Monfai created a market place for a 30 something American, Jason, and his Thai wife at their brand new house. It was very nice. The party was a total trip. They had one of those blow up balloon slides for the kids. The Monfai marketplace and traditional dancers. Catered buffet from a hotel and local Thai stars singing on a stage. In my book, this was totally off the charts.
The little girl, Gam, who is always at Monfai and their events, was with and I made the "mistake" of pointing out the giant balloon slide. They were trying to hide it from her because she was not a guest of the party but with the workers and as such they felt she shouldn't play on it. Well, I'm and American and so was Jason. I saw no problem with it. So, I reassured them and off we went. WE had a great time. I went down too, very fun! I was talking to Jason's mom and boyfriend, and other guests. I had a good time. I think everyone assumed I was a guest too even though I was dressed in Traditional Thai peasant clothing. I was drinking their drinks, and eating the desserts. But, later, all the many many workers were doing the same. I felt bad like I started a bad thing. They were drinking and starting to get rowdy. I then understood the reasoning behind these divisions. Many years ago, I worked at a hotel in downtown Chicago, they wanted us to enter from the alley. I never did. I think I felt I didn't have to. I was better than that. Now all these years later, I sort of understand. They didn't want 30 of us uniformed staff people walking in out of the front doors of the hotel. It is strange because all of a sudden I am in support of class differences. Before, I felt like we are all equal, but it isn't true.
Back to the party, they hired these local Thai stars with wild costumes to sing at the party. These little teenage gogo dancers were do some fairly provocative moves. It was really strange for me. I took a bunch of pictures and later I showed them to the Monfai people and to them, I took pictures of the wrong things. I only had a few pictures of the big stars but a ton of these little amateur dancers. I think they thought I was crazy, clearly I missed the point.
Jason's mom and boyfriend were totally American, big drinkers and smokers and loud but very friendly. I really enjoyed their company even though in the states I wouldn't have talked them. In the states, these people are very common, very normal but here it felt like a slice of home. It felt good.
