreigners left Hanoi and returned home. Fear gripped the international community as bulletins were issued warning tourists and businesspeople to avoid travel to China Hong Kong and Vietnam.

As the days grew into weeks and months, John realized that projections for the hotels occupancy would have to be substantially downgraded. "We have hardly had a foreign visitor in our first three months." Pansy told him at the family's regular meeting.

"Government and party business is quite solid. Weddings have been surprisingly strong for both the Beauty salon and catering. The bar and Health club are profitable but the lack of the big spending foreign guests has hit our profit estimates." 

They invited Henri to attend the family meetings. "Have there been any more SARS cases in Vietnam?" Rose asked as soon as he arrived. "As far as we know the central government did a good job by quickly shutting the hospital right down. There have been no new cases outside of Hanoi." Henri said with a tear in his eye. "I worked with those doctors and nurses their deaths after caring for an infected patient is a real shame." 

"Most of the bad news is about Hong Kong Southern China and a couple of cities in Canada. Vietnam does not get a mention on the news these days. It appears to have hit the tourist industry very hard." 

When it became apparent that the outbreak was confined to Hanoi many Hanoi based executives decided to spend some time in the country with their families. The Grand being a brand new hotel with a developing reputation for a fine Provincial menu was one of the first to benefit. In addition, business groups started to travel to the province once more.

Six members of a large Swiss paper manufacturer stayed for days doing a feasibility study on a paper pulp mill. A succession of executive officers of foreign companies followed. Privately one group leader admitted that Shauna had spread the word of the fine facilities at the new Grand Hotel at an international investment and development conference in Ho Chi Minh weeks before.

The increase in guests put a smile on Mick's face. "Without exception our foreign guests have been lavish in their praise for our hotels services and facilities. We are already booking repeat business. Kim too was smiling as she reported a great improvement in profitability.

Monica's day old chicken supply business kept growing. She received orders from chicken farms all over Vietnam. "I need to expand my plant," She told a family meeting. "If we could double our capacity we would have no trouble selling everything we produced." John promised to help if their financial position continued to improve.

For the first time since John's arrival two years ago, no new construction work was planned. The family was now in a position to make life easier for John and Rose. "We are capable of running the businesses ourselves." Pansy said, "John has spent hours training everyone. Let's give them a break." 

John's only daily responsibility was to manage the contracts with local farmers who grew food for the feedlot. Monica increased his workload a little by asking him to supervise a few farmers who produced fertile eggs for her hatchery. 

He took the time to drive down to Hanoi with Rose to spend a few days shopping. They spent a few happy mornings together meeting some of Roses old friends who were still selling fruit in the same location.

The still kissed at the door to her room each night but the kisses had changed. At first, Rose kept her mouth shut and their kiss was very prim and proper. After a few nights, she allowed his tongue to enter her mouth. Then a few nights later, her tongue responded. 

One night after a few rums in the hotel lobby, as they kissed in the hall he ran his hands up to discover two fair sized breasts. She said nothing just smiled as she opened her door and left him standing outside. 

The contract farms spread throughout the province. John visited then regularly to check on the availability of fodder. He spent many an hour with Georgia the young family member who acted as his Vietnamese interpreter talking and drinking tea with farmers. 

As they became more familiar with John`s routine farmers began to approach him seeking his advice and help. Some planned to purchase dairy cows and heard of his opposition to the provinces plan. "We cannot understand. You have made a success of your feedlot and dairy. You help everyone who seeks your help. Why don't you support people like us getting cows. We thought you would want us to be successful." 

John realized they were partly right in their criticism. "I want you to succeed," he told them. "The evidence from your own newspapers in the south and failed experiments throughout Asia is that giving foreign cattle to local farmers generally fails."

He sat in the markets early each morning joking with the women selling their produce. One old woman he had named Mary came up each morning to speak to Georgia. 

Gradually she lost her fear of the man from UC and started to ask Georgia to pass messages to John. "My daughter wants to buy two cows. She blames you for the failure of the province to import cows for farmers. She says you have too much influence. You negative, not offer solution just criticism."




Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 05



She turned up every morning and told anyone who would listen not to take any notice of John, "he not helpful," she told anyone who would listen. "You're not helpful. You won't listen to me," John said after he tried once again to explain his worries about selling cattle to farmers. "Bring your daughter in one morning and I'll talk to her." 

The next morning John was surprised to find a small crowd waiting. "My daughter has brought others who want cows," Mary explained. He bundled them into the mini bus and drove them to the feedlot. He told Kim and Georgia to "Give them a tour of the whole establishment don't miss a thing. When your finished bring them back to the amenities room so Rose and I can talk to them."

A few workers were having a meal when they returned. "Give them a meal and let them sit and talk to our workers," he said as he went looking for Rose. They were a different group when he returned. 

In the morning while he drove them to the feedlot, Georgia told him they were angry and bitter when talking amongst themselves. "They think you don't want them to succeed because they will be your competitors."

Now Kim and Georgia reported that they had been impressed with the cows and calves and wanted to learn from John. "We told them how you have helped everyone who has asked for help."

"They have asked our workers the same questions that they asked us when we showed them around. When they were told the same answers they started to believe what we have all been saying."

Rose sat and talked to them answering their questions while John finished his meal. "If you think what the province proposes is wrong why can't we do something different to help," she asked John when he joined them.

"If they are going to buy cattle the best thing we can do is train them to look after them. I am prepared to run some classes here at the feedlot and back on their farms showing them what they will have to do to make a success of their investment."

"It is a big investment if they are borrowing the money. These heifers in calf cost us about fourteen hundred Aussie dollars to land here. Fifty thousand dong is about six bucks at today's exchange rate so they can work out what it will cost them in dong."

"Feed and cow comfort is the real problem. They must spend money feeding and looking after their cows. We have had to sign contracts with farmers throughout the province so we can get enough feed. 

Our two vets are always busy. We have over three hundred cows. Some of them have never needed veterinary care others seem to need it regularly."

"A good dry shed with good food will mean more milk and stronger calves. If they like, I will show them what I would do to get ready for cows. They can come down here and work with our vets and learn the ropes."

John asked Georgia to arrange a meeting with the party secretary. "When that's finished I would like to meet with the people's committee chairman and his officers. I want to put and end to the rubbish people are saying."

The Peoples committee Chairman told John that the dairy issue had become the biggest issue he had to face. He invited John to address members of the people's congress. "If you have something to say let them all hear it." He said as he issued the invitation. 

Ruby became nervous. "Be careful they think you are going to try to stop the import of cattle from Australia. Some of the members are growing angry at what they call your attempt to undermine their authority."

The room was full of committee members and officials when John arrived. He glanced around at the statue of the late Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese flag and another flag showing the hammer and sickle and his stomach sank. 

This is a communist country you bloody fool, he told himself as the national anthem ended. They don't fool around over here. They play it different to politics back home in Aussie. 

The chair introduced John speaking in Vietnamese. John could tell without listening to Georgia's interpretation that he was telling them that John opposed the sale of cattle to individual farmers.

There was very little applause when John rose to speak. He addressed the chair an acknowledged the many leaders present. "I came here just over two years ago to help Rose Nguyen and her orphans. It would be true to say that many locals were less than friendly when we first asked for permission to build a feedlot and import dairy cattle from Australia." 

"It would be unfair if I did not acknowledge that it was only through your support and the support of the Party Secretary and his officers that Rose and her family were able to develop the highly successful feedlot that exists today." 

"That feedlot is now the provinces biggest local business. It has created jobs in its own right for a whole range of local people. It has also led to the start of new industries and has strengthened the profitability of others."

"Monica Nguyen`s chicken breeding facility will eventually pass the feedlot and become the biggest employment generator in the province. The delivery of food to her shed and then the delivery of chickens from her sheds along with the need to cart fodder from all over the province to the feedlot have made one or two new trucking operations profitable."

"The third major business to grow from your original support for our feedlot is the Grand Hotel. It does not employ as many people as the feedlot and the chick farm but it has given a new impetus to provincial development through the provision of quality accommodation and entertainment."

"You have not had to provide direct financial support. The total investment is the largest and I think the only direct foreign investment in you province. "In addition our businesses have not borrowed a penny from local banks. They pay better than the wages paid by your own local government. They train workers and just lately we have supplied our own doctor to look after our workforce and their families."

"I make those points because one or two delegates present are spreading lies." Delegates had sat quiet until this moment now there were a few murmurs of discontent. John ignored them. "It is said that I do not want to see the province develop. That I don't want to help create jobs. That I do not want opposition. What bullshit." 

"The more milk we produce in the province the greater chance of companies like Vinamilk or Dutch Lady investing in a local dairy processing plant reducing the costs of transporting milk to the city." 

The Chairman interrupted to tell John to speak slower. "Our Interpreters find it hard to keep up when you get excited and talk fast." John apologized, "I am sorry. My friend Rose Nguyen finds it hard to understand me when I talk loud and fast. I will do my best to remain calm."

"I am here at your invitation Mr. Chairman because I continue to challenge a policy decision to loan money to individual farmers and supply them with imported cattle."

"I don't know much about your political system but I do know a lot about cattle. I know from experience that the policy that you have decided to support has failed in many Asian countries."

"I could tell you stories about those failures but you do not want to hear them. So let me tell you a success story. I was reminded of this story when I worked with some of your farmers who want to buy their own cattle."

"The only occasion I know of where supplying local farmers with cows worked, was in a province in India. The farmers involved had spent some time looking into the reasons why other ventures had failed."

"They reasoned that farmers who had to go in debt further than they had ever dreamed possible would wait anxiously for the fist milk money and spend it on everything but the cow. To keep this meeting short I will just speak of their plan. We can sit down later and dissect their reasoning."

"They set up a cooperative. The government gave the cows to the Cooperative not the farmer. They on sold the cows to the farmer at a price that took into consideration the farmer's financial situation." 

"Each day when the farmer milked his cow he brought his milk to the Cooperative where the weighed it and assessed its value. Let's say it was worth fifty thousand dong for arguments sake. The farmer was paid and agreed amount say half in cash. The other half was paid in fodder or additives for his cow." 

"A small amount was set aside from the cooperative's profit for assistance to the farmer when the cow was dry." When he saw some questioning looks on delegates, faces he explained. 

"A cow has a calf; she produces milk for that calf. Her calf is taken away and she still produces milked. She will produce milk for some time depending on how well she is fed and looked after. Then she will stop milking and go dry. You have to get her pregnant again. She has a calf and the cycle continues." 

"This cooperative system in India worked because it helped farmers through the hard times by making them save and spend money on their biggest investment their cow. In the failed experiments, farmers spent all the money they received when the cow first gave milk on things for himself and his family."

"You could not blame him. they were paying off their loan and living frugally. When milk money became available, they spent it. They neglected the cow; she gave less milk and went dry quickly. With no money coming in and debts to pay, they gave up and the experiment failed." 

"You expected me to come along today and oppose your plan to lend farmers money to buy cows. I hope I haven't disappointed those of you who have been running around causing trouble. To make sure they understand let me say it again."

"If you lend a farmer large sums of money to buy cows and don't put a plan in place to provide fodder and assistance when the cow is not producing, you are sentencing him to a life of debt." 

"I am prepared to sit down and talk to individual farmers. We will give them an opportunity to work with cattle in our feedlot. We will help but I won't cop lies. It's your country, your province, they are your people, and it's your decision. Don't blame me if you stuff it up."



Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 06



Mary was waiting when John reached the markets. She pointed down an alley to three men drinking coffee. "Some cadres are waiting for you," she whispered, "what have you done?"

He looked at Mary she was a tough old fighter. She had changed dramatically since he started to help her daughter and her friends. She used to be his greatest critic. Now if any one said a word against him she jumped to his defense.

He embarrassed her by kissing her on the cheek. "Don't worry, we have nothing to hide." She followed him down and stood close by as he joined the cadres and ordered coffee. The youngest one welcomed him. "Hi my English name is Charles. My colleagues Bao and Duc don't have English names but they understand English." 

"We want to talk to you about cooperatives. We have read a lot about co-ops overseas and like what we have read. We understand that they have brought great benefits to farmers in some countries." 

"In the past we have suggested to the ministry that we trial co-ops in our rural area but all of our recommendations have been ignored. They say co-ops won't work here because there were some bad experiences in the past." 

"We had given up and had forgotten about co-ops when your Provincial Party Secretary Mr. Treet contacted our research institute looking for officers who were interested in cooperatives. Because of our previous recommendations our director has seconded us to Mr. Treet's staff."

"We arrived here a few days ago and have spent some time talking to local officials. They tell us you support co-ops and have a few farmers who want to buy cattle working at your feedlot." John looked around at Mary who had edged closer. He took her hand and drew her into the circle. "You should talk to Mary she will tell you what her daughter and her friends are doing."

John sat back as they talked in Vietnamese. He had dropped the co-op idea after the Peoples congress meeting. Working on the basis that the provincial program would lend farmers money to buy dairy cattle he concentrated on showing farmers the pitfalls of not providing creature comfort and good food. 

The few farmers that had joined Mary's daughter on the first morning had grown to twenty-two after some intervention from Rose. She had walked in one day when the farmers were eating lunch with her staff.

She stood with her hands on her hips and demanded to know what their families were eating at home. Dissatisfied with their answers she told them to bring the whole family to the feedlot in future. "We'll provide a meal for them all."

That night as they walked home she explained. "Most farmers have to work every day to scratch out a living and enough food for the family. When they are here learning from you they are not producing anything. They would have been happy for a while and then they would have started to worry and leave." 

"Everyone watches what you do. If they all leave, people will say you have failed. If they do not learn everything, you will know we have failed. It will cost very little to feed their families but will bring benefits as they will all learn something."

When the cadres finished talking to Mary, he drove them down to the feedlot to meet the farmers and inspect the whole operation. "Bring them back to the amenities room for lunch," he told Kim as she led them away.

At lunch, they talked to the farmers and their families before asking John how could they help him set up a co-op. He was ready for the question having thought about it while they inspected the farm. "I think a full blown co-op is beyond us at the moment. Until I met you this morning I thought it was a dead duck now I think we may have a chance." 

"We will have to take it a step at a time. I can buy heifers in calf in Queensland at a price that will land them in Vietnam for $AUD 1400 per head. The province is prepared under their current plans to lend that amount to each farming family. The families will have to spend more money making provision for the cows well being. The cow will not milk until after she calves, so there will be no money coming in for a while." 

"I think that is too big a load for many families. I have thought it over. To help reduce their repayments I could personally help finance the purchase of twenty-five cows for the current twenty-two farmers working here." 

"I would want them to borrow half the landed cost of that cow. I will lend the co-op the rest of the money. The co-op will own half of each cow and use the returns from milk to build up a fund to help farmers in need."

"We would have to ask the province to agree and not charge interest until the cow starts to milk. You three young ones will have to draw up a business plan. We need contracts for the farmers and for both the province and myself."

"The farmer's contracts with the co-op would have to commit them to deliver milk to the co-op and accept payment in both money and sustenance for their cow. If they will not sign that then we cannot make it work. It would be no different to what is happening down south."

"You will have to talk to each family and convince them to join the co-op. I think they will listen to you .They might not trust a foreigner. So go to it. I'm off to Halong Bay for the weekend. I expect you to have the business plan and draft contracts when I get back."

Shauna had booked the best cabin on the paddle wheel steamer plying world heritage listed Halong bay. "Remember you promised me you would slip away when I let you go and meet your lady-friend," she whispered down the phone as he felt a stirring in his pants.

Sitting on their private balcony while the attendant remade their bed he admired Shauna's magnificent body. She was full of fun and mischief. "I have given them a good tip and told them we are here to make a baby." She had said when she closed the cabin door and stripped off her clothes. 

She laughed at the surprised look on his face. "Don't worry my love, I am on the pill and don't want any snotty nosed brats. My little white lie will ensure our complete privacy for the weekend." 

All day Saturday, they made love in their room or on their secluded balcony. Their tiny Vietnamese maid brought fresh seafood and salads when they missed lunch. When they missed dinner, she brought more food and aromatic oils and spices indicating that he should rub them all over Shauna. 

When he finished their long romantic massage, she strode out on to the balcony and stood nude in the moonlight. The oil glistened on her breasts and shone on her buttocks as she twisted and swayed in an erotic dance. "Make love to me," she whispered as she transferred more oil to her buttocks.

They stayed in their cabin when the boat stopped to let guests visit the cave. Shauna keeping him in bed with the most incredible oral sex he had ever experienced. On Monday morning the crew clapped when they appeared on deck for the first time. They laughed when he patted Shauna's stomach and gave them each a large tip for the baby.

Back at the markets next morning, Charles and his colleagues were waiting. "Bad news," they cried. "Most farmers don't want to join your co-op. They don't like the idea of only owning half of their cow. Some are against co-ops. They want to know who owns the cows if your co-op fails. They all have reasons or excuses but only five will sign."

Mary had been standing close by. She poured John a coffee. "They will do it if you ask," she growled. "Not me," he replied. "If they won't listen to their own people why would they listen to me? Anyway if I become involved it could stir up my opponents in the government and hurt Rose and her family."

That evening as he walked Rose home she asked him to sit outside the house and talk. "Your old friend Mary came to see me at lunchtime. She tells me you have troubles. Why didn't you tell me?" John was embarrassed he hugged her and started to offer an explanation, but she stopped him. 

"Mary tells me you are worried about involving me and your family. Well don't. Our family would have nothing if it weren't for you. Anything you do or want to do must involve us." She blushed, "We love you."

"The farmers will join your co-op. We talked to them today. I have told them we will run the co-op from our feedlot. They can choose their cows from our existing three hundred stock. We will employ another Vet to work for the co-op and make the decision on their returns. I told them I was so sure that you would make it work that we would give them their cows and they wouldn't have to pay the other half if we fail."

"You're wonderful," he exclaimed when he finished. "Very generous but wonderful just the same." He kissed her hard taking her breath away. "Behave," she whispered as she looked around to see if anyone was watching. "I have told them that we will make Georgia a member of the co-op. She will borrow and pay her half like the others. She will meet the same rules and be our representative on the co-op management team."

John arranged a meeting with Mr.Treet and took Rose and Mary along to explain what they had done. He questioned them at length calling Charles in to answer questions. In the end, he was satisfied. 

"You have been very generous. We will not jeopardize the scheme by asking for repayments before the cows start milking. I will appoint Charles as my man on the board you should ask the Chairman to appoint someone to represent him."

The day set aside for farmers to choose their cows turned into a family festival. Relatives came from all over the province. Some came from as far away as Danang and Dalat to see their relative's first cow. John had never been thanked so often in his life. The children hugged him calling him Uncle. The women folk kissed him on the cheek. The men shook his hand and bowed.

During the evening when the families started to drift home, Glen rang from Australia. "A couple of old dairy farmers like yourself have been talking to me about you and Vietnam. I think they will come over and help if you can arrange free accommodation and tucker."

John was so excited he yelled down the phone. "Bloody hell mate they would be a great help right now. We are setting up our own small co-op and need all the help we can get. There's just one small problem I can't guarantee rooms at the Hotel because The TAFE people from back home are running hospitality training courses and use up a half dozen rooms. The pub is full most of the time. It has become the top spot to stay and eat in the Northern provinces." 

"Tell the boys not to worry. I will talk to Rose to see what we can offer and ring you back." Within the hour, he rang back. "Tell them to pack their bags. Rose has some young widows who will jump at the chance to make room for a boarder." 

"Tell them we will cover their in-Vietnam costs. All food and lodgings will be on us and we will arrange for some family members to show them Vietnam." Rose took the phone and spoke to Glen, "if any of your friends want to trade their work experience for a Vietnam holiday we need another teacher." 

John listened as Rose and Glen talked about contacts. Rose surprised him when he heard her say." You must remember Pansy she drove you to that provincial hotel and looked after you on your last visit. Ring her in the feedlot office if you want anything. The phone there is more reliable." She hung up the phone and sat back. "Pansy liked Glen she will be a good contact when you're busy." 

John listened to Ruby Kim and Lelani as they selected the widows that would provide a room for the retired farmers. Rose agreed to pay their rent and added money for their food. She offered to use John's construction team to paint and refurnish any room selected. 

John smiled Glen would have thought he was kidding when he talked about young widows looking after the visitors. The selection was not based on the available rooms but based on which widows the three women thought would make a good match. 

Pansy spoke daily to Glen and obtained details of the men and their history. Both were in their fifties. They had recently sold large dairy farms and were rich by Australian standards. In turn, that made them extremely wealthy by Vietnamese standards. Both were single, slim and available. 

The women settled on two young widows in their thirties. They were enrolled in Sarah Button's oral English classes and immediately booked into Lelani's beauty salon. Almost as an after thought, the rooms were painted and refurbished. 

John and Rose grew closer as they watched the preparations for Glen's visitors. One night as they sat together in the moonlight Mick and Ronnie approached them. Mick was nervous as he started to speak." Ronnie and I would like to become engaged. Under Vietnamese traditions, I should not be doing this. I would normally appoint some family friends, generally a happily married couple to represent me and make representations to Ronnie's family." 

He looked at John. "I suppose you know Henri and Sarah are living together. We know that you will partner Rose in any ceremony so I have asked them to be my sponsors. Normally they wrap gifts in red. Things like betel leaves, areca fruit, wine, tea, sticky rice and something called a husband and wife cake." 

"Those gifts are presented to you when they ask for permission for us to be engaged. If you agree, we roast a pig, pray at a family altar and exchange a ring. He looked at Rose, "I think that's all. Now I need to know what you want me to do."

He licked his lips and spoke again, "I love Ronnie and want to stick as close as possible to her customs. If you agree, we thought that we could book the hotel patio on the night the visitors arrive and try to follow as much tradition as possible."

Rose was over-joyed. She cried, "That would be lovely. It is nice to know you respect our customs. I am sure the gods will bless you" She turned and hugged John, "Ronnie will be the first of our family to marry. We have to settle a dowry. Can we make Mick General Manager of the Grand Hotel he does most of that job now. Let's give Ronnie a rise in salary as Manager of the ornamental gardens and the orchard?" 

The rest of the family had waited on the stairs while Mick spoke. Now they flooded in to offer their congratulations. John pulled Rose close and kissed her, ignoring her protests and the cheers of the family.

Preparations for the engagement and the arrival of the visitors from Australia kept the women busy over the next few days. Pansy reported that a young woman teacher would travel with the men on the trip. She would stay for a month and help Sarah at the school then return home to tell her colleagues about her impressions. "Glen says a few teachers might visit our school during their vacations." 

John looked at the two widows selected to care for his mates. "When they see how beautiful they are, my mates will be recommending a visit to all their bachelor friends," We'll have a flood of men wanting to help," he said with a laugh.

John took Rose down to Hanoi for a few days shopping for things for the engagement before they met the plane. Each night he escorted her to the door of her room and kissed her thoroughly. Rose would respond to his kisses then pull away and slip inside. He went to bed each night frustrated. 

They dropped around to visit her old friends selling fruit. He whistled to himself when he compared her with the others. She was so beautiful. He told her so as they left. "They would look beautiful too," she blushed, "if they didn't have to work all day in the sun and sat in an air conditioned office like me."

At the Airport, he was surprised when Glen marched out with the others. "What are you doing here?" he asked as they loaded the bags in the bus. Glen looked around to make sure Rose was not near.

"I came over to see Pansy. I liked her when we were here before. We have become good friends on the phone. She is smart and a lot of fun. I have never been much interested in settling down with one woman. I have stayed single. When I talk to you, I can tell how happy you are over here. So I thought I might give it a try." 

On the way home, he talked to Jack and Austin the two ex dairy farmers. Jack was fifty he had been a Shearer in his younger days before returning to the family farm when his folks retired. Austin was a little older at fifty-five. He had worked in the city on a number of jobs before buying a farm and moving to the country. They both were free to stay as long as they liked. 

John warned them, "The girls have selected two lovely widows to care for you. They have tried to make you comfortable. They want you to stay."

Lesley the young schoolteacher sat up and asked, "What about me?" John laughed "Don't worry you will be a hit tonight at our engagement party. The young men of our village rarely have the opportunity to dance with a tall blonde beauty. You'll have more offers of moonlit rides on their motor bikes than you have ever had before." 

Rose stopped him. "Don't tease her," she whispered. "We have made a room available for you at our house. Ronnie will move up to the hotel. My daughters will look after you."

The engagement ceremony was conducted with a quiet dignity that impressed the visitors. One after the other Glen Austin and Jack waltzed by with their partners giving him the high sign and offering their congratulations to Mick and Ronnie. As he had predicted Lesley was swamped by dance partners the young local men mooning over her pearly white skin and blonde beauty.

Early in the evening Glen slumped down beside John. "I need some advice," he moaned as he stared at Pansy across the room. "I'm not very good at this. I have never wanted a woman like I want her. She is half my age and Vietnamese. I don't know what to do. I don't want to stuff it up but I don't want one of these young bucks to win her."

John laughed, "Do I look like a bloody marriage counselor. Jack has already been over to ask me about Vietnamese culture he has only been here twenty hours and he has the hots for Ly. Austin looks as though he will be next he has not let go of Anh all night."

He turned and looked Glen in the eye. "I'm the last one you should ask. I have stuffed up my relationship with Rose a dozen times in the last twelve months. If I knew what to do I'd do it." Lelani was passing and could not help hearing John's words. She smiled as she went looking for Kim. 

The three new men made an immediate difference. They visited each farm and inspected the facilities prepared for the new cows. They helped prepare and mix the fodder, checked the computer records, then advised and counseled each farm family on the needs of their particular animal.

At first, the workplace was stiff and formal but they ignored it. They had those who could speak English working overtime as they met each worker and showed a genuine interest in her family and her life. It was not long before the women started to bring family pictures and books to work so they could talk about their life and especially their kids. 

Their attempts to learn sufficient Vietnamese to talk to the workers had the whole place laughing. Glen was the ringleader. His jokes became a little more suggestive each day as he flirted openly with them all.

Kim realizing that he could go too far and cause embarrassment let it be known that he had set his eyes on Pansy. She made sure a family member worked with him and invited them to join the workers for lunch in the amenities room. 

"Our cook is an old local woman. She makes what we think is the best traditional Pho in Vietnam. She went on to explain, "Pho is a national dish. Pho Ga or Pho Bo is based on chicken noodle soup or beef noodle soup." Glen jumped in to tell her chicken noodle soup was available everywhere back home.

They laughed when Kim translated his words. "They're laughing because you have not tasted Pho. Our cook makes Pho with extras such as little strips of well-done muscle tripe flank or brisket. We think it is very special."




Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 06



They stopped eating and watched as the men ate a few mouthfuls. A buzz went round the room when Austin broke the silence, "its great can I have some more ." Kim laughed, "You like it, that's good. It is always available here in our canteen. We will introduce you to more local food down in the markets."

Ly and Anh met Jack and Austin each afternoon at the feedlot and escorted them home. The men responded to their kindness thinking of little changes they could make that would improve the widow's lives.

They bought solar hot water heaters and water tanks and installed them themselves. "We did most of the plumbing and machinery work on our diaries Jack explained to Kim when he asked her to order some water and sewerage pipes. "I'm installing a western toilet I can't stand the local design and I love a good hot shower."

Every evening after dinner, they gathered at the hotel or Roses house to talk and exchange ideas on the co-op. The serious talk took place at the house. At the Hotel, they made the lobby bar their home. 

Gradually young local men and women who spoke some English gravitated to the bar and it became the place to be especially on the weekends. One evening as they watched an English soccer match on the TV Jack asked why he couldn't receiver foreign channels at Ly's house. 

Mick joined them, "we receive nine channels one Vietnamese and eight foreign from MMDS. The package price is too expensive for average Vietnamese families."

One beautiful young Vietnamese girl sitting at the back asked, "Can I say something. The best way is what the media term 'Chao Lau' it's putting up your own illegal dish antenna. The antennas are made in China they pick up dozens of foreign channels. One of my friends in Hanoi picks up dozens of Filipino music channels from the Agila satellite with her antenna." 

"The ministry of Culture and information is trying to stamp out the use of illegal parabolic antennas. VTC are now providing cable TV at low prices in some areas. What we need up here where communication is poor is community antenna television."

They sat back impressed. "Where did you learn all this," John asked. "I want to work in television so I have studied media and TV in Hanoi and HCM but I don't have the money to continue." 

John looked at Mick, "let's employ her. Our communications are ratshit. The phone system is poor. The internet intermittent at best and the locals have to come up to the pub to watch the top UK footy. He called the young woman over, "What's your name love?" he asked.

They were struck by her beauty as she sat down crossing her long legs. "My name is Trinh. I have some friends who are interested in communications. They are party members so they will not break the law. I am sure they would like to help if you are going to try to improve things up here." 

While she spoke, Glen studied her closely. "Your very beautiful and speak lovely. I suppose you want to be a TV presenter in front of the camera?" he asked with a leer. Trinh dismissed him and turned to John. "I want to be in communications management eventually. I heard you mention a job. If you are offering I would be interested."

John smiled, "I am looking for some way to improve communications up here. We use walkie-talkies because the mobile phone coverage is so poor. We set up an air-conditioned communications room for our computers. We use them to keep our cattle records and for our accounts, they work well. Nothing else seems to work. We can rarely access the internet. Our landlines are inefficient and as you heard international TV coverage is really only available at the hotel." 

"Mick will hire you. Work out the terms with him. Spend a day or two looking over our four major operations, then talk to your friends and provide me with some ideas and their costs. He stood up, that's enough business now enjoy yourself. I can see Glens waiting to dance with you." 

Trinh was super efficient. She brought her friends to the feedlot and introduced them to Kim and Rose. They went over the equipment and talked to Kim about internet access. When they finished on the farms and at the Hotel John told them to go down to Hanoi and talk to the five main television services. 

Trinh delighted in telling him, "Three of the services are owned by the one television station. The companies provide cable television. There are two new services under trial, Community Antenna television, and direct to home TV. I think one of them they would welcome your investment in some local trials." 

"The downside is people have to buy a decoder and pay a monthly fee. We could propose that you pay a fee and act as their agent locally. The other option is to seek government permission to install a satellite-receiving dish and re-transmit the signals locally. The government might agree as long as you endorse their censorship rules." 

John left it to Trinh and concentrated on the Co-op. Austin and Jack started to transfer cows to individual farms. The new vet set up shop outside the cold room to receive their milk and distribute money and fodder. 

New calves belonging to the farmers were branded and kept at the feedlot until they were properly weaned. When they were strong enough to fend for themselves the farmers were invited to take them home or sell them to the slaughterhouse. 

Glen visited each farm at milking time. He concentrated on raising hygiene standards. He danced with pride when Vinamilk told Kim that milk from their farms met the highest health standards. 

Charles and Georgia reported regularly to Mr. Treet and the Chairman. They both took a keen interest in the reports and visited some of the farmers to hear first hand of their feelings now that the Co-op was up and running.

John started to smile. The co-op built up sufficient funds to meet a few small problems and settled down to a happy little organization. Local opposition all but disappeared. New farm families started to approach Charles about joining the co-op.

He lost his smile when Lesley came by to advise that she was ready to return home. "I will be back," she cried. "I love it here. I am sure some of the other teachers will think about coming when they see my videos and hear what fun it's been." 

When Jack and Austin heard the news, they approached John, "we have built a gas BBQ down at the workshop and would like to put on an Aussie BBQ for Lesley before she leaves. We have been training the butchers at the slaughterhouse to make sausages and cut thin steaks. We will do the cooking and invite the schoolteachers and the students to come along and say goodbye."

It was the first John had heard of the workshop. He knew they had been gathering equipment together but did not know they had set it up. "Kim has been great, she has bought what we wanted and let us set up down here," they said as they showed him around. "We found a couple of men who could repair motor bikes and employed them. They introduced another who has some electrical skills. Sarah sends any students she thinks suitable over to the workshop after school. Our people are teaching them as much as they can." 

The numbers who turned up to Lesley's farewell BBQ taught John how much the locals valued the educational opportunities Sarah and Lesley provided. He was not the only one. Mr. Treet turned up unannounced. 

He asked to use the bands microphone. "I came to say thank you," he said as he made a presentation on behalf of the province. I know you have only been here just over a month but the value of your visit will last much longer." 

"Sarah has spent a tremendous amount of time refining the curriculum and our teaching methods. She told us on many occasions that English is the world's business language. She told us that those students who learn English will have more opportunities when Vietnam joins WTO and does more business with the world.' 

"She said we could provide Basic English training in the province. We never realized how valuable her work would be until you arrived. You have shown us by your expertise and enthusiasm what a properly planned teaching program can do to improve a schools performance." 

"My friends tell me that you have worked day and night helping individual students. They say that your happy enthusiastic way of teaching made our school a fun place. Please come back again."

Glen decided to stay. "I think Pansies too young for me," he told John over a beer. He grinned "don't worry I have a few prospects. Trinh is fantastic. We have got over my stupid remarks when we first met. She is not only beautiful but also very smart. She would be great in bed and could run my business" 

"Kim is another brainy bird, she is more mature than Pansy and more beautiful. Lelani introduce me to a couple of older women. They come up to the hotel some evenings. They have been more than friendly. I am not leaving this to go home." 

"There is no hope for him," he told Rose that evening. "He will never change." "Don't worry about him," Rose said as she led him inside. "Ly tells me that Jack has become very good around the home. He has rebuilt her bathroom and kitchen and started to build a shed so she can have a cow. They have bought a motor bike and go for a ride every evening. They seem very happy together." 

John smiled at her remarks. "Yes, both Jack and Austin are completely different to Glen. He winked, "They were lucky that Lelani and the girls picked good places for them to stay."



Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 07



Glen decided that John was becoming an old prude. Lelani told him that her massage girls were unable to accept his request to go to his hotel room. She winked when she told that she could arrange for him to meet what she called local widows who were in need of extra money. "You should set yourself up with a place," He kissed her and slipped her some money to say thanks.

An opportunity arose much quicker than he thought. Jack was one of those old-fashioned farmers that were known as Jack-Of-All-Trades. He could turn his hand to anything. He loved old cars and scouted around the province looking for motors to restore.

He was excited when he discovered and old Citroen sedan that had been garaged by the French when they withdrew from the area in the fifties. It was covered in chicken shit, its upholstery ripped and torn. The old tires had disintegrated and the body was rusted but he bought it and dragged it back to the hotel. Mick eyed it with concern, "you can't keep that ugly old bomb here," he cried. "I don't want this place to look like a second hand car yard."

That night when Jack returned home Ly ended his depressed state. "My uncle has a shed near the markets he sells fuel and tires. He does not have much money and has always said if he had a partner, he could set up a proper garage and repair shop. He says there is an opening to sell new motor bikes. Let's go down and you can talk to him."

Jack soon realized that the uncle was not interested in restoring cars. "Ask him does he want a partner and if he does will he let the partner set up a workshop to repair cars and motor bikes." Jake said as they walked around the small shed. Ly asked and the uncle became excited talking fast and waving his hands. 

"He says he would really like to sell his shed and retire. He talked about foreigners not being allowed to own small businesses." She blushed, "he says you should give me the money to buy him out. He said my brother knows the business he would work for you." 

Jake rode his bike down to see John then doubled him back to the shed. "Mate I don't know these people like you. It is only a small block but it's in a good position right on the corner of the main road near the markets. It's not a lot of money by our standards." 

"I like Ly; she is beautiful and so kind to me. We have a good thing going. I would rather just give her some money instead of buying her into a business. Can you check that I am not tying an albatross around her neck? What I really want you to do is check with the party people that we are not doing anything that will cause Ly any trouble."

John asked Ruby to make some checks. The next evening Ruby called to see them. "I think its good news," she said. "Ly can buy the property and business. She should disclose that the money is a gift from Jake and that Jake has no claim to ownership. If Jake wants a joint venture them there will be more paper work. It will take longer but it should be ok."

While they waited for approval Jake and Ly visited Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city to buy gear for what Jake now called Ly's Garage. New machinery from China was very cheap as was motor bikes. Ly and Jake had their personal disagreement over Chinese products. Ly making it clear she wanted to deal only in Vietnamese goods. In the end, they signed an agreement with a local bike maker and petrol company to act as their agents in the village.

Ly's Brother told Jake to call him Arthur. He shook his head negatively when he looked at the shed. "No good he said, "Will steal must have locks." He was right even with locks some tires brought from Hanoi disappeared overnight. 

Glen saw an opportunity. He told Jake and Ly someone has to live on the premises. "Clean up those rooms over the rear and I'll stay there overnight while I'm here. You can arrange for a worker to stay when I am away."

Jake knew why Glen wanted private rooms away from the family and made him pay to have the alterations and install security equipment. "We can't count on you to be watching all the time, I'm sure you will be fully occupied," he replied when Glen started to object.

Mr. Treet called at the feedlot and joined the workers for lunch. Charles reported that all farmers were now satisfied with the co-op and its management. "We would have had some problems without the co-op income that came from their half ownership of the cows but I can confidently say it won't look back. 

We have more and more requests to join especially since we set up the co-op store and supply farming equipment and goods cheap to our members."

"We'll give it another six months," Mr. Treet said as he left. "I'll invite the Ministry to send some officers up to talk to you and check it out. If in six months time it is still working well with no hiccups the province may be interested in setting up a larger provincial government organization." 

Ly's garage was a surprise success. The equipment Jake had scrounged together made it one of the best equipped in the province. Ly conferred with Rose and arranged for the older boys at the orphanage to be bussed up to the garage on weekends. Glen and Austin joined Jake teaching practical motor maintenance. 

A number of local men arrived each day to sit and watch Jake work on the vintage Citroen. When Jake experimented with a spray gun, one young man volunteered. He showed so much ability that Jake and Austin clubbed together and sent him down to Hanoi to train in the spray-painting booth at the government garage. Word went around that Jake would show locals how to use his equipment. The numbers dropping in grew until it became the hangout for local petrol heads.

The regular family meeting heard reports from the feedlot, the chicken farm the slaughter house-butchery and the Hotel. All were profitable, some more so than others. 

Rose suggested a timetable to repay John some of his capital and a small investment in training for the older boys and girls at the orphanage. "They have nothing when they leave the orphanage. They end up on the street. We could use Ly's garage to train the boys to repair and maintain motor bikes. We would have to find something for the girls."

Austin returned the next day to speak to Rose and John. "Jack has set Ly up in business and I would like to do something for Anh. I have refurbished and extended her house and fitted it out with modern appliances. She is very good at embroidery. I wondered if we could set up a small shop to train the orphans and sell their work down in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh."

Rose loved the idea. She worked with Austin and Anh setting up a place near Anh's house to train the girls from the orphanage. They traveled down to Hanoi and called on the tourist shops and the boutiques in Silk Street looking for an outlet for the products. 

They returned disappointed and dejected. "We have to find and outlet," they told John. "We can't just keep producing things. If they don't sell the girls will lose interest and we will fail." 

Shauna rang during the discussions and John told her about their plans to help train the older orphans. "Set up your own shop," she cried when he finished. "Call it the OP shop and advertise that the shop sells items made by provincial orphans. Promote the shop as a tourist attraction." She stopped for a moment. "This is woman's business. Let me talk to Rose and Anh." 

"We should look for some truly local rural Vietnam embroidery designs. Tourists are looking for something different. Let's plan to make our own hand made embroidered Bedclothes, Doonas, tablecloths, towels and quality shirts for both women and men. Lets sell local art pictures pottery and anything else people produce up here." 

"I know people do that now," she cried when they objected. "Our shop will be different. It will be the orphans shop and the designs and work will be local designs completely different to those shops in Silk Street. Those people who have fashion shows at your hotel from time to time should be asked to design some thing special for the orphanage."

She had them fired up in minutes. "Arrange to talk to provincial people responsible for welfare matters. See if we can meet with Mr. Treet and the Chairman. Their endorsement will be vital when we put the province's name on our products. I will drive up and join you. Tell Lelani I'm coming and book me a room at the hotel."

John watched and worried as Shauna worked with Rose. He need not have worried she laughed and joked as they went through the approval process. "Leave John to me," she argued when they suggested he be consulted. "He owes me one." 

We don't need his money," she told Anh. "Hit Austin for the lot. He is loaded and he has never had a young beauty like you look after him so well." Anh blushed and nodded when Shauna and Lelani asked, "Is he any good in bed?"

With Shauna's drive the plan to open a shop selling provincial and orphanage products in Hanoi went ahead. "The shop can be a magnet for investment in the province," she told Mr. Treet and the Chairman when they met. "You should rent the place next door and subsidize Anh and her orphans to display goods produced up here in your province."

"Remember sex sells," she laughed. "Pick a good-looking young woman from the orphanage and send her and one of your officers around the foreign enterprises that are looking for investment in minerals timber dairy and power. Their job will be to tell them that you have a city base where they can learn about opportunities in your province. Work on the goodwill the orphan's enterprise will foster."

For the next few weeks, the family put their efforts into the training and developing of what they now called the Orphan Enterprises. Shauna insisted they make provision for long distance and tourist busses to stop at Ly's garage. "They have a place where bus drivers get commission for giving their passengers a toilet break on the way to Halong Bay. We could do it in a smaller fashion here."

Rose was over the moon about the orphan program. She invited Shauna to join the family at the hotel each evening so they all knew what she was doing. The nights were full of fun as Shauna in her crazy way took over the project and drove it with Rose.

Over night, the joy went out of the families company businesses. One after another, the big chicken buyers rang to cancel future orders. A strange bird flu virus had killed a number of people and the government authorities had ordered the mass destruction of millions of chickens. 

Their stocks were to be destroyed and they could not put new birds back on their properties until given the all clear. Chicken was banned from restaurant menus even Kentucky fried chicken stores could not sell chicken. Eggs went off many Hotels' breakfast menus.

John reacted quickly when told that millions of chickens had been killed. "We will be next," he predicted. He contacted Mr. Treet. "Monica's chicken farms are the biggest employers in your province. We need to act quickly to disinfect or destroy any thing that may cause problems. Can you tell us what we must do to meet the highest hygiene standards?" 

Mr. Treet could not help, so John went to Hanoi and met the WHO representatives. On his return, he told them they should empty each shed. "If we cannot sell them or transfer them then kill them he told an ashen faced family."

When they objected, he overruled them angrily. "Your bloody life and the life of your workers are more important than a few million Dong. Do as you bloody told or I will do it myself."

In the end, they killed about eight thousand chickens and destroyed two thousand eggs. They dug large pits and burnt the carcasses after reports of deaths in a family that had buried sick ducks and chickens.

The farm was hit hard financially; sales slumped while they waited for their buyers to be given an all clear. Everyone was affected, egg producers, food suppliers and transport operators. They all put off workers as the country killed over forty million birds. China killed nine million birds and threw up barriers in Yunan province to stop Vietnamese chicken exports as the virus hit ten Asian countries. 

Each day Newspapers and radio stations reported new and frightening stories of how the bird flu virus had jumped to humans and people were sick and in some cases dying throughout the country. Hospitals started to test anyone entering hospital with respiratory infections. Workers at the farms started to panic as news of deaths spread amongst the community.

John realized that their families would be urging them to stay home. He called them together and asked Rose to talk to them He issued them with new gear and told them not to come to work if they were scared. 

He paid government inspectors to visit the workplace. They were surprised to see workers wearing facemasks and gloves. Footbaths were placed at every door. Workers were forced to shower and change. Everyone had to wear rubber boots and walk through the troughs as they entered the day old chick pens. Workers wore overalls that were supplied free after being laundered each day on the farm. 

When it was time for the government officials to report, Austin and Jake organized a free sausage sizzle and BBQ. "Let's have a bit of fun amongst all this gloom," Glen said as they invited workers and their families to join them in the grounds of the hotel. 

The government officials reported to the hundreds that turned up that the farms were clear and safe for work. The celebrations continued into the night as John and Rose counted the costs.

Kim was angry. She told them that the virus had cost the family millions of Dong in lost business. "The hotel has suffered as has all the hotels in Hanoi. The downturn in tourism hurt our fresh meat business. We never had the virus up here. We spent all that money and killed all those chickens for nothing. We should demand compensation." 

John tried to calm her down, "Claim compensation if you can but look on the bright side," he told her as he checked over the bills. "No one died on our farms or in our province. We have raised our hatchery to the highest possible international standards. It is one of a very few given the OK by the authorities."

"They haven't found an answer to the virus so it will come back again and again. Our customers who have had to kill all their birds will need new stock. That will mean very big orders. We will have to spend more money helping our fertilized egg suppliers to have their properties cleared. If we do that and maintain a clean record, we will be able to sell every chick we produce."

Despite John's optimism, the road to recovery was slow and painful. Ensuring workers wore their gloves and masks became more difficult when the news no longer reported deaths and hospitalization of victims. One or two rabble-rousers found it hard to get support because of the good wages and conditions. Just the same, they continued to try to stir up trouble. 

Monica finally had to threaten to fire anyone who broke the rules. "Your jobs and my business depend on us keeping a clean bill of health with the authorities. When our customers come to see what we have done, I want them to see you all in the clean clothes we have provided. Anyone who does not meet the dress standards is finished, no excuses just finished." 

"More than twenty people have died so far in Vietnam," John told them. People just like you they all had access to birds, chickens and ducks. Kids are in hospital after their mothers have died. Just think what that means to their families. If you won't take precautions then leave. Go away we won't be responsible for you." 

He read from a newspaper report. "It's called the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus. This paper says that one hundred million birds have been killed in ten countries. They do not have an answer so it will return." 

"We are not going to wait for that to happen. The new rules will apply to you all. The rules and dress are only there because we know if you do not take care when you work with birds, it could kill you and the ones you love. Don't worry about your jobs, worry about your lives and the lives of your family."

Day by day things improved. Jake and Austin went to egg suppliers and worked with them to meet the new guidelines. "It's bloody confusing," Jake said one night. "No one seems to really know what to do. All we can do is clean up the farms and help them get going again." 

It was more than confusing. Even after they had started the incubators and were producing chickens. Hordes of inspectors flooded on to the farms and chicken sheds. They walked around for hours and left without making any determination or suggestions. It seemed no local wanted to make the hard call. Once again, Mr. Treet helped. The farm received the necessary clearances from Hanoi.

Glen created a little comic relief when two women who were apparently enjoying his favors had a fight in the marketplace. He was all apologies at the Hotel that night. "Don't give me a bloody lecture mate I can't help it. They're so beautiful; they do everything to please me." He leered at John, "and I really mean everything. They make me feel so good I just can't say no."

John who had lived with a family of beautiful Vietnamese women for nearly two years understood, "settle down," he cried. "No one is going to lecture you. All I ask is that you remember we are visitors here. No matter what you think, they don't love you for yourself. They love what you stand for, an escape from poverty an opportunity to live a better life." 

"Be a bit bloody discreet. They live in a small village. You hurt them when you treat them like prostitutes and parade their infidelities for all to see. You are a bit of a shit when you show their family and friends that they are having sex for money." 

He knew his advice was ignored. The women of the village had never experienced a moneyed playboy like Glen. He showered them with gifts for their homes and their families. He booked them in to the beauty salon. "Give them the full treatment," he said to Lelani with a boyish grin. "When you're finished I want you to buy them clothes from the best fashion shops in the country. I want every man they pass to look at them and whistle." 

His fault was obvious to all. He was kind and gentle and treated them like queens. He could not help showing off each new woman he seduced. He loved to parade around the Hotel with a new woman on his arm. 

It was only natural that he would create enemies. It came to a head one evening when Jack found him dazed a bleeding beside his burning bike. A gang of young men had attacked him. They warned him in broken English before they bashed him and set his bike on fire.

Jack came straight from the co-op clinic to report to the worried family, "Glen was lucky you have your own doctor. He could have died without early medical treatment. As it is Henri says he will take months to recover." 

To the family's surprise, Kim visited him at the clinic and asked them to shift him to her room. She looked at Rose defiantly when he was carried into the house. "He's been silly and has paid a terrible price. We can't leave him down there when he needs help. I will look after him," she declared. 

Each evening John joined Rose on the rooftop. The family taking it on themselves to ensure that they had quality time alone together. One evening she was very quiet and he knew she had something important to say. He only waited a few minutes before she spoke. 

"Glen and one of the women who fought in the market have set up a Vietnamese two star guesthouse in an old building in the village." She looked worried as she went on. "Her husband was a small time Gangster he was murdered down near the port. The public security said it was over drugs."

"Their guesthouse has what I have heard you call a 'girlie Bar' in the basement. Men go there for sex. Women let the men maul them and charge then to have sex in the upstairs rooms. The woman who was attacked is a good woman called Orchid. Lelani introduced Glen to her and he has been sleeping with Orchid at her house when he is not down at the bar." 




Eleven Orphan Daughters Ch. 07



"Romany the gangster's widow is very beautiful. I do not think she is very bad but she has connections with some Hanoi gangs. We suspect that she bashed this other woman and had a gang give Glen a beating because he had been sneaking off to see someone else and she found out. It seems he can't keep his thing in his trousers it will get him into trouble."

"Kim knows all this and she still likes him. It is up to her what she does with her life but I want you to talk to Glen. He must no bring the gangs up here. They will ruin everything if they come."

John waited until Kim went to work next day before visiting Glen in her room. Glen was unfazed. "Mate I am not giving it up. I have invited some of our cobbers over here. I have told them I will set them up with a different pretty young filly every night they stay with me."

"I'm sorry for Orchid, she is a good kid. "I'll make sure that Romany does not touch her again, As far as the gangs and dope are concerned they're out. I give you my word Romany will do what I ask." His face broke into a grin. "She's my fuck slave. She likes my white skin and my big cock too much not to do as she's told."

John found it hard to tell Rose all of the things Glen had said. He left out the bit about Romany loving Glen's big cock and told her the rest. "I'm ashamed to say it really boils down to the fact that he will be running what will be sex tours to our village," he said as he finished.

Rose surprised him when she took his report very calmly. "You cannot blame young women with no job and no prospects of jobs for selling their bodies. Especially when they see the money, foreigners will pay. I am not going to try to stop it, but I do not like it and do not want my family or you involved." 

Rose was wound up. "I am very disappointed in Lelani she is running that beauty salon and massage room at the hotel. I told her not to allow massage women in the hotel rooms. I am told she is enforcing my rule But she did a silly thing in introducing Glen to Romany knowing Romany's connection with the underworld through her former husband."

John slipped his arm around Rose. "You are truly a remarkable woman," he cried. "I was worried when I came up here tonight. I thought you would be angry with me for bringing Glen here."

Rose smiled," I know men have needs and are tempted by the difference in our women when compared with yours. She dropped her head and blushed. "Women have needs too," she whispered quietly.

Glen was still bed ridden when his first men's Girlie Bar tour arrived. Jack and Austin had settled into relationships with Ly and Anh and did not want to upset their new family arrangements by getting involved in the girlie bar.

It fell to John to meet them in Hanoi and drive them up to the village. On the way, he explained what had happened.

"My partner Rose is very broad minded and she in many ways leads the thinking on these issues. She has looked after orphans for years and would not have an enemy in the village. There are a few who don't like foreigners so my advice is to be discreet."

"You each have a room booked at Romany's hotel. The girls and the bar are downstairs in the same building. You will not have to go out in public for sex." 

"If after you spend some time with the bar girls you think you would like to meet locals there is a weekly sausage sizzle BBQ that Jack and Austin run for my family and our workers families. Generally over a hundred turn up."

"You can meet some beautiful women there who won't hassle you for money. I am sure they will enjoy the attention of young foreign men who behave themselves. He dropped them at the guesthouse. "I will come down the bar tonight to see everything is ok. Have a good time. Wear a condom you don't want to catch Hong Kong dong." 

Shauna drove up from Hanoi to meet the Queenslanders. She found out John was going down to the hotel to join them at the bar. "I'll come down too," she laughed. "I've always wanted to go to one of those places." Glen sat up in his bed, "What a waste," he cried. "Taking a woman to a girlie bar is like carrying coal to Newcastle."

John had to admit that Romany and Glen operated a good bar. A wide selection of girls in all shapes and sizes welcomed them at the door. They all wore tiny green silk shifts and little else. The bar was dark and cool after the warmth outside. 

The girls swarmed over the foreigners. Before they knew what had happened each man had one or two women rubbing their bodies against his while they opened sterilized cloths and wiped the sweat from their faces. Without any fuss, they had separated each man from his mates and led them to private alcoves or the bar. 

Romany came out to meet John and Shauna. "Come with me," she whispered. "There is a private alcove over here where you can see what is happening but no one can see you."

She took a cloth and proceeded to swipe Johns face. John looked down at her magnificent body. She knew how to display herself to perfection he though as he noticed the way her nipples stood out against the see through silk shift. Shauna pushed herself up off the seat and stood between his legs pulled his head over to hers and whispered in his ear. "Cut it out big boy you are here with me."

"I wasn't doing anything," he protested. "I know but it wouldn't have taken long before you did," she laughed as she squeezed his erect cock. The boys started to sing as the beer and spirits took hold. Shauna sauntered out to join them leaving John with Romany.

As soon as Shauna left, John moved to sit on a barstool. Romany moved to stand between his legs her pussy pushed hard up towards his cock. She wiped his face and hands and then took his hand and slid it under the side of her shift so he could hold her breast.

Without thinking of the consequences, he automatically started to play with her nipple. Before too long she was kissing his ear and breathing heavy. She undid his fly. Reached inside and rescued his hard cock from the confines of his pants. He gasped as she started to stroke it lightly. 

"What about Glen?" he whispered. "I would rather have you," she replied. So much for Glen's idea that she was his love slave and in love with his big cock, he thought as her hand led his down between her legs and she kissed him. 

With his fingers in her pussy and his cock in her hand his conscience came back to haunt him. He could see Shauna down the end of the long room but was not worried about her. His mind kept flashing images of Rose beautiful Rose. He knew she was what he wanted, but the raw raunchy sex offered by Shauna and Romany was hard to resist.

Romany's hand was moving faster now encouraging his cock to spew out its cream. "No," he said as he pushed her away and headed for the door. Outside he hopped on his bike and raced down to Rose's house. He ran up the stairs and stood puffing at the door. He hesitated for a second then pushed the door open. Rose looked fantastic as she sat up in her bed. "We both have needs," he said as he shut the door.



Eleven Orphan Daughters



The bus battled the winding road and the traffic as he laughed and joked with the youngsters. They tried their English on him and in turn tried to teach him some Vietnamese.

Leaving the bus, they walked through the market down a secondary road to a modest single story Vietnamese house. Inside the room was crowded with people. "Do you have visitors?" he asked. "No," she laughed. "This is mum's family." 

He asked, "What do I call your mum?" I can't keep calling her mum." Mai thought for a while. "Her name will be hard for you to pronounce. She has always wanted a name like a flower. We call her Rose privately. It's not her name but she loves it. Try calling her that and we will see how she reacts." 

John sat with Rose drinking green tea as she introduced her family. Mai interpreted for her, expanding the explanations of each family member's history. They were all girls. John could not believe how beautiful they were. 

Mai was the youngest. She would finish school this year. She explained that the family was told not to work today. "Mum wanted us all to meet you so they would stop worrying about you two meeting every day." 

John was having fun. The house was poor but spotless. The food had little meat but the salads were marvelous. He was waited on hand and foot. Everyone wanted to sit with him. He could tell by the way they cuddled up to him that they liked having a man around the house. He decided that he had never met a more happy family. 

When he asked to see the district, the girls walked him for miles. They took him down to the market and introduced him to their friends as a farmer from Australia. From then on a stream of young kids drifted up shyly to meet the man from Uc.

Before they left the markets, John bought chickens pork and a large bag of sweets and cakes. He gave Mai 500 Thousand Dong and told her to buy whatever they needed to make the evening meal a party. 

She carefully went through the market buying vegetables and fruit. "We will buy bottled water and beer for you," she laughed as he remembered how she had boiled water so he could quench his thirst. 

Mai smiled when he bought a large bunch of flowers. "For mum?" she asked. "Yes," he smiled, "Roses for Rose." On the way back home, she gave him 350 thousand-dong. "You gave too much," she laughed when he protested.

When night started to fall, John sought out Mai and suggested he should leave. "Oh, no! Mother wants you to stay; you said you did not have to return until Monday." 

"There's no room," he groaned. "I don't want to put any one out of their bed." Mai and her sisters gathered around. "We want you to stay," they pleaded. "We have never seen mum so happy and proud."

They gave him no chance to disagree. "You take him to lock up the chickens," Mai called to her sisters. "We will prepare John's food for dinner."

John studied the farm while the girls rounded up the chickens. As far as he could see, they had a few stands of bananas, a few sticks of sugar cane, one or two fruit trees, a vegetable patch plus some land that had grown rice.

"Do you have a buffalo or a cow?" he asked. They laughed, "No we can't afford one. Mum makes us do all the digging. Sometimes a neighbor will use his buffalo to plough the rice paddy."

"Well I don't know how your mother has raised all you kids. I cannot see how she could make enough out of the farm." The girls stopped chasing the chooks. "Yes it would have been very hard," they admitted, "but mum always coped. It's better now that some of us girls can work and earn some money."

Back in the house, the food covered the main table. "Thank you John," Mai whispered. "This is a feast. It's much more than we normally have in the evening."

When they finished eating, they led him outside to sit in the cool evening air. Rose sent her family out one at a time to talk to him. Kim was the first to join him. She was the eldest. 
 She apologized for bringing him outside. "Mother keeps inviting homeless youngsters to stay with us. We are short of room but she always says don't worry."

Kim leant against a spindly tree in front of the house. She was short and petite. Like all the others, her hair was very long. She wore it coiled up on her head in a style John had never seen before. 

"Mother is very happy that you agreed to stay. She is very proud of our family and our farm," John was surprised at her fluent English." Your English is very good, how many of the family speak English?" 

"We all do," she replied, pride showing in her voice. "We all learnt at middle school. Mum demanded that we talk English to each other as much as possible so we would not forget what we had learnt. We have all adopted English names as part of our studies. "

"Oh so that's why I was told to call her Rose," he said with a smile. "Yes mum is called Rose when we speak English. Between you and me, she can speak a little English. We have been teaching her." She laughed when he looked up in surprise. "She cannot understand you because she says you speak to fast and too loud."

Two of Kim's sisters had joined them. They sat leaning against his legs. "Well I have a job for you," John said as he winked at Kim. "You must make sure I speak slowly. If I start to talk fast its up to you three to give me a signal to slow down."

One after another, the family joined them until everyone sat in a circle in front of him. John placed a chair beside him for Rose and looked around at her family. 

"Thank you for a wonderful day. Today has made me realize how much I miss my wife. I loved her very much. We had been married for twenty years that's a long time. We never had children so I have never been part of a large family like yours." 

He turned to look at Rose." I have no ties left in Australia. I am a farmer and I am bored now that I have sold my farms. I am going back to Australia next week but I have been thinking that I would like to come back here to your farm again." 

Rose spoke quickly in Vietnamese. "Mum says you are welcome to visit any time," Kim interpreted as they all smiled. He spent the next hour answering questions about Australia. Finally, the room became quiet as he exhausted their questions about Kangaroos and Koalas and all things Australian. 

Breaking the silence he decided to change the subject." This is a lovely spot. What a great view," John said as he waved his hand towards a large area of water. He noticed the pride in Kim's voice as she responded. "That's our village reservoir it supplies our water. Our village is never short of water it comes from an underground spring." 

"I can't get over your House blocks they are very narrow, at home they are much larger," he observed still trying to get the conversation going. "Is it possible to build one of those Vietnamese three story houses on this block? The views over the water and the farms would be great. I have seen tall thin houses along the road. Could you do that here?" 

Kim was enthusiastic "Oh, yes, if you have the money. Mother talks of buying land next door. That family wants to leave. Rice farming is not very profitable. The family wants to shift into the city so their father can get a construction job." 

"They will surrender the farm. Mum has told the peoples committee that she wants to buy it." "I don't think mum has the money. If all of us were working, the committee might agree to the bank giving us a loan." 

"How much would it cost?" he asked as they all started to talk excitedly. "If you build a home of one floor on the ground it's far cheaper than second and third floors." Kim replied. 

"In your money it would be over $100 per square meter on the ground and more than $180 for higher floors. It is not very expensive out here in the country when compared with Hanoi City."

John looked at Rose and spoke slow. "You could build one of those long skinny Vietnamese three story houses on your land for under US $35,000." Kim could not wait for Rose to answer. "Yes that's right. If you had to buy the land it would probably cost around $20,000 extra."

Rose shook her head. "We could never do that. Even if the land was cheaper, we could not afford it. The house is out of the question. We need more land to farm. We do not need a bigger house." 

"I agree you need a bigger farm. John said speaking slowly. You also need a bigger house." He looked at Rose. "We have only just met. But I feel like I have known you forever. I cannot believe what you have done for these girls. I would like to help. Will you let me buy you some land and build a house?" 

One of her daughters who had kept quiet during the discussion broke in, "I don't think you can buy farm land. I think it's against the law for a foreigner." Her body language and tone told John that she was antagonistic. 

"Look I don't want to cause trouble." John said as they all fell silent. "I don't want to buy land for myself. I was thinking of how I could help Rose." Mai took the opportunity to bring John a beer. "I bought this at the market. I know Australians like beer. I'm sorry it's not cold." 

Gradually everyone drifted off to bed. John was amazed at the beds that appeared. They all changed in the one bedroom then came into the main room to their beds. It was all done discreetly with a quiet respect for each other's privacy. He watched them as they helped each other and made up his mind to persevere with the idea of building Rose a house.

He rolled out of bed early next morning. Most of the girls were still asleep when he changed and slipped outside. He was surprised to find he was not alone. 

The daughter who had raised the inability of foreigners to buy land was sitting out front. She stood up when he approached. He studied her closely. He guessed that she would be in her thirties. 

She had a slim but well-rounded body. Her breasts seemed much larger than those he had seen on the average Vietnamese woman. Like Mai, she had long jet-black hair that hung down to her waist. 

"I am sorry," he said. "I don't think we had time to meet properly yesterday. If my memory is correct you are called Hang, I have to apologize but I seem to have forgotten your English name."

She poured him a cup of tea. "I use Ruby as my English name." "Thanks, please call me John. Can we talk about the matter we were discussing last night? You seemed to be against what I was suggesting. Have I done anything to offend you?" 

She sat down. "I work for the Ministry of labor invalids and social affairs. We see many foreign do gooders in Vietnam. They come over here rush around and make promises then disappear back home and we never see them again. They only cause unrest and disappointment." 

"Well I'm not a do gooder. I am just a retired farmer there is no way your mum can make this farm pay. The soil is buggered. It needs a lot of work. Your fruit trees are full of fruit fly. There are better types of sugar cane and bananas. Your chooks are old they need replacing. You really need a new farm." 

"I like your mother. She is a bloody hard worker. What she has done and is doing for you girls is wonderful. Now that I have met her and your sisters, I would like to do something to help. I can give her money but what she needs is more practical long term help."

He waited for her to respond. When she didn't he decided to spell out the idea that had been growing in his mind since yesterday. "I have money. What I need is help deciding what to do. If we work together we can set your mum up so she can continue to help orphans and the homeless without killing herself with hard work."

"I have to return home with our delegation next week. I will be back. When I come back, you will know I am not a do gooder who has made promises and disappeared. When I return will you help me."

Ruby watched John carefully as he sipped his tea. "I don't know," she said. "I don't know whether to trust you. You must want something. No one spends his own money helping people he does not know."

"If I come back will you work with me and not against me?" he asked as they heard others approaching. She nodded her head, "yes I will help you, if you come back."

The girls completed their chores by mid morning. John had spent the morning doing minor repairs on their pushbikes. As they finished their work, they sat around talking while they watched him work. "I need to go to the market," he told them as he washed up. I need a couple of tires some replacement mud guards carry baskets and battery operated lights."

They walked to the markets together. He quickly found the items he wanted and then followed Rose. She seemed to know everyone. She introduced him to them all, explaining that he had been a farmer. Because of his size and the fact that this tiny village saw very few foreigners, he became the center of attraction. 

He bought food from the roving vendors for each member of the family, finally settling on a noodle dish for himself. The family and their friends laughed when he was unable to sit on the tiny plastic chairs provided by the food stall. "Chair to small," he laughed. "No you too big," Kim replied. 

When they returned to their farm, Mai took his hand. "You are very nice," she whispered, "our friends like you." He finished repairing the bikes. With new tires mudguards and chain guards, the bikes looked like new again.

As he completed each one, its owner would hop aboard and ride it around the yard. He marveled as he worked at the joy they derived from such simple things.

Early Sunday morning he once again joined Ruby outside. After they finished their tea. He smiled at her, "Let's look at the land your mother wants to buy," he said. 

"I'll walk down with you, but I remind you that you cannot own land here," Ruby replied. Her body language telling him she was unhappy.

As they walked down the narrow path, he walked behind her. He could not help but stare at her perfect hips and tight bottom. Suddenly she turned around and caught him staring at her backside. He blushed, "I couldn't help it you're very beautiful." She did not respond.

He groaned, "Now I've done it, you'll hate me even more." She stared at him. "I don't hate you. You seem nice. But I don't want you to break mums heart. Please don't raise her expectations and let her down." 

That exchange on the narrow path seemed to change her attitude slightly. She became more friendly less reserved. They started to laugh at each other's mistakes.

They walked over the farms that would become available if the party committee agreed. "I'm a party member," she volunteered when he started to ask about the local committee. "Our village is very small. The provincial committee headquarters is located in the next village because it's bigger." 

She became animated when she talked about the party. "Our committee is looking for some new industry to create jobs. Rice farming is hard. It does not bring much money to our families or the district." 

"There are empty farms. Farmers are leaving to go to construction jobs in the city. They can earn more money. There are many more opportunities for their kids in the city. We badly need a new imitative."

John leant back against a tree. "I'm over here with some cattle men. Your central government and the party have decided to build a dairy industry. They plan to build Vietnams herd to 200,000 in 10 years. They are already importing dairy cattle from my state."

"The Mekong delta and Ho Chi Minh City are not good locations for dairy cows. Up here in the hills is much more suitable." He turned to her. "I have noticed how passionate you are about your party and your country. You are not going to like what I say next."

"Your government's plans will face serious problems because of a lack of dairy experience. Dairy cattle do not thrive in the tropics. Especially in Asia when they are given to individual farmers." 

"Your farmers don't look after their animals like we do back home. Cattle from Australia that are sold to Vietnam are poorly fed in comparison with what they have been used to back home." 

"You lack feed and grazing land. Your farmers do not have the necessary knowledge about animal health to become aware that a cow is ailing until sometimes it is too late."

"I could go on and on, but I can see you are not impressed. So let me start again. The Dairy industry and dairy cattle can and will work in Vietnam." 

"It just needs some one or some group to prove that there is a better way than leaving it to individual farmers. I think with the right planning and guidance a village like yours can make a go of it. If your party will agree to try a different approach it may be the opportunity your village has been waiting for."

Ruby's attitude had changed as he spoke. She was smiling as she jumped up and took his hand. "Let's go and see my local Chairman. I am sure he will be interested." 

Meetings took up the rest of the morning. They met with local party members and officials. A phone call arranged a meeting with the Provincial Peoples committee Chairman. He in turn arranged a meeting with the Party Secretary. All agreed that John's idea was worth investigating. 

The provincial Party Secretary and John quickly became friends. By the time their meeting was over John was so sure of his friendship that he asked him to approve Rose buying the farm next door. 

The party secretary was surprised at John's request. He smiled "have you found a Vietnamese lady friend?" When John laughed and said "not yet," he told John that he would make sure land was available. "I can't promise a specific block but I will make sure there is land available," he said as they parted with a warm hug and a handshake.

John was impressed with Ruby. She was smart and tough. She was not afraid to stand up and have her say. During the meetings, she had made sure her views were known and understood. More importantly, she had helped John by asking him questions or reminding him of points that he had raised at one meeting and had forgotten to raise at the next.

They were smiling and laughing together when they reached home. "My you two have changed," Rose said as she joined them. "What have you been up to?" they both blushed as Ruby spoke quickly in Vietnamese explaining John's plan. 

Rose looked at John. She spoke slowly in English. "Thank you," she said quietly. "We need new ideas if our families are to stay here and not move to the cities."

John returned to Hanoi full of ideas. His mates were overwhelmed. Stan who was active in conservative politics in Australia was the most outspoken. "You've been meeting with local communist party officials and you plan to do business with them. Shit man have you lost your head?" 

Harry could not help laughing, "You have been gone for the weekend and when you return you want to use your own money to develop a dairy industry in a village over three hours from here. What have you been drinking? Better still what's her name?"

John smiled, "they were all beautiful. Stop being so negative. I have sat and listened to you as you complain and winge about the problems that you experience when selling cattle to your current buyer. You know he is ripping off local farmers. You know that he will destroy the good name of your cattle if you don't do something." 

"You know the Mekong Delta and its climate is not suitable for dairy cattle. You complain but you do nothing. I have found a place where I am sure dairy cattle will thrive. It is much cooler than here. It is up in a hillside area, it has plenty of water and available land." 

"The party people who run things there will support the introduction of dairy cattle. I think I have convinced them to build a feedlot and use that to train their farmers how to care for pregnant cows."

John was disappointed as he caught the lift to his room. No matter how hard he argued it was clear that his friends would not help him. He sat in his room alone. His mates made him sad and angry. 




Eleven Orphan Daughters



He missed having Anh waiting for him in his room. She had left when he told her he was going to the farm for the weekend. Shit, he thought, I am really going bad even the prostitutes are dumping me. 

The trip back to Australia was tiring. His mates kept talking about the cattle they had sold to their buyer in Ho Chi Minh City. They had ignored John's advice. "It's not our problem if the cattle fail," Charlie said. "Let the buyer beware that's my slogan. If he wants to run a dairy in the delta that is up to him. You have become a bloody do gooder," he said as he shook his head in disgust. 

John spent the next month gathering information on feedlots, fruit fly, sugar cane and other crops. He took a computer course at the local TAFE and hired a personal tutor to make sure his computer skills were sufficient to teach the girls back in Vietnam. 

His financial advisor assured him his investments were more than adequate to allow him to take two million Australian dollars and transfer it to an account with the Australian and New Zealand bank in Hanoi. "We can claim it as an investment for tax purposes," he told John. 

Stan did everything to stop him. He told most of their friends that John had gone Troppo. John was warned against the move in turn by his accountant, then his bank manager and then the director of the farmer's federation. 

When he told them at the pub, he was going back to build a feedlot Harry exploded. "It's neither the women nor the grog," he said with a nasty tone in his voice. "He's bloody gone commo."

It was mid morning when he emerged from the Airport terminal in Hanoi. His face lit up when he spied Ruby and Mai. There was a lump in his throat when he said, "This is very nice, a real surprise. You didn't have to meet me." 

He gave each a hug and tried to kiss them on the cheek. "Here give us a hand," he laughed as a heavy box fell from his overloaded trolley. "I have bought a few things that I thought might come in handy." 

He looked around, "The hotel has a car booked for me. Can I give you a lift?" "Rose does not want you to stay in Hanoi," Mai whispered. "She sent us to meet you and bring you back to the farm. If we do not have to go into town, we can catch a bus at the turn off on the highway."

John looked at his overloaded trolley. "I couldn't get all of this on the bus. Let's go into the hotel and have some lunch. We can sort out what we are going to do while we are eating."

Luckily, the hotel had sent a mini bus to pick up John, His heavy bags and boxes filled the rear seats. Mai sat in the front with the driver. Ruby and John sat together behind her. He looked at Ruby and took her hand giving it a squeeze. "I told you I would return," he whispered. She removed her hand from his and turned her head to look at him, "I'm glad you did." They rode in silence to the hotel.

Over lunch, Ruby suggested that John should book a room at a hotel in the province. Mai agreed, "You will need a place of your own. There are no hotels in our village but there is a one star Vietnamese hotel about 30 minutes away in the village where you met the party secretary." 

"Let's go and talk to a car dealer," he said as they left the restaurant. "I want to lease a mini bus and a driver for a month with the option of purchasing it when we have our own driver. He looked at Ruby," I will leave that to you to negotiate. Let's go down the ANZ bank. I have money there that we can withdraw." 

The afternoon sped by. With the banking formalities, completed Ruby leased a bus and an English-speaking driver. They loaded up the bus with John's boxes and left the hotel. 

As soon as they passed over the Red River Bridge John asked the driver to stop and jumped in the driving seat. "Come and sit beside me," he said to Ruby. "You are going to learn to drive." 

After they left the highway, he stopped. "Now it's your turn. It is automatic so you do not have to change gears. You only need to operate the brakes and steering." Ruby was surprisingly good. She drove far to slow but was untroubled by traffic and the other cars that bulldozed their way along the road.

They reached the village as the sun set. The driver took over to negotiate the bus through the side road and the market before running down the lane to the farm. 

The whole family turned out to welcome them. They all lined up to give him a kiss on the cheek and a hug. My god he thought as he felt a soft breast brush his arm. I have forgotten their names. I will have to get Mai to teach me all over again. 

Their excitement at receiving his gifts was nothing compared with their surprise when they unpacked solar panels, electrical equipment, a computer and loads of books. 

"The books are for the local school you can go through them and keep what ever you want. Look in the other boxes I have brought many things for the farm. Some of my friends in our Governments Primary Industries department have provided information that could help local farmers." 

It was late when John and the driver booked into the hotel. I am glad we took the gear to the farm first John thought as he struggled to carry his bag up the narrow stairs to his room. 

He went down stairs to ask for help when his shower would not work. The young man who was watching TV had little English. After struggling for a few minutes, he called a young girl. "Yes shower and massage," she said as she ushered him out the front door.

Next-door three young women welcomed him. One who obviously had a little English said, "Room three." She followed him in and indicated the shower. "You shower," she said as she stood and watched him start to undress. When he indicated she should leave while he undressed, she laughed and started to help him out of his clothes.

The water was cold but he didn't care. He was tired. The young masseuse dried him off and made him lay face down. She was surprisingly good. Before long, he was half-asleep as she worked on his tired body. When she made him turn over, he had a chance to study her, she was quite curvaceous.

She flipped his towel away and took his prick in her hand. She made motions suggesting a blowjob. When he signaled no, she opened her shirt exposing her small hard breasts. She then took some baby oil and started to move her hand down over his balls. 

His prick had a mind of its own. John was frightened of VD and AIDS. His prick could not have cared less. Within minutes, he felt his sperm flood up and spew out over her hand. She smiled her eyes wide, "good" she whispered. He had to agree, "Good," he moaned. 

Early next morning he went for a walk around the village. The market was filling up by the time he returned to the hotel. He could see that many items were over supplied. It didn't take him long to work out that with a little planning Rose and her family could plan so they grew items that were scarce not those in oversupply.

He was sipping a cup of green tea in the hotel lobby when Ruby arrived. "I need your help," he told her as they sat down. "You must help me convince the party and the local government to let your family own more land."

She smiled, "while you were away the peoples committee agreed that we could buy any of the available farms if we were able to raise the money. Mr. Treet, the party secretary likes you. He wants you to join him for lunch." 

John had Ruby show him the farms. Then he asked how they could obtain approval to build Rose a three-story house. Ruby laughed, "You have made a very powerful friend. Mr. Treet has already asked the peoples committee chair and his officials to join you for a meeting before lunch." 

"He has told them to help you. He has said he wants them to devise a dairy plan for the province based on your ideas. Tomorrow he will organize a meeting with senior officials from the ministry of agriculture and rural development so you can tell them how you think our province can make a success of dairy farming." 

John had never been involved in a formal meeting with Vietnamese government officials before. He relied on Ruby who told him where to sit, when to speak and how to keep it short so the interpreter would be able to cover the points he made. 

The meeting over they all joined the party secretary for lunch. He immediately asked John was he happy with the results of the meeting.

"More than happy," John responded. He nodded towards the Chairman. "He is a man of action. He has graciously agreed to allow Rose Nguyen to buy or lease three farms." 

‘She will immediately build a house on the larger farm near the reservoir. That will accommodate her family of orphans. He has agreed that Mrs. Nguyen and her family can construct a small feedlot to accommodate 100 cows. 

"He has agreed to the feedlot so we can use it to train locals in feedlot procedures. They in turn will show provincial and central government officials how my proposal for the provinces dairy industry will work." 

"The committee will help find farmers who will grow fodder on contract for the feed lot. I am sure he is right when he says farmers will be better off growing corn and grass for the feedlot than growing rice when rice prices are so low." 

"In the short term there will be new jobs constructing the house and the feed lot buildings. Supplying material, carting fodder and working at the feedlot will bring some additional benefit to your province. In the long term, if your province decides to build a major feedlot and a number of dairies there will be many benefits to the province and its farmers."

John and Ruby were stunned when Rose opposed his plans to buy farms and build a house. She became stubborn and angry, "too much debt" she argued. "Rose has never been in debt, don't owe anyone." She had not changed her mind when John returned to the hotel that night. 

The next morning he sat and talked to Ruby. She had spent time after he left discussing their plans with Rose. "Under our law any land you buy must be in her name. You cannot have it in your name. She hasn't enough money to buy one farm. She is frightened that you will borrow to buy farms for her and leave her with the debt."

Ruby suggested that they talk to an accountant in the next village. As she drove him over to the village, they passed the party secretaries office. Mr. Treet was coming down the steps and waved to John, They stopped and talked about their problems. 

"Leave it to me," he said. "I'll talk to Rose. It will be a couple of days before I can get down to the farm but leave it to me." John did not want to wait a few days. He was in a hurry but realized that without Rose's agreement his whole plan would fail.

At the farm, the mood had changed. The girls wanted John to buy land and build a house but no one was prepared to go against Rose's wishes. John was upset that his plans had caused a division in the family. He talked to Mai after school. "What can I do," he asked. 

Mai was wise beyond her years. "We need to think and talk about something else," She told him as she put her bike away. "Remember you told us we needed new chickens. Mum has said that she agrees we need to renew our flock. I saw thirty chickens down at the market today could we buy some." "We‘ll buy the lot," he said. 

At the market there were only twenty-two chickens left. The owner told them her family was leaving for the city. My husband is going to find work in construction. I'm trying to sell everything before we leave." 

They drove her back to her farm to see what else she had for sale. They walked around while John counted what was left. "I make it two old hens, four ducks a drake a goose and a scrawny kitten with a sore eye." John looked at Mai, "we'll buy the lot," he said as she laughed.

Back at the house, they unloaded their menagerie. Mai and her sisters took the chickens and ducks down to the yard leaving John with the kitten and the goose. Rose heard them laughing and joking and came out to see what they were doing. 

She cried, "oh the poor thing," when she spied the kitten. She picked it up and cuddled it in her arms. "I will bathe its eye," she said as he took it inside. Mai looked at John, "isn't that typical of Rose she always helps those in need." John agreed as he finished unloading the chicken feed and fed the goose. 

In days to come, John would remember feeding that goose. It had obviously decided when he gave it much more food than normal, that John was a good master. It followed him everywhere. It had no fear. If anything it was aggressive, it would not let strangers near him especially when John was resting. 

John had a new protector and Rose had her first pet. In the evenings, Rose sat with her kitten on her lap. She continually brushed its coat and bathed its eye. Her family was amazed. "Mums never had time for pets," they said as they watched her feeding and talking to kitten as if it was human. 

By the time the party secretary and the local Agricultural bank manager called, Rose was back to her normal easy going self. The visitors talked in private with Rose then asked John to join them.

The bank manager explained that he did not want to interfere in John's business but he had come at the request of the party secretary and needed some answers. "Rose is worried that you will need a lot of money."

John laughed, "I don't want her to worry, I will pay for the house and the feedlot myself. When it makes a profit, you can sit down with Rose and me and work out the financials."

"What if it fails?" the Bank manager asked. "It won't," John replied. "If it does, I will lose my money. Rose will have lost nothing and she will have a new house for her family. I will leave it to you to have the legal papers drawn up so Rose owns it all, no loans and no debt; it will be a cash transaction."

They walked outside together. Mr. Treet shook John‘s hand. "You are very generous. If Rose does not agree we will find you other farms for the feedlot and other families." "Oh no," John cried. "It must be Rose. I have come to admire her and her family so much that I couldn't walk away and leave them."

"You won't have to," the bank manger said, "Her only worry was debt. Now that we can assure her there will be no debt you will only have to get her to agree to let you spend your money." It still was not easy to convince Rose. She spent two days thinking about it before giving in to the pleas of her family. 

The Party Secretary called the day she agreed. "Don‘t let me down." He said. "I am counting on you to make this feedlot work. If you do, it will not only help Rose and her family it will help lots of people who want jobs in our province." 

Once a decision was made to go ahead with the house there was no trouble with the recommended local Housing Contractor. He started immediately. His team worked long hours. Each day John inspected the progress as he went to work. He told Rose "If they keep working at this rate they will finish in a month."

Down at the feedlot site it was just the opposite. The contractor from Hanoi argued when John told him the concrete floor had to be scored with grooves to let the water run off and help the cows retain their footing. He would not accept that cows would slip and fall on smooth wet concrete. 

When told that the floor had to have a slope so that the automatic manure flushing system would carry manure away. He refused, saying people would laugh at his work if it were not flat and level.

When John told him an area had to be partitioned off as a separate birthing place. "Cows must have a place that's calm and safe to have calves," he told him. "They must not be in danger of being trodden on by others." The contractor turned to his workers and jeered, "Cow no need special place, have calf in paddock."

When John ordered the steel frames and roofing from Vinasteel, he finally downed tools. "Roof to high, no need, waste of money," he said as he led his workers away.

John was sitting alone on the site angry and frustrated when Rose arrived with the mini bus driver to pick him up. Sitting alone he had built up a head of steam. Rose's arrival set him off. "The boy's were bloody right. I am mad to be over here doing this." He yelled as he flung himself in the back seat of the bus. 

"Me no understand, you talk to fast," Rose whispered slowly. "Oh shit not you too," he groaned. "That's the bloody trouble no one understands." Rose sat silent until they arrived home. She fled into the house. "He very angry," she told Mai and her sisters. "He shouts I don't understand. You go find out."

He was explaining to Mai and her sisters when Ruby arrived home. She hurried over to him. "What did you do? The contractor went to the Party and complained about you."

"I did nothing; he is either incompetent or a trouble maker. I don't want him back on the job." She listened as John went back over his explanation of the day's events. "Don't worry she told him. We will go see the chairman and the construction bureau in the morning."

By the time, they met the construction bureau the Contractor had left the village to return to Hanoi. Before he left, he had blamed all the problems and delays on the foreigner His letter to the party spoke of the need to stop Capitalist foreigners from trying to run our country.

It was two frustrating weeks before John was able to end the contract and hire local workers. "I will supervise it myself," he told the construction bureau office. "It is different to anything your builders have done before."

In the meantime, the local builder had finished the major construction work on Rose's new house. "We need plaster and paint, and then we can cover the floors and move in some new furniture," John said as the family inspected the work. The house plan was for three stories but the builder had consulted with John and added a large room and an open-air area on top.

John started to smile again when he saw the happiness radiating from the faces of Rose's family as they discussed and argued about the way in which each floor could be divided into sufficient rooms.

While the committee deliberated about the feedlot, John had concentrated on the house and the old farm. "Let's buy new furniture," he told them as they sat discussing the allocation of rooms. "A new home deserves a new start. We can leave the old stuff here until you make up your mind what to do with it."

Within a week, the plaster and painting jobs were complete. Rose organized the girls to clean up the mess the builder left behind. She pointed to the girl whose soft breasts had excited John." Pansy will go with you to pick furniture for your room." John was stunned. "What room?" he asked. 

Pansy took his arm and led him away. "Mum has decided you should live with us. She does not like you living in that hotel. She has been told that you have had a massage every night. You no need to go to strange girl. We can massage you."

John was embarrassed. He did not know what to say. Rose knew about his nightly massage. I wonder how much she knows he thought. 

Weeks ago, when his old body was tired and sore he agreed to another massage. He was so tired he went to sleep as she worked his tired muscles. He awoke with a start when his prick bucked and spewed cum over her hands. "Good," she had whispered as she used a warm cloth to clean his prick, "very good, my name Melissa."

The next night Melissa had knocked on the door of his room. Thinking that no one at the farm would know he had let her in. From that night on Melissa had slept in his room each night. 

Pansy was a cuddly touchy twenty one year old. She sat very close to him on the bus and held his hand as they bought things for his room. She never left his side. 

When they were finished, she took him to the Hotel to collect his things. She held his arm possessively not saying a word when he kissed Melissa on the cheek and gave her a half a million Dong.




Eleven Orphan Daughters



On the way back to the house, she cuddled up close. "Why you give her so much money?" she asked. "Because I like her, she has been very kind." "No need for money," she whispered so the driver could not hear. "I'll look after you."

They moved into the new home over the weekend. It was wonderful to see the happy looks on their faces as they contemplated having more space, their own cupboards and wardrobes and in some cases their own room. 

As the only man in the house, Rose said John should have the room on the rooftop. "You will have it all to yourself," Pansy said as she made his bed. "You will have many visitors. You can entertain them in private up here," 

Pansy was like a second skin she hardly left his side. She only scurried away when Ruby called, "we have to go to public security to register that you are living here."

The head of the Provincial Public Security Bureau's face lit up when he spied Ruby. John was quick to notice how his smile turned to a frown when he spied John.

He took John's passport and sat him down. Turning to Ruby, he spoke loudly waving his arms and pointing at John. John could see Ruby becoming angry. He did not understand a word they were saying but could not help admiring the way Ruby stood her ground. 

Realizing people were watching the bureau chief ushered them in to another room, where the argument continued. It was nearly an hour later when Ruby indicated they could leave. "What about my passport?" he asked. "They will keep it here," she replied her red face still showing the strains of her argument. 

In the bus, she relaxed. "What was that all about? He asked. She took a deep breath. "His English name is Michael. He and I were friends. We went out together for some time. Just after you came here on your first visit, he asked me to marry him. I told him I was not ready for marriage. He blames you. He says you are buying me with your money and gifts."

"That Hanoi contractor complained you were breaking the law." John blew up, that's bull shit." She took his hand and smiled, "I know but Michael thought he could use that complaint against you. I convinced him to let you go until he checks my story with the party officials." 

"Have I caused trouble for you?" he asked. She blushed, "not really." "You are wonderful," he whispered. "I am glad we are working together. Have you thought of giving up your job with the ministry and becoming the full time manager of our business?" She looked at him, "why do we need a manager?" 

John sighed. "I need someone to take responsibility for our training program. Remember this feedlot is a trail. If it works, the provincial government will build an industry here. It will create many jobs. We cannot afford to fail."

"One or two of the family must be trained in animal husbandry. They will probably have to go to Hanoi to college or university. We will need to work on our workers English." 

"We will have to hire trucks and fit them out to carry cattle. They will need partitions and lots of sand or a special floor with non-slip surface so the cows are not injured on the poor roads. 
"Our driver training must extend to every member of the family. The driver we hired wants to return to Hanoi. We will have to buy our own second hand mini bus. We need a couple of motor bikes. .They are quicker than push bikes and not as expensive as a bus."

"Stop," she cried, "that's enough. I get the message. You and I should talk to mum, and then we should ask my sisters what jobs they would like." She laughed. "The first thing you and I must do is write all your ideas down on paper so I can remember them." 

John was ready to celebrate. The feedlot was finished. The Automatic watering system and the manure washing system were the last to be tested. They had worked perfectly. 

He walked slowly up to his room. "These bloody stairs will be the death of me," he complained as he stripped for his shower. "Is that you Mr. John?" Pansy called. "Do you want a massage?"

John didn‘t know what to say. Of course, his tired old bones wanted a massage. He wondered whether Pansy knew what Melissa had done in his room each night. 

If she did then he was in trouble. He had not laid a hand on any of the Rose's girls and had no plans to touch them. Even though there were one or two that stirred his interest.

Pansy was a horny little thing who made his prick stir. Ruby was beautiful, a woman of substance. Mai was gorgeous. She was seventeen years old and still at school. Kim was another hottie. She flirted outrageously with him in front of her sisters. Lelani was a quiet one. She rubbed her body against his at every opportunity giving the impression she would like to take things further. 

"Not tonight Pansy," he replied, "maybe tomorrow." He was taken by surprise when she wandered into his room catching him in his boxers. "Lelani will help, and my sisters want to come and watch." 

Twenty minutes later John lay face down on the bench. Pansy had thrown a towel over his boxers. She was massaging his shoulders and back while the family sat around watching and talking.

John's massage became a regular family gathering. Each evening after work, the family gathered on his roof top patio. They tested each other's English. They played games and discussed the day's activities while Lelani and Pansy massaged him. 

He lay under a towel in his boxers talking to the others while their hands under the towel grew more daring, creeping closer and closer to his prick. 

To hide his anxiety he decided to use the time to hold family meetings. "Ruby and I need to talk about the feed lot management. It is finished and ready to receive cattle. I will have to travel to Australia to buy suitable cows. I have asked Ruby to give up her job and become our manager. She wants to talk it through with the family." 

"What ever Ruby decides we will have to bring some men into our operation," John told them as Lelani rubbed his legs. "Why do we need men?" Kim asked. He looked at her surprised at the question. "We will need workers to drive the new tractor and trailer to collect fodder from the contracting farms." 

"We will need workers to chop the fodder in the chaff cutter and feed the cows. We will need workers to do all the cleaning and laboring jobs, look after the calves, milk the cows, and deliver the milk. Is that enough?" he said as he winked at Ruby.

Kim laughed, "You still haven't said why we need men. Women can do all those things. Women work harder than men." John felt Lelani‘s hand reach the inside of his thigh. His prick jumped as he tried to respond to Kim. "I don't care if they are men or women we need more workers."

Rose whose life had changed dramatically since John moved in, joined them as he spoke. "The orphanage where my husband's sister works is crowded with new babies after the typhoon season." 
 "They have four girls who are over sixteen. They have asked me to take them so they can make room for some younger ones. I said yes. They will be here next week." 

She looked at John "I will need our bus to collect them. I would like you to come with me. It would be good for you to see this orphanage." 

John thought my god where are we going to put four more girls but the family did not seem to worry. They crowded around happily asking questions. 

Rose talked to John as he drove the bus down to the orphanage to pick up the four girls. She made him stop at the markets and buy powdered milk, fruit, cakes and candy. He bought much more than she suggested. "I'm sure they'll eat it all," he laughed when she said he had bought too much.

John's heart skipped a beat when he saw the four girls waiting with their life's possessions in a couple of plastic carry bags. When he went inside he quickly realized that they were the lucky ones. 

The orphanage was very poor. The facilities very basic but clean. It was in need of a good coat of paint and modern equipment. He felt sorry for the staff they were doing the best they could with the meager funds available.

The smaller kids gathered around hanging on to his hand hugging his legs. They wanted love; it was something an institution could not give. He sat and hugged them as the staff handed out the gifts they had bought at the market.

He had a couple of hundred US dollars in his wallet and gave it to the cook. Her face lit up as the manager explained that was about three million Dong. "Paint the kitchen and their dining room, spend the rest on food," he said as he promised that he would try to find someone or somebody in Australia to help them. 

On the way home, John talked to Rose and the girls. One of the girls spoke perfect English. "You speak good English where did you learn to speak it so well?" John asked. "My mother was a teacher. My parents died in a road accident when I was fourteen. I have been at the orphanage two years." He looked at Rose, "she can be your assistant and help the family and our workers with their English."

John flew home to Australia alone. He had tried to take Ruby with him but the consulate rejected her visa application." We have a lot of overstays," they told him. "Especially beautiful single girls, many end up prostitutes." 

John became angry. How could anyone think he might be talking Ruby to Australia to become a prostitute. Instead of blowing up, he bit his tongue. It was no use getting local consular officials offside.

In Australia, he bought and arranged for 100 heifers in calf to be shipped to Haiphong. At the last minute, he added a Braham bull and five steers He only bought top quality cattle. He wanted to prove his doubters wrong. 

He contacted local charity and church groups and told them about the orphanage. They referred him to a group of Vietnam veterans who ran a local services club. They had been looking for a project to sponsor in Vietnam. 

After they met and he showed them his photographs they promised to raise five thousand Australian dollars per year for a five-year period. They also promised to visit the orphanage and prepare a plan on how to spend the money. 

Down at the pub he showed them photographs of the feedlot and the house. "I'm living there with Rose and her eleven daughters," he told an incredulous group of drinkers. Their amazement increased when he showed them photographs of the girls.

"We'll see," Harry said when confronted with the news that John was buying cattle. "He still has to make it work." Stan was less charitable, "Don't deal with the commo bastard." He told anyone who would listen. 

The local stock and station agents, feed suppliers and breeders were friendlier. On their advice, he arranged for stock food, additives, seeds, and veterinary supplies to be loaded on the boat bringing the cattle. 

John was happy to leave them all behind and head back to Vietnam. He missed Rose and the family. It became obvious that they missed him too. They were all at the airport when he arrived. He was pleased none of his former mates could see the flowers and the hugs and kisses they gave him.

Their mini bus was over crowded. The girls said Ruby should drive, as they wanted John to sit with them in the back. He realized why, when they took it in turns to sit on his lap and snuggle up to him as they reported on their work and studies. 

The next two weeks flew by as John prepared the feedlot and the family for the arrival of the cattle. The first of the fodder especially grown by the contractors was processed and stored. The pipeline from the reservoir and the water tanks completed. The feedlot roads sealed. 

Because of the regular breakdown of the local power system John decided to install a generator with sufficient capacity to run the lighting system as well as the milking machines and the dairy. He bought an extra large generator from a failed foreign joint venture. 

When Rose queried the need for all that power he explained, "We will need it to run our machinery our cold rooms and computers. We will need power if we are to set up our own communications system. We won't need all the power that generator can produce but we may as well ensure sufficient power now before we start."

Finally, they received notification that the boat would arrive on the weekend. With the help of the local committee, they hired a contractor who placed temporary modifications in his trucks to ensure that cows would not slip and fall on the way from the boat to the feedlot.

"We will hire an extra car as well as the bus so you can all come down to meet the boat and see the cattle unloaded," he said as he urged them to go to bed early. "We will leave before the sun gets up and it will probably be dark before we get back."

"What a bloody circus," John exclaimed as they arrived at the wharf. "Come on," he yelled to the girls in the car, "the cows are loose." Ten cows had escaped when the ships crew left the gate to the unloading ramp open. 

It seemed no one was in charge or no one knew what to do. His valuable cows had been left to wander aimlessly around amongst the ports tractors and trucks. 

It could have been worse than a circus. However, more through good luck than good management no man or beast was injured. The port's facilities for livestock were virtually non-existent. Many truck drivers seemed scared of the cows. 

Wharf authorities instead of helping continually put obstacles in their way. In the end, John and the family did most of the work themselves.

Tired and hungry they drove back to unload the cattle at the farm. Because of the difficulties at Haiphong and the need to drive slowly on the poor roads, it was after midnight when the last cow was safely in the feedlot. 

Early the next morning John strolled through the feedlot as dawn was breaking. A group of women hired by Kim as farm hands stood waiting for instructions. He set them to work carting feed and checked to see that the watering system was working. 

Ruby joined him as he sat on a fence watching the women work. "You are turning in to a typical Vietnamese farmer," she laughed." They sit and watch while the women work." 

"They are very pretty it's not hard to sit and watch." He answered. ."I have been thinking. We need shift bosses and a farm manager as well as an over all manager. Kim would make a good farm manager." 

"I was watching these women work. We could pick a good worker like that one there and give her responsibility for the work on her shift." Ruby whispered, "Settle down and relax for a moment." 

She gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Congratulations you're feedlot is very impressive. Mum and the party secretary placed a lot of faith in you and your ideas. They will be relieved now the buildings are up and the cattle are here. The knockers will be disappointed. They wanted you to fail." 

She waved his objections aside. "You did it and you know it," she said as she changed the subject. "We need to send someone down to the market. We will need food and drink to entertain the visitors."

"What visitors?" he asked. "The visitors who will just want to see the foreign cows. The visitors who will come to see their first feedlot. The visitors who will come because they want to find something to criticize." 

She smiled, "by the time this day is over, Mum's family and her feedlot will be the main talking point throughout this province." Ruby was right. Their friends and neighbors turned up early to inspect the cows. They complained when they had to clean their boots and shoes and their bikes and vehicles had to drive through a wash. Never the less it would be true to say that the majority were impressed.

It was mid morning before the first of the provincial officials arrived. Most were surprised how quickly the cows had settled down. Ruby was quick to point out that John's insistence on good food, the latest equipment, building design and technology made it easy for the cattle to eat drink and rest.

Strings of local ministry officials followed members of the people's congress and finally the Chairman and the party secretary. John thanked them for their support. "You should be very proud," he told them. "This small feedlot will help us show the other provinces how to run a successful dairy industry." 

John's voice was hoarse from answering questions when the final visitor left that night. "I want a beer and a nice gentle massage," he told Rose as they walked back to the house. 

The family joined John as Lelani and Pansy commenced his massage. "Everything worked well," John told them as they relaxed. "You were magnificent. It has been harder than I thought." "Transporting the cows from the boat to the farm was a lot tougher than I expected." He raised his bottle of beer. "That's over. Now we have to make it work." He looked around the room, "and we will." 

A few cows had traveled badly; but most were over the effects of their long journey from Australia within days. John hired a young veterinarian as a full time vet. She checked each cow in turn entering his or her details on the computer.

Kim told him that night that every cow's history was on tape. In future, their daily feed regime would be recorded along with the quantity of milk produced. This would allow them to monitor the performance of each cow. 

It was three o'clock in the morning when Kim called John to the feedlot. "They have a cow in the birthing room and thought you would like to be there for the first calf." By the time, he reached the feedlot she had rung just about everybody in the district. It looked to him as though they had all turned up to see the calf born.

The birth went extremely well, "no drama," the vet said as she showed the cheering crowd the young female calf. "We have another three or four ready to drop their calves, I won't call you again."

News of the first calf brought another string of visitors. The feedlots reputation grew, creating a problem as the number of visitors increased. 

As the calves left their mothers, milking and hygiene became a problem. They needed extra staff. John on Kim's insistence interviewed local women. They surprised him with their confidence. They had had experience with water buffalo. 

The wages set by Ruby and local party officials were so low that he hired six. "We will need more later let's train the all now," he explained. John was up early every morning working with the six women providing what he called on the job training. 

Pansy took control of the dairy and its cold rooms. Within days, Vinamilk sent a representative to inspect milking conditions before contracting to take all the milk they could supply. 

"Clean is the word that must always be on your mind." John told Pansy as he inspected her cold rooms. Clean hands, clean uniforms, clean equipment, clean teats, if you keep everything clean the milk factories will want our product above all others. 

Pansy stood quite close, "its cold isn't it?" she whispered as she ran her arm around his back and snuggled up close. John placed his arm around her and headed for the door. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his hands off Rose's daughters.

John was discussing the need for more grain in the cows feed mix when Ruby arrived to tell him that the Australian Government's Trade Commissioner in Hanoi wanted to talk to him. "I must do something about the bloody mobile phone system in this province," he moaned as he walked to her office.

After some small talk, the Commissioner asked could he arrange for a delegation from John's home state to visit the feedlot next month. "Who are they?" John asked. "I don't have any names," the commissioner replied. "I think it has been organized by the same mob that brought you up here." John thought for a minute, "what have I got to loose. November will be fine; it will be a lot cooler then."

Rose became agitated when John told her that there was going to be an important visit from people from his home state. She mumbled to herself and picked up her kitten before going outside to sit on her own. 




Eleven Orphan Daughters



"Find out what's up," John said as he sent Ruby out to talk to her. Later that evening Ruby visited John's room. "Mum is worried. She says she is embarrassed when you introduce her to visitors. She does not feel right. She wants you to stop."

Ruby sat beside him on his bed. "I have talked to my sisters. You have changed our lives. People in the Village look up to us. We are no longer looked upon as a group of poor orphans. Everyone except Rose has been given a job that makes her feel good. Nothing has really changed for her except this house. She is excluded from the day to day running of the feedlot." 

John knew she was right. The more he thought of it the more he realized that he had treated Rose badly. Without Rose, there would have been no feedlot. He had used her name to purchase land for the feedlot and get permission to build. Then he had ignored her while giving her better-educated daughters jobs and respect.

"I'm terribly sorry," he groaned. "I didn't set out to hurt her feelings. I have been so busy I did not realize what I have done. What can I do?"

Ruby took his hand. "Don't get me wrong. Mum has not complained about her lack of a responsible job. She doesn't think she is smart enough for a job. When she talked about being embarrassed, she made it clear that she would do anything for you."

"When I sat down with my sisters, we realized that we must do more to involve her in the business. We do not want her to keep selling fruit on the street. We think she should be given a job that has some prestige."

She stood up and paced around the room. "I came up here to talk to you on my own because I need to explain what I want to do. I want to work for the Party. Mr. Treet has offered me the job of Deputy Party Secretary. He is sure the party will endorse me for the job." She looked at John. "I have been very happy working with you but I want to leave. Can you understand?" 

John was devastated. He liked working with Ruby. She had become good at her job. She trusted him and he trusted her, they had become good friends. He hugged her close. "I'll miss you," he whispered. She looked up and kissed him on the cheek then changed her mind and kissed him on the lips. "Don't forget me," he groaned as he held her closer. 

By the time the family gathered for the evening meal the next evening everyone knew Ruby was leaving. "Where will you live?" Pansy asked. "I haven't been appointed yet it will take three months. When they do, the party will provide me with an apartment in their compound." 

She looked at her sisters. She could see that they were unhappy. "Don't be sad. I will come and visit whenever I am free. This is my home you are my family. My heart will always be here." 

"This will work out fine," John told them. "Its time Rose took a more active part in the day-to-day running of the business." "Without her, there would be no family and no feedlot. Her new job will take part of both Ruby and my responsibilities. The three of us will work it out and set up the new arrangements. All of you may end up with more responsibility and an increased workload."

Rose started to protest that she was happy with the current arrangements. Kim waved her quiet." Before you become too worked up, we have air tickets to Ho Chi Minh City for you and Ruby. It is a present from us all. You have never had a real holiday. We want you both to have a holiday together before Ruby moves on to her new position."

Rose protested but her family prevailed. "Forget the farm and the family I'll look after them," John told her as he kissed her on the cheek at the airport. He kissed Ruby, "I have booked rooms in a five-star hotel. Make sure Rose lives like a millionaire, we want her to have a holiday she will never forget." 

With Ruby and Rose in Ho Chi Minh City John became more dependant on Kim and Pansy. He brought the contractor back to build an office some barracks and an amenities block. 

The office included a two-way radio system and radio mast to make up for the lack of mobile phone coverage. He remembered Rose saying they needed a room to meet delegations and built one beside the office. 

Kim and Pansy found John very demanding as the days went by. "What's got into you?" they asked one evening as John waited for Lelani‘s hands to continue her nightly teasing session. 

"I'm sorry, it's not your fault," he groaned. "I know I've been grumpy but I have never seen so many little things go wrong like they have since the Australian delegation was announced." 

Pansy laughed, "we have someone here nearly every week why are they so special?" John realized that she was right. There was no need to treat them special. In fact, it would be better if they saw the feedlot operating warts and all.

John stood in the airport terminal and stared, he was stunned He had not recognized Rose as she strolled out through the passenger exit. He had turned when Ruby called still not recognizing the tall beauty standing beside her. Ruby burst out laughing, "Forgotten us already?" she asked.

He ignored Ruby and took hold of Roses hands. "My god Rose you're beautiful," he gasped. He meant it she was truly beautiful. While her long silk traditional outfit highlighted her tall slim figure, her face surprised him. He had never known Rose to look so fabulous. 

He had only seen her in her working clothes with never a hint of lipstick or makeup. This afternoon she was beautifully made up. Her hair had been cut to shoulder length its shiny black strands molding her face. Her smile grew wider as she relished John's attention 

Back at the house, her daughters bombarded her with questions. "Where did you buy such beautiful dresses?" Kim asked as she unpacked her bag. "How did you choose such fabulous makeup? Mai whispered amongst a Babel of questions and expressions of surprise. 

Ruby came to Roses rescue. "Give her a chance," she cried. "I'll tell you what we have been doing." The room became quiet as Ruby told her story. 

"John gave me money and asked me to make sure Mum had a great holiday. He booked us into a first class hotel where one of his Australian friends is General Manager." 

"He asked the manager to look after us. The manager brought a very beautiful French woman named Monique to our room to meet us and help us plan our holiday. John had told the manager he wanted to help Rose because of what she had done for us. So Monique knew our story."

"She suggested that we visit the most exclusive beauty salon in town. She said it would relax our tired bodies and bring out our natural beauty. Mum was not interested but Monique said she had booked us for a whole day when you said that she was to spare no expense. She said it was difficult to get a booking let alone one for the whole day and it would be silly to miss such an opportunity." 

"We agreed to go because you had paid. We are glad we did it was fabulous. From the moment we arrived we were made to feel special. We were given our own personal beauty consultant. Her name was Shelia. She had been trained in France and the USA. She was rather formal at first commenting on Rose's height saying tall slim women always looked good."

"Mum told her she had always worked out in the open air and always wore a hat and long sleeved blouse. She became excited and called over some of the other consultants to study Mum's skin especially her face. They talked together and told her she had a classic Vietnamese facial structure." 

"They must have asked Monique for help because she returned and explained that the beauty consultants in the salon had watched an overseas program called complete makeover. They had asked her to approach Mum and ask would she let them work on her face."

"You name it and we had it. Saunas spas massages oils perfumes facials pedicure manicure the lot. I had the most wonderful time while Shelia and the others worked on Mum's face head and shoulders."

"When they finished they had a dressmaker come in and talk to Mum about a new wardrobe. One of the young ones brought shoes and the sexiest underwear. They dressed her up and took so many photographs that she told me later she felt like a celebrity."

The family was excited and proud. John took dozens of Photographs of Rose and family members with his digital camera and downloaded them on to his computer. His printer worked overtime-printing copies for family members.

Through all this, Rose remained calm. She had a serenity about her that made you relax in her company. Years of raising orphans had taught her to accept without complaint what ever happened as part of her lot.

That same calmness made her transition to working in the business so very easy. John told her that she should handle all visitors and talk to her family and their workers about training and promotional opportunities 

"Everyone even the lowest laborer should have an opportunity to talk about their future. It is your job to keep our staff happy. If they are happy they will work better and we will all benefit," he said as he sat her in her new office. 

Things settled down after that until they relieved advice that the Prime Minister had scheduled a visit to the province. He had especially asked to visit the feedlot. 

The provincial public security bureau and the national police visited the feedlot to check on security the day before he arrived. They spent some time questioning Rose and John before declaring the visit safe.

Dozens of media representatives accompanied the PM on his visit. Photographs of him standing with Rose and other officials amongst the young calves appeared in every newspaper across the country. Television stations ran stories about the province, focusing on the development of the cattle industry. All this meant more visitors and more support from those in authority. 

The Party Secretary and peoples congress officials were overjoyed. The PM had publicly congratulated them on their courage in pursuing overseas ideas to develop their dairy project. He went so far as to tell the Party's Central Committee meeting how pleased he was with the province.

Things were easier after the PM‘s visit. Officials who had been antagonistic became supporters and opponents of the feedlot no longer criticized John and Rose in public.

With Pansy managing the dairy, Lelani‘s massages became more erotic. Her hands and fingers brushing against his prick more and more. On the night after the PM‘s visit with everyone present she hid her hands with an extra towel and squeezed his balls. She winked at him when he looked up.

John was embarrassed. He was horny. He did not want to foul his nest by inviting one of the family to his bed. For the first time since he moved to the farm he went back to visit Melissa at the massage room.

Rose started to dominate his thoughts. Her body had filled out and developed with better food. After her visit to Ho Chi Minh City, she had turned into a beautiful woman. 

She not only had a beautiful body she had a beautiful personality. The kindness she had shown the orphans who had become members of her family was shown to everyone she met. The feedlot and farm workers productivity had risen since the day she took over responsibility for their welfare. They loved her and it showed in their work.

She stood by his side as the large bus bringing the Australian delegation and the embassy officials drove into the feedlot parking area. "Don't worry," she whispered as she pointed to his goose standing guard. "Everything will go well."

Glen and Charlie were first off the bus. They were the only two from the first group who had not turned on him. They made it clear to him as they hugged and shook hands that they would always be his friends. 

John introduced Rose telling them a little of her history and the short history of the feedlot. He walked with the Trade Commissioner as Rose and Kim led the delegation on an inspection tour. 

Glen dropped back to join them. "I'm sorry to interrupt," he whispered "but I just have to ask you a question," "Fire way," John replied. Glen stuttered, "Mate, is that woman you introduced as Rose the old lady that used to meet you in the street when we first came to Hanoi?" 


"Yes mate that`s her."

My God," Glen gasped. "What have you done to her? or shouldn't I ask." The Australian Trade Commissioner smiled as he listened to their exchange. "There is nothing more beautiful than a tall slim Vietnamese woman. They have a graceful way of carrying themselves with a very straight back that makes you turn your head when they pass."

John agreed. "Glen remembers Rose when she sold fruit outside our hotel in Hanoi. She wore those typical Vietnamese black work clothes. Like most Vietnamese women she covered her arms and face from the sun. In addition she wore one of those round farmer's hats," 

"No one could have guessed what was under that outfit. I know I didn't. She is a most wonderful person. I should have told the delegation more about Rose and her family. But she would have objected." 

"Eleven orphans live here with us. There were seven until a few weeks ago when she accepted four more from a local orphanage. She takes in homeless strays and slaves her guts out to give them a home full of love and affection. She really is a beautiful woman." 

One after another, delegates dropped back to ask John questions and to congratulate him on what he had achieved in such a short period. 

The tour ended in the air-conditioned computer room. Pansy supplied cold drinks while Rose and Kim answered their questions. When they finished an embassy official announced that the delegation wanted to make a presentation. The delegation leader John Macdonald was well known to John as a grazier with a string of successful properties and investments in meat works.

"We know John and had heard of what you were doing here before we left Australia," he said as he presented Rose with a framed boomerang and an Aboriginal painting. 

"My apologies but I must swear," he said as excused himself to Rose and the women present. "Unfortunately some of John's former colleagues have fed people back home a lot of bullshit." 

"I don't understand their motives but they will hear from me when I get home. This has been an eye-opener to me and my delegation." He turned to Rose, "you have built the finest little feedlot that I have seen in Asia and I have seen a lot." 

"I own feedlots back home so I think I know what I'm talking about. If I have any criticism it may be a little too small." John started to speak but he waved him quiet and continued. "I understand you are using this project to convince authorities to develop their dairy industry using feedlots." 

"Good luck, you have my support." He turned to John. "If they give you any more trouble at home give me a ring. If the province decides to open a joint venture feedlot along these lines, ring me." He lifted his glass of water to Rose. Congratulations, well done." 

John promised to join them the next afternoon when they were scheduled to meet the provincial Government officials and the Party Secretary. "It's a pity we have to return to Hanoi," Glen said. "I would have loved to have more time here." Patsy took the hint. "There is a small hotel in the province where you can stay, we could drive you over tonight and bring you back to the meetings tomorrow."
 When John added they could drop into the market and pick up some clean underclothes and a shirt for a song. Glen and Charlie decided to stay over to have a few beers with their mate. 

Rose squeezed John's hand as the bus pulled away. "That was wonderful," she whispered. "My heart swelled with pride when he said those nice things about you." He stood holding her hand as it struck him how much she meant to him. "Thank you sweetheart," he whispered as he spied Glen nudging Charlie to draw his attention to them holding hands. 

"Did you see them holding hands like young lovers?" Glen asked Charlie with a laugh as John drove them over to the hotel. "If I had someone like her to cuddle up too I'd stay here too." 

To be continued