Sao Lao

The adventure in Pakse continues. After we finished with grocery shopping and came back to the house it was time to meet with the rest of the family members. I saw my father’s mother for the second time in my life. The first time was when I was a little kid in Vientiane. I tried to take as much pictures as possible of the relatives for my parents. While the rest of the relatives were busy getting to know my mother, I went into the kitchen to give a helping hand. My father told me to do my fair share with the household chores while I am there.

We had a nice lunch with more than 20 people (I stop counting at 20). I didn’t eat much since the dishes were all too hot for my taste. This family puts chili peppers in just about everything. After lunch I did the dishes all by myself. My father’s niece has a teenage daughter but was not much of a help. When she saw me do dishes, she ran away to her grandmother’s house (my father’s older sister) to play. The other children were young boys and therefore cannot help in the kitchen. I didn’t mind doing the dishes, except for the fact that the sink was too low (below my butt’s level). It was difficult to help in the kitchen with washing all the vegetables and fruits and do the dishes.

My father’s niece couldn’t help me do the dishes since he gave her laundry to wash. I started to laugh while watching my father gives the order. Who was the dek-noi (little kid) that will do my laundry like he said back in Vientiane? I also found the interaction of the family to be quite amusing. The fact that his niece and her husband call my parents as mom and dad rather than Na Bao and Na Sao was interesting to me.

After I finished with the dishes (for more than 20 people by hands I must stress), I went back to the living-room and found my parents busy passing out gifts to the old and the young. My cousins wanted to take me to see the sunset at the Mekong River but my father said I was not allowed to go anywhere after dark and not to ride the motorcycle. He said I can only go somewhere with my parents and if not would only be able to go somewhere with Aao Ki in his tuk-tuk. That way I can stay safe.

I asked my parents if I can go visit Aao Ki’s family. I was surprised to find out that he lives in the same village as Grand-mama. What a coincidence? The plot of the story becomes even more intense when I saw his house which is on the main road and only a couple of minutes walk to Grand-mama’s house. While I stood outside Aao Ki’s house and ordering sugarcane drink from his daughter, I gave Bay a call and told her of what is going on. I asked her if this is the same man who took Grand-mama to the doctor a week before. Bay confirmed my suspicion. I was shocked to find out how small of a world we live in. I then asked Bay whether or not Aao Ki recognized me from our last meeting. Bay didn’t think so because I had a different haircut back then and it was a brief meeting. I told her not really since I was sitting outside the doctor’s office with him. I told Bay that I felt as though I am living in a lakorn.

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