Series of fortunate events with a girl called Amelie
I first met her at an action protest event in Bangkok. Ok. Press rewind button. Bwzzzt. I first met her online for the action event protest in Bangkok on climate change. It was a skype meeting. We were both based in Chiang Mai but we never really met each other in person.
Then we saw each other at the event itself a few days after where we joined the protest actions that culminated in a big event with all concerned groups and citizens telling the people inside the UN building to get their acts together, stop the yapping and commit to lesser carbon emissions.
She was French, very pleasant and pretty. I think the boys only called me for a drink after the events to use me to get Amelie to go - but I was in Chiang Mai by the time they called. Shortly after the Bangkok events I left my work and have not been in touch with the group or with Amelie.
Almost four months after, I saw an ad for a job here in Chiang Mai with a position that seemed to be crafted for me in Amelie’s organization. I wasn’t sure if it was her position so I hesitated to check with her. Yet I had a burning question which far outweighed anything, even the embarrassment of getting in touch with her. So I gave in and smsed her. She responded quickly and before long, we were planning to meet up for drinks and chat. We were FB friends instantly!
On our first meeting after Bangkok, we agreed to just go home and have drinks at my place which was walking distance from where we met. So we bought beers, went home, drank the first batch and decided to get a second round.
With tongues and first-meeting-stiffness loosened we got to talking. It turned out that the advertisement was for her job. Then I found myself in a defensive position of wanting to justify why I was meeting her boss that Sunday for an interview. I had to explain that on the other date that was proposed, I was set to go to Bangkok for another job interview.
At that, she blinked. “Oh my god. Bangkok. 23rd Feb. This does not happen to be the organization ...?” It took me a second or two to grasp what was going on and I burst out laughing. She was also being called for the same interview on the same date! I was scheduled an hour before her appointed time. And…and we were on the same flight to Bangkok!
We kept in touch during the weekend, didn’t really make any plans to actually meet up at the airport but we knew the other was going to be there at that time.
At the airport on Tuesday, I bumped into her in the ladies’ room. She was waiting outside the very cubicle I was coming out from. It was a pleasant surprise but not really a surprise. It felt like we made plans to travel together. She almost missed the flight because her tuktuk driver stood her up. Luckily, maybe also because of the good person that she is, she was able to get the people selling chicken satay – usually the booth is attached to a motorbike - to get her to the airport in time for the flight! I had less drama on the way and just discovered I left my phone.
It took the plane quite a while to land, which had me worried about my appointment. I had barely an hour to go and I was not familiar with Bangkok traffic which I heard can be a little less terrible than Manila. I was sitting at the back end of the plane and only the front exit was opened for disembarking. Everyone was already standing, waiting to disembark before I could worm my way out the front.
I thought about all the things I wanted to do before showing up at the interview – pee, freshen up, grab a quick cig. So I decided to do what I can where I was. I went to the back restroom. I didn’t know disembarking took that quick and there was a knock on the restroom door and people speaking. I quickly went out and lo! The plane was empty except for a few stewards and stewardesses. I muttered “sorry” as I ran past them.
By this time, I wanted a cigarette badly to calm me down at least before the interview. I decided against it as I glanced at the clock strategically placed at every few meters at the airport. I quickened my steps and when I turned at the exit / baggage claim, Amelie came forward. She was waiting for me at the exit of the plane and thought she missed me when the plane was already empty and I hadn’t come out. I told her about the restroom fiasco as we rushed off to find a cab. We exited on the wrong floor and had to go down to where we can get a cab to bring us to Bangkok central. Time was ticking.
During the taxi ride, she kept checking the time. She knew I left my phone so she offered hers so I can call our interviewers and tell them I’ll be late. I was hesitant because I already asked them to move my interview time 30 minutes later to allow time for the traffic and still… I was going to be late! But I called them anyway.
It was a good thing that we went together in the cab because I didn’t have any change for toll fees and at the end of the ride, the driver didn’t have any change whatsoever. She tried to sort it out and told me to just get my ass up there to the interview. Of course she didn’t say it like that - that would have been my version had our roles been reversed. We parted with a see-you-however-whenever way. I was only ten minutes late.
After the interview, I stood in front of the elevator, weighing what happened in the office and whether I did well when the elevator doors opened and she walked out. I quickly told her my impression and thought I saw one of the interviewers coming out so I ducked into the closing elevator and realised it was not who I thought it was. I had to bid her a quick farewell and we’ll see each other – maybe in Chiang Mai.
I decided to wait for her because it was too early to go to the airport anyways. So I had shrimp pad thai at the fancy store on the first floor after calling home and having my long awaited cigarette time. I sat there and enjoyed my pad thai with American Gods on my MP3 keeping me company. Because I didn’t have a phone, and I noticed that the clock on the wall was not moving, I had to rely on my time instinct – whatever was left of it. When I’ve finally decided that since she was not out yet, I should get moving, I paid for my early lunch and moved to the door. As I emerged from the café, there she was also emerging from the hallway.
So we went to the restroom and chatted a bit. There was a cab that had stopped in front of us. I was then worried about my flight by that time so I thought I’d better get into the cab. We said our quick goodbyes promising to see each other some time and have a drink whatever the results. She was taking the train at 6pm that evening.
We kept in touch during that week, waiting impatiently for any word from the organisation.
I know she'd hate me saying this but I'll say it anyway. She was my lucky charm.
Then we saw each other at the event itself a few days after where we joined the protest actions that culminated in a big event with all concerned groups and citizens telling the people inside the UN building to get their acts together, stop the yapping and commit to lesser carbon emissions.
She was French, very pleasant and pretty. I think the boys only called me for a drink after the events to use me to get Amelie to go - but I was in Chiang Mai by the time they called. Shortly after the Bangkok events I left my work and have not been in touch with the group or with Amelie.
Almost four months after, I saw an ad for a job here in Chiang Mai with a position that seemed to be crafted for me in Amelie’s organization. I wasn’t sure if it was her position so I hesitated to check with her. Yet I had a burning question which far outweighed anything, even the embarrassment of getting in touch with her. So I gave in and smsed her. She responded quickly and before long, we were planning to meet up for drinks and chat. We were FB friends instantly!
On our first meeting after Bangkok, we agreed to just go home and have drinks at my place which was walking distance from where we met. So we bought beers, went home, drank the first batch and decided to get a second round.
With tongues and first-meeting-stiffness loosened we got to talking. It turned out that the advertisement was for her job. Then I found myself in a defensive position of wanting to justify why I was meeting her boss that Sunday for an interview. I had to explain that on the other date that was proposed, I was set to go to Bangkok for another job interview.
At that, she blinked. “Oh my god. Bangkok. 23rd Feb. This does not happen to be the organization ...?” It took me a second or two to grasp what was going on and I burst out laughing. She was also being called for the same interview on the same date! I was scheduled an hour before her appointed time. And…and we were on the same flight to Bangkok!
We kept in touch during the weekend, didn’t really make any plans to actually meet up at the airport but we knew the other was going to be there at that time.
At the airport on Tuesday, I bumped into her in the ladies’ room. She was waiting outside the very cubicle I was coming out from. It was a pleasant surprise but not really a surprise. It felt like we made plans to travel together. She almost missed the flight because her tuktuk driver stood her up. Luckily, maybe also because of the good person that she is, she was able to get the people selling chicken satay – usually the booth is attached to a motorbike - to get her to the airport in time for the flight! I had less drama on the way and just discovered I left my phone.
It took the plane quite a while to land, which had me worried about my appointment. I had barely an hour to go and I was not familiar with Bangkok traffic which I heard can be a little less terrible than Manila. I was sitting at the back end of the plane and only the front exit was opened for disembarking. Everyone was already standing, waiting to disembark before I could worm my way out the front.
I thought about all the things I wanted to do before showing up at the interview – pee, freshen up, grab a quick cig. So I decided to do what I can where I was. I went to the back restroom. I didn’t know disembarking took that quick and there was a knock on the restroom door and people speaking. I quickly went out and lo! The plane was empty except for a few stewards and stewardesses. I muttered “sorry” as I ran past them.
By this time, I wanted a cigarette badly to calm me down at least before the interview. I decided against it as I glanced at the clock strategically placed at every few meters at the airport. I quickened my steps and when I turned at the exit / baggage claim, Amelie came forward. She was waiting for me at the exit of the plane and thought she missed me when the plane was already empty and I hadn’t come out. I told her about the restroom fiasco as we rushed off to find a cab. We exited on the wrong floor and had to go down to where we can get a cab to bring us to Bangkok central. Time was ticking.
During the taxi ride, she kept checking the time. She knew I left my phone so she offered hers so I can call our interviewers and tell them I’ll be late. I was hesitant because I already asked them to move my interview time 30 minutes later to allow time for the traffic and still… I was going to be late! But I called them anyway.
It was a good thing that we went together in the cab because I didn’t have any change for toll fees and at the end of the ride, the driver didn’t have any change whatsoever. She tried to sort it out and told me to just get my ass up there to the interview. Of course she didn’t say it like that - that would have been my version had our roles been reversed. We parted with a see-you-however-whenever way. I was only ten minutes late.
After the interview, I stood in front of the elevator, weighing what happened in the office and whether I did well when the elevator doors opened and she walked out. I quickly told her my impression and thought I saw one of the interviewers coming out so I ducked into the closing elevator and realised it was not who I thought it was. I had to bid her a quick farewell and we’ll see each other – maybe in Chiang Mai.
I decided to wait for her because it was too early to go to the airport anyways. So I had shrimp pad thai at the fancy store on the first floor after calling home and having my long awaited cigarette time. I sat there and enjoyed my pad thai with American Gods on my MP3 keeping me company. Because I didn’t have a phone, and I noticed that the clock on the wall was not moving, I had to rely on my time instinct – whatever was left of it. When I’ve finally decided that since she was not out yet, I should get moving, I paid for my early lunch and moved to the door. As I emerged from the café, there she was also emerging from the hallway.
So we went to the restroom and chatted a bit. There was a cab that had stopped in front of us. I was then worried about my flight by that time so I thought I’d better get into the cab. We said our quick goodbyes promising to see each other some time and have a drink whatever the results. She was taking the train at 6pm that evening.
We kept in touch during that week, waiting impatiently for any word from the organisation.
I know she'd hate me saying this but I'll say it anyway. She was my lucky charm.
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