Saturday, October 18, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Cheap charlie's in Bangkok
In 1990, being assigned to our U.S. Consulate in Shanghai, Janie and I took some much Needed R&R. We had been in Shanghai when the Tienanmen Square Massacre occurred. Janie did not want to leave under the evacuation order for American Citizens to get out of China, and she reported each day to the consulate where there was a huge backlog of American Citizens needing help to exit China. She spent 10-12 hours daily helping make arrangements for American Citizens to leave. After 5 days, however, The White House ordered all remaining American Dependents evacuated, which by this time was only Janie and the Consul General's wife at our Consulate.
Janie arrived in Chicago, on her way to Kentucky and was waiting in line to board her flight to Cincinnati.. Janie remarked to a Gentleman on the Elevator with her that she hoped the flight would be on time. He replied...IT WILL BE ON TIME..I'M THE PILOT! They chatted and he learned that Janie was coming from Shanghai. He replied that he was sick with worry because his Daughter was in China trying to get out and that he had seen the terrible bloody scenes on tv of the Tienanmen Sq massacre. Janie asked his Daughter's name..he told her..Janie said.."I'VE GOT SOME GREAT NEWS FOR YOU..I SAW YOUR DAUGHTER YESTERDAY, AND PUT HER ON A FLIGHT TO HONG KONG! SHE WAS TRAVELING WITH 3 FRIENDS AND WAS FINE"!
Janie was not allowed to return to Shanghai for 3 months, President Bush's orders (Mostly politics in all this). When she finally got back to me in Shanghai (I was not permitted.to leave, under the essential personnel rule), we decided to take some much needed R&R. First we spent a few days in Hong Kong, which was still under British Control at the time. Then we went on to Bangkok for a couple of weeks.
One afternoon, Janie was taking a siesta and I was restless, so I just started walking around. About 10 blocks from our hotel..on a side street..I saw an ugly mass of corrugated tin stacked against the wall of a large building..and beside the tin was a rustic sign with a horned cow's skull, which read "CHEAP CHARLIES".
Later that evening, a friend from the American Embassy was going to show us around and I requested among other things to see "Cheap Charlies". When we arrived, the tin was gone and what was there was a rustic bar with maybe 8 stools, all outdoors except for a thatched roof. We climbed on 3 stools and asked Charley what's good..He brought us 3 "Mekong Deltas". It was a mixed drink that looked like muddy river water. Taste was pretty good.
The first thing we noted was that behind the bar were framed photographs of celebrities..Ronald Reagan...John Wayne etc..maybe 10 of them..all photographed sitting at the same bar where we were. Charlie, in broken English, told us that he had made a lot of money here and would retire soon
Suddenly, a stream of liquid started pouring from above, missing Janie's drink by mere inches..she snatched her drink away and looked up to see where it was coming from. Above the bar was a cage with a huge "Fruit Bat". Fruit bats, are a bat that is the size of a monkey, and he was peeing onto the bar. Charlie ran over with a bar rag..SO SOLLEE..HE ONLY DO THAT ONE TIME EACH NIGHT..HE ALL FINISH NOW!! Well, he did that 2 more times while we were there..but Janie kept her drink safely away.
The night was not over yet..Janie was sitting between me and my friend, and soon a young lady appeared beside me and started taking up with me..kissing me in my ear, nuzzling, rubbing etc..obviously thinking Janie was with my friend on her other side. She didn't waste much time in inviting me to go with her..motioning to an apartment house not far behind us. I told her that sounded very interesting, but that I don't think my wife would approve the tryst. Ah Bangkok!
From there, my friend introduced us to the night life of Bangkok. We would go into bars and the Girls all seemed to know him..He was divorced, and of course they would know him because he was assigned to the Embassy there..and he was single. All these bars would have girls, appearing no more than 14 years old..with nothing but a tiny g-string, dancing on the bar. At one point Janie became aware that one was standing right in front of her on the bar..the G string just inches from her face, obviously performing just for Janie..Janie grabbed my arm and said, "LETS GET OUT OF HERE"!
From Bangkok, we flew to Hanoi..BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
Janie arrived in Chicago, on her way to Kentucky and was waiting in line to board her flight to Cincinnati.. Janie remarked to a Gentleman on the Elevator with her that she hoped the flight would be on time. He replied...IT WILL BE ON TIME..I'M THE PILOT! They chatted and he learned that Janie was coming from Shanghai. He replied that he was sick with worry because his Daughter was in China trying to get out and that he had seen the terrible bloody scenes on tv of the Tienanmen Sq massacre. Janie asked his Daughter's name..he told her..Janie said.."I'VE GOT SOME GREAT NEWS FOR YOU..I SAW YOUR DAUGHTER YESTERDAY, AND PUT HER ON A FLIGHT TO HONG KONG! SHE WAS TRAVELING WITH 3 FRIENDS AND WAS FINE"!
Janie was not allowed to return to Shanghai for 3 months, President Bush's orders (Mostly politics in all this). When she finally got back to me in Shanghai (I was not permitted.to leave, under the essential personnel rule), we decided to take some much needed R&R. First we spent a few days in Hong Kong, which was still under British Control at the time. Then we went on to Bangkok for a couple of weeks.
One afternoon, Janie was taking a siesta and I was restless, so I just started walking around. About 10 blocks from our hotel..on a side street..I saw an ugly mass of corrugated tin stacked against the wall of a large building..and beside the tin was a rustic sign with a horned cow's skull, which read "CHEAP CHARLIES".
Later that evening, a friend from the American Embassy was going to show us around and I requested among other things to see "Cheap Charlies". When we arrived, the tin was gone and what was there was a rustic bar with maybe 8 stools, all outdoors except for a thatched roof. We climbed on 3 stools and asked Charley what's good..He brought us 3 "Mekong Deltas". It was a mixed drink that looked like muddy river water. Taste was pretty good.
The first thing we noted was that behind the bar were framed photographs of celebrities..Ronald Reagan...John Wayne etc..maybe 10 of them..all photographed sitting at the same bar where we were. Charlie, in broken English, told us that he had made a lot of money here and would retire soon
Suddenly, a stream of liquid started pouring from above, missing Janie's drink by mere inches..she snatched her drink away and looked up to see where it was coming from. Above the bar was a cage with a huge "Fruit Bat". Fruit bats, are a bat that is the size of a monkey, and he was peeing onto the bar. Charlie ran over with a bar rag..SO SOLLEE..HE ONLY DO THAT ONE TIME EACH NIGHT..HE ALL FINISH NOW!! Well, he did that 2 more times while we were there..but Janie kept her drink safely away.
The night was not over yet..Janie was sitting between me and my friend, and soon a young lady appeared beside me and started taking up with me..kissing me in my ear, nuzzling, rubbing etc..obviously thinking Janie was with my friend on her other side. She didn't waste much time in inviting me to go with her..motioning to an apartment house not far behind us. I told her that sounded very interesting, but that I don't think my wife would approve the tryst. Ah Bangkok!
From there, my friend introduced us to the night life of Bangkok. We would go into bars and the Girls all seemed to know him..He was divorced, and of course they would know him because he was assigned to the Embassy there..and he was single. All these bars would have girls, appearing no more than 14 years old..with nothing but a tiny g-string, dancing on the bar. At one point Janie became aware that one was standing right in front of her on the bar..the G string just inches from her face, obviously performing just for Janie..Janie grabbed my arm and said, "LETS GET OUT OF HERE"!
From Bangkok, we flew to Hanoi..BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
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