My Bangkok Note

This is my first blog post about me in "real" Bangkok. If you know me, I have lived in Bangkok since I was born but has been in its skirt all the time. There was a time when I studied in the center of Bangkok, but I was dropped and picked everyday. Since March, I have lived with my friends in Rama 9, close to the business part of Bangkok, because of internship at Thomson Reuters that is taking my summer time til the end of May.

Today, I finished my work earlier because I had an appointment with my friends to have a dinner together. I was heading to my condo late via MRT, our metro system. The train, I was taking, was not crowd at all but there was not any seats available, which I did not intent to have anyway. But here came one pregnant woman walked in the train just before I would arrive at my station. I looked around to see which people would stand and gave his/her seat to this woman. I wanted to show them my smile as a good supporter should do. But no... no one was doing so. No one even noticed this woman, everyone sat still with their smartphones on their hands. I'm used to the Thai culture of giving. Our ancestors, like others nationalities, taught us to give a special care to the mother's gender. It was that way but Bangkok is the place that mixed with western culture. The sexual equality is not new for us. Sometimes, I do against some women that have thought that they want the equality and together with special care like; men should not have seats if there are women standing, for example. But this is not a case. Pregnant women always need full attention from people. They need to be cared by people around, especially when there are on any mass transits. Not just me who noticed this poor woman, there was another woman looked at people around the train. My station was the next one. I just really wanted to leave the train as soon as possible. I didn't want to see how cruel Bangkokians are and how such a coward I am who have done nothing about it.

My soul was sucked while leaving a train quietly. I was walking to the exit, taking escalator to the surface. I accidentally heard two people were talking. I looked at them through their backs and saw a mom and her son. They are both dress not well, compare to others salary men around. They were both holding bags that I assumed myself, they were going home from the National Book Fair. The son was seemed not so well. He should be around 17 years old or more. I guess he has some brain-related syndrome. As we were moving up to the street, they were holding each other hands and talking about his want-to-be future. The son's answers were quite quiet but his mom's responses were clear for me. He hesitated in two occupations and cannot choose what is the best. Mom's mouth smiled so huge and told her son, he could be both at a time. Her so careful eyes and big sad smile is still in my mind at the moment. I was stunned like a mad person looking at them until they walked away from my sight. What was she thinking back then? How worry she should be about her son? I kept asking those to myself if there is a moment like that in my life, how could I hold up strongly like her.

That moment was such a sad but full-of-love moment. I have watched so many romance movies but nothing can compare to the mom and son I have met today. I cannot do anything this time but praying for them. The mom's endless, unconditional love should be noted and should be in my mind. I pray for their happiness and well-being.

Bangkok is full of diversities, this one day really made me see the world differently. This day made me older, I guess. I hope one day I could stand strongly as the mom. I hope one day I could have a courage to do something in the same situation of today at the train. One day.