J, R & I were walking from our guest house to 'the forest' - a collection of food & drink stalls 20 minutes walk from the centre of the border town we work in once a month. As it is now the rainy season the area has suddenly come alive with verdant crops of corn, cassava & beans, growing rapidly in the rich tropical soil.
There had already been an afternoon storm, so the air was cool with a light evening breeze. The 'mountain' was glowing bronze in the setting sun, all was peaceful with none of the usual commercial lorry traffic that heads to the Thai border overspilling with Cassava & other cash crops. We walked in silent anticipation of the meal that was awaiting us - Sach Prohat (AKA dirty meat), Bor Bor, fertilised ducks eggs, khmer desert & fruit shakes.
It was one of the many moments I have here when I am filled with an overwhelming sense that it will be impossible for me to ever leave this place.
R then spoke unprompted, "I remember a scene from my childhood - maybe over 30 years ago now...."
He rarely talks about his childhood, ever, so J & I remained quiet, waiting for the story from his repressed memory.
"I went to see the orchestra - orchestra is that the right word?"
J & I confirmed that a collection of people playing musical instruments was indeed an orchestra.
"I was at the pagoda with my older brother watching the orchestra when some army men came in"
"Khmer rouge?" I asked
"Maybe - and there was a man with a women but the army men wanted her so there was an argument between the army man & her boyfriend. Then the army man got out his gun & shot the woman dead"
J & I looked suitably horrified.
"He then shot the boyfriend & then he just kept on shooting into the group of people - maybe 7 people were killed in total. My neighbour picked me up & carried me away from that place"
"What happened to your brother?" J asked
"He was older than me so he ran away as soon as the shooting started. Because I was younger, maybe 5 or 6 years old - I did not sense the danger so I just watched it happen until my neighbour picked me up & took me to safety"
"What was it that reminded you of that now?" I enquired
R just shrugged & then we continued to walk down the country road surrounded by the lush, dewy fields, the beautiful sky above heavy with inky clouds and with the song of crickets & frogs to fill our growing silence.
There had already been an afternoon storm, so the air was cool with a light evening breeze. The 'mountain' was glowing bronze in the setting sun, all was peaceful with none of the usual commercial lorry traffic that heads to the Thai border overspilling with Cassava & other cash crops. We walked in silent anticipation of the meal that was awaiting us - Sach Prohat (AKA dirty meat), Bor Bor, fertilised ducks eggs, khmer desert & fruit shakes.
It was one of the many moments I have here when I am filled with an overwhelming sense that it will be impossible for me to ever leave this place.
R then spoke unprompted, "I remember a scene from my childhood - maybe over 30 years ago now...."
He rarely talks about his childhood, ever, so J & I remained quiet, waiting for the story from his repressed memory.
"I went to see the orchestra - orchestra is that the right word?"
J & I confirmed that a collection of people playing musical instruments was indeed an orchestra.
"I was at the pagoda with my older brother watching the orchestra when some army men came in"
"Khmer rouge?" I asked
"Maybe - and there was a man with a women but the army men wanted her so there was an argument between the army man & her boyfriend. Then the army man got out his gun & shot the woman dead"
J & I looked suitably horrified.
"He then shot the boyfriend & then he just kept on shooting into the group of people - maybe 7 people were killed in total. My neighbour picked me up & carried me away from that place"
"What happened to your brother?" J asked
"He was older than me so he ran away as soon as the shooting started. Because I was younger, maybe 5 or 6 years old - I did not sense the danger so I just watched it happen until my neighbour picked me up & took me to safety"
"What was it that reminded you of that now?" I enquired
R just shrugged & then we continued to walk down the country road surrounded by the lush, dewy fields, the beautiful sky above heavy with inky clouds and with the song of crickets & frogs to fill our growing silence.
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