The apartment manager was still there, although he didn't remember me. Our apartment was on the first floor, and no one lives there now. They've begun using it as a storage space, which was fortunate for me because I was allowed to walk through it again. Looking through it I realized it really wasn't so bad, as missionary apartments go. But I can remember going into the bathroom as a nineteen year old and wanting to puke. It took quite a bit of self control to make myself shower in there.
(The best part is that the Din Daeng missionaries don't live there anymore - apparently, it was too expensive.)
Although I have many fond memories of my mission, almost none of them occured during my first six months in Bangkok. They just weren't all Happy Days...My trainer was moved out when his engagement to a member in our ward became public. My second companion was also engaged to a member, but since she was up in a northeastern province no one seemed to care. We awoke one morning to discover we'd been robbed during the night and my camera and some clothes were gone. I got food poisoning from eating bad shrimp. Months of breathing in diesel exhaust from open air buses helped me contract sinusitis, and I spent a week indoors taking anti-biotics. I lost all my money to card sharks and my dad (Tom Bosley) had to get it back for me.
I entered that apartment as carefree, happy-go-lucky, young Shaino. I exited as the jaded, cynical, emotionally stunted Mack Strate that you all know and tolerate.
2 comments:
That's what I'd call "huddy!"
Actually...it didn't look all that bad. No roaches or jumping spiders, anyway.
I'm having fun imagining a happy, carefree, unjaded Shane. It's not that far of a stretch since I also knew Jared before and after his mission, and South East Asian missionaries (not to limit it to them) seem to come home with a bit of a chip. And by bit and mean BITTER. But ever faithful, ever faithful.
Good stuff Shane...brings back memories, both good and not so good. Mostly good. Of course, over time, my memories of hot, humid, sticky, rainy Bangkok are sort of nostalgic, in an "I miss that weather" sort of way. It could be that brain cells were lost in the process.
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