CHANG -- Part 11

[JaiGuruDev]

CHANG Gang -- Part 11

 

The Travel Fairies smiled on us today and kept the express way clear for our ride back to Bangkok.

 

We got back safely to Bangkok and checked-in to the Nana, but I was pooped ? after all, I didn?t get any sleep last night. I figured the best thing would be to check email, a massage, and an early bedtime.

 

First stop ? World Coffee to check email.

 

My mother had been suffering from a long illness. Doctors told us that she only had six months to live, but that was over two and a half years ago. I shared my Angkor Wat books with her before I left, and she was as excited about my trip as I was. Over the last couple years she had some ups and downs, and I promised that when I got back if she felt up to it we (my brothers and I) would take her to Angkor Wat. The way she was going, it looked like she was going to live forever! I spent my last night at home with her, and her last words to me as I left for the trip were, ?See you at Angkor Wat!?

 

She wasn?t having a particularly bad time when I left for the trip; she was plugging along like she always did. But her last words to me hung over the trip as a bit of a dark cloud. I discussed it with Antman during the ride to the airport, but he dismissed it as people say weird things.

 

When I checked this day, there was an email waiting for me from my brother saying Mother had just passed away peacefully a few hours ago. Even though I knew it would happen, it was still a shock to me when I read the news. She hadn?t wanted a big funeral, only a memorial service that her family and friends could attend. Her family lived mostly on the East Coast, thus it was decided to hold the service in a couple weeks so everyone could have a chance to make plans in advance. There was no reason for me to go back now; arraignments had already been made, and there was really nothing else to do.

 

I did get that massage, and even took a nap but was unsure how I would feel about a night out.

 

I figured it would be a good thing to get out with my friends instead of staying in my room alone, so we hit the bars and ended up at Morning/Night again. I?m really starting to like that place (even if they do pad the bill). We spent the evening with our favorite bargirls, and I even got to talk with GoodGirl for a bit. She pointed out that I hadn?t phoned her every night from Pattaya and I just told her I drank too much with my friends.

 

I was feeling a little peckish, and one of the bargirls suggested I could order a pizza and have it delivered to the bar. A pizza sounded good, so I ordered the largest combination they made and waited by having a few beers and bribing the DJ to play my favorite songs.

 

Some how a beer was promised to the DJ every time he played the song ?Rock DJ? by Robbie Williams, and it quickly became my theme song. Just setting foot in the bar would cause whatever song was playing to stop, and Rock DJ to start. By the end of the evening I was beginning to tire of the song, and the DJ was very drunk.

 

As soon as the pizza was delivered to my table, the attending bargirls exploded into a flurry of activity. Some girls ran off to get plates, some to get napkins, and some to refill our drinks. GoodGirl opened the pizza box, took out a slice, and climbed on top of a bar stool to place the slice on the shrine in the bar. I was more than a little hungry, so I hoped she understood that slice was coming out of her share of the pie.

 

We had a pleasant evening together, and promised to see each other again when I returned from Cambodia. I told GoodGirl that I didn?t get much sleep last night, and had an early flight so Siem Reap tomorrow so I was going to bed early tonight. GoodGirl said she understood, but I had to promise to call her when I woke up in the morning.

 

And that?s all I have to say about that.