It was Khun Cherd. My parents were guardians to his son while he was at boarding school in England. Khun Cherd divides his time between Chiang Mai (Thailand’s second city in the north) and Bangkok. His son is back in the UK doing a photography degree. (My parents having Thai students was nothing to do with our coming to Thailand.)
I looked disgusting because I wasn’t expecting visitors. It was a writing day. No make up, old baggy clothes, glasses. My hair was washed, but bad hair days, when I scrape it up and pin it back, are rather tidier than clean washed hair. With clean hair I look like I’m wearing an unwieldy curly mop on my head that’s threatening to eat my face.
He brought me a present which I wanted to show you. The box is made of coconut leaves and the sweet things inside are wrapped individually in another, more papery kind of leaf and garnished with a little bit of raffia. They are called kar-ai-mai (or something) and are black sticky and totally delicious. But aren't they beautifully presented?
He was completely charming, promising to bring a bag for Daughter and green tea for Husband next time he comes to Bangkok. He left me with four phone numbers in case we should ever need help.
