There’s a day I hardly remember -
But, it’s one of the most
memorable days I’ve had!
Way back when I was a teenager, I was sitting
at the edge of a market. A Thai market
I can’t remember why I was sitting there.
(With unfamiliar languages bouncing around me,
there’s a chance I didn’t know - even then!)
I don’t remember exact events
or smells or noises from that day...
But, I remember Thai markets.
I’m sure there was a lingering sewerage smell
and the stench of rubbish would
have drifted from a dark corner.
Old ladies, bent from years of rice planting,
would have moved through the stalls,
selecting pieces of fruit and vegetables for their meals.
No doubt, it was hot and
I was sweating... for sure!
I probably heard the splashes as an eel
flipped in a tub of water, waiting to be sold.
Tiny turtles, frogs and fish were probably around me.
A buffalo or a goat may have been
chopped up and laid on the hot cement,
ready to be sold.
Chickens would have been housed
in small bamboo domes.
Desserts and delicious treats
would have been on display and someone
would have been selling iced coffee,
drowned in sweetened condensed milk
and served in a plastic bag.
So, what made this day so memorable?
... A sudden weight on my shoulder.
I was sitting on the seat,
surrounded by the market,
when a great weight
suddenly dropped onto my shoulder.
As I looked over my shoulder,
I stared up the trunk of an elephant.
An elephant had placed its trunk on my shoulder!
If it hadn’t happened,
I probably wouldn’t have believe it.
The elephant’s mahoot must have thought
I was a strange sight, sitting by the market,
surrounded by all things Thai.
A moment later, the elephant
lifted its trunk and turned away.
I gazed after it in amazement.
Y
ears and years later,I still remember this so clearly.
It's proof that even the most usual of days
might turn out to be one of the most amazing...
You just never know.
