thoughts like Moses and the Red Sea or Buddha sabotaging a bit of the
recycle factory of the human soul.
"My son flew into Chaing Mai recently. I've been wondering about
airplanes ever since-just thinking about how things get off the ground.
Have you ever wondered that?"
"Ka," meaning yes, the woman in the backseat croaked like a crow.
"I'm trying not to question it. Wondering such things would make me
scared that they don't stay up in the sky," she laughed. Her name was
Jarunee but her nickname was Porn. "This will be my first plane ride
soaring off with the birds."
"Thais don't often fly," he said. His idea was tinged with a
bitter undertone as if poverty turned one's bones to lead and he found
that his idea put him back in the solitude of his thoughts for only
silence ensued. He decided to sound happier. "You sound excited."
"It has been my dream." She leaned her head against Nawin's
shoulder.
"Flew off to Chaing Mai. He lost his job during the financial
meltdown of 96. 3000 baht. That's what the family lived on each month
for a good many years. Then she was pregnant and laid off from the
restaurant and they stayed with us for five or six months. Of course
they could have stayed longer. After all, they are family."
"Yes, of course. You sound like a good father. I'm sure it will
get better for everyone soon," responded Porn as she looked up at the
old face in the mirror hoping with softness to make the tenor of the
conversation gayer.
"Krap," he said meaning yes although he wasn't in agreement. "No,
he continually got more depressed and then no matter how many job
interviews he went on, he came up empty handed. Then she took their
children to her parents. He came up there a bit later. The in-laws had
him but didn't want him. He hadn't been trained at anything but working