Day 2
The storm rolled in like a drunk stumbling home late, crashing into the sticky Bangkok night with a sloppy, almost deliberate rage. The air was thick enough to choke on, humid like a hot, wet blanket draped over the city, clinging to your skin. The wind tore against the sweaters and t-shirts that made up the walls of the houses of Khlong Toei, which for the time being, is my humble domicile.
I have a habit of strolling through here on my way to the gym. It helps me reset, especially before a fight. I’m fighting because it’s my job, they’re fighting for their lives. Like the stilts that the houses are delicately balanced upon,
The Khlong slums, found along the waterways of Bangkok, Thailand, are a stark contrast to the city's urban landscape. These densely populated areas are characterized by narrow, wooden stilt houses that line the khlongs, or canals, which serve as both homes and means of transportation for residents.
A little over a decade ago he was dragged to Thailand by his mother along with his brother. She was “pure” Japanese. From her head to her mangled toes—turned yellow and black from years of slamming them against all the overpriced furniture in our two-bedroom apartment back in New York City.
Her friends would describe her as a confident, headstrong woman. A woman who valued freedom,
And that pride was why we were now in Bangkok.
Chao Phraya River
There was nobody. And that’s how he liked it.
Humans can smell wet earth two-hundred-thousand times better than sharks can smell blood in water.
The sirens blared as a patrol car passed by. He peaked over his shoulder watching the tail lights recede into the storm. To his disappointment, he could feel the adrenaline high start to subside.
Rajadamnern Stadium
