Horror Morning

The fog was densely covering over Koh Thom district​​ in a morning. I was walking along a track with corn and wheat fields at both sides. There were few houses blending with the nature of the rural life which looked great for the eyes. I had spent some long time walking along that track, but I still had not seen any people, except few houses that sometimes seemed to appear and sometimes not.

I was at the ground floor of a quiet ancient building. There was a pond which looked like it had been abandoned because there was no sign of fish in the water. I walked on a small wooden bridge, crossing to the other side. When I passed the bridge, I heard a noise of fish leaping. Then I looked back and saw the fish were gathering to eat their food. I looked around to see if anyone was feeding the fish but saw only a can of grain left on the bridge. I started to feel frighten by this incidence, but tried to ignored and turned back to the door.

The curiosity could not keep me to not looking at the pond again. And this time I got something even more unusual – there was no can and fish leaping anymore. I started rushing toward the door and when I was about to pull it, it was then opened itself. I startled and failed over, expecting it was sure a ghost appearing in front of me.

Incredibly, it was a beautiful girl who opened the door, laughing with the other three girls standing behind. “Who are you? Why are you coming here?” she asked me in a way that she was not afraid of me being a thief but rather a victim.

Having almost been startled to death, I spent a bit so long to be able to answer her with my body still shaking, “I don’t know why I am here. I was walking on a track, and then somehow I got in here. I saw only this door which I expected to find a way out.”

“Why mom and sister keep playing around?” a girl standing behind whispered to the other, but I was able to hear. “Come with me, please. I lead you out,” she said. As I was walking with them, a little girl kept laughing from inside a room nearby.

We then reached the front door, and suddenly there was a noise of an explosion. I looked out and saw a car was in fire, and there were two bodies near a big tree: one was a child and the other was a lady with her head detached. Seeing this terrible image, I could not bear anymore and supposed the girls must be very shock. I turned to them and surprisingly found that they were not frightened at all.

She took out her necklace and gave me, “Please wear this necklace and keep walking ahead. You will see a track you were walking, and you can go back home. Remember! Don’t walk in this area again.” I thanked them, wore her gift and said goodbye. I turned back and saw no exploded car or bodies.

“I have a necklace. You can’t scare me!” I mumbled and started to walk very fast. At one point, my hand was hold from behind, “Can you take me out with you? I like to play with you,” a little girl spoke to me and giggled. “Like to play with me? I just see you this time. Oh, I won’t come back here again, so who will take you back if you go with me?”

“Honey, let him go. You played too much today,” a woman called her daughter from behind, under the big tree which I saw an accident. “Oh, your mom is calling. Go to her. Don’t come with me, clever girl,” I told the child and managed to go on my way.

Before long, I realised that the clothes the little girl and her mom wore were identical to the bodies’ clothes at the accident. I then looked back again but they had vanished. Fearing, I ran with all of my energy through the bamboo forest until reaching the upper track I had been walking on earlier. Stepping again on the track, I felt safe and started to slow down in order to save some energy.

An old man was cycling pass by and called out to me, “Hey boy, how dared you go there? I saw you were walking along with a girl and a woman. I tried to call you but you didn’t hear me.” “No, I was just walking alone, grandpa.” I answered the old man, but still took some times to recall. Then I exclaimed, “Oh no, I met the ghost! I even talked with them!”

Right after I finished my exclamation, a big wind blew over the area, causing dust to whirl and bamboo trees to swing. A woman laughed and roared from top of the swinging bamboo trees, “Hahaha, who said I am not a ghost?” “Oh yes, that is the voice of that woman, grandpa!” I cried out at the pitiful shaky, pale old man.

The old man started to kick off his bicycle again and again but he kept missing the treadle. In the desperate situation, I just wanted to run for my life, leaving alone the old man; but I then put all of what I had to push his bicycle as hard as I could against the whirling wind….

Wonderful Trip – Part 4

A guest out of the blue

Before long, the two nice-looking Siem Reap girls arrived with their two motorbikes. I got one with Sear while the two pretties got the other one. Just some meters’ long, Samnang finally called me: “Halo, where are you now? Please come take me at Phsar Chas bus station. I’m almost there!” “Oh ho, Samnang is also coming!” I exclaimed. Then, Sear asked the cute guides to lead us to the bus station.

We reached the bus station before the bus. “Park your motorbike carefully, boys. That is the car coming from behind you. Or you don’t want to get back home and meet your girlfriend?” one of the pretties alerted us pointing at a car turning right at the junction. I managed the motorbike to give more space for the road and replied her, “Oh, wish I have one.” “You just misunderstood, girl. In fact, they are two gays,” said a smiling young woman nearby drawing her motorbike and drove away. “Onh!?!” I and Sear puzzled.

“Oh ho, there he is!” I called out and pointed at a thin, charming tanned guy waving from inside the bus. “What on earth are you doing? Why didn’t you come with us in the morning? You’ve just spent twice on bus ticket. We insisted on your presence, but you denied; and now that you come alone. Poor you, man.” “I was really not able to come with you. I needed to look after the house while people were constructing the road.” “So have they finished?” “Not yet. I left my grandfather working alone.” “Oh, what did he react then?” “He was shocked and puzzled when I told him I’m leaving.”

Now everybody was gathering at the guest house. There were seven Siem Reap immigrants: I, Sear, Thoeun, Samnang, Sopheak, Sonthara and Vuth; and five Siem Reap residents: Phy, and his old friend Phea, the two pretties, and a newly introduced Chamroeun. It was really helpful to have some residents joined our fun time. This way we could have guides and we got more laughing from them. In addition, and probably a much saving factor, we had more than enough motorbikes from them shared to us.

Some people were playing pool, and I was also one of the crazy shooters. Stunned by Phea, the only female player, who was shooting ball after ball, we stood waiting and looking at the foreigners learning to speak Khmer under a bit alcoholic influence. I was not sure how it would affect the foreigners’ perception on Khmer when they are taught some naughty words by Khmer guys. Having waited a little long, and now it was my turn. While preparing to shot, I was called out to be ready for the next travelling. “One more!” I answered them.

After the immigrants refilled their public account, they started to draw their motorbikes with confidence, ignoring the fact that they might have to eat more calcium for some months afterward. I managed to occupy one of the motorbikes while Sonthara and Sear were getting on with me. Terrifyingly, Sopheak who was the leader on another bike was swerving along the quiet road in the nightfall even before taking any alcohol. “Oh Buddha, please save me!” Thoeun and Samnang screamed with half crying and half laughing from Sopheak’s back, not sure if it was his fun or danger, “Please let me drive if you are not well.” “Oh, I’m fine. Don’t worry, boys. You will be there eating your soup.”

“From the left: Thoeun, Sonthara, Samnang, Me and Sear. The five lonely guys were having a big debate on a topic: ‘who is the ugliest in the group?’ Everyone was claiming that they are the ugliest. This debate happened after they had invoked a Khmer saying: ‘The ugly matches the pretty; white matches black.’ So we have the honor to propose the audiences to vote for the winner in such debate…”

Unleashing the signers was the last activity for that night. We went to Top Town to sing, and probably to shout. At first we were all in a room which looked too crowded although it was large already. Then, I requested to have two rooms due to the reason that there would not be enough chance for people to sing their songs and more importantly, some of us really wanted to shout, not to sing. As the result, Preap Sowath(s), Sapoun Midada, Sok Reaksa came to another room, leaving Sin Sisamuth(s) and Ros Sereisothea(s) in the other room.

“I, Phy and Sear.”

Now it was free for Hang Meas superstars to sing in whatever way they like regardless of somebody could not catch the rhythm of the song. Preap Sowath(s) dominated the show after people had ordered many of his songs. Sok Reaksa was stiffly awoken when he heard his song: “សំបុត្រស្នេហ៍ក្នុងកន្រ្តកកង់អូន A love letter in the basket of bicycle” and then Sonthara started his only song in the night. ABC seemed to have less influence on the superstars’ voice; everyone was still able to shout for song after song. Not until having seen the bill did the signers’ voice turn hoarse.

Wonderful Trip – Part 3

Talking politics and morality

“Where are you now?” a text message from Samnang when we ate in a restaurant in front of Angkor. Sear had a phone call from his friend living in Siem Reap. “We gonna have two motorbikes!” Sear told us when he hung up the phone. After meal some people wanted to go in while three of us – Sear, Thoeun, and I – decided to wait for the motorbikes outside on the stony bridge connecting to the extreme wonder main site. “Where are you now? I hope I can enjoy with you tonight,” another text message from Samnang.

Me: Hey, I think Samnang regrets now.

Thoeun: Let me see the text! I think it sounds like he is coming to meet us. What do you think?

Sear: It is hard to believe, but it would be brilliant.

Me: By the way, what I like most of here is that this is much more peaceful comparing to Phnom Penh, isn’t it?

Thoeun: Yes, sure. Phnom Penh is not safe at all. The robbers could appear at any time, and it is rare the police can get them.

Me: To be fair, Phnom Penh is also good in terms of greening the city. Admittedly, we would find it difficult to get a place to play shuttlecock every weekend evening if they don’t care about this. And they are expanding and repairing more parks. More importantly, the statues of the highest honored monk Chuon Nath, the greatest Khmer literary man ever; and the greatest poem writer and singer Krom Ngoy, are being built.​ By the way, what do you think about the way people dressing in here? I notice that people in here dress in an acceptable way.

Sear: Yes, that looks more pleasant to the eyes. They know how to beautify in Khmer tradition, particularly girls. Unlike those in the poisoned Phnom Penh, the girls here dress fashionably and pleasantly.

Me: Many girls in Phnom Penh are deteriorating the whole structure in the way of dressing at too high sex appeal. Some girls dress and behave exactly like a prostitute. I am still wondering how they feel about themselves.

Thoeun: Those might be real prostitutes, who knows? More schoolgirls behave like bitches. We can’t distinguish. It is assumed that some schoolgirls gather at a certain place, at a regular time to offer their service – the only way they could do to earn extra money besides their parents’ for just having fun – which costs from $20 to $30. Will you call them schoolgirls?

Me: Hm, this is a bit so strong to them, but it is the truth. Don’t know how it’s gonna be in the future, city girls. Sometimes I think Khmer Rouge is not really that bad in a way of controlling the rebels.

Thoeun: Oh yes, my elder neighbor said that, too. And I think she is right. The morality of the society is being destroyed by some people, and the rest could not help – unless we all help. By giving them too much freedom, they don’t realize that they’re doing bad things. That’s why Khmer Rouge is good about this point. Nobody would behave like a bitch in the public. Nobody would take advantages on others – no robbery.

Sear: No jerk would freely hit the people and their properties by ignorantly playing football on the park like a real pitch; they kick freely and violently. Everyday they hit people on the park; everyday they hit people’s car on the road; they don’t even say sorry. Where the heck were they born?

Me: Nobody would aggressively drive car that could kill people and damage the public properties. I am not counting those who are alcoholic influenced, but what even worse is that the driver is in-born hostile and ill-mannered. What I am really ashamed to speak about is that even our lecturer, who is apparently considered well-educated, swerved his car when he was exiting the school gate and crossing the road. In conclusion, I would give some credits to Khmer Rouge regime for they were somehow defending their structure from such rebellious behaviors. But what really takes my consideration is that I was very shocked and disappointed when I found out that some children don’t even believe when their parents told them the nightmare story which took millions of life. For me, I would still believe them if my parents were to lie me about this. At least I took their pain into my heart. But it is real, anyway! We cannot reject! We have both alive-documents and death-documents about such evil regime. It is absolutely not propaganda for any party; it is the history, Khmer history – what you must know!

Thoeun: Oh, the children you just mentioned about were when we saw the Khmer Rouge documentary in Chenla theatre? Yes, I think so. They really hurt their parents by not believing the fact, but they have rights not to believe.

Sear: But at last those children believed after people showed them the evidences. As I remember, Cheung Ek prison museum was one of the evidences they proved.

Me: Ah, yes! You hit the nail on the head, Sear. Emotion and evidence. I beleive my parents by emotionally sharing their painful expericences. And those children believe their parents only if they are shown the evidences. Oh, I was really sorry when I knew that the man who had called us to go in but we denied is Mr. Reach Sambath. Many times did he insist that we go in, but we just didn’t give him enough respect. Hahah, I’m really ashamed to recall this.

Thoeun: Yes, we denied because we didn’t know who he is, and also we had been unable to find enough seat until he made some coordination.

Sear: Oh, he is good at giving speech.

We talked and talked while looking at the people passing by, particularly girls. Then we saw the rest companions were coming back. “What should we do since we haven’t got the motorbikes yet?” I asked the two people. “Hm, let some people go first, and some wait for the motorbikes,” Sear suggested. “Thoeun, could you go with them? I want to drive motorbike,” I requested Thoeun. “Oh, that’s Ok.”

Wonderful Trip – Part 2

On the boat

We had two more people – Phy and his girlfriend – to join our trip. We took two tuk-tuks. I got on with Sonthara and Thoeun. The driver drove like if there was somebody chasing him. We looked at each other in a fear, but somehow he got a little more patient and we could feel better. We looked at the both sides of the road and saw beautiful greenie paddy fields as far as the eyes could see. Feeling more enjoyable, I then realized my home and school at the motionless Phnom Penh. I was seeing the image of being permanently lived in Siem Reap. Wanting to boast people at Phnom Penh, especially Samnang – who abandoned the occasional trip –, that we were enjoying in a lovely tranquil land, I took out the phone and text-messaged him: “on tuk-tuk driving to see birds at Tonle Sap…” and sent to several people.

Now we got there starting the boat…

Crossing a small wooden bridge connected to the boat…

“hmmm, will I have that day?…”

Everybody is here except Vuth who is shooting

“After watching our circus, please buy some herbal medicine which would help relax your muscle in doing exercise. Your purchase could greatly help us buy bus ticket back home…”

“Where are we going next, Sonthara?” “To Angkor, but I have to get some cash.” “Oh, I should have some, too,” Sear replied. Sonthara was the first who got the ATM; and I, Thoeun and Sear were waiting on tuk-tuk. The other tuk-tuk had gone, but we did not worry because we had told them where to meet. A moment later Sonthara got back and Sear went next. When Sear returned, I went for the last. I got some cash which added up to about $70. I read the balance and saw number 8 as the last digit. Then I wanted to get this in Khmer currency. I inserted the card again, and I reached the stage which I would either select a pre-typed amount or input a desired amount. I thought I would have 30,000R. As the people were waiting for me, I just glanced at the template – pre-typed amount – scanning for one starting with number 3. I saw one, and pressed the button immediately. The machine started to purr. “Come on! Why are you thinking so long? My friends are waiting for me!” I blamed the machine counting. Then it handed me the money. “Oh sorry, that is why you counted so long,” I thought and squeezed the 300,000R into the pocket and darted out into the tuk-tuk.

Wonderful Trip – Part 1

I had been to Siem Reap one time before this last wonderful journey. The first time, I was with my sister. That was great to see such extreme wonder – Angkor Wat. Not until this time did I realize the land is personally tranquil for me to which I went with my friends…

Departure

The alarm rang at 5am, waking a lazy guy up. “Hmm, why do we have to leave that early, people?” I sighed, searching for way out of the net with the closing eyes. “I have to make noodle. I don’t think I will have enough time to eat at the bus station,” I thought preparing noodle and started my showing. Then the phone rang. “Yee, why hardly ever have you phoned me before I entered the bathroom?”

I finished and got out of the bathroom, checking who had called me. The phone told me that I had some missed calls and the caller was Sear with the date Sunday, December 30, 2007. I rushed my noodle and the other things. I finally opened the door and was about to leave home looking for a motordop, but at time I saw my father was also ready to get his morning coffee outside. “Oh daddy, can you take me to Capitol?”

Hey people! Are you ready?” I called out to the two men sitting at a table having their breakfast. “Oh ho, we are just worried about you because it is now time the bus started. Have you had your breakfast?” asked Sear. “Hee hee, I am ready, boys!” I replied cheerfully, “OK, let’s go!” Then I walked straight to the queue and was about to pass the bus door. Suddenly, “Hey hey, where are you going, Boran? Are you going to Kampong Som? Siem Reap bus is that one!” Thoeun called me, pointing at the other bus nearby. “Hark!?!” I puzzled.

Now we got in the real bus. “Finally, Boran is joining with us for sure, Sear,” Thoeun said as the bus started its way. Sear added another teasing on me, “Just 30 percents sure, unless we see Angkor. Remember when somebody did not join the festival at school when he had paid already? Unbelievable!” They said to each other as if I was not there listening. I could not reply anything because they said the truth. I have missed several classmate fun times.

“Chom, why are they driving on this way? Are we going to Kampong Som? I just got back yesterday!” I exclaimed. “Onh, this way goes to Kampong Som, really,” Thoeun agreed. “Wait a little bit, man. May be they are going to pick more passengers behind TV3,” Sear tried to assure us. A moment later, the bus turned left from the Russian boulevard, heading to TV3 bus station. “Oh yes, they are really picking up more passengers.”

The bus stopped at TV3 bus station, letting more people get in. Searching for seats, a conductor found one vacant with a large backpack. “Oh, that is my seat,” Sear told the conductor. “Oh, did you buy a ticket to put your bag, sir?” asked the conductor. “Yes, I did,” Sear replied bravely. I spoke nothing as usual, but smiled. The man went on searching for other seats at the back rows. Some minutes later, he came back and asked us again; perhaps this had never happened to him before, “Could I see your tickets, please?” Sear handed three tickets to him with Samnang’s ticket which had been abandoned in the early night. The man counted the four tickets and then vanished.

The bus turned to the way to Siem Reap. On the bus, they played movie to accommodate people who seemed to be relaxing. Some were laughing with the movie while some were asleep already. Wanting to reimburse for my sleeping time in the morning, I ignored the TV, put on my walkman, and then closed the eyes. Few hours later, we stopped to eat at Steung Meas restaurant, and went on after a short break.

And there we were at Siem Reap. “Yes! I am 100% sure now. Boran is really coming with us!” Thoeun spoke to Sear, altogether walking off the bus. Now most people had left on their ways by tuk-tuk and motodop. Sear was calling to Sonthara who had been there the day before with Vuth. “Oh, no need to rush, Sear. We can wait here a little longer. This place is beautiful,” Thoeun said and glimpsed at a girl standing nearby. “No, why you arrive so fast, tuk-tuk?” I muttered, “Come on Thoeun, we have to leave this beautiful waiting lot by now.” We got on the tuk-tuk and looked at the waiting girl for the last time, driving to Naga guest house.

“Oh, this is Phsar Leu! My aunt is around here. We will visit her,” I told the people on the tuk-tuk, “Oh, that is ACLEDA ATM. We survive!” Crossing a small bridge, a moment later we arrived at the guest house. “Hey Vuth, where is Sonthara?” we called out at a Korean-like nice looking guy standing on the first floor. “Hey boys, come on up here. It is very hot out there. Come have a little rest before we go to Tonle Sap.” We went up to the room and saw a white skeleton looking like a toothpick. “Hey Sonthara, how was your day? Where did you go yesterday?” “Oh, this year we are with a millionaire’s son. I’m almost broke in just one day. Anyway, prepare yourselves. We’re going off to Tonle Sap now.”

One-Night Adventure – part 4

15 minutes in a living hell

The seller must have worried about the bill. Not long after people reformed, she came and got her money. And we felt like walking more. We supposed to see Sear and expected him to join us. We were at the area where companies were promoting their products. They used different styles to attract walkers. There was a booth using style of transsexual people. There was also one of the famous comedies in another booth. On the front line, there was a booth of a wine company. They made a mini-concert which on the time we were passing a young girl was singing and dancing. “Oh god, os steah! So sexy,” we exclaimed, “Look at her skirt!” Sonthara was not expressing his feeling, but bending his head backward and tapping his forehead, telling that he was trying to stop nose bleeding.

“Sear is on the left aisle. But we can walk on the right aisle first and circle to him,” Dy suggested. I noticed that there were more people coming than going, unlike the left aisle; but I ignored and followed them. There was once I was detached by a big wave of the opposing people and got lost from the three men, but somehow I reached them again. I looked down and saw few shoes which seemed to have been lost rather than that people had left. I looked to the left and saw a girl crying; she looked pale which seemed to have been using all of her energy. My feeling told me that I had to reverse the direction before something bad happen. I ignored the warning and went on. I noticed another girl whose condition was the same to one I had just passed. I felt persuaded by my feeling and considered reversing, but it was late.

The street could not bear any more room and that we could not move any longer. I suddenly called out, “Reverse, reverse!” We grabbed each other and turned back. “Oh no, the people are also coming,” I cried out. Now we were completely stuck in the crowd. We could hardly make a step. What worst was that people were pushing from every direction. We were all trying to hold up ourselves not to fail down. “Mother, please forgive me for what I’ve done wrong to you,” Thoeun cried out, sounded like it was his last day. After hearing this, I started to lose a big part of energy. I could feel that there was no air for me to breathe. I tried to turn my head up higher to get some air. I doubled my stimulation by telling myself that I could not faint at this time or I could not see my mom again. And I struggled to make more steps.

It was the most frightened situation I had ever had. It took me about 15 minutes, but I was absolutely in hell. It was like drowning in the river, calling for rescue, and I felt as if I was reborn. Right after I escaped the gate of the hell, I saluted up over my head, “Thanks, Buddha. Thanks, mom; I know you helped me.”

One-Night Adventure – part 3

Unexpected running competition

We were going on to our way. It was still difficult to move; every direction had just been jammed like us. There were so many networks of people. We, too, had to link one another for not being missed by other networks. Then somehow there was a car come breaking people to the sides, but we managed to occupy the room right behind the car, and now that we were able to run. A little sooner we reached the Himawari and everyone was able to walk freely.

“I am hungry!” said Thoeun, “Would like to eat fried instant noodle.” “Yes, I like that, too,” agreed Dy. We skipped several carts and finally Thoeun suggested, “What about this place? But seemed so full of people already. We can go next.” “But only this cart is most suitable. The rest of next sellers are male. I came here yesterday and noticed some,” said Sonthara. “So what about you, Boran?” they asked me. “Oh, don’t worry about me. I would be pleased to get anywhere you like,” I replied, looking around for fried lort¹. We were now almost at the end of the line of carts. “Ok then, take this one. See, the next is male and there is no fried noodle any further,” said Sonthara.

“What would you like?” asked the seller. Sitting on the grass forming a circle, Theoun answered, “I’d like fried noodle, please.” Dy said, “I’d like fried lort.” “Oh, me too,” I said. “Then two fried noodle and two fried lort,” Sonthara ended, “please put it in plastic plates.” We were waiting while chatting and looking around at the other circles which consisted of men, women, young and old; unlike us ones. “Here’s your fried noodle.” “No, I said put it in plastic plate. Please make another and put it in plastic plates for us. And don’t recharge this to the plates. You have to make a new one,” said Sonthara.

Attracted by the nearby groups, we kept sitting even though we had finished the meal. Suddenly several people was running out of the street. It looked like something frightening was happening. I turned to see the other three people. I saw Dy was picking up his shoes while Sonthara was already running. Surprisingly, I could not see Thoeun, except his shoes.

Nothing was happening; it was only few youngsters fooling, running to catch each other. Now everyone started to return to their previous seats, and I could see Thoeun standing near with his bare feet. “Oh Thoeun, you are the fastest runner, man!” I said. “Not strange. I used to tell you that if anything ever happens, you won’t see me.” “That’s just because you ignored your shoes,” Dy objected. “Sonthara, you are number two,” I said. “And you are the last one – number four.” he replied. Trying to save a little face for me, Dy said, “But Boran is so brave. He didn’t run, no matter what.” Having been big-headed, I added another quality, “Also that was because we had not paid the meal. How can I leave without paying?” “Then why are you rubbing your right ankle, Boran?” Sonthara asked. “Oh, it’s OK. The sprain got back while I was about to run. I sprained my ankle months ago.”

1: kind of dessert consisting of small rice grain-shaped pieces of dough about one inch long. They are dipped in a solution of sugar and coconut cream before eating.

One-Night Adventure – part 2

Energy vs. power

It was about 6 pm. Now we were at Phsar Kandal. After having failed to enter several streets, we finally found a street that we were allowed to enter by donating R500 for each motorbike to the officers. “Hmm, I feel so sorry looking at those officers’ life,” said Thoeun. “We would not have entered if he had not taken our money. It is a good deal,” Dy added. We spent approximately half an hour strolling in the market aisle to the parking lot next to Wat Onalaom.

We were now able to walk a bit freely after leaving the motorbikes. There were so many people walking, mostly Cambodian and few foreigners, but that was not crowded in this stage. Now we could see lanterns floating slowly on the rivers. It looked so nice with the light, and that was the lanterns of Preah Singha. Wanting to remember this picture, I took out my phone with built-in VGA camera and shot. “Oh my ghost, looks like a noodle cart burning,” I said handing picture to Thoeun, “so nice Preah Singha lantern.”

Bang! There was a beautiful light in the sky. “Oh, beautiful! Beautiful!” people chanted. Bang, Bang! “This one is beautiful,” said Dy, looking at a pretty girl standing watching fireworks, too. Bang! “This one is not so beautiful,” said Dy again, this time looking at a lady holding her son’s hand, watching. Now I got to understand what he was saying. “I see on the TV; the Chinese’s firework is wonderful. They can even show the text and image,” said Sonthara. “Oh yes, I saw it too. But I don’t expect for that. Just this is fantastic for Cambodia. And this year there have been so many fireworks lit, comparing to the previous years,” I answered. “May be we produce it ourselves, at Prek Eng?” Thoeun asked. “No idea. I hope so. And I wish to.”

“Oh no, why do the people stop walking? Why are there so many people?” We could not move forward. Then even backward, left and right. Now we could see people started to move to the sides of the road. “Something must be happening,” I thought. We, too, had to move to the right-hand side of the road. A moment later we could see several police officers were trying to make way for cars. It seemed to them that it was still not enough for room. Then, the strong men wildly push the people to the side. “Enough?” we whispered. No, not yet for them. The dominant guy pushed again, “idiot, you want me to push or to break your lower legs?” he said to an inferior man standing at the front most, sounded like he was defending people from protesting against something. In a minute, we were completely jammed. We could not move and even hardly sit down. What we could do was to stand still and wait for several highest-honored people to pass.

“Who’s gonna pass this way? Are they treating us as animals? At least they should rush to pass the way when people are jammed like this,” I muttered. “Just a few of you make thousands of people so suffering. Nonsense,” Thoeun added to support. Standing next to two girls, Dy did not give me such a support. Even though Dy and Sonthara did not show any remarkable expression, they might feel the same way. Or perhaps Dy tried to save his energy. For me, thanks to two packages of 3-in-1 morning coffee, I was able to keep my self conscious for over half an hour, deadly pausing in the crowd.

A group of people were running to lead the way, followed by several cars and motorbikes. We were not able to see who was who in the cars. Some people were cheering at the passing people, but I and Thoeun did not care about them. What we were expecting was just to have the street freed for people to walk, not just for a few of people.

One-Night Adventure – part 1

“You have two missed calls. Caller: Sonthara. Date: Sunday, November 25, 2007 at 5 pm.” “Amphou Sontharo, I’m going to your house. [off] Alo, Dy we meet at Sontharo’s. [off] Alo Theun, where are you?” “Oh Boran? I am now near the Independent monument.” “Where should we meet?” “Meet at Pet Chenh Caltex station and park at my house which is opposite to the former BBWorld.”

Now I was at Sonthara’s. “Hey Boran you know what, I walked with two pretty girls yesterday.” “Oh, really? Then the chief of the monastery will have to find another priest to replace you.” “But there were also her parents.” “Onh, still phhik phheak.” “Now I love the song ‘ជាប់បន្ទប់ភ្ជាប់បេះដូង​​ A next door love’ by Midada” “Oh, then you have lots of chances.” “She rents my house. Look! That is she, the younger sister! How is she?” “Yeah, good. And what about inviting her to join us?” “I don’t know. But that is her dog,” he pointed to a ferocious-looking dog, “It has bitten many people already.” “Oh, I think walking with girl may be not fun,” I immediately cut him and started motorbike, “Come on, Thoeun is waiting.”

Managing to have my motorbike refueled, I saw Thoeun was waving to me. “Oh ho, Dy is also coming!” Smiling from distance, Dy waved his left hand to us at another side of the separated Monivong boulevard. “Is that all? What about Rooney?” I suggested. “Let me call him,” replied Sonthara, “He said he would call us back when he is free.” “Hoy, the last two days I was like in prison,” complained Thoeun. “You didn’t bring Nita anywhere? You must secretly have enjoyed the day with Riyan, I know” “No, you are wrong, Boran. Nita must have banned him from going outside home,” added Dy, “See, he escaped with just a short trouser.” “Oh come on, boys. Or you want me to go back home now? Ok, my house is there,” Thoeun pointed to a house nearby, “Kalina is waiting for us to park the motorbike.” “Oh, Pisey said that Kalina’s brother had just successfully passed a shooting test,” interrupted Dy. “Hey, we’d better head for Phsar Kandal and park there because the street to Kalina’s is jam-packed now,” suggested Thoeun.