The Rose Parade float Monday will be the epitome of genteel 19th-Century American revelry: the "holiday housewarming" of a two-story Victorian home, complete with horse-drawn sleighs and a real skating pond. \o7 Bons vivants\f7 will be appropriately dressed--top hats, capes, fur-lined skating skirts, the whole nine yards.
Unnoticed under the traditional apparel will be Vinh Nguyen, 24 last Friday, who eight years ago wouldn't have known a Pasadena petal from a punji stake. Eight years ago, the last thing on Vinh's mind was a celebration. Eight years ago, Vinh would have sold his soul, or reasonable facsimile, for a glass of water.
Vinh was 15 when Vietnam fell. He fled with a crowd of refugees in a tiny boat. There was precious little to eat or drink, but Vinh and his mates were among the lucky ones. After 18 days, they landed up in Hong Kong, grubby but game.
Vinh's luck held. A cousin sponsored his immigration to America. Vinh studied like a demon, perfecting his English, mastering computers. He settled in Pasadena. In 1986, he became a citizen.
Vinh continues to miss his family, "especially on Tet, our New Year. I have my mother, two sisters, a brother, everybody still in Vietnam. They're not allowed to talk to me by telephone, and I can't go back because they'd kill me. On Tet, though, I dream about them."
On America's belated New Year, Vinh will be riding on Home Savings of America's float, one of 10 employees (he's a data-control analyst) chosen from among 13,000 for the honor.
"The (bank) president called me to say I'd been selected. I jumped up and down. A dream come true! I wish my mother could see."
Watch for Vinh on the Home Savings float, dressed like a 19th-Century American gentleman. You can't miss him. He'll be the one jumping up and down.
Coming Up Roses for Centenarians
That Lottie Hicks, there's no reining her in.
Two birthdays ago, Lottie, of Alhambra, took her first ride in the Goodyear blimp. Last year, she flew down the Southern California coast in a helicopter. Loved it.
This year, Lottie thought she'd like to ride in the Rose Parade, which is making a big deal of this being the procession's 100th anniversary and all. Not that big a deal for Lottie. She was already 4 years old when they ran the first one.
