[in Thai] "Where did you eat?"
I point across the street as I hand my room card.
"Okay."
As I leave Bangkok, I struggle how to package together an array of experiences until I realize one common thread: the security guards. They are the bookend of all my stories as I greet them entering and exiting the dormitory.
Our exchanges began very congenial with an "are you well" or a simple "hello." But quickly, they developed more personal:
[in Thai] "Where did you go?"
I motion scissors with my fingers over my head.
"Oh...haircut! Very good! How much?"
"180"
"Ohhhhy...expensive. Hmm...okay."
What? Where? When? It is endearing, and I figure it must be part of the guards' job duties to know whereabouts. They must have a better account of my activities than I do. But, I learned that job responsibilities had nothing to do with these "nosey" questions. My weekend host mom, my Thai friends--all asked them. It is simply genuine interest, part of the cultural makeup. The security guards are just being Thai.
The compilation of these short interactions made my last one almost difficult. But it was appropriate to form: ordinary and brief yet sincere:
[in Thai] "Where are you going?"
Chiang Rai
"Now?"
"Now."
"...Okay."
1 comment:
my favorite thai questions came from my younger (host) brother. his favorite, especially after i returned from phuket, were, have you shrunk? (over the three months he had grown taller than me) why are you black? (tan) why are you fat?
have a dii maa time.
xoxo.
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