John and I saw each other in the lobby. 

We met during training but haven’t really talked since. 

He is a naturalist with our company. 

We won the lottery for drug testing (plus two more folks from our company). 

You see, we have to comply with coast guard standards. Even though I don’t work on a boat, the theory is that I could work on one at any time if an entire crew called in sick. It hasn’t happened yet and I sure as shoot hope it never does. So, I have to get drug-tested. Smoking pot is legal in Alaska, but it isn’t federally (coast guard) accepted. 

I came in to TSS and he was already in the lobby. 

“So will you live here for the summer?” 

“Sorry?” 

“Will you be here after the summer or going elsewhere?” 

“Oh I will just be here for the summer.” 

“Ah.” 

“Do you live here year round?” 

(This is literally the first question everyone asks here- tourists and locals alike). 

J: “Oh, no. I’ve lived in Thailand the last 20 years.” 

“Oh wow.” 

J: (Almost to himself) “I bought my flight to Bangkok but haven’t done Ketchikan to Seattle yet..” 

“Oh yeah, that’s a pretty brutal flight.” 

J shrugs “20 hours” 

“Oh, that’s a long time! I remember when I went there that it was about 16 hours to Bangkok, but we were leaving from Atlanta so it was a realllllly long trip.” 

J shrugs again “Just about 20 hours.” 

“I bet you’ve seen it change so much, it’s become so popular!” 

J shakes his head ruefully “It makes me sad.” 

Pause. 

“Yeah I bet!” 

J: “There’s a place I go that still feels removed.” 

“Oh yeah? Where is that?” 

J: “I don’t tell people where it is.” 

“Yeah right, so no one knows about it!”  

“I have rented from a great family for 20 years. I’m the only foreigner they invited over for dinner. It’s a family that’s of Chinese influence and they invite me over for Chinese New Year.

I’ve been the only one to sit at the table with him for the last several years. Last year, his son sat with us. Everyone else sits on the floor and brings us food, serves us. 36 dishes I think it is..” 

Pause.

J: “It’s just like here.”

“Pardon, like Alaska?” 

J: “Yes, I’ve lived here 41 years.. But the change has been more gradual.” 

And he left to take his drug test. 

Below are pictures from my trip to Thailand in 2006: