We made it to Maui with no trouble except for a little run in with US Customs and Immigration.
They came aboard and wanted to see our passports. I explained everything….how I’d swapped the boat for a bar in Pattaya how Ning and Nong (Thai passports), were helping me sail it and Nyum was the navigator. The young officers seemed particularly interested in Nyum. Who can blame them. She looks like Do Hai Yen.
Her situation is complex I said. She has various passport applications pending with the UNHCR but the Hong Kong authorities wanted to repatriate her to Vietnam which she was not thrilled about so I gave her a job.
‘Perhaps she can apply for refugee status here?’ said one young officer.
‘She really does look like Do Hai Yen.’ said an older officer, ‘I may be able to pull some strings. And you Mr. Headley remind me of Michael Caine.’
I get that a lot. I may look like him but to be honest I've never been a big fan of Michael Caine. He reminds me of every dodgy cabbie I've ever met in London. Also he’s one of those actors who always seems to play himself. But I have to say he gets better with age. Saw him in as the French ex-fascist in 'The Statement' and again in 'The Quiet American' (2002) he was perfect. Just right for Thomas Fowler, the aging expat journalist running out of options. Which brings me to the point. Do Hai Yen. She played the taxi-dancer who Fowler lives with. I haven't met many Vietnamese girls quite as passive as her but that was the point of the movie. One of them. She represented Vietnam, plaything of the Western powers. Do Hai Yen was the star of the film of course. And she didn't even have to do much.
We made it to Maui with no trouble except for a little run in with US Customs and Immigration.
They came aboard and wanted to see our passports. I explained everything….how I’d swapped the boat for a bar in Pattaya how Ning and Nong (Thai passports), were helping me sail it and Nyum was the navigator. The young officers seemed particularly interested in Nyum. Who can blame them. She looks like Do Hai Yen.
Her situation is complex I said. She has various passport applications pending with the UNHCR but the Hong Kong authorities wanted to repatriate her to Vietnam which she was not thrilled about so I gave her a job.
‘Perhaps she can apply for refugee status here?’ said one young officer.
‘She really does look like Do Hai Yen.’ said an older officer, ‘I may be able to pull some strings. And you Mr. Headley remind me of Michael Caine.’
I get that a lot. I may look like him but to be honest I've never been a big fan of Michael Caine. He reminds me of every dodgy cabbie I've ever met in London. Also he’s one of those actors who always seems to play himself. But I have to say he gets better with age. Saw him in as the French ex-fascist in 'The Statement' and again in 'The Quiet American' (2002) he was perfect. Just right for Thomas Fowler, the aging expat journalist running out of options. Which brings me to the point. Do Hai Yen. She played the taxi-dancer who Fowler lives with. I haven't met many Vietnamese girls quite as passive as her but that was the point of the movie. One of them. She represented Vietnam, plaything of the Western powers. Do Hai Yen was the star of the film of course. And she didn't even have to do much.
They came aboard and wanted to see our passports. I explained everything….how I’d swapped the boat for a bar in Pattaya how Ning and Nong (Thai passports), were helping me sail it and Nyum was the navigator. The young officers seemed particularly interested in Nyum. Who can blame them. She looks like Do Hai Yen.
Her situation is complex I said. She has various passport applications pending with the UNHCR but the Hong Kong authorities wanted to repatriate her to Vietnam which she was not thrilled about so I gave her a job.
‘Perhaps she can apply for refugee status here?’ said one young officer.
‘She really does look like Do Hai Yen.’ said an older officer, ‘I may be able to pull some strings. And you Mr. Headley remind me of Michael Caine.’
I get that a lot. I may look like him but to be honest I've never been a big fan of Michael Caine. He reminds me of every dodgy cabbie I've ever met in London. Also he’s one of those actors who always seems to play himself. But I have to say he gets better with age. Saw him in as the French ex-fascist in 'The Statement' and again in 'The Quiet American' (2002) he was perfect. Just right for Thomas Fowler, the aging expat journalist running out of options. Which brings me to the point. Do Hai Yen. She played the taxi-dancer who Fowler lives with. I haven't met many Vietnamese girls quite as passive as her but that was the point of the movie. One of them. She represented Vietnam, plaything of the Western powers. Do Hai Yen was the star of the film of course. And she didn't even have to do much.
We made it to Maui with no trouble except for a little run in with US Customs and Immigration.
They came aboard and wanted to see our passports. I explained everything….how I’d swapped the boat for a bar in Pattaya how Ning and Nong (Thai passports), were helping me sail it and Nyum was the navigator. The young officers seemed particularly interested in Nyum. Who can blame them. She looks like Do Hai Yen.
Her situation is complex I said. She has various passport applications pending with the UNHCR but the Hong Kong authorities wanted to repatriate her to Vietnam which she was not thrilled about so I gave her a job.
‘Perhaps she can apply for refugee status here?’ said one young officer.
‘She really does look like Do Hai Yen.’ said an older officer, ‘I may be able to pull some strings. And you Mr. Headley remind me of Michael Caine.’
I get that a lot. I may look like him but to be honest I've never been a big fan of Michael Caine. He reminds me of every dodgy cabbie I've ever met in London. Also he’s one of those actors who always seems to play himself. But I have to say he gets better with age. Saw him in as the French ex-fascist in 'The Statement' and again in 'The Quiet American' (2002) he was perfect. Just right for Thomas Fowler, the aging expat journalist running out of options. Which brings me to the point. Do Hai Yen. She played the taxi-dancer who Fowler lives with. I haven't met many Vietnamese girls quite as passive as her but that was the point of the movie. One of them. She represented Vietnam, plaything of the Western powers. Do Hai Yen was the star of the film of course. And she didn't even have to do much.
Full
marks, by the way, go to Graham Greene for the original book and Christopher Hampton
for a superb screenplay.
I asked the customs blokes if they’d seen the movie.
‘Oh yes,’ said the older officer. ‘One of my favorite movies.’
Turned out the officer’s name was Bert. We talked about The Quiet American for a while then I asked if it would be OK for me to take a taxi to the closest supermarket. I needed to stretch my legs.
‘That would be the Cannery Mall in Lahaina,’ said Bert, ‘we’ll hold your passport here while we check the boat. Take a couple of hours. Stay for the Hula Show if you want.’
When I got back Bert and the younger officer were in a good mood.
‘Everything seems to be in order here Mr.Headley. Did you find everything you needed at the mall?’
‘Yes thanks.’
‘Nice meeting you Mr. Headley. Fine boat you have here. You’ll be leaving Maui in the morning I expect?’
‘Right.’ So that worked out OK.
I asked the customs blokes if they’d seen the movie.
‘Oh yes,’ said the older officer. ‘One of my favorite movies.’
Turned out the officer’s name was Bert. We talked about The Quiet American for a while then I asked if it would be OK for me to take a taxi to the closest supermarket. I needed to stretch my legs.
‘That would be the Cannery Mall in Lahaina,’ said Bert, ‘we’ll hold your passport here while we check the boat. Take a couple of hours. Stay for the Hula Show if you want.’
When I got back Bert and the younger officer were in a good mood.
‘Everything seems to be in order here Mr.Headley. Did you find everything you needed at the mall?’
‘Yes thanks.’
‘Nice meeting you Mr. Headley. Fine boat you have here. You’ll be leaving Maui in the morning I expect?’
‘Right.’ So that worked out OK.
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