Sunken Fish - Chapter 63
Ominous sign (1)
Around 1:00 PM, my friends arrived at the dock. Three boatmen were huddled together excitedly discussing something, and when they saw their passengers, Black Spot immediately reached out to help them board the boat.
Heinrich waved to his guests, “Dinner at seven, tatata!”
“It’s awful,” Benny said. “Thud! Thud! It’s like going back to the colonial era.”
“This is actually a Lanna Kingdom-style expression,” Water said. “The British absorbed it along with other things from the past.”
"Really?"
Benny thought, "Tap-tap," it sounded more upper-class now than arrogant. He made the sound, feeling his tongue dance on his teeth, "Tap-tap," how lovely.
“This afternoon,” Walter said, “we’re going to a village where they’re celebrating the centenary of the stupa, those domed shrines you’ve seen. There will be a huge market, lots of competitions and gambling, but I warn you, nobody will win. There will also be some kids performing on stage; they’ve been rehearsing for months—I think you Americans call that ‘slapstick comedy.’ Don’t worry, you can take pictures.”
Walter told her not to worry, which made Wendy even more concerned about whether she wanted to take pictures. She was terrified every time she saw police officers; would they shoot her? She thought it was pointless to argue; not everyone spoke English.
She whispered to Wyatt that she was sleepy and asked if she could stay and take a nap with him.
"I snore."
Wendy knew this meant rejection.
The two boats started moving and soon weaved through hyacinths and floating plants. They turned into a small river, passed through the bushy banks, and saw women on the shore drawing water in buckets and pouring it over children.
I've always thought the people of Lanna are among the cleanest in the world. While their environment can't be kept spotless, they bathe twice a day, usually in a river or lake, because most homes don't have private bathrooms. Women wear cloth skirts, men wear loincloths when they jump into the water, and children are completely naked.
Taking a bath is essential, not only to keep you cool after a hot day, but more importantly, to cleanse your body and soul.
Chinese people aren't particularly particular about bathing, unless they're relatively wealthy and have access to sanitation facilities at home—I'm referring to rural areas, of course. Cleanliness isn't as important as conserving water; I've seen greasy hair and clothes reeking of months of cooking fumes. They're pragmatic, focusing only on getting things done, while cleanliness is a luxury.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a germaphobe. Unlike the Japanese, I don't like to soak in hot baths, immersing myself in boiling water to wash away dirt from my skin. I would never do that. Their toilets even have showerheads that spray your bottom with warm water and then dry you with warm air, so you never have to touch your own body again. That's a bit too much.
Since we're on this topic, I can't say that all the British I know are clean. Records have long shown that the Chinese and Lanna have harshly criticized them, saying that the British bathe like they're polishing shoes, neglecting areas they can't see.
The French are similar, though I don't know them very well because they're reluctant to communicate with people who don't speak French. But you have reason to wonder why they invented so many perfumes?
Many Germans, regardless of their cleanliness, always emit a stale smell, especially the men, and they seem unaware of it. Take Heinrich, for example; his body odor was strong, a mixture of alcohol and dishonesty, every pore exuding frivolity.
Americans, on the other hand, seem to embrace a combination of all scents, and they love using deodorants, aftershave, perfumes, and air fresheners. Even if they don't smell bad, they'll mask it to make it sound unnatural. But I don't think this is a culture; it's just a trick by perfumers.
As the riverbank and dock came into view, the small boats drifted by with their motors off, and many hands reached out to help them reach the shore.
“You’ll see a lot of interesting things,” Walter cautioned. “Be sure to haggle. Here are some rules: decide how much you’re willing to pay first, then offer half, and then gradually increase the price.”
As soon as their feet touched the ground, the vendors swarmed around them, shouting, "Lucky money! Give me lucky money!" They held small jade animal figures in their hands.
"They believe that the first business transaction of the day will bring good luck."