My only neighbor and best friend
In my previous story about my neighbor I wrote that he, now retired, has no time for any of the plans he made in the past. What is that good man so busy doing?
As a retired professor, he still spends a lot of time at the school. He is involved in many projects to bring education in Thailand to a more acceptable level. Whether this will succeed will not only depend on him.
The family was held in high esteem here in the local village and beyond. As an engineer, Father was responsible for the road infrastructure of Chumphon province.
He was also mayor for a long time (shit job) in Pathiu. He donated land for building a school, building a temple with an accompanying school for temple children. After his family was settled he became a monk, a monk of high standing; so a very valued person.
Mother was a teacher and also enjoyed a certain status. Of the six children in the family, my neighbor is the only one who remained in the village. All other members of the family fled to Bangkok.
So: busy, busy, busy
My neighbor wants to continue his father's tradition. If shit job father was everywhere present at cremations, at marriages, at house initiations. My neighbor doesn't miss a single funeral around here, often acts as Master of Ceremony. Will be asked to attend every wedding. So his evenings and weekends are very busy because of these activities.
Then there are the palm oil plantations. As the only remaining member of the family here, he takes on all the work and care for those plantations, which are owned by the entire family. Those who live in Bangkok have only receiving the proceeds to worry about. So busy, busy, busy.
Sometimes he talks about how all these activities take up most of his pension. It is the case that a monetary contribution is made at every ceremony. If you have three funerals in a week, this can add up quickly. Now it is apparently the right time for marriages because almost every weekend he has to go to some wedding party.
Yes, and then his girlfriend, who also absorbs a lot of his free time, as if only to do her jobs and maintain her garden.
Khun Lung Addie
Lung Addie previously wrote: Living in Thailand as a single farang man (October 11), Living as a farang in the jungle (October 2) and Everyone in the village knows farang Lung Addie (September 29).
Submitted communication
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