* A review for the 'The Book I Love' column.

If there is one sport powerful enough to make the most serious people emotional, the most calm people passionate, and the most demanding fathers suddenly act like children, that is certainly football.

The short story 'When the Ball Rolls' from Nguyen Nhat Anh's collection 'Chuyen co tich danh cho nguoi lon' doesn't feature football superstars or describe a high-stakes final with complex tactics. Instead, it tells a simple story: a football-loving father, a son who also enjoys the sport, and a live broadcast of a final on a sunday afternoon. Yet, from these ordinary elements, the author created a work that is both humorous and insightful.

Early in the story, readers laugh at the image of the father constantly telling his son to study. When the boy excitedly asks to watch the final, the father sternly refuses: "Study right now! Every night at eight, your eyes droop, so what kind of studying is that!"

Upon hearing this, many will find it familiar. In every family, we have heard or said similar statements. Parents always want their children to focus on studies, away from entertainment. This is true. But the interesting part is that the person lecturing is also the most anxious for the match to begin.

Nguyen Nhat Anh skillfully created a humorous, contrasting situation. The father forbids his son from watching football but is restless himself. He tells his son to sit and study but cannot rest due to excitement. With just a few details, the author vividly portrays a character: adults can sometimes be very childish; they just do not want to admit it.

The story's humor escalates when the Hy Vong (Hope) team scores the first goal. The once stern father immediately becomes a passionate fan. He leaps from his seat, shouting with joy, then immediately calls his son to watch with him.

This moment is amusing and endearing. Minutes before, he was a strict, prohibitive father; now he is the most enthusiastic invitation.

Cover of the story collection 'Chuyen co tich danh cho nguoi lon'. Photo: Tre Publishing House.

But what I found most appealing was the father's changing attitude with the match's developments. When the Hy Vong team took the lead, he pulled his son to watch football. When the Tien Len (Advance) team equalized, the son jumped for joy, and the father immediately became angry, insisting one should watch "calmly, quietly, politely". He even made up excuses to deny the opponent's goal, from offside to referee errors.

At that point, readers cannot help but laugh. Anyone who has watched football knows this feeling. When your team scores, the referee is the most impartial person in the world. But if it's the opposing team, the referee suddenly becomes the most suspicious person on the planet.

Nguyen Nhat Anh does not criticize the character. He gently holds a mirror to readers, allowing us to see our own common contradictions. Adults often demand children be rational, but sometimes they act more emotionally than anyone else.

The story's climax lies in the final lines. After sending his son back to study because his team conceded an equalizer, the father calls his son out again when the Hy Vong team scores another goal.

"Son, come out and watch football! You can study anytime!" This statement is like a perfect follow-up shot to the father's already shaky sternness. It brings the entire story to a joyful close.

But behind that laughter is a beautiful message. Family love is not always expressed through flowery words. It can simply be a father and son sitting together in front of the television, anticipating a play, laughing, regretting, and sharing everyday emotions.

Football in the story is not merely a sport. It becomes a catalyst that shortens the distance between father and son. When the ball rolls on the field, rigid rules, dry lectures, or generational gaps seem to vanish.

Reading 'When the Ball Rolls' during the World Cup season, I realized that the most captivating aspect of football isn't just the goals, but its ability to connect people. It brings families together, turns strangers into friends, and makes even the most stern fathers unexpectedly endearing.

Closing the short story, I still smile remembering the image of the father, sometimes forbidding his son from studying, sometimes pulling him to watch football. And then I wonder: does a "Hy Vong team father" exist within each of us? Perhaps so. Ultimately, when the ball rolls, not only does the game begin, but people's true emotions also roll with it. That is what makes this small work, despite being written long ago, still bring smiles to readers today.

Ha Tran

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