| What a friendly, carefree monk! We felt at home | | | | looking for food, adding casually that a monk and |
| already, but he wasted no time in getting down to | | | | nun were both presently taking anti-rabies shots |
| business. He asked me to remain in the courtyard | | | | after being attacked on the porch of the sala! |
| for a moment while he and the other monk | | | | Well . . . I was relieved to hear that rabies shots |
| escorted Janet to the nun's section. Before they | | | | were available, but not too thrilled about rabid |
| left with her, the British monk asked if I wanted | | | | dogs running loose all over the place. |
| to say goodbye. . . . Hmm. Why should I say | | | | We continued about a hundred yards on a narrow |
| good-bye? Janet and I were staying at the same | | | | trail through a green cave of dense foliage with |
| monastery, weren't we? But I did as he | | | | tropical flowers spilling out of bamboo thickets; |
| suggested and said good bye. (You should never | | | | which seemed to be welcoming me, and then, |
| second-guess a British monk). | | | | suddenly, there it was - my personal little kuti! I |
| As I watched her disappear into the trees, which, | | | | had been picturing it in my mind for months, and |
| by the way, happened to be my last personal | | | | it looked simply wonderful; quiet, peaceful, just |
| contact with her for months, I thought back to | | | | the thing for an itinerate loner like me. |
| the train ride, and how apprehensive she was | | | | By Western standards, it was tiny, only six feet |
| when she noticed the small, thrown together | | | | by seven feet, but more than enough room to |
| shelters in the rice fields that farmers used as | | | | stretch out. It was made of sturdy timbers and |
| protection from the monsoons. She was certain | | | | perched on stilts seven feet high to keep out |
| that we would end up living in one of these flimsy | | | | snakes and ants, with ten steps leading to a small |
| huts that afforded zero protection from snakes | | | | porch. Inside were a few pictures tacked to the |
| and creepy things, and I was right, she was | | | | wall, apparently from a previous occupant - an |
| scared to death. | | | | autopsy photo of some poor chap cut from top |
| But not to fear; her first kuti (hut), although older, | | | | to bottom, (a monk's aid for contemplating the |
| was substantial, made of timbers with a tin roof | | | | body), a picture of a Buddha image, and a picture |
| and perched on stilts for protection against her | | | | of a lotus blossom. There was also a small, |
| anticipated despicable critters. Her fear however | | | | cut-in-half tin can that I later used to heat a few |
| was not entirely without foundation; an active | | | | tablespoons of water over a candle to shave with |
| family of seven geckos claimed the hut as well, | | | | every morning. Probably what the prior tenant |
| causing her to lay awake the entire first night | | | | used it for. I mentally thanked him. |
| curled up in a rigid, fetal position being careful not | | | | My kuti came complete with two shuttered |
| to touch the mosquito net that hung from the | | | | windows, to keep out the rain, a mosquito net |
| ceiling and which she tucked firmly under her little | | | | tied to a ceiling beam, and some candles, matches |
| bamboo mat . . . while imagining things crawling all | | | | and incense sitting on an exposed two by four. |
| over her. | | | | Small pans of kerosene were fashioned around |
| Eventually, the nuns gave her a nicer kuti with | | | | the bottoms of the exterior stilts to discourage |
| only two geckos, and then finally a new and | | | | ants, scorpions and termites, and the roof was |
| beautiful one with only a single lizard . . . but it was | | | | covered with tin, a beautiful tin, the sound of rain |
| a big one. | | | | upon which will remain with me the rest of my |
| Although Janet and I would see each other at a | | | | life. My little kuti was perfect! |
| distance while attending community meetings, | | | | Living at a monastery in Thailand costs nothing, as |
| meals and so forth, we weren't permitted to | | | | long as you follow the rules - one meal a day, |
| speak with each other without a monk present. | | | | etc., and of course you must be on your best |
| Those were the rules; established so that no | | | | behavior. Besides the rules, we had to quickly |
| misunderstandings would arise with villagers who | | | | learn a wealth of cultural things, for example; |
| supported these monks, a support that relied | | | | exposing the sole of one's foot is akin to |
| upon mutual trust. The villagers would take care | | | | exhibiting one's middle finger, so I soon learned to |
| of the monks and nuns necessities, and the | | | | sit puppy-up, or flat on the concrete floor of the |
| monks and nuns would devote their lives to | | | | sala with my feet curled demurely underneath - |
| nothing other than conquering their kileses (greed, | | | | no furniture or pillows to sit on at Wat Pah |
| hatred and delusion), and finding enlightenment. | | | | Nanachat! Just wood, concrete, and the jungle |
| The monks and nuns were the villagers' ideals. | | | | floor. |
| The British monk returned after getting Janet | | | | The regional police station would subsequently hold |
| settled in and handed me the traditional small, | | | | our passports, which we cheerfully surrendered |
| rolled-up bamboo mat that would serve as my | | | | upon arrival. We couldn't have cared less; our |
| sleeping and meditation rug, along with an old, | | | | intention was to stay forever in this paradise that |
| dinged aluminum teapot that was my water | | | | offered such a rare opportunity to meditate with |
| kettle. After a brief stop to fill the kettle at the | | | | little disruption. |
| water barrels, he began escorting me to the far | | | | The smiling British monk wished me luck, then |
| side of the monastery. | | | | turned and disappeared down the trail. I waved, |
| As we were walking along, a mangy dog with a | | | | while at the same time glancing nervously in all |
| missing ear and absent clumps of fur ran into the | | | | directions for signs of snakes, scorpions, or mad |
| forest not far ahead. The monk pointed and | | | | dogs, and then made myself at home in my little |
| issued a stern warning to stay away from stray | | | | kuti, that to me was more beautiful than a |
| dogs that might wander about the monastery | | | | mansion with gold-plated faucets. |