Thursday, July 20
We talked to Doi while walking along Man River. Doi used to swim and play in the river when he was in elementary school. He would dive into the river from Rak Dansai II Bridge, and he also fished crabs and other fishes in the shallows. His grandmother told him not to play in the river because it was dangerous but he was so absorbed in playing in the river. His grandmother always found out because his T-shirt was slightly stained with the mud from the river.
We went down to the riverside from the bridge. I saw two butterflies in the field within a short distance from the riverside but could not find any butterflies besides the river. It was probably because no flowers were blooming, which the butterflies are fond of. The view of Man River from Rak Dansai Bridge II is like a reflection of the future and the past of Man River, with one side under construction and the other side in its original condition. However, as the construction work progresses, the scenery here will also change. Ryu told us about the Kise River in Gotemba City. He told us that when his father was young, people would catch eels in the river but now it is completely constructed with concrete and there are no more eels left in the river. Listening to what Ryu told me, I felt I caught a glimpse of the future of Man River.
With the gate over the market in the background, Ryu took a photo of Doi. Doi in the photo matches perfectly with the old market scenery.
At the old Baan Phong Nong Elementary School, I cooked a dish using Uncle Chalat's bamboo shoots and served it to everyone. Beer's mother also cooked dishes for everyone and the small party began. A woman who attended this school more than 30 years ago also came to the party. She told us that there used to be no flood in the old days, but now floods occur every October as a regular occurrence.
Lights were turned on in the gradually darkening site. In the dark school building, only the space where we ate our meals was illuminated. while staring at the reflection I felt like I saw a nostalgic sight of the female students at the school talking and laughing. Beer's mother sat alone and quietly at the end of the dining table. With her gentle smile, it looks like she's the mother of everyone here.