.... I came to the Dunk it Donut, whose shop was full of happy teenage Thai boys crowded up against the front windows, and they were waving their arms and cheering with gusto. Well, I was hungry anyhow, and after my own intrepid journey, I was ready for a hot drink, so I stepped inside the raucous scene, ordered a raspberry jelly donut and a coffee and settled in.
Just outside the shop was a high curb of about twenty inches, which was supposed to keep the sidewalks high and dry from street level, but now was covered itself with a few inches of water.
At this point, all the young women were pausing, and to keep as dry as possible, were raising their skirts before taking the plunge to step down into two feet or water and cross the small alleyway exiting from the center of the mall.
Each time a girl appeared there was high suspense, and then when the dress came up, the boys would go crazy cheering while she would blushingly cross the watery gauntlet, skirts held above the waves, trying to ignore the adolescent raspberries from inside. Ah, Bangkok.
Even the monsoons bring joy and relief. Even the floods renew our love for life. If you really must have a new karma, put on a sarong and hastily change everything underneath. Or let it rain on you.
Loong Jaidee
(Stories from Thailand, 20 years ago.)
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