Early in the morning, neon light illuminates the Saigon Post Office, a hall distinguished by a unique atmosphere compared to other places in Vietnam’s most populous city. Adorned with architecture that combines classical European style with Asian decorations and finishes, this hall attracts my curiosity as soon as I step through the imposing main entrance.
There is a space, at the back of the building, where several rows of wooden tables are arranged. The flavour is that of a time long gone. As the hours passed, I noticed that several people were occupying the tables. People who wanted to dedicate part of their day to those they care about, taking refuge in their thoughts, allowing themselves an intimate moment.
A wish, a greeting, or a dedication, or a simple “see you soon”-who knows what they are writing and to whom their thoughts are addressed. In these moments I watch them, and I feel nostalgia for a time long gone, that no longer exists as I knew it before.
The need for a time
It has been a long time since I have seen you, but I hear and think of you so often that I need time to figure out the right words to dedicate to you. Words that I will not forget and that I can skim with my fingers as I reread them.
I need time to choose an image-I want it to be as extraordinary as possible, reflecting your tastes, your passions, or, more simply, what I know about you that can make you happy in looking at it.
We got to know each other in-depth, and I know for a fact that you will smile when, without your expecting it, you are told that you received a thought just for you from so far away-how absurd can it be that I endured such a journey?
I need time, to receive a reply from you I do not know when it will come, although I have no doubt that I will receive it sooner or later, like a delayed postcard that arrives by surprise.
