Sunken Fish - Chapter 60
She stroked the puppy on her lap: "Besides you, little puppy, you'll always be good."
“Hey, Walter,” Wendy shouted, “what do you think of the King?”
Walter knew such questions were inevitable. He looked at Wendy, took a deep breath, and carefully chose his words: “The poor, especially the uneducated, feel better now than before. When the Kingdom of Lanna was one of the poorest countries in the world, they didn’t want any more trouble. They were sometimes grateful to His Majesty the King for the occasional favors he bestowed upon the people. Like at a school nearby, a prominent nobleman bought the headmaster a tape recorder—that was enough to make people happy. We are now paving roads from the border of our country to another, which is a great step forward, allowing people to see the outside world. There is also less bloodshed now because most of the rebels have been brought under control—”
Bodhi Fisherman (2)
“You mean he was killed?” Wendy interjected.
Walter was unfazed: "Some are dead, some are in jail, and others are in hiding."
"So what's your opinion?" Berhali asked. "Is the Kingdom of Lanna better now than it was in the past?"
"There are many factors..."
“It depends,” Esme said.
Walter nodded. "Let me think about how to say it..."
He thought of his father, his job, and his sister, who needed a clean record to go to university.
Although he disliked the king, especially his appearance on television, he even considered becoming a journalist. But someone told him that doing so would only lead to death—either spiritual or physical. You can't write any bad news—what else is there to write about?
The girl was right; it depended on the situation. But how could he tell these Americans? They were only here temporarily; they would never be affected. What would they gain by telling them the truth? What risks would he take if he did? He looked at the lake and knew how to answer.
“Look there! A man is standing on the boat.”
Tourists craned their necks to see the famous Bodhi Fisherman. My friends all took out their cameras and captured the scene through the viewfinder.
Walter continued, "See how he stands on one leg and paddles with the other? That way he can glide while fishing with both hands. It seems impossible, but he does it effortlessly."
"Habit becomes second nature!"
Mr. Marseille shouted to the other at the same time, saying that they were sitting in two boats.
Benny exclaimed in panic, "I'm going to fall into the lake!"
Walter calmly replied, “That’s how they feel. They’re used to it, so they can stand on one leg without falling. They dream of fish, which drives them forward, but sometimes their nets are empty, and if their rowing leg gets tired, they drift with the current…”
My friends had forgotten about the question; they were tilting their heads to get a better shot of this unique and beautiful scenery.
Only the black dot heard Walter's reply.
Floating island (1)
The Bodhi Lake Floating Island Scenic Area was only developed for one year. It imitated the operating model of its competitors and established the Golden Island Villa Hotel and its sister hotel.
In fact, this is the property of a local tribe. The tribe reached a ceasefire agreement with the government of the Kingdom of Lanna and obtained shares in the hotel in exchange. The brochure describes it as having Western management, professional decor, and comprehensive services.