“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” – Andre Gide
I am so happy and grateful to meet Jackie yesterday in Phayao. He is mad as a hatter and unable to stop himself from just saying what is in his head. It was tiring and funny. I don’t mind to never meet him again.
A long weekend with two extra days. Though I have been barely working at all this semester, at least this weekend promised not having to attend school and an opportunity to do whatever I wanted.
I had half an idea to get back into playing some video games again but only got around to it on the last day. It was fun but unfulfilling, possibly the spectre of disappointment raised by having to relearn how to play a game again, that I was halfway through and not played for 18 months. I wonder when I’ll give it another go? I wonder if my old Nintendo DS still works after all these years?
On Sunday, the skies were cloudy but the rain had been holding off. It is gonna rain again, right? That can’t be it for rainy season already? Last year it didn’t seem to rain so much and it lead to drought in many parts of the country. We’ve had some big rains and the ground is getting saturated but there’s been nothing really approaching flooding.
Anyway, Amy and I took the opportunity for a quick drive down to Phayao. Amy had an idea to pick up some English muffins and jam from a local farm run by an Aussie and his Thai wife. Well, we didn’t really need much reason. It’s nice to have a break from the regularity of school and home and we haven’t been out much due to the pandemic situation, which, despite having limited impact here so far, is always something to be cautious of.
Amy’s old workmate, Jackie, had also managed to get himself out of Australia recently, having overstayed his visa by a few years already. Now, Jackie is a character, or perhaps even more accurately, a caricature. He can be difficult to talk to, difficult to listen to and difficult to understand. Having not seen him for 3 years or so it would be interesting to hear some of his stories from that elapsed time.
The drive was very pleasant and enjoyable, some fantastic mountain ranges on the right with fresh paddy fields across the plains of the valley. Everything one shade of green or another.
Soon we arrived and met up with Jackie at his friend’s fish restaurant on the lake, where I took the attached panorama. Jackie was exactly as we remembered though looking more like he was hitting his old age than before. He talked loudly and non-stop, mostly polite nonsense but always, always, about money, and he made us laugh with his absurd pronouncements. He paid for everyone’s lunch, despite having little money, insisting that this is the ‘Thai way’ and we will of course reciprocate if he ever comes to visit.
Next, we headed to a coffee shop, also next to the lake. Everything is next to the lake – it is the main feature of the sleepy little town. Jackie told us that the waters are lowering due to the Chinese damming rivers further upstream – a common issue amongst adjacent nations around the world these days. We waited at the cafe for the farmers to deliver our order to us, as they had decided to close the farm to visitors until next year due to the virus.
When they arrived I chatted with the Aussie and Amy chatted with his wife in Thai. Jackie was listening in as they explained about closing the farm and after a few minutes it was time for them to leave. Just as they turned to walk away, and well within earshot, Jackie turned to Amy and said in Thai, something along the lines of “Fucking stupid, why they close the farm, no virus now, fucking open, make money!” Amy shushed him (and told me this story later) and Amy and I discussed driving around the lake before heading home. Jackie said we should and he would leave us for ‘romantic time’. We laughed and then he instantly invited himself along too! He actually hasn’t been here in his hometown for about 20 years so the drive around was all new to him too.
Eventually, we dropped Jackie home and headed back along the highway, shaking our heads at the things Jackie had done and said in the short time we caught up with him. I concluded that we were being punished for something bad in our past lives. Meeting once every three years or so still might be too often.
Gratitude Journal
I am so happy and grateful for getting paid this weekend and being able to order in Lazada!
Email with TLJ:
T: well, it’s a rainy day, so i don’t feel like doing much.
S: Hang on – and if it’s a sunny day?!!
T: wrote the sdd group an email – just waiting for all the abusive responses……
S: You’ll only get abusive responses if yr email was abusive (or your team members are pricks)
T: sue is going to the MSO ball tonight with DI!!!!!! so i’ve got nothing to do –
well, besides seeing you…….
S: Well, talk about feeling second rate! Can’t you go to this thing too – if you want to?
T: it’s a pity you can’t lie about your salary like Sandie does. (i think she said she was earning 80,000 when she was really earning 50,000! dad sent in my Taiwan application form (i think) today.
S: I hope it gets lost in the mail and you can come stay at my place for a month!
T: and i’ve got some compaq gossip. remind me to tell you my unity party story. well, i’ll tell you now. rob (jackie’s boy – friend, not son) knows jason lee (the head guy in the unity party) from law school. and the unity party is having its launch tonight, so mum thought sandie should go to the launch ($50 a head) to meet “career people” – well, they’re all lawyers just about. but sandie has opted for a night out with her snowboarder/compaq friends and jackie – and they’re going to be taking lots of illicit drugs i imagine (sandie’s looking forward to getting her hands on “ekkies” and a
man i suspect). she’s been in lots of trouble with all her compaq workmates about gossiping – it’s so funny, pathetic really.
S: Because she gossips or is she the one they are all gossipping about.? She’d better be careful – people are cruel.
T: anyway, have a great day. see you tonight?
S: You better!
T: i know you might be busy with the party though, and you’ll have to get an early night.
S: Won’t be busy with it tonight but will need to get to bed probably before 3am
T: actually, so do i since i have a violin lesson tomorrow.
S: Will you serenade me one day?
Email with TLJ
T: with a cherry on top – I love you – truly, madly, deeply – you seen that movie? it’s pretty good.
S: Not sure – don’t think so…
T: Just finished typing in everybody’s timesheet details into a spreadsheet only i don’t know how i should set it up.
Anyway, finally remembered what i was gonna say to you after you got the milk at the corner store but forgot when you came back – i was just gonna say that when Notorious BIT (topdeq, ice-D, Futang et al) have their meeting, Sue-pergroove and hammerDogg (jeff) sit at the front because they’re the project leaders. I was just gonna say how i’d absolutely hate the project leaders actually displaying their leadership, but remembered that our project leaders do that as well (but not as obviously).
S: Power always goes to the head and initiates the search for more power and so on…
T: oh well, we’ll never make it to the top will we.
S: It depends on how you look at it. we could already be at the top (of what we want) other people just want more and go further than we have – but happiness is more important – wherever you are. Us, together, we are at the top, sweety.
T: we just have to work harder and give them all the glory.
S: Yes, this is the thing that shits us below – where we were happy the people above seek to make us unhappy to make themselves feel better – arseholes!
T: i hate project leaders as a rule. don’t become a project leader babe, cause then i’ll want a divorce.
S: There are good leaders too I’m sure. (Ok, I haven’t met one either…)
T: saw Sandie’s snow photos the other day, and all her friends. they all got on really well (except for Jackie’s friend and her boyfriend who were real tight-arse)
S: What’s the goss?
T: and are planning a summer getaway. i really want to get away with friends as well. my school friends (laura and michelle etc) wanted to go to the Hunter Valley this winter, but i guess none of us really had the time. also wanted to go to the central coast for the summer – but I forgot i might be going to Taiwan. also, everyone seems to be going their
separate ways for the summer hols
S: I think that is kinda what happens after leaving school and those close relationships kinda disperse. I hope you keep close with your friends – they are very important – I realised this myself, after losing most of my friends. I’m still kinda jealous of you you know! I wish we could go away. We have to one day all right?
T: like Thailand and stuff. actually, i’m not so sure i would want to go to Thailand anyway – not yet, cause I wouldn’t want to go with Laura and Gerard’s friends – don’t think that much of them – they’re very elitist – Laura doesn’t think much of them either. we refer to them as the ASM – Asian Supremacist Movement. ok, so it’s very immature i hear you say.
S: She must like Gerard a lot…
T: Mich rang last night. she’s going to return my Jeff Buckley video this afternoon cause i’m meeting her at markets.
S: I don’t think you ever told me about a Jeff Buckley video did you (but then you know what my memory is like)
T: only prob – i haven’t got her the rest of her b’day present yet. there’s also a free BBQ as part of union week here at the uni. so i don’t think it’ll be hard convincing the fellas doing SDD to take a lunch break (you should see the size of some of
them). Dan was saying how much Yuri likes crackling (so do i) and how Trent just eats hot dogs). anyway, it beats Bar Broadway for lunch. told Mich if she wanted Jeff Buckley dubbed, i would try. do you think you could set up your video to dub, or would that require another power socket that you don’t have?
S: Call me Chief Dubber MC Hemsley. Course I can. Just gotta find the leads and set it up.
T: had great fun with you and Hayden yesterday – he’s a real groovy babe.
S: Hey, what about me???? We both had fun with you too. Thanks for taking the time to hang out.
T: was good to see you parenting as well – that’s another side of you I haven’t seen before
S: What did you think? Am I too slack or too overbearing. I like to let him explore things and figure out for himself what is good and bad. I think it’s cool to let him run around looking at things where other folks like to keep their kids on a tight leash. Let’s face it they really can’t do much harm and it’s fun to watch them open up cupboards in Grace Brothers or pull things off shelves. Wasn’t he cute when I would say Let’s Go and he would say it too!
T: except when you father me!
S: Sorry if I was bossy with you yesterday. It’s pretty important that HJ has his routine of an afternoon sleep – you saw how tired he was.
T: are you seeing him tonight?
S: No, but I saw him asleep last night – he was cuddling Winnie the Pooh as he didn’t have pillow and snuggler. Can’t wait for him to come back.
T: send him my love.
S: I think he felt it yesterday – thanks again.
T: anyway, if you have reached the end of this email, i’m very sorry it was so long.
S: At last a long email from you…
T: i just had plenty of time to kill and nothing much to say.
S: You’re fun, you’re the best…
T: anyway, i hope this makes up for all the mails i haven’t sent and for the rest of the week.
S: Er, no it doesn’t!!
T: love to you baby, tlj
S: And to you too sweet angel
1994ever 