One of my Beer Garden friends, Chom, visits the bar every few months when she comes down to Bangkok to stay with her daughter. On the rare occasions when our paths cross, we always enjoy a nice time together. But I’ve never become as comfortable with her as I have with my other drinking companions. She is quiet and reserved, making it a challenge to establish any kind of connection.
Despite this, I decided to get back in touch last month to see how she has been doing (I had not seen her since just before Christmas). This is such a bad time for everyone here in Thailand; I hoped she and her family had not gotten sick.
The news was good: everyone is in fine health, at least as far as I can tell. Only a few people in her village have contracted the virus. Chom did not sound worried. I suppose it helps to be living on a farm and working in the fields, where you can maintain a comfortable social distance.
With our birthdays a month apart, we have decided to exchange gifts. I have sent her some money (of course) to help make ends meet while she is weaving a colorful mat for me made out of papyrus — a project that looks like it requires some serious time and effort. Am looking forward to seeing the results.
The more I get to know this woman, the more impressed I am.
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