A couple have just come into the westernised coffee shop I’ve decided to perch in and do my people watching for the day.
First impression led me to believe that they are ‘a couple’. Then – the guy opens his very loud and instantly offensive mouth and asks the girl “So, how long have you been traveling?”.
My eyes shot up when I realised that this girl had just sat down with a complete stranger. “HAS SHE LOST HER MIND?” I ask myself.
The guy – completely inappropriately, proceeds to ask her personal questions:
“Where are you working?”
“How much are you making?”
She’s STILL sitting there – timidly answering his invasive and intrusive questions.
Maybe its just me, but I am of the opinion that there are certain things you do not bring up in conversation – religion, politics and the third being money. So far, he’s covered two of these conversational blunders. Right now he’s going on about Obama and how much trouble America is in. I would have been out the door faster than a ladyboy goes through lipstick!
Come to think of it – I would not have (oh – there’s the religion blunder) allowed him the chance to even suggest me going somewhere with him.
He’s just entered full on conversion mode and has given her some scripture to read.
HOW BORING!!!
Not that I’m against religion – each to their own…. BUT!!!!
I’m sure this seemingly shy and naive girl’s objective when making the decision to come to Phuket was NOT to get converted by some sociopath with verbal diarrhoea!
Furthermore – I feel like slapping her upside her head and saying “WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?”
Has she not seen ‘Broke down Palace’ or ‘Paradise Lost’ or even the amusing “Bridget Jones” version of tourists being thrown in Thai prisons for smuggling Heroine? They’re true stories – not make believe OKAY?
Your head couldn’t have been stuck that far down a hole that you haven’t heard (the entire coffee shop is now being indirectly read scriptures from the Bible) the horror stories! And if you’re a girl traveling alone – you NEED to be particularly vigilant. If you’re in the right place at the wrong time – or the wrong place at the right time, you could end up getting your drink spiked and wake up in a ditch violently defiled – or beginning a new ‘career’ in the sex trade industry, if not dead!
And the only reason I haven’t told this DOOCHbag to shut the hell up and get lost is because I don’t want to be the cause of this girl going off alone with him yet again. I’m hoping she realises that he’s a loser and suddenly remembers that she has (OH – really? Your Doctor told you to smoke marijuana?) an appointment to ‘chew glass’ somewhere!
HA! Now he’s going on about how we automatically trust people when they’re filled with perversion, and hidden agenda’s.
TOU che’ dude!
This girl is not getting a work in edgeways! It’s all an endless river of blah blah blah flowing from his mouth.
Now – being a girl originating from one of the most violent cities in the world – Johannesburg, South Africa – I (along with the rest of the female – and male SA population) have been culturally drilled into constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure I’m not being followed. And it’s only when you travel that you see what “baggage” you have inherited from your country. South African’s (or at least I have noticed with myself) are acutely street wise.
Yes – it sucks that we can’t sit in our living room at home without feeling that we’re being watched; or hearing noises in our gardens during the night. And it super sucks that we have had to submit (DO NOT GIVE HIM YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS YOU SILLY, SILLY GIRL!) to the crime statistics in South Africa, rather than enjoy the positivity of the safety and freedom to let our children play outside without watching them like a hawk – and yes it is that bad. I myself have been hi-jacked with a gun to my head.
It doesn’t, however, suck that we are more alert and aware of our surroundings and what is going on around us than someone from a peaceful village in the mountains in Switzerland.
I’ve just received a nod of dismayful acknowledgement from another patron who is not enjoying the BS spewing from his mouth. (Could someone PLEASE get this guy some toilet paper?)
The girl has now unknowingly given him (and me) enough information for him to know that she’s traveling alone as well as where she’s staying, what day her flight is leaving, her family background (incase there are people who will notice she is missing!) and a few other details you should never tell anyone when you’re traveling alone. You wouldn’t tell a complete stranger what your home address or telephone number is – so WHY on earth would you give a stranger the same information while you’re traveling in a country infamous for it’s sex trade and drug trafficking?