I live in thailand

My friend/acquaintance/someone I know was alledgedly drunk off his southern comfort speeding down the Superhighway at the weekend hours of the morning, yelling, “I live in Thailand and all my friends back home are going to work at a job that they hate!!! Ha, ha, ha!”

After hearing that good story, I laughed the laugh of a happy buddha sitting on a pile of gold coins. Because I understand. We all do, now don’t we, dear expatriats? So I have to admit, now when I zip down Canal Road or Huey Kaew, I scream in my head, “I live in Thailand!” Incidently, if you happen to see me kii-ing around town with a smirk on my face, you now know why.

That was about a month ago. The story. Not me kii-ing around town. I still kii cause I choose to. Anyway as I was returning from my favorite Huey Tung Tao walk this moist morning it dawned on me, Thailand is for freedom lovers or lovers of freedom.

And I swear as I type this, a kid just bicycled by flying down the dirt hill yelling, “Ohhhhh baby! Ohhhh doggie!”

Yeah. Thailand is like that. I think the next time someone asks me what it is like to live here, I will tell the story of the boy riding his bicycle.

As I was saying, Thailand is for freedom lovers. It’s no coincidence that (Chiang Mai at least) attracts creative people, people who are sick and so very tired of the government turning into some 1970s sci-fi flick (see THX 1138). Now the ironic/interesting part is watching Thailand’s government do its thing. When I see the coppers blocking the road so they can pull you over for safety dance reasons, I worry if CM is turning into some police state.

Thailand also attracts people who want to do their own thing. Now let’s not get into the sex-pats or retired junkies, let’s just stick to folks ziplining by on the roads of life saying, Wheeee! I suppose this could be seen as a continuation of the expat living rocks post I did, but I got to be real junior mints honest with you – I never, ever, ever get tired of being thankful.

When I look over at my friend Yuko who just happens to be naked because she’s getting an herbal massage, and she looks over at me, we say, God we’re so lucky. Whenever I get a mani or a pedi, I say the same thing, Life is good.  I feel like I acknowledge my good fortune, boi boi, often. This is not to say I didn’t back in these United States.

But here I feel free. Maybe it’s an illusion because I work. I used to think people who said they’d still work even if they had all the money in the world, were crazy. But I kind of get it. There is something to be said about doing something you don’t always want to do. I know people who get to do what ever they please and they aren’t necessarily any happier.

Even if they have a purpose or an artisic endeavour, they still bleed discontent. That is the other side of freedom, do you know what you want to do with it? And do you have the discipline to do it? Anarchy or a form of it would be a great “government” for the people by the people but people are l-a-z-y.  They are good and nice and all that but they don’t want to always have to think for themselves.

I mean how many roadside chats have you had with your friend or partner trying to decide what to eat, where to go or what to do next? Exactly. Communism was a great idea but as far as I can tell it’s not working out too well. . .for the people.

This reminds me of when I used to tell people I write/work from home. They’d look at me like I was something under a microscope and wonder what the heck did I do with my time all day long. Yes, Thailand is for lovers of freedom but it’s also for people who know how to enjoy life.

The angry expats (Possible band name? Ohhh, especially considering recent events?!) are not enjoying life, they’re lost in it. The rest of us? Well. . .we make poetry.

A butterfly spasms in the surround sound green
a moth joins the dance
a bee zip zaps by
and I sit in air traffic control,
chasing a mosquito with my cigarette.

***

I have decided I live among giants
made of bamboo trees.
Sometimes they bend and offer me a pinch of sky.
Together with the wind, I hear and feel the rain.
Together with me, I see and see far.

***

Have you been to the Pink Pussy?
It is on Nimanhaemin and off the Laughter in my Mind.

***

a powerful tool
cotton candy
light switch
slick
table and chair
the great equalizer