Drunk and drowned

This week, I believe Wednesday, I was drunk. Well drunk, just say drunk. Couldn't help it, it happened very spontaneously.

It's not a real habit of mine to get drunk, but sometimes you have a glass too many. Usually out with a bunch of friends on Walking Street or some beer joint elsewhere, but I do have a nice drunk about me so it never really gets into trouble.

Of course, in earlier years, it sometimes went over the line. I remember the case, somewhere in the Caribbean, when we went ashore as Navy mates. After a more than fun evening with lots and lots of rum back on board too late. Don't worry, a buddy and I clambered aboard via the mooring lines in the expected knowledge that the watch wouldn't see us. Well, once on board we were nicely met with the question: "Did it go a bit?" I also remember waking up one morning, sleeping in a porch in my hometown of Almelo, still “somewhat intoxicated”.

The worst happened to me many years later when I met an old navy colleague in Amsterdam. Very cozy, lots of drinks and then back to Alkmaar by car. Don't ask how, but I drove through the Velser tunnel three times to get home. Just before Alkmaar, overcome by sleep and drink, half off the road, the back of a traffic column rammed, but then got back on the road. I could have been fined more than a night in a five star hotel in Amsterdam. For me it was the signal to never drink again if I still had to drive.

But what happened last Wednesday? I had eaten at the Pig & Whistle in Soi 7, here in Pattaya, two beers, nothing wrong. When I came out it was splashing a bit and I thought, well I'll make it to Megabreak to play some pool there. The splashing got a bit worse and I decided to stop on Beach Road for shelter. No parking for my moped, but the owner of the beer bar “We are the World”, whom I have known for many years, allowed me to park my moped in the private space he created. Just in time, because a little later the floodgates opened completely and Beach Road was quickly turned into a drainage canal.

So wait! Then drink a beer in the bar. “We are the world” is a nice place with good old-timer music, more mature bar ladies and cheap beer (50 Baht for a Heineken). I once met my wife there and since then we have come there – usually together – sometimes. Now I was alone, so soon company of some ladies: “What is your name? Where are you from? Where you stay?. When mamasan joined, the ladies were called to order, because, she said, he had already been provided. Still gave a lady drink, I have known Mamasan for many years, I estimate that she is somewhere in her eighties, but seems to have no problem with 10 or 12 tequilas in one evening. I don't normally drink that stuff, but hey, it was still raining, it was fun, so I'm on the tequila too.

From cheerful - jokes, echoing along with the music, gangnam style dance - it slowly but surely went to too much - beer and tequila don't really go well together - and then to drunk to drunk. I could handle the whole world, the ladies became more and more attractive and the booze kept flowing. Fun knows no time!

And then just as suddenly as it can rain in Thailand, I thought it was enough. Stop! I want to go home! Now! Yes, but it rained again after a short “dry shower”, you can wait a little longer, Mamasan said. Mai pen rai, that rain, I'm going! No motorbike to be seen of course, so walked to Second Road via Soi 8, well walking is not the right word, but okay. Along the way I called many times with “Welcome, sexy man”, but nothing could stop me. I wanted to go home, to bed, to sleep! Not even the rain, that 300 meters to Second Road was more than enough to get soaking wet and somewhat sobered I stood there like a drowned cat waiting for a motorbike taxi.

Then slept well after a nice evening. And the rainy season in Thailand has only just begun!