An awkward affair

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Now THAT was an interesting evening out! Sophat came back to the house, having actually been on the winning volleyball team for once and flush with his cash prize. My suggestion to go out to drink a beer or two was eagerly taken up. Then he found out we were invited to a wedding party. I didn't want to deal with being the star foreigner tonight and suggested he go alone, and that I was happy to get an early night after several sleepless nights now.

Undressed and lying on my mattress, I was called to come down to the ground floor to meet the man who was going to take me out and keep me company while I drank a beer..or two!

Bugger Sophat! He had arranged an escort for me as he felt bad letting me down as a beer drinking companion. Nothing I would rather do than go out with a shy 35yo Khmer man, roped into taking some aging American broad out for a night on the town! And not a word of English!

Feeling pressured after all to at least minimize HIS discomfort, I initiated one topic of conversation after the other in my limited Khmer, trying not to show my exasperation at his clipped responses that cut each successive topic dead in it's tracks!

Being persistent (a little known trait of mine!), and finding out he was divorced, I entered that conversational minefield by asking joking questions and making irreverent remarks about relationships. This led to various other quips about what I was observing in the bar, and had him laughing many times!

I consider that a sucess!
A blind date with a reluctant, shy, divorced, non-english speaking. 35 yo Khmer teacher, with fewer awkward silences than anticipated ...and HIS treat (as is the custom) on his meagre $30 a month salary!!

Now I must find a way of repaying him using subterfuge. Boy! Is the hung-over Sophat going to be in trouble tomorrow!
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