The 2010s: My First Enemy in Surin
Currently, I live in the province of Surin, teaching English at a local high school. I have only been here about a month, but unintentionally (to me, anyway) I have made an enemy.
Every weekday, I walk to school, pass a house, owned by a fat, corpulent white man. Without me hearing or noticing, he has said good morning to me at least three times. I can only say that I have not heard him because I am about half asleep when I pass his house. It is about dawn when I walk past his house. Sometimes, his dog barks so I may not have heard him over the barks of his dog.
Today, I am walking home and it turns out that the man is having a party right in front of my apartment building. He has blocked off the street with tables, chairs, and stage.
I want to know what is going on because I am a curious fellow. The Thai people direct me to the rich white fat man and it turns out that he has been offended by my rudeness for not saying good morning to him. All he can say to me is, “Good night!” and why he is acting this way.
He will not tell me what is going on. Only a white man next to him will tell me what is going on to me. It is a birthday party.
Now, I will have to listen to the music emanating from this party all night long and I will not be able to take part because I offended the host.
I created my first enemy in Surin and I guess that I will just have to be punished for it.