Spontaneous Opportunity

“ Kao San Road ? Yea, there are plenty of guesthouses in that area. You should still be able to get something. But if you're looking to relax, it's probably not such a good idea.” Jenny sounded like an expert.

“Why is that? It's budget isn't it?”

“Yea, but maybe too budget. It's a pretty happening place at all hours and unless you're a sound sleeper, it's probably not the best place to get over your jet lag,”

A midi version of Lincoln Park 's ‘In the End' blared from inside Jenny's brown leather handbag. Jenny pulled out a mobile phone and placed it to her ear. “ Sawasdee ja puen ruck . Eee Jun! I'm here already. Where are you?... What's that? Five minutes. Ok, I'm here right outside arrivals. I'm wearing a yellow shirt. See you soon, ka,”

As Jenny put the phone back in her bag, Chris took the queue, “Do you have any other suggestions?”

“Well there's a lot of places to stay. It's just a bad hour to be sure of anything. Listen, why don't you come with me. You can get some rest at my place. Me and my friend, Jun, she's Thai and also studies at Bangkok University . We share an apartment together. Anyhow, She's probably staying at her boyfriends house so you can get a shower and sleep on her bed, or whatever. It's up to you.” Jenny came off persuasive.

“Sure, why not.” Chris accepted content. What Chris didn't tell her was that his Japanese aunt lives in Bangkok with a big house and family. All he had to do was make a phone call, and one of his cousins would have picked him up. Nevertheless, the thrill, adventure, and spontaneity of going with this hip girl from southern California seemed much more appealing.

“Jenny pulled out a green pack of cigarettes and blue bic lighter from her handbag. Lighting up the cigarette as if it were practiced on the catwalk, she offered the pack to Chris. “Do you smoke?”

“Not really, but what the heck, I'll have one.” Chris put the cigarette in his mouth, but couldn't get the lighter to do more than spark. Jenny grabbed the lighter from his hands, shook it a few times, and viola. Chris felt a slight embarrassment but covered it up quickly. “Isn't the guy supposed to light the girl's smoke?”

“All those social rules and etiquette don't mean squat here,” Responded Jenny “Though I must say the Thai guys are always trying to light my fire.”

The two laughed. Though it was a joke, it did ring some truth.

The two sat down on a bench next to an ashtray engaging in small talk as they finished their cigarettes. Twenty minutes passed by. Chris dozed off in sitting position as Jenny studied his features.

He was a handsome mix of East and West genes—long eyelashes, golden brown hair with black eyebrows, a straight medium sized nose, fair skin, and hint of facial hair coming through after perhaps a week since his last shave. The more Jenny stared, the more interested she became.

A newer dark blue Mercedes Benz pulled up. As the tinted window rolled down, a light skinned beautiful Thai Chinese girl's face appeared. There were small bags under her eyes. She didn't really need to wear all that mascara on her spell casting almond shaped eyes, but insecurity is quite common with youthful girls, even in Thailand .

“Hey Jenny dear, you've been waiting long?” The girl sitting next to a husky man in the driver's seat, got out of the car to hug her friend. Jenny shook Chris's shoulder waking him up from dreamy visions of his mother crying on Chris's departure from Phoenix . “Chris, I'd like you to meet my roommate Jun.” Chris rubbed his eyes standing up from the bench. He squinted before his pupils focused on the stunning pure beauty of the slim and light-skinned Thai-Chinese beauty. She wore a blue tank top and tight white slacks. Such an outfit exemplified a perfect petite yet curved figure. Chris reached out his hand but instead of receiving a handshake, Jun bobbed her head in a wai , the Thai greeting of respect. “ Sawasdee kaa. Kor Thot na ka, khun cheu arai eek tii na ka? ”

“He's not Thai, hun. He don't have a clue what you are saying. His name is Chris. He came on the same flight as me as far as LAX” Jenny cut in

“Oh so sorry,” Jun looked at Jenny and then back at Chris “I thought you are Thai people. Your face look same Asia people.” Jun smiled putting more effort into this first encounter than when she thought Chris was Thai.

Chris was about to respond but Jenny beat him to it. “He's half Japanese, from Phoenix . He might study at BUIC too.” Jenny sounded as if she had known Chris a lot longer than she really had.

The man from inside the BMW said something in Thai to Jun. and the trunk door made a snapping sound as it half opened. Jun explained “We go now, ok. My boy friend say we can't stay here long. We block off other car.”

Jenny explained to Jun that she had invited Chris to stay at their room for the night as they loaded their luggage into the trunk. As much space they had to work with, it still took some effort rearranging to fit all the luggage. Soon they were on the way into the city. So many things had been going through Chris's mind as he got his first impressions of Bangkok , or as it's referred to by the Thais, Krungthep .

Lingual Footnotes

Sawasdee ja puen ruck , Eee Jun สวัสดีจาเพื่อนรัก อีจันท์ : Hello my dear friend, Jun

*Eee อี is an informal title addressing someone in the second person intimately, or in some cases, in the second/third person with vulgar implications. It generally has feminine association.

Sawasdee kaa. Kor Thot na ka, khun cheu arai eek tii na ka? สวัสดีค่ะ ขอโทษนะคะ คุณชื่ออะไรอีกที่นะคะ : Hello. I'm sorry, what was your name again?

Krungthep กรุงเทพๆ : Bangkok as the Thais refer to their capital. Literally means city of Angels

LISTEN TO AUDIO OF BOTH THAI AND ENGLISH OF THIS DIALOGUE

If file does not play, click here to download mp3

(right click link and choose save target as)