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Think of this as a fairy story. Once upon a time there was a handsome young frog called Kop who lived in a ditch by the side of the road in Chonburi. It was a beautiful ditch and Kop was very happy there. He had some lily pads to sit on, there was lots of deep cool yellow mud and old plastic bags to hide under.

Then one day much to his surprise he found himself tangled in a net and next thing he knew he was trapped in a jam jar. The jam jar got passed around a bit and eventually became the property of a lady called Porn, a semi-retired go-go dancer who had fallen on hard times. She had tried selling sandwiches and hanging around bars but finding Kop had given her an idea. He was just what she needed to revive her flagging fortunes.

So it was that one night Kop found himself on a kind of carousel in a brightly lit place full of loud music and unfamiliar faces. Still in his jam jar he sat watching and waiting for whatever came next. Then much to his surprise Porn took him out of the jar and shoved him headfirst up a warm dark passage.

The first time it happened Kop was filled with trepidation. It was quite scary. 'A guy could croak in here,' thought Kop to himself, 'disappear never to be seen again.' But then after a while it didn't seem too bad. There was something homely about it, cozy and dark. Even the slightly fishy smell was not unpleasant. It reminded him of his tadpole days.
Then just as he was getting used to it Kop found himself ejected onto the floor of the carousel. Suddenly there he was in the bright lights surrounded by laughter and smiling faces and strangest of all -- the roar of applause!! It was quite overwhelming and he wondered what he'd done to deserve it!?!

So it was that Kop developed a taste for the bright lights. Porn seemed happy too and though she mostly fed him small cockroaches every now and then she would treat him to a plump juicy moth.

But alas times change. And so do governments. The powers that be decided that Porn and Kop's performance was no longer conducive to the public good or the image of the country. One day the owner of the go-go bar told them he was sorry but they had to go.

Poor Porn. One day Kop looked out of his jam jar to see her crying. He wanted to comfort her. 'Don't cry Porn,' he wanted to say, 'it isn't your fault. We are just spawn in the game.' But of course he was just a frog and nothing he could say would help.

Porn had invited some friends over for somtam. Porn held the jam jar up and looked at her little companion. 'Oh dear,' thought Kop, ' I'm in trouble now.' But he neednt have worried.

'Look at Kop,' said one of the girls, 'What will happen to him now?'

'Yes,' said Porn , 'poor Kop. It is a worry I admit. He isn't young anymore and I doubt if he will be able to find another job.'

'I'll tell you what,' said another of Porn's friends, 'I am going back to my village soon. How would it be if I took Kop with me? There is a pond there where he would be very happy I think.'

'Oh would you really!' said Porn, 'that would certainly be a load off my mind. Kop and I have developed a unique relationship over our time together. I actually feel quite maternal towards the little fellow.'

And that was that. Kop went to live in the pond in Isaan and he liked it very much. He missed Porn of course and he never saw her again, but every night a crowd of eager young froglets and even some tadpoles would gather to hear Kop tell about the big city and his brief career in show business.



© C. Woww. All rights reserved by the author.

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If you enjoyed this short story of C. Woww's his book 'Losing the Plot' can easily be purchased here at DCO Books online:
http://www.dcothai.com/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=106

It can also be found in many local bookshops in Thailand, especially, we have seen, in the many Bookazine Bookshops in Bangkok and Pattaya.