{"id":13796,"date":"2020-12-07T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-07T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/christmas-eve-2016-by-joshua-nguyen\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T16:51:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T21:51:43","slug":"christmas-eve-2016-by-joshua-nguyen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2020\/12\/07\/christmas-eve-2016-by-joshua-nguyen\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Eve, 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Christmas Eve, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Joshua Nguyen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-text-align-right has-medium-font-size\"><em>&amp; on this day\nthe Cincinnati Bengals miss the game-winning field goal \n&amp; the Houston Texans clinch a playoff spot.<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-medium-font-size\">&amp; the living room erupts &amp; we stay drunk till midnight. There is a hidden box of Cognac my father finds in the cupboard. No one steals the vase from my grandmother's grave. Instead, she rises from the oven &amp; broils her famous <em>th\u1ecbt kho<\/em>. My lap crumbles into solid yolk while the tv plays her favorite episode of <em>Paris By Night<\/em> where I am a perished background extra. Center stage, the Viet singer does his best to keep up with the audio track. Fake fog bursts my lungs &amp; my family collects the debris like the rainfall I usually am.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-text-align-right has-medium-font-size\"><em>J Watt (DE) screams and twirls his towel in the air.<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-medium-font-size\">&amp; for a moment, I forget my cousin is a cop. &amp; for a moment, I have the courage to speak back &amp; his eyes ebb into the glass. He stops saying the n-word &amp; lets her daughter sing in Japan. Opens up about his anger issues. About how he knows he is the least-liked child &amp; his stint in prison. Together, we superglue the table where his fist made love with a splintered tongue.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-text-align-right has-medium-font-size\"><em>Deandre Hopkins (WR) kneels and prays to God.<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-medium-font-size\">&amp; I don't mind that Cousin Angie gives me a gift card that says <em>To:Angie<\/em>, <em>From:Sam<\/em> &amp; I don't know who Sam is &amp; I don't catch fire under her wall of thirty-seven crucifixes. Instead, I find god in teaching my six-year-old cousin Bella how to backstab in <em>UNO<\/em>. She makes me draw eight cards &amp; I hear <em>life doesn't go easy on nobody<\/em> &amp; my brother opens the front door with plans to move back from Seoul. In the backyard, I clear the moss from the hoop. We continue our one-on-one game where the winner gets his whole stack of X-men comics.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-text-align-right has-medium-font-size\"><em>The players rush the field, the fans in the arena hug complete strangers.<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse has-medium-font-size\">&amp; workers in Chinatown finally get Christmas bonuses &amp; my aunt finally takes a day off. We walk along <em>Bellaire Blvd<\/em> &amp; witness the neon sunset. Another fender-bender is accompanied by the scent of sweet <em>milk bread<\/em> from the engines. Tapioca shops are required to use <em>actual<\/em> green tea leaves &amp; I forget to withdraw cash but, today, it's okay because credit card minimums have decreased to two dollars. I buy my aunt boba. She doesn't fight for the bill. The corner unfolds &amp; my fortune collapses from her tongue: <em>Yao Ming comes out of retirement &amp; raises a third banner. Kids grow thick beards to keep their joy warm<\/em>. &amp; the potholes, the potholes are full of liquor &amp; love &amp; excuses but my family drives through them. My body bruised from the flatbed where my cousin would get too close &amp; I would imagine the one bump that would let my family fly.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Joshua Nguyen<\/strong> is a Vietnamese-American writer, a collegiate national poetry slam champion (CUPSI), and a native Houstonian. He has received fellowships from Kundiman, Sundress Academy For The Arts, and the Vermont Studio Center. He has been published in <a href=\"https:\/\/theoffingmag.com\/poetry\/three-poems-2\/\"><em>The Offing<\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/readwildness.com\/21\/nguyen-heart\"><em>Wildness<\/em><\/a>, <em>Button Poetry<\/em>, <em>The Texas Review<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theauburnavenue.com\/boat-people\"><em>Auburn Avenue<\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/issuu.com\/craborchardreview\/docs\/book_24_2c2__1_\"><em>Crab Orchard Review<\/em><\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/gulfcoastmag.org\/online\/blog\/no-flood-zone\/\"><em>Gulf Coast<\/em><\/a>. He is a PhD student at The University of Mississippi, where he also received his MFA. He is a bubble tea connoisseur and works in a kitchen. Follow him at @joshuanguyen03 on all social media accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">&lt;&lt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2020\/12\/07\/mister-average-by-eric-p-mueller\/\">Back<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Christmas Eve, 2016 Joshua Nguyen __________ &amp; on this day the Cincinnati Bengals miss the game-winning field goal &amp; the Houston Texans clinch a playoff spot. &amp; the living room erupts &amp; we stay drunk till midnight. There is a hidden box of Cognac my father finds in the cupboard. No one steals the vase&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[202],"tags":[75,108,42],"class_list":["post-13796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all-football-20-boudin","tag-boudin","tag-football","tag-hybrid"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13796"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13796\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21154,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13796\/revisions\/21154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}