A funny thing happened on the way to my closet. This unforgettable journey from my shower confirmed an age old theory: a lot can happen in fifteen feet.
One night earlier I’d switched on the news to see civil unrest in Budapest, Hungary. My sister August was just there, I thought. Grand old buildings towered behind burning cars. As many do, I wondered: what is wrong with the world? Some of these countries
At the time, there was no physical sensation caused by my foot being put in my mouth. I was oblivious to its presence. Fast forward 24 hours and enter my studio apartment in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
I pulled the towel from my wet hair as the newscaster spoke: “Another country is in turmoil tonight.” Ho hum, here we go again. Now, where are my pajamas? As I stepped past the television, her words rang out: “Tanks have entered Bangkok in a reported coup attempt.”
You know those moments in life when the space-time continuum warps around you? Everything freezes, yet your mind processes over three million random thoughts. That’s where I stood. Only then did I begin to notice my foot lodged deep in my mouth. In the .25 seconds it took to take one step backwards and wrench my head to the right, I had all the following thoughts.
That newscaster mis-spoke. Learn your job!
She means Hungry.
Buy a map.
What!
Mom’s gonna freak.
Wait, I’m 40
Mom’s gonna freak.
My mind is getting even for the Budapest comments. I deserved that.
What did she really say?
Eek! What do I do?
Pack.
No. Don’t pack.
Stay calm.
Pack.
I own way too much stuff!
I’m not breathing.
Perched on the end of the bed, I watch three channels simultaneously for well over an hour. I resolved to take the coup in stride. But! Maybe I’d pack one bag. It would be a ‘just in case’ bag. The essentials a person would need if a quick exit should be close at hand. Of course, I’d sleep fully dressed in running shoes. Okay, I made that last part up. (My running shoes are in my gym locker.)
Then came slow motion. My eyes panned the room. Books, dishes, bedding, electronics, enough inventory for a small camera shop and clothes, lots of clothesdespite my vow, I had nested. How had this happened?
It was not the first time I had contemplated moving my small household. I had always planned on relocating to Southern Thailand in the spring. It wasn’t even the first time this week I realized extra stuff had to go. Just days before Thailand had suddenly tightened its tourism visa laws. Tens of thousands of other long-term travelers, such as myself, must be out of the country in ninety days. We can not reenter for three months. Now this.
The coup gave me a whole new perspective. I had been worried I needed to buy another suitcase to move my precious inane possessions. In my panic, I grabbed just important things. Money, my laptop, camera body & one lens, debit cards, IDs, a couple changes of clothes and three packs of dry noodles. My backpack was only
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