Father's Thread - Short story contest by Le Minh Tho

The twilight had passed. The last rays of light did not bother to linger on the last streaks of color on the old tin roof of the boarding house. The air was thick with the scent of incense and a heartbreaking silence.

The prayers for the dead had ended, and after two days of mourning, everyone could only muffled sobs. I sat there, dazed, beside my father’s coffin, my mind trying to ignore the fact that my father was no longer alive in this world.

My father has lived here since the time when it was just a remote suburb, with other hard-working people relying on each other. Then garment factories sprung up like mushrooms, bringing with them waves of people from all over the country, hard-working faces carrying dreams of changing their lives with sewing machines and thread.

My father is a professional tailor, but I still remember clearly the day he painstakingly erected a tiny wooden sign, with a few sloppy handwritten words: "Quick sewing lessons. Free!". When I was a child, I burst out laughing at that rustic sign. "Dad doesn't know much about sewing, how can he teach people?"

Dad just smiled and said: "I know how to thread the thread and how to put the fabric into the sewing machine in a straight line. That's enough to help people feel less confused when they enter the company, my child. They won't get scolded by their superiors and feel sorry for themselves."

My father's "teach sewing" profession was not taught by anyone, it came from his own innate compassion. My father was a machine repairman, spent many years repairing sewing machines for tailors in the village and then learned a little bit of the skill himself.

ILLUSTRATION: AI

One time, my father brought home an old sewing machine that someone had thrown away and tinkered with it to make a patchwork sewing machine. That machine, along with my father’s patchwork skills, started to mend worn-out clothes for the neighborhood children, warming a corner of the poor boarding house. My father always used his small capital to help others in the simplest way.

As for me, I knew nothing. I only saw my father's actions as insignificant, even foolish. I grew up, went to school, then went to work, the whirl of urban life swept me away, far away from the noisy boarding house and my father's faded signboard.

The sound of slippers rustling outside the door interrupted my train of thought. A woman much older than me, thin, wearing a dusty worker's uniform, timidly walked in. She looked tired after a day of overtime. Her face looked so unfamiliar, I had never seen her before.

She quietly lit an incense stick for my father, her eyes red. Then she turned to me, her voice still slurred, seemingly not very fluent in Kinh: "Uncle Hai was once my teacher and also my benefactor."

"Teacher?", I don't quite understand.

"More than ten years ago, I came down here from the village to look for a job. I was clueless and didn't know anything. When I entered the company, people kept cursing me. I was on the verge of tears and always wanted to quit my job and go back to my hometown. Luckily, someone directed me to Uncle Hai's house. He showed me step by step how to hold scissors and how to press the accelerator to keep the sewing machine running smoothly. Thanks to his free classes, I was able to stay in this job and support my two children's education."

Her eyes suddenly stopped at the corner of the house, where my father’s old sewing machine was standing silently in the dark. It was like an old soldier, having completed its mission and now only silently standing guard over the distant memories my father left behind.

I was silent, suddenly a feeling indescribable arose in my heart. It was not the initial sadness, but a feeling of sadness mixed with a silent admiration that I had not realized for many years. The father whom I once thought was normal, with a foolish act, turned out to be a teacher, a benefactor in the memories of strangers. His small act had truly helped a mother stay in a foreign land, raise her children and the dreams of the village.

A thought flashed through my mind, sudden and strong as an electric current.

It urged me to do something.

I walked closer to her, my voice hoarse with emotion: "Sister, can you show me… how to use this sewing machine? Start by threading a thread, just like my father showed you."

Her eyes widened, from confusion to seemingly moved. Under the yellow light from the altar, I saw a warm smile spread across her tired face. She nodded, a nod without hesitation:

"Okay".

I know I will never become a good tailor. But I know that tomorrow, my father's old sign will be hung up again. The invisible thread of kindness, now, I will be the one to continue. So that the sound of the sewing machine will resound in this small rented street, to warm the newcomers, and so that the story of my father, of a simple man, will never end.

The fifth Living Well Writing Contest was held to encourage people to write about noble actions that have helped individuals or communities. This year, the contest focused on praising individuals or groups that have performed acts of kindness, bringing hope to those in difficult circumstances.

The highlight is the new environmental award category, honoring works that inspire and encourage action for a green, clean living environment. Through this, the Organizing Committee hopes to raise public awareness in protecting the planet for future generations.

The contest has diverse categories and prize structure, including:

Article categories: Journalism, reportage, notes or short stories, no more than 1,600 words for articles and 2,500 words for short stories.

Articles, reports, notes:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 2 second prizes: 15,000,000 VND

- 3 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 3,000,000 VND

Short story:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 20,000,000 VND

- 2 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 4 consolation prizes: 5,000,000 VND

Photo category: Submit a photo series of at least 5 photos related to volunteer activities or environmental protection, along with the name of the photo series and a short description.

- 1 first prize: 10,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 5,000,000 VND

- 1 third prize: 3,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 2,000,000 VND

Most Popular Prize: 5,000,000 VND

Prize for Excellent Essay on Environmental Topic: 5,000,000 VND

Honored Character Award: 30,000,000 VND

The deadline for submissions is October 16, 2025. The works will be evaluated through the preliminary and final rounds with the participation of a jury of famous names. The organizing committee will announce the list of winners on the "Beautiful Life" page. See detailed rules at thanhnien.vn .

Organizing Committee of the Beautiful Living Contest

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/soi-chi-cua-ba-truyen-ngan-du-thi-cua-le-minh-tho-185251003111918287.htm