Crazy German Farang on the Train; Phitsanulok
Today has been a long day. I'm in Old Sukhothai right now, about five hours south of Chiang Mai, but that will have to wait until later. This morning I caught the 6 am train to Phitsanulok. I spent only one day in Lopburi but I felt like I lived a lifetime there.
About two hours into the train ride, a tall man with a straw hat and army rucksack climbed on the train. He looked and acted very strange-- he appeared to have some kind of skin condition that looked cancerous as well as some scabrous infection on his leg. Soon he came over and demanded to see my ticket. I was taken aback but showed it to him. He nodded abruptly (something he did about every five seconds) and then returned the ticket to me. He wanted to know where I was from and what religion I was. I said Oregon and cautiously said 'no religion'.
"I have one word for you," he said. "Utah."
I have no clue what he meant by that.
He went on to ask me if I'd been in Thailand before and how long I'd been there, and if I was traveling alone. Of course I lied. I had traveled abroad extensively in SE Asia, was going to visit Thai and American friends, etc.
India came up and he mentioned that he had spent two years there. Then he added, "But I can't remember where I was. One, two, three... I can't remember. You know why?" And then, after a dramatic pause, he addressed the train car at large: "Because I drink too much."
At other points in the conversation, he burst into a song about Heidelberg when I mentioned I had been there, and perhaps the crowning moment of his insanity was when he returned to his seat, and proceeded to dance in a circle hopping on one foot while singing. On several occasions he shouted at the ticket collector and generally frightened the Thais on the train. Later, he returned and out of the blue tried to explain an incomprehensible German concept to me-- this involved him drawing out 64 small squares on a paper and counting them meticulously, then returning the paper to me without explanation.
Needless to say, I didn't tell him my name is Franz.
The train ride to Phitsanalok was 5 hours, and I walked over to a temple there which is considered one of the holiest and Thailand. There I paid my dues before hopping a bus to New Sukhothai (one hour) and then a half-hour ride by saegnaw (glorified truck/bus) to Old Sukhothai. Phitsanulok was depressingly dusty and industrial, as was New Sukhothai, but Old Sukhothai is lovely.
About two hours into the train ride, a tall man with a straw hat and army rucksack climbed on the train. He looked and acted very strange-- he appeared to have some kind of skin condition that looked cancerous as well as some scabrous infection on his leg. Soon he came over and demanded to see my ticket. I was taken aback but showed it to him. He nodded abruptly (something he did about every five seconds) and then returned the ticket to me. He wanted to know where I was from and what religion I was. I said Oregon and cautiously said 'no religion'.
"I have one word for you," he said. "Utah."
I have no clue what he meant by that.
He went on to ask me if I'd been in Thailand before and how long I'd been there, and if I was traveling alone. Of course I lied. I had traveled abroad extensively in SE Asia, was going to visit Thai and American friends, etc.
India came up and he mentioned that he had spent two years there. Then he added, "But I can't remember where I was. One, two, three... I can't remember. You know why?" And then, after a dramatic pause, he addressed the train car at large: "Because I drink too much."
At other points in the conversation, he burst into a song about Heidelberg when I mentioned I had been there, and perhaps the crowning moment of his insanity was when he returned to his seat, and proceeded to dance in a circle hopping on one foot while singing. On several occasions he shouted at the ticket collector and generally frightened the Thais on the train. Later, he returned and out of the blue tried to explain an incomprehensible German concept to me-- this involved him drawing out 64 small squares on a paper and counting them meticulously, then returning the paper to me without explanation.
Needless to say, I didn't tell him my name is Franz.
The train ride to Phitsanalok was 5 hours, and I walked over to a temple there which is considered one of the holiest and Thailand. There I paid my dues before hopping a bus to New Sukhothai (one hour) and then a half-hour ride by saegnaw (glorified truck/bus) to Old Sukhothai. Phitsanulok was depressingly dusty and industrial, as was New Sukhothai, but Old Sukhothai is lovely.
posted by Franz K at 3:56 AM
1 Comments:
This would make a great short story!!
l & g,
AMK
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