subtle suprises

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Surprises and unexpected events tend to unfold to the best of us, even those who claim they can predict the future. Here on Ko Samet, Hao and I were faced with various amounts of subtle, both positive and negative, surprises. What to expect of Ko Samet, one of Thailand’s nicest islands? Nothing but positive things. Even though if one tends to view the glass as half full, the water which had been consumed still remains, somewhere in thought.

 

After a few nights of sleeping in the small, primitive bungalows, Hao and I awoke to major itching bug bites growing upon our hands. Of course, eradicating the itchiness comes simple; purchasing eucalyptus oil. Soon thereafter the swelling of our fingers subsided.

 

As one travels through Southeast Asia, as well as any other country in the world, encounters with other travelers are expected. After our routine two to three drinks of Chang’s at Jep’s restaurant, Hao and I ran into a struggling actress from New York City, Theresa. A conversation of travel, life, religion, and all one can think of followed our introductions. A very friendly, social, and pleasant individual to say the least. After consuming a few pieces of Thai sandwich bread Hao and I purchased, we decided to grab a few drinks at Naga Bar. It seems somewhat unlikely, through experience, that individuals who possess completely different attitudes would acquaint themselves with one another. But I suppose that assumption at the same time is faulty, as I can see why two acquaintances who share different attitudes are simply acquaintances, rather than friends. At the bar, Theresa ran into such an acquaintance, Christine, from Holland. After being on the same beach a few days, I somewhat have come to notice the faces of individuals. Christine was one of them. My initial thought of this person, while lying on the beach, was that she was an attractive woman probably from some European country. Friendly or not, one cannot tell by appearance. The three of us, Theresa, Hao and I planned on going to Silver Sand bar, just a ways down from Naga. After running into Christine, I immediately sensed some sort of wall being built up between Hao and I, and them. And of course what followed proved my instincts to be correct. “We’ve got to go to the bathroom, how about we meet you there…We’re having a really important conversation, can you please excuse us?” Hao and I went alone.

 

I rarely envy Hao, but here on Ko Samet I greatly envied him for saying the marvelous things he did to this particular individual. As we lay in the bug ridden bed of the primitive bungalow, I learned that prior to my meeting of Christine; she said to Hao that she had some sort of genetic ear disease, causing her ears to be sensitive to loud noises. At Silver Sand Bar, where both Christine and Theresa soon went after Hao and I disappeared, Hao again ran into this girl with a horse mare-like haircut. She apologized earlier for embarrassing him, but with great ability to think on his feet, Hao responded, “Why should I be embarrassed, you’re the one that lied?” I will assume the silence that ensued put her into place.

 

The beauty about meeting such individuals, who in their mind, believe that they are superior to others mainly because of the way they look, is that you have the great opportunity to show them how ignorant they really are. I suppose some higher power, if there is even one, did not want to give me this opportunity to tell to Christine’s face how close-minded she is. I am not sure if this individual actually took what was said to her into seriousness, but how many people do on this globe? We are all consumed with what thoughts exist within our mind, what we view as correct, and fail to actually see any other perspective or any other method of interacting with people. What I learn from this is that humans are humans. Why must one discriminate against another for some ill reason, such as appearance, or the clothes you wear, or even worse, the color of your skin? Such atrocities cause pain and agony, hatred even to continue to exist in the world we live today. Essentially, if that possible higher power were to give me the opportunity to say something, even for one second to this individual, I’d say, “Look at your ugly horse mare-like haircut.”

 

Tran, Q.H.

 

 

 

Images from Ko Samet

 

 

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