Stories of an Unusual Life
by
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Not worrying much about where I'd sleep for the night, I sought out a small sidewalk restaurant. Those little places usually have tasty fare, and the food was cheap regardless of what one ordered. Many folks wouldn't have found the food palatable, especially with the flies competing for what was set down on the table. Yet, with my left hand swishing away the persistent pests, and my right hand feeding my face, my hunger pangs were allayed. After a short walk on the beach, I felt rather good.
In casual sort of way, I inquired about where I could rent a room. But there was none. I didn't really expect a motel or anything like that, not in the village. However, a young Thai chap, whom I asked about lodging, directed me to a produce vendor who said she had a place for rent. It turned out to be a typical Thai house constructed on stilts and situated somewhat outside the village in a wooded area. That was OK by me. I thought it a rather romantic setting, a place to do a little daydreaming; while pretending I lived there. Let me make this comment right here so I won't look silly every time I say “I pretended I lived there.” It amused me to think about how it would be if I really did get a chance to live at the place where I was visiting. Its fantasy and I like it. After I paid the woman, she called for a little kid (I guess hers) to show me where to go. It was an old house, but built sturdily enough, like all the others I'd seen. There was no key, no instructions about anything; the business transaction was over, and that was it. The toilet consisted of several boards arranged to permit one to squat or stand and eliminate straight down to the ground, where all went to await desiccation or absorption by the good earth. During a short walk about the village, I tried to get some information about the proximity of Pattaya to where I was. But got nothing useful, only answers like “just down there,” or “not far by bus.” I gave up. I had a general idea anyway, but I made the mistake of thinking the route was a casual walk along the beach to Pattaya. At dusk I decided to retire for the night; had I decided otherwise there wouldn't have been anything to do anyway. Those folks go to bed early and rise with the sun. The house I rented had no steps, but the ladder up to the front porch, if one wishes to call it that was sturdy enough. For a short time I sat in the open area of my wooden palace; it wasn't long before I realized the mosquitoes would eat me alive if I stayed out there. That was unfortunate, because I always enjoy spending a good portion of my time daydreaming in the early evening out in the open, no matter where I happen to be. Going inside didn't offer that much protection from the insects. The shutter-type windows weren't screened, and nothing prevented the bugs from making straightaway for my unwilling flesh. There was netting over the bed, so before long I sought refuge under it. Much to my dismay, the net had many holes in it and didn't keep the mosquitoes out, or some of the larger bugs either. They came out of the night, searching for blood: my blood. Trying to defend myself, I slapped at mosquitoes until I was at my wits' end. Adding to my discomfort, the night was unbearably hot and sticky. Not that I was particularly scared, but the miserable conditions and some unidentifiable noises emanating from the forest made it obvious not much sleep would be forthcoming. There were a lot more bugs than there would have been if the building were closer to the water, where a night breeze usually helped. In desperation, and I mean real desperation bordering on panic, I eased myself into a huge water-storage jar; and managed to submerge myself up to my neck. But, I had to periodically dip my head under water to get the bugs off my face. I had to endure immersion in the water jar almost all night; morning never seemed to come, and in all my life I have never been so impatient to see the sun come up. When it was finally light enough for me to see, I set out, heading south along the beach. On the way to Pattaya, I came upon another small village, where I bargained for a sturdy little boat with conventional oars. I intended to row out a short distance just to be on the water to relax, not in the water. I'd had enough of that for the time being. I hadn't slept at all the previous night. After a few minutes of rowing I lay back and enjoyed the blue sky and the peace and quiet that comes from being on a calm sea. Kind of sleepy and contented, I rested against the middle seat of the rowboat, and was thinking of closing my eyes for a moment. I must have dozed off for a short period, but it was long enough to place me well out from shore. Once I took to the oars, I realized that I was not only quite far out, but was also being swept away from the shore by a strong current.
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About the Book
An epic story of how the GI Bill made it possible for the author to travel around the world to teach in strange and exotic places, and still enjoy the luxury of a professional career as a Schoolteacher, a Scientific Research Analyst; a State Department Foreign Service Officer, and work for pay as a part-time boat captain.
The book is a collage of episodes describing daring adventures abroad that will captivate the reader. On private contract he taught school in Haiti. He tells about brutality and poverty endured by most of the population. He relates how he was in harms way trying to prevent a brutal killing. The reader also gets an inside look about teaching six grades simultaneously in a one-room schoolhouse in the jungle of Sumatra, far removed from civilization: including some curious events that happened while living in almost complete isolation.
A portion of the book tells about his research activities. One unusual experiment shows how devoted a researcher must be. Dr Woke and the writer sat half naked in a cage feeding hundreds of mosquitoes for two months. “Thou shalt not kill.”
While teaching in Afghanistan, the author gives a detailed account of his adventures including a solo trek through the infamous Khyber Pass, from Jalalabad, Afghanistan to Islamabad, Pakistan, and visits to other countries as well. As a Foreign Service Officer, in the U.S. State Department, the author shares his knowledge about foreign countries including Vietnam and Egypt, and related experiences with the reader. While in Egypt, the author documents memorable and sometimes risky experiences exploring the Sahara Desert and the Sinai.
About the Author
The author survived the depression years in a small town by the sea. The natural world molded him and enabled him to rise above the horrors of the great depression.
From these beginnings, the Navy was his choice to serve his country in the Atlantic and Pacific during World War II. The GI Bill made it possible for the author to gain a university education, for which he received degrees in Psychology, Education and Science. He also did course work at the Washington Institute of Psychiatry, in child development. And a course in Virology sponsored by NIH.
His education provided him with the tools to teach school in the U.S. and foreign countries and to qualify as a professional in other vocations as well. Part of his overseas teaching experience included teaching six grade levels simultaneously in a one-room schoolhouse in the jungle of Sumatra. This led him to tell about village life of the indigenous people, and his own isolation with no contact with the outside world. Teaching in Haiti was a unique experience: He witnessed poverty, despair and brutality.
At one point he made an effort to prevent an assassination that put him in harms way.
As part of his government service he received training at Fort Sam Houston, receiving a certificate from Brooke Army Medical Center. Subsequently he was assigned to Vietnam, during that campaign. As a State Department Foreign Service officer in Egypt, he had the opportunity to explore the Sahara and Sinai deserts during unique and interesting expeditions. One of his most daring exploits was a solo trek through the Khyber Pass from Afghanistan to Pakistan.
The author resided in Thailand for long periods of time with his wife's family. This gave him the opportunity to travel and gain insight about Thai culture.