Yesterday evening, bar myself and my eldest daughter, our village was deserted. The petrol station, closed. The village shop, closed. The fruit stalls, closed. The village barber, closed. The house of ill-repute, closed. The capenter's work shop, closed.
The temple, packed to the rafters.
Yes, something decidely spiritual was taking place within the grounds of the local 'wat'. I have NO idea WHAT was going on in the WAT because I have no inclination to take part in superficial sermons which invariably see me reluctantly routing around in the trouser for lose change. Callous beggary is what these occasions essentially equate to.
Come dusk the village was eerily silent. Even the wildlife had seemingly upped and buggered off, although the occasional howl of sexually frustrated hounds could be heard comin from the depths of the surrounding darkness.
I had just finished a large award winner, the last gulps of which I complimented with a cigarette whilst sitting on my execuitive swivel chair on the balcony.
I returned to my seat on the sofa after having left the front door, which opens onto the living room, ajar in order to get some fresh country air circulating around the premises.
I continued to watch Barbie and the Three Musketeers (which is actually fucking excellent) even though my daughter had fallen asleep some 30 minutes before.
I had just reached the best part of the film, the bit where the old cleaning lady reveals herself to be a hard fuck with mad ninja skills, when I felt a definite presence in the room with me.
I looked through the window out onto the balcony but was met with nothing but darkness.
I turned to the kitchen where the only life to speak of was the kettle, stoically heating water for a forth coming cup of tea.
Then I looked directly behind me.
What I saw will stay with me forever.
An elderly female who very much resembled something you hear about in ghost stories, stood rooted to the spot behind me, unflinchingly staring in my direction.
The first thing I did after shitting my pants was to charge from the sofa towards her, sporting my best impression of a homicidal lunatic. I then opened a short and sharp dialogue - 'GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU CAAANT!'
Her demeanour remained the same. She simply continued staring at me. Not maliciously..but a bowel loosening, piercing stare.
This time I physically accosted her and pushed the old fucker out onto the balcony..'fuck off, you zombie kunt, or make a move. I'm ready to smash your jaw to pieces here' the dialogue continued in English.
Seconds later she made her move, and what a devastating blow it was.
'Yeeeeeeeeesip bahttttttttt' she offered in a ghostly whisper.
'Fuck off, mai me tang' I offered back.
'Sipppppp bahttttttt' her persistance was to be congratulated.
'Fuck off, NOW!' as was my obstinate resolve.
'Haaaaaaa bahtttttttt' she continued.
'Oh, fuck it, go on then', the old trout had finally worn me down. 'But I wouldn't suggest doing that again' I advised her, 'Because I WILL fuck you up, capiche?'
She took her five baht and buggered off into the night.
Come to Issan, where old ladies creep into your house, stare at you and demand your small change.
I'm considering a move to the Gaza Strip.