Absurd Misadventure

 

I had an extremely trying day recently, to put it lightly.  I got locked into my toilet cubicle, in our outside second-floor veranda toilet-shower area.  The doorknob locks on our doors, both inside and out, are crap.  They are cheap, poor-quality shit that often freeze up.  Through the years, we have had numerous episodes where someone was locked out of (or into) some space or another because the cheap doorknob-locks froze up. 

I went into my toilet cubicle and, per usual, pushed the lock button once inside.  When trying to get out, I turned the knob, which released the lock button with a click.  But the door was still firmly locked.  I could not open it to get out.  I was stuck. 

I tried climbing up out of my cubicle, over the high walls under the veranda roof, to either the shower stall next door or the outer veranda, but I soon realized that I would seriously injure myself if trying these strenuous acrobatic maneuvers.  I only had marginal toe-holds on water pipes, and the long reaches were beyond me.  (And, days later, I am in extreme pain from those attempts at the climb-out.) 

But I was extremely lucky – or “Be Prepared”, as in the Scout Motto – in this instance.  I had my phone.  I always prefer a “Compact” phone, a small 4.7-inch waterproof Sony, one that I can easily put into a pocket of my swim trunks that I wear at home every day.  (If I want more readable internet connection detail, I will access my 8-inch Mini Tablet or my laptop, both of which are less conveniently portable.) 

Locked inside, I called Tuk at her office, and – my extreme good luck again – she answered.  I told her my tale of woe, and she contacted a locksmith to come and rescue me.  It took about an hour, but I had assets:  a toilet, a smartphone, and a towel to wipe the sweat out of my eyes from this accursed tropical heat and humidity (a reminder of my first landing in Vietnam in 1969, when I noticed all Marines had a towel around their necks, to wipe sweat off their weapons and faces). 

The locksmith changed the lock, but also added sliding latch-locks to the inside doors of both toilets and the shower room, so that we don’t have to use the undependable doorknob locks.  I don’t want to go through that again. 

-Zenwind. 

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A New Barber

I have found a new barber, and I am pleased.  (My regular haircutter of over five years is not working anymore.)  I chose this new shop because their barbers are noted for their English-speaking ability.  It is near my most frequented movie theater and shopping centers when I go deep into the city, and is close to transit hubs. 

My new barber, Dew, understood immediately what I wanted and – most importantly – errs on the side of not cutting much off, until I asked him to cut off just a little more, twice.  (I absolutely detest barbers whose first instinct is to scalp you down to the bone!) 

The shop has a classic cool old-time vibe.  I noticed that the bottle for spraying water was a modified Jack Daniel’s bottle.  Everyone is easy-going and friendly.  I’ll be back. 

-Zenwind. 

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Screaming Pain & Agony

Caveat:  I’m not actually screaming, but I’d like to.

It is really difficult to sleep, as my hip pain makes any position uncomfortable.  My range of walking is limited to not much more than 100 meters a day.  I’ve quit stretching and any other exercises, because it hurts too much.  Constant deep pain wears you down. 

In other news, we just got over a week of unseasonably cold and rainy weather, very unexpected.  A high-pressure system over China brought cold air down to us, and it disrupted what would normally be dry and hot conditions.  The Hot is back now, so we will sweat out the upcoming Songkran holidays – the hottest time of the year. 

-Zenwind. 

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