Mikes Thoughts

interlude of solitude

Lately the house seems to be busy with family visiting. I’ve been gone some of the days and walk downtown but more than not our house seems busy with Cambodian guests. Sometimes staying all afternoon and into dinner time. I don’t really care to eat with a bunch of people watching me. I don’t know why. Just makes me uncomfortable and unhappy.

Khmer people love to talk. Visiting is all about eating and talking. Or sometimes talking and eating. Kids run all around. Adults enjoy the multiple meals and will just eat whatever.

Since our house is smaller by the time 12 people are placed in various rooms I start looking for escape. These days my route is to go into our bedroom. Turn the light off and put the ac on. This works at a basic level but my wife will tell me so and so wants to say hello. Or goodbye. Or tell me hello both in Khmer.

It’s always the case that I don’t really want any of it. I guess I become tired of the forever talking. I don’t do much of that unless I visit with someone once a week for coffee. By the time I’m done with two hours of that, I’m truly done. I always figure it’s a good thing to only do once a week.

Cambodian people, on the other hand, are good for hours. My wife will tell me they want to see me. Want me to leave the bedroom. She is half hearted at it most times now and tells them I am busy. Listening to music. With earbuds. Still hearing the forever talking. So instead she just entertains and I abstain. Sooner or later they all leave. Then I can leave the bedroom. Talk time is over except now remotely. Now it’s Facebook messenger calls and chats. And yeah. With the same people that were just here for hours. I guess there is stuff still left to be said.

Solitude? An unknown state

I believe this. I don’t believe Cambodian people understand why someone would prefer solitude over the company and food and socials that go and go. I realized though just being in the room is not solitude. It’s just being alone. There’s some other quality that separates the two. I know each one when I get it. Being alone is easier.

I get interludes of that. Finding solitude is not. It’s like an added property or state. I am not sure what that added thing is although I know it when I have it. Today I head out alone. I take the walk alone. Find this path that may just lead to the interlude. I think I will end up wanting to write more down some lane where the little coffee shop I decide on waits patiently.

So I guess some words are destined to come. It is how I enjoy writing. Not necessarily how you enjoy reading. I’ll see if I have a few more random thoughts that are just waiting on my walk to be let out. It usually happens and the blog is obliging.

coffee somewhere please

ur cafe

And delivered. Sitting alone in Ur cafe is a joy. This place a nice walk from home and then I have so many different ways I could walk. My wife was telling me people have been robbed in our neighborhood. There’s people living in poverty right down the street. They look bad some days. Like not enough food and basic needs. They’ve come and gone. Now I think they’re back.

All this stuff makes me wonder why we stay there. We are the rich barang people in the neighborhood. I’m surprised no one has stolen from us.

Anyways it’s coffee now and I can sit at Ur and slowly work on writing and my coffee and tea. Ahh! The ambiance and wonderful caffeine glow. No wonder words come.

And they go. Just like this thing.