[my $9.08 a night room at Lankham Hotel in Pakse, 5/16/23] “Blind to all fault, destiny can be ruthless at one’s slightest distraction,” Borges writes, but what does he mean by destiny being “blind to all fault”? A lesser mind would say that destiny is blind to all virtues, since it can suddenly wound or kill even the most attentive, that is, the most virtuous and prayerful.
Here are two images of the guy who robbed me. Does he look Indian, Turkish or something else? If he thinks I've slandered him, he can look me up and we'll have a conversation. He knows my hotel!
As you can see, I was clearly coherent enough to shoot photos in the restaurant. For this set, I used my Sony A6000, and I shot manual, of course. To get away with taking photos of so many strangers, you must know what you're doing, so I was obviously sharp. Not long after this, however, I was lying on the pavement, with scrapes on my knees and my bag searched through, though I have zero memory of how it happened.
As one reader remarked at SubStack, I was lucky my robber didn't overdose me. I seriously doubt he's still in Laos, much less Pakse. The Thai border is nearby, so he probably got out in that direction. When I caught him on film, he put up his hand and said, "No photo," with clear irritation.
I don't know why, perhaps from my early childhood days of after-school TV, but that picture of that dude doesn't inspire. "I trust you, man", then add the Biden like tendencies, and my mind would be screaming it's Boris from the cartoon Boris and Natasha. If I had $2000 on me, I would be studying this guy from the far side of the bar with my money in my shoe. But then, I am not a fellow who hops off a train, enters a dive bar, and immediately befriends someone. That's like a 12 to 14-beer event, and even with that much swirling around in me, I have to think hard about where this happened in my past.
I have spent half a dozen winters outside of Sarah Palin's town, where you can't see Russia, and have talked to maybe three people more than once at the local isolated bar. I am not sure, but I may be just now climbing out of the "that dude is a narc" or whatever phase, as some waitresses are saying my name. But then I only go there .75 times a month for fear of having too many people know me. Thus exposing my not so warm, rudimentary social skills.
Strange to say but you were really lucky, like Lotto lucky, that all you lost was money. I am not a rich jerk who laughs at $2,000; losing two grand in one fell swoop would mean borrowing and new debts for years to come. Nevertheless...This is a good time for a joke - what's the difference between a condom and a Porsche? You can only fit one prick in a condom.
Though an avid reader of yours, I must admit I kept some of it for later. In northern Europe spring is just popping its wings, everyone is like a newly popping butterfly at the moment. People are getting jolly. Parties are being thrown. I'm getting distracted.
Moved about a ton of furniture about the farm today with my relatives. Heavy, old school, massive wooden furniture most of it. From the house to an empty barn. Almost called the tractor in, but we made it without it.
See, uncle (and others) is jewjabbed several times and is diagnosed with cancer. He's 81, OK, happens. But he just lost a 55 yo jabbed son in law from "heart problems" and my direct uncle ( jabbed
Sorry to hear about your misfortune, and $2200 certainly isn't chump change for any of us. But it could have been much worse, and it's good to hear that you are personally OK. You also got a very good story out of it, but if you paid that much for every experience that led to a blog entry, I think your business model might be in trouble...
When you mentioned bad translations ruining non-English literature, you touched on something I've often wondered about. I've read quite a few things in translation over the years, and have often wondered, when I read something I didn't like, how to tell whether it was a bad translation or if it was just something that didn't appeal to me for other reasons. How does one go about identifying a "good" translation, or even know if there is more than one? My own experience in actually reading more than one translation of a book is limited to a few ancient classics that everyone knows exist in multiple translations.
for someone with your experience, senstivity and intelligence, the idea of you meeting a stranger in the street, letting him know you have money in your pocket and going off to drink with him in dive bars is incomprehensible. many people all over these days are looking for an off ramp. in psychiatry freud's "death drive" is making a big comback. best hopes and wishes for you.
Anh Linh, I think you’re drugged with Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB - liquid ecstasy, or “date rape drug”). After a few minutes, you might “find nearly everyone and situation delightful”, then black out, and memory loss when you regain consciousness. It is odorless, colorless, and nearly tasteless.
Rapist first choice actually.
That face looks like someone from Central Asia, one of the -stan countries.
Sounds like it was the ol' Thuggee conversate-distractate-immobilizate-expropriate routine. At least he wasn't a Thuggeemudist. You would have been vaccinated at the end. These graphics are obviously still apropo.
Ack! I'm so sorry you experienced this. On a selfish note, you messed up my escapist fantasy. I'm not saying i'm living through you, but one of my top three EF 's is to live in cheap hotels across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
When i was young my family spent a couple years in Thailand. And my first job post college, was in VN Boat People Resettlement. Speaking of my time in Thailand, every once in a while Air America pilots we knew wouldn't make it back from Laos. You see any of them? Live or dead they are still there.
Hi everyone,
Here are two images of the guy who robbed me. Does he look Indian, Turkish or something else? If he thinks I've slandered him, he can look me up and we'll have a conversation. He knows my hotel!
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/guy-who-robbed-me.html
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/scammer-on-5-17-23-pakse-3-copy.html
I'm sure he's nowhere in town, though.
Linh
Hi everyone,
Go here for a 2:11 video of "Sucker Bar":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6MdyD-8tmE
As one reader commented, at least the guy didn't overdose me.
Linh
Hi everyone,
I posted more photos from that night:
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/woman-at-festive-restaurant-on-5-17-23_20.html
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/woman-at-festive-restaurant-on-5-17-23_82.html
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/three-women-at-festive-restaurant-on-5.html
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/festive-restaurant-on-5-17-23-pakse-copy.html
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/middle-aged-man-drinking-at-festive.html
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/two-women-looking-at-cellphones-at.html
http://linhdinhphotos.blogspot.com/2023/05/as-you-can-see-i-was-clearly-coherent.html
As you can see, I was clearly coherent enough to shoot photos in the restaurant. For this set, I used my Sony A6000, and I shot manual, of course. To get away with taking photos of so many strangers, you must know what you're doing, so I was obviously sharp. Not long after this, however, I was lying on the pavement, with scrapes on my knees and my bag searched through, though I have zero memory of how it happened.
As one reader remarked at SubStack, I was lucky my robber didn't overdose me. I seriously doubt he's still in Laos, much less Pakse. The Thai border is nearby, so he probably got out in that direction. When I caught him on film, he put up his hand and said, "No photo," with clear irritation.
Linh
I don't know why, perhaps from my early childhood days of after-school TV, but that picture of that dude doesn't inspire. "I trust you, man", then add the Biden like tendencies, and my mind would be screaming it's Boris from the cartoon Boris and Natasha. If I had $2000 on me, I would be studying this guy from the far side of the bar with my money in my shoe. But then, I am not a fellow who hops off a train, enters a dive bar, and immediately befriends someone. That's like a 12 to 14-beer event, and even with that much swirling around in me, I have to think hard about where this happened in my past.
I have spent half a dozen winters outside of Sarah Palin's town, where you can't see Russia, and have talked to maybe three people more than once at the local isolated bar. I am not sure, but I may be just now climbing out of the "that dude is a narc" or whatever phase, as some waitresses are saying my name. But then I only go there .75 times a month for fear of having too many people know me. Thus exposing my not so warm, rudimentary social skills.
Strange to say but you were really lucky, like Lotto lucky, that all you lost was money. I am not a rich jerk who laughs at $2,000; losing two grand in one fell swoop would mean borrowing and new debts for years to come. Nevertheless...This is a good time for a joke - what's the difference between a condom and a Porsche? You can only fit one prick in a condom.
Thanks Linh,
Though an avid reader of yours, I must admit I kept some of it for later. In northern Europe spring is just popping its wings, everyone is like a newly popping butterfly at the moment. People are getting jolly. Parties are being thrown. I'm getting distracted.
Moved about a ton of furniture about the farm today with my relatives. Heavy, old school, massive wooden furniture most of it. From the house to an empty barn. Almost called the tractor in, but we made it without it.
See, uncle (and others) is jewjabbed several times and is diagnosed with cancer. He's 81, OK, happens. But he just lost a 55 yo jabbed son in law from "heart problems" and my direct uncle ( jabbed
) is being tested for cancer. Say What???
I'm sensing fuckery.
Owls of Phan Thiêt giving me the sense?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iVv_pbX47Yz
I'm sorry Linh (in all aspects), but in the pictures the guy looks to me like he's Latin or Hispanic. My old eyes.
Glad that you are safe and able to put together a piece like this in good spirits Linh. Rest and be safe.
Sorry to hear about your misfortune, and $2200 certainly isn't chump change for any of us. But it could have been much worse, and it's good to hear that you are personally OK. You also got a very good story out of it, but if you paid that much for every experience that led to a blog entry, I think your business model might be in trouble...
When you mentioned bad translations ruining non-English literature, you touched on something I've often wondered about. I've read quite a few things in translation over the years, and have often wondered, when I read something I didn't like, how to tell whether it was a bad translation or if it was just something that didn't appeal to me for other reasons. How does one go about identifying a "good" translation, or even know if there is more than one? My own experience in actually reading more than one translation of a book is limited to a few ancient classics that everyone knows exist in multiple translations.
for someone with your experience, senstivity and intelligence, the idea of you meeting a stranger in the street, letting him know you have money in your pocket and going off to drink with him in dive bars is incomprehensible. many people all over these days are looking for an off ramp. in psychiatry freud's "death drive" is making a big comback. best hopes and wishes for you.
Anh Linh, I think you’re drugged with Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB - liquid ecstasy, or “date rape drug”). After a few minutes, you might “find nearly everyone and situation delightful”, then black out, and memory loss when you regain consciousness. It is odorless, colorless, and nearly tasteless.
Rapist first choice actually.
That face looks like someone from Central Asia, one of the -stan countries.
You got mugged? Beaten? Murky writing. Should be able to locate him. Nobody can hide from the Internet.
Sounds like it was the ol' Thuggee conversate-distractate-immobilizate-expropriate routine. At least he wasn't a Thuggeemudist. You would have been vaccinated at the end. These graphics are obviously still apropo.
https://pathwhisperer.info/2021/10/18/thuggeemudists-show-how-its-done-conversate-distractate-immobilizate-vaccinate/
Ack! I'm so sorry you experienced this. On a selfish note, you messed up my escapist fantasy. I'm not saying i'm living through you, but one of my top three EF 's is to live in cheap hotels across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
When i was young my family spent a couple years in Thailand. And my first job post college, was in VN Boat People Resettlement. Speaking of my time in Thailand, every once in a while Air America pilots we knew wouldn't make it back from Laos. You see any of them? Live or dead they are still there.
Best
So you never got a chance to suck this guy off?
Dreadful. So sorry. What you do is difficult and exhausting when it isn’t also dangerous.