Should I Stop Going For Walks?

[HeijoshinCool]

I’m out for my late morning walk a few days ago, along the four-lane main drag of Rhek Thum, but reaching a curve, come upon a hundred feet of tents and tables blocking one side of the road. Another dead person. I cross to the other side but a woman I know sees me and darts between bumper cars and motorbikes to drag me over to a table. I try valiantly to avoid most such events, but turns out this guy died of cancer and was in his thirties and left a wife and two kids. Adorable, well behaved kids. Ones so young they don’t understand what’s going on and are giggling a lot. So, respects given and my heart sufficiently melted, I sit down at the empty eight-top figuring a few hundred baht for a curry is just fine if it helps out the kids.

But as I start digging in, a guy stumbles and zigzags to my table and starts trying to communicate with me. Hand on my shoulder for support, he leans in and slurs, “Speak Thai-Speak English,” a hundred times. I ask him politely—almost as many times—to allow me to eat and to stop touching me, but he ignores my requests. A few people try to coax him away, but he shrugs them off. (Later I would learn he is a close relative with big baht.)

After an eternity of indulging him and his breath, and wondering if he’s going to vomit on my food, I’ve had enough and stand up to leave. He grabs an arm. Again and again he proudly recites the twelve English words he knows. Sort of. Five cops at the next table are kicked back, looking on with traces of smiles on their faces. I look at them and raise my eyebrows. Bigger smiles. So I move to get by the guy but he grabs both arms, and squeezes and shakes, demanding, “SPEAK ENGLISH!”

So I do.

I free one arm and gently tap his chest five times in five places, and, sotto voce say, Profanity removed

A couple of the cops were close enough to guess what I’d said and now break out laughing, but the very pissed dude becomes very pissed off. Apparently he understands an even baker’s dozen words in English.

But, just as apparently, it’s obvious he can’t read English because I only said the words that had been in my face for ten minutes; in 5” high letters printed on his T-shirt.

Yesterday I’m out for another walk. As I pass the house where each evening fifty woman and two lady boys spend an hour doing aerobics, the old woman who owns a restaurant I frequent is leaving. She’s quite nice and dignified, and being well past eighty, is one of few locals I wai. Just as I do, the two teen girls in front of her split formation, and I can now read the words on her black T-shirt, in DayGlo yellow lettering:

Profanity Removed

But, she wai’ed back nonetheless.

[weegee]

Hey where can i get one of those shirts....in Thai language

[soi41]

What did you expect in a place called Rhek Thum ??

[yoslim]

Maybe choose a better place to live ?

[HeijoshinCool]

Maybe choose a better place to live ?

Oh, believe me, I have.

[David48]

It could have been worse

I opened the file with the good hearted thought that I'd convert it to a .jpeg for all to see.

... I decided against it!

[boosta]

It could have been worse

-

Note no problem here, but there are some back-home jurisdictions where you would be detained and your computer equipment confiscated for maybe years for possession of this picture.

Unfortunately not joking.

[Rimmer]

Profanities taken out of the original post also over large fonts edited to normal size

Posts with profanities in them, removed.

3) Not to post in a manner that is vulgar, obscene or profane.

1. Please do not post in all capital letters, bold, unusual fonts, sizes or colors. It can be difficult to read.

More of the same will attract a written warning

[chickenslegs]

[aTomsLife]

Without knowing what was said, the spirit of this post is ambiguous. I'm rather curious. If any who know have the time, please PM me. Thanks

[kevvy]

Hey where can i get one of those shirts....in Thai language

in a shop where they print Thai language shirts weegee , are you still angry at no internet

[weegee]

Hey where can i get one of those shirts....in Thai language

in a shop where they print Thai language shirts weegee , are you still angry at no internet

What a rant i could have right now....got it working again....for who knows how long???? Thanks for your help

Now going to Grumpy Old Mens Forum to whinge to Transam and the other happy chappys

[mickjn]

Not being the sharpest tool in the shed it was nice to read a well written post I could understand

[HeijoshinCool]

Not being the sharpest tool in the shed it was nice to read a well written post I could understand

Why, thank you!