A Short Tail About Cats

Of course we have all heard the popular old saying “Curiosity killed the cat.” but here in Thailand that might actually be the truth.

Back home in Canada it is always said that cats have nine lives and it usually seems true. I know our cat Norman has definitely had his own amount of close calls that by all rites should have been the end of him. One such event that comes to mind is falling through the ceiling in my father-in-laws basement (long story). It almost seems like the fates are on the side of preserving a cats life despite all the stupid attempts at death they seem to make.

Cats in Thailand just might have a few less lives than the cats back home. Perhaps it’s the fact that there are at least several million soi dogs living on the streets of Bangkok, or maybe its because people just aren’t as forgiving to cats here. Or perhaps there is some secret Chinese cult that thrives of devouring unsuspecting felines. Anyhow, for some reason there are far less cats than dogs on the streets of Bangkok.

There is one clue however as to why there are fewer cats. All cats in Thailand seem to have two things in common. The first thing is that they are all much smaller than cats back home. I would think this is a survival tactic similar to why many turtles in a tank refuse to grow large. The second thing they hold common is that they all have very short tails. But not just stubby tails as if they have shed them in lizard fashion to some would-be predator, I mean short in the manner of disfigurement.

I used to wonder why it was that all the cats in Thailand seem to have disfigured tails as if they had all been mysteriously frozen off or they had all simultaneously become victims of rocking chairs. But then I spied the common danger to a cats tail; speeding motorcycles.

If I haven’t already mentioned in previous blogs there are a very large number of motorcycles in Thailand. Gasoline is expensive here as it is everywhere on Earth and traffic is definitely in the epidemic phase of development, therefore most people travel by motorcycle. This results in an awful lot of short tail sources for the cats.

Imagine this all from a cats perspective. I recall the figure of speech “You look more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.” Well, imagine what a street in Bangkok must look like to a curious cat. First they have to worry about the fact that there are 9.5 puss-encrusted, scraped up, desperate, soi dogs for every 1 cat in Bangkok. Then the cat has to consider that there might be a chinese cult lurking somewhere hoping to cleanse their spirits by consuming a kitty. Then there are the motorcycles. The machines that, to a cat, would be like a rocking chair equipped with an engine, a firecracker, and little piece of Hell on Earth. Then the fact that there is about 1 motorcycle for every person in Bangkok (roughly 15 million). This all couples together for one scared kitty amidst a sea of danger. And, every cat has obviously had at least one near death experience with a motorcycle as is painfully obvious by the look of their tails. But with nine lives, what are the odds they will ever learn. Besides, in Thailand, nine is rucky number.

*Note: Speaking of cats in Bangkok. Here is a somewhat current picture of our cat Norman taken by Tina and Terry (who are graciously caring and loving our cat in Winnipeg). We think he is now big enough that he could eat a Thai cat for breakfast.

Caution: Spirits Within

Bangkok is one large city. Many times in the past I have heard of such towering metropolis’ referred to as “concrete jungles”. A jungle, like any ecosystem, is in a mosaic state of life, in a constant interdependent flow of cyclical relations of life, death, and then new life. Cities likewise build, crumble, and then rebuild. But amidst the aspiring towers and aging giants of the Bangkok skyline are structures that are neither falling, nor rising. These are simply abandoned. But someone is said to live in those buildings.

A vacant building or home is a place of lore. Everyone either knows or has heard of a place that is vacant and said to be haunted. There seems to be an erie aura to a dwelling where noone lives. All that remains is what may have once been a home and the spirits of what has passed.

Spirits and ghosts are present in folklore of most cultures. Everyone seeks the answer to the question of what happens when they die. People in Thailand also harbor beliefs of beyond the grave. Spirits are said to inhabit the Earth and watch those in the waking life. Our ancestors are watching and listening, so say the Thai’s. They build spirit houses outside of their own homes so the spirits will have places to stay other than the larger house within which they live. To an outsider such as myself these spirit houses seem to be bird houses elaborate as palaces or temples. I don’t pretend to fully understand this practice as I am not a devout Buddhist, however, to observe is to learn. People will offer meals of food, crack a bottle of Fanta, and burn incense at the doors of these spirit houses whilst saying forms of blessings or prayers. It appears this is an offering to their ancestors and those of others that may have chosen to occupy these spirit houses. Even in the parking lot of Tesco Lotus (a store like Walmart or Superstore) has a spirit house in the parking lot outfit complete with an offered meal and bottle soda. I suppose that keeps those pesky spirits out of the frozen food isle at least.

I originally thought that with Bangkok having such a large population there would be a shortage of housing. Especially after seeing how many people live in sheet-metal shacks, I assumed that most houses and apartments would be readily occupied. But since then I have learned it commonly believed that spirits occupy all dwellings that are left vacant for any length of time. If an apartment is not rented for the course of several months, it is readily believed that spirits have since taken over the lease so to speak and noone ventures forth to challenge the occupancy. Entire neighborhoods of houses can be found to lie mostly vacant with only the odd group of falangs or other non-believers renting a lone residence for next to no money due to the fact that the house is no longer under demand.

These spirits don’t only occupy former homes. When driving on the highway across the skyline of Bangkok one sees many buildings that have been left in the process of being built and are never to be resumed due to the belief that spirits now infest the half-erected structures. I have heard that in 1998 there was a major crash of the Thai economy causing many large building projects to become abandoned in the middle of their construction. Apparently by the time building funds were recovered it was believed that spirits had already claimed the potential revenue properties. The properties around them are worth millions with bustling businesses, offices, and high-end condo’s, but these “spirits within” buildings standing right beside them remain bereft of life. These skeletons of the concrete jungle stand there amidst their lively brothers like lone giants waiting for the life that never was, their spirits within settling like birds to a nest with no visitors arriving.

It is easy to look at cultural differences such as these and laugh bitterly at the folly of those we don’t understand but we all cross our fingers at some time or another. Perhaps many people here are superstitious of spirits, but all people are afraid of what they do not understand and that remains the source of most bitter laughter. I too have heard of haunted houses and would tend to avoid renting a place where someone came to an untimely death. And so, I hope we can all respect the spirits in their dwellings, whether or not they are truly there. I would hope that I may have such a nice home in the afterlife as many of those who remain in the spirit houses I see. Besides, what if noone serves Fanta in the afterlife?


There’s a house on my block that’s abandoned and cold
and the folks moved out of it a long time ago
and they took all their things
and they never came back
it looks like it’s haunted with the wind that’s all cracked
and everybody calls it the house, the house where nobody lives
-Tom Waits, “House Where Nobody Lives” – Mule Variations

T-B-A-O-K

I have been to the wonderful Thai hospital for another visit. The antibiotics have done the trick and they were happy to see my health was reasonable. This is a good thing, because if otherwise they were all ready to operate yesterday and all sorts of other nasty things, but, nothing required, I am healthy!

Once again the doctor, nurses, and everyone else there was very friendly, helpful, and aiming to please. My experience was pleasant and expedient with only a 30 min. wait for the results of a blood test. That sure beats the regular two-week wait back home. In fact, I told one of the nurses that in Canada it takes two weeks to gain results for blood tests. She thought that was purely silly because it is an easy and quick test. Then I explained that in Canada our health system is run on a more egalitarian basis where everyone receives equal treatment (at least in theory) and so there is a back-up in the system as opposed to just the wealthy getting quick and efficient treatment. Okay, I did say it nicer than all that, however, it is the truth. Maybe we have to wait awhile longer in Canada but at least we all get treated.

Anyhow, all tests came back negative meaning I am TB free and merely the victim of a Lymph node infection and whatever other form of illness attacked me whilst in my weakened state. I am feeling better and don’t have to quit my job or be deported. Isn’t that nice? Cheryl and I are very happy about all of this.

I know this blog is not all that eventful but I heard that some of you were getting worried about my physical state of affairs so I’m here to tell you my TB is A-okay.

Editors note: The picture above is of Borat. If you haven’t seen this film yet I urge you to do so. In my opinion he is a comic genius of the 21st century. “It’s nice!”