NAKED SNATCHES
4 Weddings & a Coup - Extract 1: Getting Married

That evening after dinner, I joined Nid and Chum on the terrace, sitting around a fire in a small clay oven and drinking a few beers to ward off the chilly night air. The conversations were pretty limited:

Nid: “Nao mai kha?” (Are you cold?)
Me: “Nao” (Yes, I’m cold)
Chum: “Nao maak!” (Yes, it certainly is rather chilly weather we are experiencing and no mistake)

Once enough beer had been consumed to fend off the chills, we retired to bed.

The next morning, I was awakened by a smiling Pim, who was up and about before me. I was feeling a little rough around the edges from the previous evening’s beer and ready for a day of doing not much in particular. Pim had other ideas.

“I need the 10,000 baht now. Everyone’s ready.”

Still half asleep, I reached into my jeans and pulled out my wallet. I handed over the 10,000 baht and attempted to go back to sleep, but Pim wasn’t giving up.

“Come on. It’s going to start.”

Everyone’s ready? It’s going to start? What was she talking about? I got dressed and together we wandered into the living room, where I was suddenly overwhelmed by a flood of realisation that something was indeed about to happen. It might have been the severed pig’s head on a tray, or the masses of people milling about outside. I don’t recall now exactly what triggered my brain into functioning, but I do remember turning to Pim and saying, “We’re going to get married, aren’t we?”

“Yes. Yes,” she beamed enthusiastically.
“Alright then.”

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