Since Koon has graduated, he always wanted to be a doctor because of his father’s death. He felt that because he was unable to help his father, he will help other people so that they would not have to die like his father did. But because he doesn’t have money he helps his mother sell eggs at the market for enough income to support the family. Everything has become more about money; more about the haves and have-nots. Auntie Kumpa, the neighbor of the family, doesn’t visit anymore, because she was scared that she would have to share her money with them.
Koon’s family is amongst the poorer family of the village, but they were certainly amongst the happiest. Even with his father gone, they still eat and sleep the same way they did 10 years ago. The four can’t ask for more in their life than to have one another.
Upon the dawn of an orange morning, Koon rises early and finds his mother sitting on the steps at front during smiling to the rising sun. The easing breeze blows her dry hair back.
“Look at it son, it’s beautiful,” says his mother.
“Yes mother, it is,” Koon answered politely and smiles at his mother.
A gushing breeze blows through the door way and made a loud whistle.
“Mother,” Koon started, “I want to go to Bangkok.”
“Why is that son?”
“I want to go and work there.”
“We are happy here, like this aren’t we?”
“I just want to help you more mother, I want us to have more money and I can find a lot of money there,” he says with joy.
“We do not need money to be happy son; as long as we have each other we will be happy. Can’t you see?” Koon’s mother says with a little concern, “but you are eighteen years old now, you are old enough to make your own decisions.”
The wind stopped blowing and an awkward silence fills the village; Koon ponders hard about leaving his home for the city. He stares out the door way to see the farmers harvesting the yellow rice fields, people passing the front of the house on their ox-carts, children chasing each other, laughing and giggling. The image he saw through the door, has stopped. He already misses his home just thinking about leaving, but it was his duty to support the family. A gentle tap on his shoulder woke him up from this day dream of his.
“I’m hungry Pi-Koon,” mumbles Yee-soon, half asleep
“Me too P-Koon, I’m hungry too,” says Boonlai energetically.
Koon’s mother is getting too old to do house work and teach the two girls about cleaning the house and cooking, so the duty falls into Koon’s hand to teach them how to cook and clean, since it is the women’s duty in a family.
The two girls had often seen Koon and their mother prepare lop, so Boonlai quickly dashes to get the chopping board and knife and Yee-soon reaches for five pieces of pla ra and remembers to close the top of the jar with a rag sprinkled with charcoal to keep the flies from laying eggs in the pla ra. Boon-lai chopped and flip chopped and flipped.
“You’re getting much better at it Boonlai,” Koon complements her with a smile, “next time will be Yee-soon’s turn make the Lop.”
Boonlai continues to chop and flip. While Yee-soon washes her hand after touching the smelly pla ra. Their mother walks in to see how they are doing. She was glad to see that all three of her children were working together. She lets out a radiant smile as praise to their good work. Although she did not say anything all three of them were happy to see their mother smile so naturally. She slow turns around and walks out of the kitchen.
“The lop is ready!” shouted Boonlai with excitement.
“I’m so hungry,” adds Yee-soon.
“Let’s bring this to the dinner table so we can all have something to eat this morning. I’ll go call mother”
As Koon walk out of the kitchen, Koon continues his ponder about leaving Isan to go to Bangkok. The value of money has changed as the time has passed. 10 years ago, people would trade items for items, but as ten years passed people only trade for money. And since it has become popular, the prices of food and items of everyday use have risen. Koon believes if the family had more money, life would be so much easier to live, despite what his mother had said to him earlier in the morning. If he works in Bangkok he will get twice much money than selling vegetables. But Koon also worries about his mother, because she is become an aged woman; he wasn’t sure if Boonlai and Yee-soon can take care of her. Koon arrives outside and calls for his mother.
“Mother! The food is ready.”
Koon ran towards her to help her walk to the kitchen. By the time Koon and his mother arrived to the kitchen, Boon-lai and Yee-soon are waiting at the dinner table. Koon and his mother sat down and they all had lop together.
Word Count: 1,226
