I step off the bus in Phnom Penh with a happy heart. This is, in part, due to an upcoming reunion with my Cambodian sisters. But mostly it's because I'm about to claim a small, but decisive victory in the ongoing struggle against the repressive tuk-tuk/moto-taxi regime. I head off at a brisk pace. Here it comes.“Taxi?"
"No thanks.”
“Where you go? I take you, cheap.”
“Nah, very close, I walk.”
“Okay, how much you pay?”
“Take me free. Guesthouse pay you.”
Stunned silence.
“It's okay, I walk, no problem.”
"Okay, okay, I take you. But no tell you stay there before."
He drives me to the guesthouse. I consider staying next door at the newly remodeled sister hotel. It was only last week that I was here and I recognize the guy behind the desk. I go through the charade of inspecting the room and head back downstairs to check in. He searches my face for a hint of recognition, which I fail to deliver. He asks if I've ever stayed here before. I look right at him, smile and say, "Nope." I flash my driver the thumbs-up and just to be a good sport, slip him a little extra.
I walk over to Dynasty, where I'm showered with smiles and ushered to a chair. They bring some water and turn the fan to face me. We look at the pictures from my journey while I reenact some of the scenes. The nine-hour boat ride perched on a wooden bench. The palm beer guy, who climbs trees collecting sap. The smiling Cham children living along the river. Hanging out in the rice paddy.
The girls have an old Teddy Bear that they all share. I tell them I'm going for walk and promise to return later. I buy a Hello Kitty, a Teddy Bear and a Winnie the Pooh, take these back to my room and head off in search of supper.
After scanning the tourist area, I end up right back on my street at a little place on the corner. My waitress, Aileen, is a gregarious girl who bounces between customers, engaging them in different activities. She finishes a game of pool and comes over to me. I lose a few games of Connect Four, but take my revenge on the Checkerboard. It's getting late. I'm having fun, but I want to get back to Dynasty. Aileen convinces me to play a little Badminton out in the street. Soon, I see the girls step outside. They call out to me. I sense tension. I tell them I'll be over soon.
I say goodbye to Aileen and walk back to Dynasty. The reception is cool. There's some arm-crossing, back-turning and sneering followed by some finger-pointing to the door. "Hey everyone, I was just hanging out with my new friend Aileen. Why you mad?" The very mention of that name is enough to inspire an animated tirade. Apparently, they're not fond of her. I try to explain that I have a present for them and I completely agree that Aileen is a conniving trollop. I make a face to express my own dissatisfaction with her.
Later, I notice an ambulance backed up to the entrance of the sister hotel. Just a van really. A lady tells us that two foreigners died. I walk over as a body wrapped in a white sheet is being heaved into the back. It lands with an unceremonious thud. Too much time passes. There's a working girl on the bench out front. I ask her if she knows what happened. She's seems uninterested. Or is she, who has a front row seat? They bring out the other body. The van drives away.
Time for presents! I bring the stuffed animals. They want to know if I got one for the trollop. I assure them I did not. There are two for them and one for Nean and Agnchealy. It's midnight and the girls are tired so I head out.
I see a bar I hadn't noticed before. It's filled with people and music. Someone is playing a guitar, which draws me in like the Pied Piper. I sit down next to an old Dutchman and his young Khmer girlfriend. He tells me the bar just opened last night. It belongs to some Khmer ladies he knows. Some guys at the other end are from Denmark. "Mads Mikkelsen," I yell out. "Pusher, Brothers, The Wedding. I love Danish movies." One of them responds, "Dude, I love American movies! He lifts his shirt to reveal a tattoo decorating his entire right side; 'Apocalypse Now.' You win. The guy with the guitar is Canadian. He reminds me that we're both from America; I'm from The States. The gin & tonics start flowing. My neighbor to the north passes me his guitar. We trade-off singing and playing and soon it's four in the morning. I float down the street and drift up to my room.
I get up around noon and stop for breakfast where Aileen works. Then I head over to Dynasty to say goodbye. They sit me down and make me close my eyes. There's giggling and scampering. When I open my eyes, there's a wrapped present in my hands. I'll open it later. I have to go now. A van comes to take me to the bus stop. As we pull away, I wave goodbye to those girls and they stand outside waiving back. The driver is not unimpressed. Later, I sit on the bus staring at the unopened gift. I suddenly remember that I forgot to buy a krama, the traditional Khmer checkered scarf. That's when I realize what's inside.
