FLASHBACK
Simon, 31, an ex soldier from Leicestershire, has now finished teaching in Asia. Specifically, had now finished teaching in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The temperature is normally around 30 degrees. The former Marine knew he'd miss the warmth, would miss the job opportunities afforded to him in this distant country, formally known as the Khmer Empire, where Thailand's legal and administrative terms come from, not dissimilar to the way England took on French words after the Norman conquest.
The last wage packet, bursting with $100 bills was collected with a reluctant relish-the English graduate knew it was the last wage from the prestigious business school, and had to make the money last for when he returned to the U.K. Alas, it was eaten into pretty damn quick-there were problems with the bus; late, arriving at the wrong place, so the veteran paid for a flight to Bangkok. This was over $100.
The Paradox was that Simon had plenty of employment opportunities in The Kingdom of Wonder, but it was time to go back, at least for a while, and he knew the work situation would be dire, as would the financial situation. He wanted relevant infrastructure, familiar foods, was aware this barren spot would occur, but was not presently dealing with it very well.
FLASHBACK-
A SHOELESS CHILD COLLECTING WASTE PLASTIC FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
FLASHBACK-
A SCOOTER, BURDENED WITH A MIDDLE AGED KHMER COUPLE, CRASHES INTO THE BACK OF A TAXI. WOMAN, STOIC GRACE, BLOODIED KNEE, HUSBAND-WAS IT RAGE OR SELF CONTROL? HE MERELY SPEAKS TO THE TAXI DRIVER.
$1 meals, showering 4 times a day, decent daily routine; up at 5:50 am, finished by 12:00pm. The whole place is a trip-biased Westerners with good ideas and advice for what other Westerners should do. Doughmixrolledoutsoldcheapinwaste oil-6 cents a portion-an absolute bargain.
There seems to be a collective madness in the capital-the leftovers from the Khmer Rouge had traumatized the survivors, and has fucked up their descendants by Proxy, a gestalt affect; you know it but you don't know why or how.
Simon could stay here, assimilate in the ranks of a fine international school, but a year and a half is a year and a half. He wanted to put action behind the promises of coming home for Christmas.
FLASHBACK-
THE GIRLY BAR HAS A CUT OUT SANTA AND TINSEL
but it's a different feeling when you're back in Leicestershire and it's 0.
A dead guy from Northampton, English, dying in his bed after buying the wrong stuff, weighs on Simon's mind. He'd only shaken hands with him 2 days before. how could someone be tangible, swapping promises of going for a few cans of beer, then be gone forever? A timeless ache, how can people just GO?
Dust, Dusty, grit, blowing grit, sand, fumes, diesel smoke. I'm so hungry. No, it's my blood sugar. I'm so thirsty. OK, outside the student's property. Some time to finish breakfast pastry and my bottle of Samurai. BUT-She's not here-had a meeting in Battambang, or had to see family. She did not tell me. Cycle back through CamKo, the part of the capital heavily invested in by the Koreans. can see the Vatanac building looming; getting closer, approaching Street 172, the hub that feels like home, but it is really the centre of filth.
'can I stop by the office to collect $15?'
Request granted-will have omelette and rice tonight, perhaps with some fish.
BOOKS, spending the afternoon in bed, no phone nor laptop. 'Put my meal on tab-Chicken fried rice tonight, Chicken fried Noodles tomorrow. Mix it up a bit. Just finished Gulliver's travels.
FLASHBACK-
TYRE-flat, first thing in the morning. Lucky, only $2 for repair, and I'm still early. Keep some distance from the Rubbery Smoke & soot that comes from the machine used to melt the inner tube, enough so it accepts a patch.
Then I'm on my way again, this shopping bike has proved surprisingly resilient for 6 months.
finally, a new student. 'V', is eager to learn and polite, and his company is enjoyed by the tutor. 'V' says strange things, but that's OK because so does his teacher. they talk about cars. Italian cars are designed from the heart, German cars are designed from the head, and British cars? well British cars are designed with wistful misty eyes, British cars are joyful in a sad way, always yearning.
The old man compliments the British. He is 77 and has been terrorized by the Khmer Rouge, used to work for them. He prefers the British: 'The British are like a cat, they have a brain. We prefer them to the French.'
And after an Oreo, an Oreo not dosed with anything, but a perfectly normal Oreo, a pillow on the bunk beside the Narrator assumed the form of a clean marble buddha, all was well.
The last wage packet, bursting with $100 bills was collected with a reluctant relish-the English graduate knew it was the last wage from the prestigious business school, and had to make the money last for when he returned to the U.K. Alas, it was eaten into pretty damn quick-there were problems with the bus; late, arriving at the wrong place, so the veteran paid for a flight to Bangkok. This was over $100.
The Paradox was that Simon had plenty of employment opportunities in The Kingdom of Wonder, but it was time to go back, at least for a while, and he knew the work situation would be dire, as would the financial situation. He wanted relevant infrastructure, familiar foods, was aware this barren spot would occur, but was not presently dealing with it very well.
FLASHBACK-
A SHOELESS CHILD COLLECTING WASTE PLASTIC FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
FLASHBACK-
A SCOOTER, BURDENED WITH A MIDDLE AGED KHMER COUPLE, CRASHES INTO THE BACK OF A TAXI. WOMAN, STOIC GRACE, BLOODIED KNEE, HUSBAND-WAS IT RAGE OR SELF CONTROL? HE MERELY SPEAKS TO THE TAXI DRIVER.
$1 meals, showering 4 times a day, decent daily routine; up at 5:50 am, finished by 12:00pm. The whole place is a trip-biased Westerners with good ideas and advice for what other Westerners should do. Doughmixrolledoutsoldcheapinwaste oil-6 cents a portion-an absolute bargain.
There seems to be a collective madness in the capital-the leftovers from the Khmer Rouge had traumatized the survivors, and has fucked up their descendants by Proxy, a gestalt affect; you know it but you don't know why or how.
Simon could stay here, assimilate in the ranks of a fine international school, but a year and a half is a year and a half. He wanted to put action behind the promises of coming home for Christmas.
FLASHBACK-
THE GIRLY BAR HAS A CUT OUT SANTA AND TINSEL
but it's a different feeling when you're back in Leicestershire and it's 0.
A dead guy from Northampton, English, dying in his bed after buying the wrong stuff, weighs on Simon's mind. He'd only shaken hands with him 2 days before. how could someone be tangible, swapping promises of going for a few cans of beer, then be gone forever? A timeless ache, how can people just GO?
Dust, Dusty, grit, blowing grit, sand, fumes, diesel smoke. I'm so hungry. No, it's my blood sugar. I'm so thirsty. OK, outside the student's property. Some time to finish breakfast pastry and my bottle of Samurai. BUT-She's not here-had a meeting in Battambang, or had to see family. She did not tell me. Cycle back through CamKo, the part of the capital heavily invested in by the Koreans. can see the Vatanac building looming; getting closer, approaching Street 172, the hub that feels like home, but it is really the centre of filth.
'can I stop by the office to collect $15?'
Request granted-will have omelette and rice tonight, perhaps with some fish.
BOOKS, spending the afternoon in bed, no phone nor laptop. 'Put my meal on tab-Chicken fried rice tonight, Chicken fried Noodles tomorrow. Mix it up a bit. Just finished Gulliver's travels.
FLASHBACK-
TYRE-flat, first thing in the morning. Lucky, only $2 for repair, and I'm still early. Keep some distance from the Rubbery Smoke & soot that comes from the machine used to melt the inner tube, enough so it accepts a patch.
Then I'm on my way again, this shopping bike has proved surprisingly resilient for 6 months.
finally, a new student. 'V', is eager to learn and polite, and his company is enjoyed by the tutor. 'V' says strange things, but that's OK because so does his teacher. they talk about cars. Italian cars are designed from the heart, German cars are designed from the head, and British cars? well British cars are designed with wistful misty eyes, British cars are joyful in a sad way, always yearning.
The old man compliments the British. He is 77 and has been terrorized by the Khmer Rouge, used to work for them. He prefers the British: 'The British are like a cat, they have a brain. We prefer them to the French.'
And after an Oreo, an Oreo not dosed with anything, but a perfectly normal Oreo, a pillow on the bunk beside the Narrator assumed the form of a clean marble buddha, all was well.
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