Xe May Update 2

When we last left our hero he was just getting the hang of motoring around town on his new scooter only to be rudely interrupted by an unexpected mechanical failure. After getting the bike back to our apartment via the Vietnamese "Towing" service the appropriate call was made to the Vitamin lady and the next day was set for the repair. Woke up early the next morning expecting to take the bike to a "shop," as instructed the night before, but it turns out that Vitamin lady's husband decides not to do that rather he will send someone directly over to our place to fix the bike on location. Unfortunately, like with many things here in Viet Nam this involves a time frame of "sometime in the afternoon or early evening." It turns out that the man calls right in the middle of lunch and will be over in 15 minutes. Luckily Huyen and I had decided to eat close by our apartment so this is no problem. We roll the bike out on to the street and wait. Me for the repair guy, Huyen for her friend so they can split a cab back to work.
The very stern looking Anh Tuy pulls up on his Honda Dream a small basket of tools in basket over the front wheel. Huyen goes through a small list of over minor problems, kickstand spring loose, gear shift lever bent, etc. . . , but Anh Tuy just goes over how to shift the scooter through it's gears once again, and then after trying to kick start the bike a few times proceeds to remove the spark plug. Huyen's ride shows up as Anh Tuy, having determined the spark plug is innocent, removes the battery from the bike. Using the small voltage meter to determine whether or not the battery is alive I fill up the time snapping photos of this small mechanical procedure. Battery checks out, so Anh Tuy digs a bit deeper into the bikes body and pulls out another electrical device. This turn out to be the offending part and Anh Tuy explains to me that even though the IC (I don't really know what this part is or does) has made in Thailand stamped on the side, it's really made in China and of crappy quality. I ask if he can purchase a good Thai one for me and he tells me to wait for a few minutes while he does just that. Back with an equally sketchy looking (which is why it's a good thing I did not go to try and buy the thing myself, cause they both look equally used, old, and Thai to me) IC which he clicks into place, and then with the scooter's "guts" still hanging out, he kick starts the bike again. It roars (I explained to Huyen a few days earlier that our Super Cub is like the Harley of motor-scooters cause it's engine is so loud and obnoxious, esp. given it's size and lack of power) I smile and give the thumbs up and then ask him about the other minor problems. With a pair of pliers he bends things back into place and with that he is done. How much for the house-call? 120,000 Vietnamese Dong or $7.25 US. Not bad for such stern and determined service, plus I now know to look out for fake Thai parts now. I pay him 30,000 extra for coming by, as instructed by Huyen, which at first he tries to give back thinking I do not understand, but then happily accepts after I tell him it's extra. With a "You speak great Vietnamese" (amazing the flattery $1.85 will but you) he's off again on his Honda Dream. I grab my bag and jump on the Cub, kicking it to life on just the second try. A successful first outing to buy some Thit Bo Kho (dried beef) in the Old Quarter and a stop at the supermarket by the lake and me and the Cub are back in business. . .Watch out Ha Noi!