Bob Dylan decides to step outside of the Sheraton downtown Saigon prior to his ground breaking gig there. This occasion marks his first time ever performing there and Vietnam’s second only rock concertHe is immediately approached by man who seems to materialize from nowhere out of the evening shadows – beating off several other equally invisible competitors by a hairs breath.Mr Fixer: ‘Hey papa where you come from?’ this opening rarely fails to secure the initial contact in his experience.Bob: ‘Wisconsin’.
Mr Fixer: Ohhhhhhh where that? Sound like very important place very busy with many many people.States. Bob gazes up into the night skyMr Fixer :What you looking for papa?
BD: Uhh .. I saw a shooting star tonight and I thought …
Mr Fixer: No mista I meant what you looking for? Girls? I have many many girls beautiful girls – inside girls not outside girls – get on my motorbike I show you many many girls…..
BD: Look I really can’t come with you I have a concert tonight.
Mr Fixer: Ohhhh very nice you here business or holiday?BD: taking care of some unfinished businessMr Fixer: Oh you no come here during American war? You look like maybe you are veteran American war? Many come back sort things out in the head
BD: No I don’t like war.Mr Fixer: No one like war. Only obeying orders stuff. So why you wear uniform? You look very handsome in uniform – great hat. Love feather nice touch. So maybe you have job in security, that why you wear nice uniform with stripe down leg. Many many people here work in security. Security very popular in communist countryBD Well in a way I this is my uniform I am a musician
Mr Fixer: Oh maybe you play in marching brass band? With nice young lady in tight shorts cheerleader? Maybe you like young lady? I have many many young lady beautiful …
BD: .. look nice to be chatting and I am learning a lot but I need to be getting ready …
Mr Fixer: No no rush things always late Vietnam and big big traffic tonight for big famous star he play rock concert tonight maybe you should go you learn something…. Maybe take lady I have lady …Bob gazes skyward
Mr Fixer:Don’t worry clear sky tonight, tomorrow maybe hurricane but tonight okay for concert
BD: A hard rains gonna fall tomorrow? Not tonight you sure?
Mr Fixer: Maybe tomollow not tonight, tonight moonlight fall on youMr Fixer:What your name?
Bob .. hesitation … Bob Zimmerman
Mr Fixer: Very nice to meet you mista Zimmerframe this my lucky day meet you we go many many places. What you looking for? I help you find what you look for. I ready to go anywhere … what you looking for?Bob: Good question … there must be some kind of way out of here
Mr Fixer: OHHHH not long now papa need to find you nice lady take your mind off things you need to relax work too hard all your life.
BD: You might just be right .. time to kick back …
MF: Many many lady they like your nice hat and stripy trousers. Here I Show you picture on my cell phone nice lady I bring her to you on motorbike no ploblem. Go on take look her name Sara many many men like her but she just for you
BD: Did you say sara?Yes methat right sara she has beautiful shape eyes Vietnam eyes, eye shape from the delta from the low lands not the mountain people
BD: Looks a little sad to me, sad eyed.
MF: No sir she not sad she a jewe. You like cigarette mista zimmerframe?
BD: No thanks think I will go back inside have one more up of coffee before I go
MF: Good you no smoke your voice sound quite rough already. Very manly voice. What song you sing?
MF: You like Leo Sayer? Many many people love Leo Sayer here in Vietnam.
BD: Well I think Leo is great too though bit of a one man band. I sing my own songs mainly.
Mr Fixer: Ohh that good like Leo you write five or six famous songs maybe?
Bob: mentally counting on fingers ..Well no I have written six hundred songs.
Mr Fixer: Ohh that a lot – maybe one become hit. I wish you get lucky. You get someone without gruff voice they maybe make your song sound nice do good job. Get Filipino backing band they very good
Bob: Look great chatting to you and thanks for the advice and all but I need to get to the venue get sound checked.
Mr Fixer: Why you do only one venue?
BD: Excuse me?
Mr Fixer: Well here in Saigon we invent rotating singer system, great system many many people like system. Each club have house Filipino band and singers come by cab sing two song then go to next club, while next singer come by cab go on stage.
BD: Now that is an interesting ideaMr Fixer: best idea ever glad you like you should try it audience no get bored work very well. Work for everyone audience no get bored with same voice singer always sings best two songs time after time cab driver like ….. you can choose your best two songs! But you have 600 songs like juke box … sing me number 235
BD: Sooner or later one of us must know # 235
Mr Fixer:No up to you, name song please I beg you choose surely you know
BD: Like a rolling stoneMr Fixer:
No no cover Jagger here skinny hips like Vietnamese girl and big lips, you sing own song your song your two song very goodLook nice talking but I gotta goSure you no like lady many many nice lady …. Likr lay lady?
BD: Lay lady lay lady. Wont you come and see my queen jane?
MFI m not following this any more
BD: Thanks but not thanks for offer of lady it is never that simple for me I get emotionally involved all tangled up ….
MF: You very complicated man mista Zimmerman cant figure you out at all. You should get that throat seen to though. It is like you not here.
BD: Well my best friends the doctor and he can’t even tell me what it is that I got.
MF: So what you looking for?
BD: Nothing really just got an attack of those homesick blues.
Mr Fixer: Subteranean?
BD: I don’t mind if `I do./