============================================================== To reach ALL SJD members, please send to sjd@satjadham.net ... Do NOT include any other addresses when sending to the list... Include as LITTLE of the original messages as possible........ Message sent by: "Kongkeo Saycocie" ============================================================== Life in those days was like sailing on a smooth water. I could frequent the movie theaters (Lao Chareun, Lao Samay, Nang Lith) as often as I wanted to. It is funny that the movie theaters in those days had a character of its own. Lao Chareun was specialized in Japanese movies while Lao Samay in Thai movies and Nang Lith in Indian movies. Occasionally, they would show American or European movies. My mom and big sisters' favorite was Hong Nang Lith. Maybe, they liked to cry for Indian movies usually had a sad part in it Also, they liked Thai movies especially the ghost ones such as ENakPargKaNong. It was strange that whenever EnakPargKaNong was showing, they would put an altar with bowls of roasted chicken, steamed rice and lit incense in front of the theater. Wonder who would eat that yummy chicken. For me, I liked the Japanese movies especially the Samurai ones. My dad, he didn't like to watch movies that much. He always complained that Indian movies were full of untimely songs which just popped up for no reasons. As for the Japanese movies, they were much of a bloodshed. Still, he was so nice that he would accompany us whatever movie we chose to watch. I, myself, would go with them if they promised to buy me a bunch of candies. In fact, I almost always won except once in a while when they were so hurried to catch the beginning of the film that they didn't have time to buy me anything. Still, they gave me a firm word that they would buy me some candies when the movie was over. Unfortunately, the candiesman wouldn't wait for us so they had to bear with my loud and stubborn crying that they couldn't help but remember the incident for a very, very long time. As a price winner, I had a mouth full of rotten teeth now. Savannakhet was famous for its hundreds of noodle stalls in the well-lighted yard close to Hong Nang Lith theater. There, you could satisfy your hunger with the best noodle any place could offer. We liked to frequent that place whenever we went out especially after the movie. Even we left Savannakhet and had a chance to come back, we always went to eat noodles there. For me, noodles were okay especially when I was hungry. I remembered one time when my dad and me got back from watching the soccer match, the noodles were so yummy. Maybe, we hadn't eaten them for so long after our relocation to Thakek. Or maybe we were just dead hungry. If you ever lived in Savannakhet or just had a chance to visit it, you would know that the town was well planned. Looking down from the airplane, you would see how lined-up the streets were with blocks of buildings well structured within them. I would say that I flew as many times as any Lao kids would ever do. The simple reason was that our family was on a good term with General Ma, the chief Air Force of Savannakhet base. Too bad I didn't know the type of airplanes I flew. Anyway, some names came up, according to my childhood memory, were the Helicopter, the Beaver, the Dakota and the one with the big hole on the end. I remember that, at one time, I flew an helicopter with the door open (I guess it is always open), the view below was incredible. It looks so real whenever the holicopter flew not far from the treetops or the tall buildings. (to be continued) _ ***************************************************************** Visit SatJaDham Homepage at: http://www.satjadham.org (or .net) *****************************************************************