Time slips by

Many times this year during my stay in Hua Hin I had to think of Peter Koelewijn's song 'You are getting older daddy'.

It's true, but I'm not really bothered by it. After all, getting older also has many benefits. You go to bed a little later and rest a little longer. You have a lot less worries on your mind and around four o'clock it's already happy hour. The pension and also the state pension appear correctly on time on your bank account every month, in short, life is not so bad.

Sometimes you are suddenly busy planning the next holiday and you look at the exchange rate of the euro with some desperation. Busy with determining the travel dates and choosing a favorable priced flight. Check booking sites to find suitable hotels. After all, it must come from the length or the width, because you currently pay a lot more for a glass of beer in Thailand. In addition, the time when you received more than fifty baht for a euro is far behind us. In retrospect, the life of a pensioner also has less cheerful sides.

There was once …

Yes, there was once a period in my life when I was still properly addressed as mister or Khun in Thailand. Soon it all became a bit more amicable and I called the girls and young men in my area by their first names. Khun turned into Uncle with them or, in Thai terms, into Loeng Joseph. Still a matter of age difference, but to be honest I didn't feel that way in those years. It's all been twenty years now and I don't feel any less spry than I did back then, or so I think. But then … when I look at photos from that time, I notice significant differences. My hair has become thinner and my size has reversed. For that hair I found a solution; I let it grow a little longer. Just a little more casual and if it comes in handy in my stall I pull my stomach in a bit. Not too long because then my breathing will be compromised.

Regular customer

During the month we spent in Ha Hin in a nice rented bungalow, I was assigned the job of errand boy. Frankly, I do like shopping, at least when it comes to buying food. Can then unnoticed put my stamp on what I get served in the evening. As a bit of a hobby cook, it is also a real pleasure to be able to cook yourself every now and then. At the large covered market of Hua Hin they already know that strange chap a bit. First take a look around what is offered in terms of vegetables, fish and meat in order to be able to shape the menu a bit.

I've already settled in a bit with one of the greengrocers and with a certain fish lady and I'm also what you call a regular customer at the flower lady. Everyone always smiles at me when they see me and address me as – I dare not reveal it – Papa. I know that in their experience it means an honorable and respectful term of address, but still..

Admittedly, I have two wonderful adult sons and three wonderful granddaughters, as well as two very sweet daughters-in-law. But when the market vendors, who in my mind are well over fifty, address me as Dad, then I keep thinking of the lyrics of Peter Koelewijn's song: “You're getting older, Dad, admit it. You want to do everything you can but you don't know how. Because you are still fast, but also tired sooner. You're getting older daddy, you're getting older daddy."