Chu+~ "Cuo^'i" trong tie^'ng Vie^.t co' mo^.t a^m hu+o+?ng la. ky`. Khi ddo.c le^n no' ga^y ra^'t nhie^`u a^'n tu+o+.ng trong lo`ng ngu+o+`i. A^'n tu+o+.ng dda^`u tie^n co' the^? la` hi`nh a?nh cu?a su+. chia tay, su+. xa ca'ch...vv. Trong ngo^n ngu+~ kha'c, Anh ngu+~ cha(?ng ha.n, chu+~ "End" khi nghe qua kho^ng ga^y ddu+o+.c a^'n tu+o+.ng gi` sa^u sa('c. Vi' nhu+ khi chu'ng ta ddang ngo^`i trong ra.p ha't bo'ng xem phim....khi "The End" xua^'t hie^.n tre^n ma`n a?nh la` ddu+'ng le^n ddi ra...ngoa`i ra kho^ng co`n gi` he^'t...Chu+~ cuo^'i cu?a ta...mang y' nghi~a "he^'t...ro^`i...ta`n ro^`i...xong ro^`i..." mang no^~i xo't xa la`m sao a^'y! Co' the^? chu'ng ta nghe tie^'ng Vie^.t tu+` khi mo+'i lo.t lo`ng cho ne^n mang a?nh hu+o+?ng cu?a ngo^n ngu+~ va` hi`nh a?nh cu?a que^ hu+o+ng trong ddo' cha(ng? Co' the^?! Nhu+ng, ho^m nay chu'ng ta kho^ng ba`n dde^'n "va^'n dde^` ngo^n ngu+~". DDa^y chi? la` mo^.t go+.i y' dde^? da^~n da('t ba.n ddo.c ddi va`o mo^.t the^' gio+'i kha'c, the^' gio+'i cu?a ca.nh tranh, cu?a nhu+~ng gi` co`n dde^? la.i trong lo`ng ngu+o+`i vo+'i mo^.t chu+~ "cuo^'i", hoa(.c nhie^`u chuye^.n "cuo^'i".

Nhu+~ng nga`y cuo^'i na(m....va` chi? co`n va`i chu.c to+` li.ch nu+~a ro+.i xuo^'ng theo nhu+~ng chie^'c la' va`ng trong sa^n nha`, ngoa`i ddu+o+`ng pho^'...theo nhu+~ng ha.t tuye^'t tra('ng xo'a ro+`i tu+` tro+`i cao; chu'ng ta xin ddu+o+.c gia~ tu+` na(m cu~ dde^? bu+o+'c va`o na(m mo+'i. "Cuo^'i cu`ng ro^`i ddo+`i mi`nh cu~ng qua..." mo^.t ca^u ha't dda^u ddo' va(ng va(?ng trong tri'... Tuy nhie^n kho^ng pha?i la` cuo^'i cho cuo^.c ba^`u cu+? vi. To^?ng Tho^'ng thu+' 43 cu?a nu+o+'c Co+` Hoa Sao So.c. Cho dde^'n khi to^i vie^'t nhu+~ng do`ng na`y gu+?i cho ki.p nga`y ba'o le^n khuo^n thi` "cuo^.c chie^'n" va^~n co`n ddang tie^'p die^~n. Ke^? cho dde^'n 5 gio+` chie^`u nga`y 26 tha'ng 12, tu+'c la` 20 nga`y sau khi cuo^.c ba^`u phie^'u cha^'m du+'t, nu+o+'c My~ va^~n chu+a co' vi. ta^n to^?ng tho^'ng. Tru+o+'c khi ddi va`o mo^.t so^' du+~ kie^.n cu?a cuo^.c dda^`u phie^'u "vo^ tie^`n khoa'ng ha^.u" na^`y, chu'ng to^i xin ddu+o+.c kha'i lu+o+.c mo^.t va`i ddie^?m ve^` the^' le^. ba^`u cu+? ta.i Hoa Ky`. Tru+o+'c nha^'t, theo Hie^'n Pha'p Hoa Ky` "Ta^'t ca? mo.i co^ng da^n Hoa Ky` dde^`u co' quye^`n u+'ng cu+? va` ba^`u cu+?" Co' nghi~a ra(`ng nhu+~ng ai la` co^ng da^n Hoa Ky` dde^`u co' quye^`n ghi danh la`m u+'ng cu+? vie^n (candidate) cho ca'c chu+'c vu. da^n cu+? tu+` To^?ng Tho^'ng cho dde^'n anh nghi. vie^n ho^.i ddo^`ng tha`nh pho^', khu ho.c cha'nh...hoa(.c phu+o+`ng kho'm. Tuy nhie^n, chu+'c vu. To^?ng Tho^'ng cu?a nu+o+'c na^`y tu+` bao ddo+`i nay (dda~ qua 42 vi. to^?ng tho^'ng) chi? ro+i va`o tay hai dda?ng chi'nh tri. lo+'n cu?a Hoa Ky`-dda?ng Co^.ng Ho`a hoa(.c dda?ng Da^n Chu?. Va`, muo^'n tro+? tha`nh to^?ng tho^'ng Hoa Ky`, u+'ng cu+? vie^n pha?i ddu+o+.c su+. ti'n nhie^.m cu?a da^n chu'ng (Public Vote) va` qua su+. ti'n nhie^.m cu?a cu+? tri ddoa`n (Electoral Vote).

So^' phie^'u cu?a da^n thi` dda^u dda^u tre^n the^' gio+'i co' che^' ddo^. da^n chu? dde^`u bie^'t, rie^ng o+? Hoa Ky` co' the^m Cu+? Tri ddoa`n...la` ddie^`u kho^ng gio^'ng ai. Theo mo^.t ddie^`u khoa?n cu?a Hie^'n pha'p Hoa Ky` u+'ng cu+? vie^n na`o ddu+o+.c qua' ba'n so^' cu+? tri ddoa`n (270) thi` dda('c cu+? to^?ng tho^'ng ba^'t cha^'p so^' phie^'u da^n ba^`u. . Mo^.t ca'ch cu. the^? ho+n, nu+o+'c My~ co' 100 vi. Thu+o+.ng Nghi. Si~ (Mo^~i tie^?u bang co' 2 TNS) va` 435 vi. Ha. Nghi. Si~ cho hai vie^.n cu?a quo^'c ho^.i, va` 3 cu+? tri ddoa`n ta.i Thu? ddo^ Hoa Thi.nh ddo^'n, va` con so^' 538 se~ la` con so^' cu?a cu+? tri ddoa`n. Sau khi ngu+o+`i da^n ddi dda^`u phie^'u, cu+? tri ddoa`n se~ bo? phie^'u. Vie^.c dda(.t ra cu+? tri ddoa`n la` nha(`m va`o 2 mu.c ddi'ch chi'nh. Mo^.t la` ta^'t ca? ca'c tie^?u bang du` ddo^ng da^n, it da^n, nghe`o, gia`u dde^`u ddu+o+.c ca'c u+'ng cu+? vie^n quan ta^m va` co^' ga('ng tranh thu? lo`ng da^n. Thu+' hai la` dde^? tra'nh su+. du`ng tie^`n mua chuo^.c cu+? tri.

Tu+` tru+o+'c cho dde^'n nay vi. u+'ng cu+?a vie^n to^?ng tho^'ng na`o ddu+o+.c nhie^`u phie^'u cu?a da^n ba^`u se~ ddu+o+.c luo^n ca? so^' phie^'u cu?a cu+? tri ddoa`n, va` 270 phie^'u cu?a cu+? tri ddoa`n (Khoa?ng 51%) se~ bu+o+'c va`o to`a nha` Ba.ch O^'c (White House) se~ la` vi. to^?ng tho^'ng nu+o+'c My~. Cho dde^'n "nga`y ho^m qua" chu+a co' chuye^.n gi` xa?y ra ra('c ro^'i, cho dde^'n ho^m nay. Hai vi. u+'ng cu+? vie^n George Bush (dda?ng Co^.ng Ho`a) va` Al Gore (dda?ng Da^n Chu?) ngang ngu+?a tre^n kha('p toa`n quo^'c ... (trong li.ch su+? Hoa Ky`, co' 3 la^`n xa^?y ra, la^`n cuo^'i cu`ng na(m 1888. Benjamin Harrisson u+'ng vie^n Co^.ng Ho`a thua phie^'u u+'ng vie^n Da^n Chu? Grover Cleveland, tro+? tha`nh to^?ng tho^'ng Hoa Ky` vo+'i 233 cho^'ng 168 phie^'u cu+? tri ddoa`n). Cuo^'i cu`ng so'ng gio' do^`n ve^` Florida (No+i na^`y tre^n thu+.c te^' ddi.a ly' la` vu`ng ba~o to^', lu.t lo^.i, tornado ha`ng na(m) Ta.i no+i dda^y co' 25 phie^'u cu?a Cu+? Tri ddoa`n cho ne^n hai vi. Chua^?n To^?ng Tho^'ng dde^`u tranh tha('ng...chie^'n cuo^.c xa?y ra.

Nhi`n qua ba'o chi' va` qua ca'c phu+o+ng tie^.n truye^`n tho^ng dda.i chu'ng, ngu+o+`i ta mo+'i tha^'y ddu+o+.c su+. tu+. do tuye^.t vo+`i cu?a quo^'c gia son tre? na`y. Ca'c be^n lie^n he^. khi dda~ tranh ddua ba^'t pha^n tha('ng ba.i thi` pha?i du`ng dde^'n lua^.t pha'p, du`ng hie^'n pha'p dde^? chu+'ng minh su+. tha('ng cu+? cu?a mi`nh. Va` ba^y gio+` to`a a'n la`m nhie^.m vu. (Mo^.t trong 3 co+ quan quye^`n lu+.c cu?a the^? che^' chi'nh tri. Hoa Ky`) The^' la` 6 trie^.u la' phie^'u ta.i tie^?ng bang Florida ddu+o+.c mang ra du`ng tay dde^? dde^'m, va` sa(m soi tu+` phie^'u mo^.t.

Qua vie^.c na`y chu'ng ta ho.c ddu+o+.c mo^.t ba`i ho.c ve^` su+. tu+. do va` da^n chu?...Khi dda~ ra tru+o+'c co^ng chu'ng va` se~ la` ngu+o+`i la~nh dda.o, tru+o+'c he^'t ngu+o+`i do' pha?i bie^'t to^n tro.ng nhu+~ng ddie^`u dda~ ddu+o+.c ban ha`nh...Ba` Katherine Harris, bo^. tru+o+?ng bo^. No^.i Vu. tie^?u bang Florida dda~ ddu+o+.c to`a cho phe'p a^'y the^' ma` ba` va^~n kho^ng ddu+o+.c quye^`n a^'n ddi.nh nga`y gio+` va` the^? thu+'c kie^?m phie^'u. Ba` pha?i ddo+.i su+. pha'n quye^'t cu?a to`a a'n cao ho+n. Ban co^' va^'n cu?a u+'ng cu+? vie^n G. Bush ddem vu. na'y kie^.n le^n to`a lie^n bang du+.a theo 2 ddie^`u tu chi'nh a'nh so^' 1 va` so^' 15, nhu+ng to`a lien bang xe't tha^'y kho^ng ho+.p hie^'n nen dda~ giao cho to`a tie^?u bang (ddie^`u na`y co' y' nghi~a ca'c he^. tho^'ng to^? chu+'c kho^ng cu+' ha(?n Lien Bang luo^n luo^n co' uy quye^`n lo+'n ho+n tie^?u bang) Quye^`n lu+.c cu?a chi'nh tri. ta.i Hoa Ky` kho^ng na(`m trong tay ba^'t ky` cu?a mo^.t ai (Du` ddo' la` To^?ng Tho^'ng) ma` na(`m trong tay toa`n da^n chu'ng Hoa Ky`-Y' da^n la` y' tro+`i- Va` y' muo^'n cu?a toa`n da^n ddu+o+.c the^? hie^.n du+o+'i 3 co+ quan Ha`nh Pha'p, La^.p Pha'p va` Tu+ Pha'p.

Hie^.n nay sau ke^'t qua? (Va`o lu'c 5 gio+` chie^`u nga`y 26/12 la` ha.n cho't to`a cho phe'p) o^ng G. Bush ddu+o+.c 2, 912, 790 phie^'u va` o^ng A. Gore ddu+o+.c 2, 912, 253. Trong khi o^ng G. Bush dda~ gu+?i ngu+o+`i le^n Hoa Thi.nh ddo^'n dde^? chua^?n bi. cho vie^.c nha^.m chu+'c thi` phi'a o^ng Gore va^~n tie^'p tu.c ye^u ca^`u ca'c khu vu+.c nhu+ Palm Beach, Miami Beach, Nassau Counties....tie^'p tu.c kie^?m phie^'u ba(`ng tay vo+'i hy vo.ng la` nga`y cuo^'i cu`ng theo lua^.t ddi.nh 12/12 vie^.c tuye^n bo^' ai tha('ng cu+? pha?i ddu+o+.c thu+.c hie^.n vo+'i su+. dda^`u phie^'u cu?a Cu+? Tri ddoa`n, o^ng Gore se~ co' the^m i't phie^'u. Chuye^.n na`y va^~n chu+a bie^'t se~ ddi ve^` dda^u va` da^n chu'ng Hoa Ky` va^~n me^.t ma`i da'n ma('t va`o T.V va` ca(ng ngu+o+`i ra ddo.c ba'o.

Cuo^'i ma` chu+a cuo^'i...cho ne^n chu'ng ta ha~y dde^? cho vie^.c tranh cha^'p dda~ co' ngu+o+`i lo... Chu'ng ta ne^n quay ve^` vo+'i tha'ng 12 va` chua^?n bi. cho nhu+~ng nga`y tro.ng dda.i cuo^'i na(m. Va`, tha'ng 12 co' hai nga`y le^~ lo+'n: Nga`y Chrismas va` nga`y New Year.

Khi ngoa`i ddu+o+`ng nhu+~ng ha.t tuye^'t bay bay dda^.p va`o ta^'m kie^'ng xe tan vo+~ tha`nh nhu+~ng hoa tuye^'t, hoa(.c pho+i pho+'i bay dda^.u tre^n ma'i to'c ngu+o+`i ye^u, ro^`i dda^u dda^y va(ng va(?ng ha~y la('ng tai nghe vang vo.ng lo+`i nha.c...Jingle Bell ...dde^m ddo^ng la.nh le~o Chu'a sinh ra ddo+`i...dde^? tha^'y lo`ng mi`nh ro^.n ra~. DDu+o+`ng pho^' tra`n nga^.p sa('c ma`u, nha` nha` dde`n hoa ru+.c ro+~. Mu`a Le^~ Gia'ng Sinh dda~ ve^`. Ta.i Hoa Ky`, ha`ng trie^.u ca^y tho^ng ddu+o+.c chua^?n bi. tu+` na(m tru+o+'c se~ ba`y ba'n kha('p no+i co^ng co^.ng, ha`ng qua'n treo dde`n ke^'t hoa, ha~ng xu+o+?ng chua^?n bi. qua` cho nha^n vie^n, ca'c ba.n be`, tha^n nha^n chua^?n bi. nhu+~ng ta^'m cards dde.p nha^'t vo+'i nhu+~ng lo+`i tha thie^'t thu+o+ng ye^u nha^'t gu+?i dde^'n ngu+o+`i tha^n. Ngoa`i nhu+~ng "chuye^.n nho?" a^'y ra, chu'ng ta co`n mo^.t chuye^.n kha'c "lo+'n" ho+n: Shopping. Ca'c shopping Mall dda~ tru+ng ba`y ha`ng dde.p cho mu`a le^~ tu+` mo^.t nga`y tru+o+'c khi nghi? le^~ Thanks Giving, co' nghi~a la` tu+` cuo^'i tha'ng 11. Ha`ng ho'a, qua^`n a'o, pha^?m va^.t sa(~n sa`ng cho kha'ch ha`ng dde^'n "khie^ng" ve^` nha`.

Theo Customer Report thi` da^n chu'ng Hoa Ky` va^~n sa('m su+?a nga`y ca`ng ta(ng, va` dda(.c bie^.t nhu+~ng ma(.t ha`ng mua qua Internet va^~n kho^ng gia?m. Tuy nhie^n, mua kho^ng ba(`ng nga('m, cho ne^n ha`ng na(m va^~n co' ha`ng trie^.u kha'ch ha`ng tru+o+'c nga`y Gia'ng Sinh ha`ng tha'ng dda~ ba('t dda^`u ddi... nga('m (Window Shopping) Kho^ng co`n gi` thu' vi. cho ba(`ng trong khi ngoa`i tro+`i ho+i la`nh la.nh, co' ho^m tuye^'t ro+i la? cha?, nha^'t la` ta.i ca'c tha`nh pho^' Ba('c My~ nhu+ Toronto, Quebec, Montreal (Canada) Boston, New York, Washington (America)...v.v ngoa`i kia tuye^'t ddang ro+i va` trong na`y-trong Mall- ho+i a^'m tra`n tre^`, dde`n hoa nha^'p na'y...dda.c bie^.t la` be^n ca.nh na`ng co' cha`ng, tay na('m tay dung da(ng dung de? thi`....co' tro+`i ma` ca?n "chu'ng no'" se~...se~ mua ta(.ng cho nhau mo^.t va`i go'i qua` Gia'ng Sinh. A^'y, khung ca?nh hu+~u ti`nh, ddie^`u kie^.n thoa?i ma'i cho ne^n con ngu+o+`i ro^.ng ra~i vo+'i nhau.

Ha`nh lang da`i hun hu't na`o la` Macy's, Nordstrom, Victoria Seceret, Bay, Easton...dda~ thu hu't ha`ng tra(m, ha`ng nga`n, ha`ng trie^.u bu+o+'c cha^n ddi shop mo^~i na(m va` di.p le^~ cuo^'i na(m. Ta.i Hoa Ky` va` Canada va`o ca'c nga`y le^~, ca'c cu+?a ha`ng thu+o+`ng co' nhu+~ng ma(.t ha`ng "Sale" Kho^ng bie^'t co' su+. co^' y' na`o kho^ng giu+~a ca'c nga`y le^~ va` ca'c cu+?a ha`ng? Ta.i My~, Canada mo^~i tha'ng i't ra pha?i co' mo^.t nga`y le^~ dde^? ca'c cu+?a ha`ng ddu+o+.c di.p "on sale" Na`o la` Le^~ Valentine (Viet Nam ta go.i la` ngay` le^~ ti`nh nha^n) President's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Good Friday, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Halloween Day, Thanks Giving...Christmas va` New Year's Day. Ngoa`i ra co`n bie^'t bao nhie^`u nga`y nu+~a dde^? ca'c ma(.t ha`ng ddu+o+.c di.p "Big Sale" dde^'n cho ngu+o+`i tie^u thu.. Ta.i Hoa Ky` co`n co' nhu+~ng ca'ch tie^u thu. ha`ng ho'a kha'c. Cu+' nhi`n va`o thu`ng thu+ cu?a ba.n ha`ng nga`y ba.n se~ tha^'y, se~ hu+`ng hu+.c lu+?a no'ng khi mu`a he` mo+'i cho+'m da^`u sa^n ma` mo^.t chie^'c Skirt ha^'p da^~n la`m cho ddo^i cha^n ba.n ga'i o^'m thon va` da`i the^m ra, hoa(.c cha`ng nom tre? ra va` dda^`y nam ti'nh vo+'i chie^'c a'o pull ho+? co^? dda~ xua^'t hie^.n tre^n ma(.t ba'o....O^i tho^i, ha`ng va.n, ha`ng trie^.u ca'ch ddu+a ha`ng ho'a dde^'n nha`. Nga`y nay the^' gio+'i tie^'n bo^., phu+o+ng tie^.n Internet dda~ go'p pha^`n va`o vie^.c tie^u thu.. Co' ngu+o+`i dda~ u+o+'c ti'nh ra(`ng so^' tie^`n dde^? in ca'c ta^.p ba'o ma`u la'n du`ng trong ca'c di.ch vu. qua?ng ca'o, ca'c so^' lu+o+.ng gia^'y du`ng gu+?i dde^'n nha` ha`ng na`y co' the^? nuo^i mo^.t quo^'c gia, hoa(.c mo^.t chi'nh phu? to^`n ta.i trong va`i na(m (mo^.t u+o+'c ti'nh thu+.c te^' ddau lo`ng).

Bu+o+'c cha^n ra kho?i nha` va`o tha'ng 12 xin ba.n nho+' chie^'c a'o khoa'c lo^ng cu+`u, chie^'c a'o da ma`u dden, chie^'c vi' tay, ddo^i da`y ba.n ddang ddi..hi`nh nhu+ ho+i cu~, ho+i "de mode" va` dda^y la` di.p dde^? ba.n to? lo`ng cho nhau, tha^n a'i trao nhau kho^ng nhu+~ng nu. ho^n no^`ng cha'y, ca'i hug a^'m ti`nh, chie^'c thie^.p ma`u sa(.c so+~... Chu'ng ta co`n trao cho nhau mo^.t mo'n qua`. Tha^.t ddu'ng la` phu' qui' sinh le^~ nghi~a, nhu+ng dda~ thoa't ddi tu+` thuo+? a(n lo^ng o+? lo^~ cho de^'n nga`y ho^m nay sa('p ddo^? bo^. Ho?a tinh... Ha~y ho?i ta.i sao chu'ng ta kho^ng tu+. thu+o+?ng cho ddo+`i so^'ng chu'ng ta nhu+~ng phu't gia^y y' nghi~a va` nhi`n la.i tha`nh qua? cu?a con ngu+o+`i trong na(m dda~ qua. Cuo^'i cu`ng, da^n to^.c na`o cu~ng la` con ngu+o+`i va` dda~ la` ngu+o+`i thi` muo^'n mu+u ca^`u ha.nh phu'c. DDem ha.nh phu'c cho ba?n tha^n, xin ha~y mang ha.nh phu'c dde^'n cho ngu+o+`i be^n ca.nh. Ca^`u nguye^.n va` nghi~ dde^'n nhu+~ng ke? kho^ng nha`. Nghi~ dde^'n nhu+~ng da^n to^.c co`n ddang trong vo`ng no^ le^....Ha~y thu+o+ng ye^u va` tha thu+' nhu+ Chu'a dda~ tha thu+' nhu+~ng to^.i lo^~i cu?a con ngu+o+`i dde^? nhu+~ng nga`y cuo^'i mo^.t na(m co' phu't gia^y tha^.t ye^u thu+o+ng va` ha.nh phu'c.