i don’t know if every child was like this, but when i was little every summer i sought out my special “sunny spot.” in this sunny spot i spent the majority of the summer soaking it in the warm, lazy sun during naps, long hours of reading, drawing, watching birds or even just singing. it was a very important task to find my sunny spot because it was almost like a hide-away place where no one else was allowed to go. if someone ever discovered my sunny spot, oh! what devastation...
today began slow. i slept in quite late because there was no reason to wake early. i am always so bored in phnom penh. i slowly took a shower and even flat-ironed my hair and put make-up on...a rare thing.
while doing these things, i debated what to do with the day. i could go t o the internet, but i just went yesterday, so not much would have changed. i could go buy vitamins for the kids, which would only take up about 20 minutes of my day, travel time included. so i only had 6 hours and 40 minutes left to fill....
i considered just staying at the house and reading...but that’s when i remembered cafe sentiment! yes, it was perfect!
cafe sentiment is my very own grown-up “sunny spot” of phnom penh for one reason and one reason alone: the two swings they have for chairs. they are so wonderful! what a joyful day it was for me when i laid eyes on these hanging beauties for the first time. only one problem: since there are only two, sometimes you aren’t that lucky to get them.
with much excitement in my remembrance of my sunny spot, i quickly gathered my journal, iPod, reading book (which is surprised by joy by c.s. lewis), and my new (millionth) sketch book i even packed my new $3 greeen comfy old navy pants and new favorite $1 cambodian thrift store sweatshirt..
my poor moto dope (taxi) driver...on my way to the cafe, i got a little confused with the roads. i think he was a little frustrated with me, but at the end he was happy because i gave him an extra .25 cents for the long journey.
i had the moto dope driver drop me off at iBC (international book center) because i was determined to draw in my sketch book. after wandering the meager selection of books, i finally just picker up some postcards to play around with. now i was all set to go.
as far as i could recall, the cafe was only one block from iBC, so i walked. the average amount of moto dope drivers called after me (which is too many). one even followed me and kept asking me if i needed a ride even after i had answered him many times. finally i turned to him and asked, “didn’t i just tell you ‘no’? did you not hear me?” a little taken back by the fact that i could speak khmer, the guy drove off. it wasn’t like Jesus to do that, i know...and i’m not very happy about it...but it was amusing that the guy was shocked i could speak khmer....LoL.
i continued to walk and the place that the cafe was supposed to be stood ‘lucky burger.’ bummer...so i walked in and asked the girls where the cafe was. from what i understood, they said it was only one more block down. wading through more moto dope drivers, i walked on. as i neared the next intersection my heart sunk as i saw that there was a bank where i expected the cafe to be. i kept walking as i debated in my heart whether to go back to the house or not, then i looked to the other corner and there she was in all her glory: cafe sentiment.
oh! joy.
i walked into the doors with such joy in my heart. i quickly chose my coffee (even though i didn’t even really want one...all i wanted was a swinging chair). oh! and old norah jones was playing. so perfect! it was all so perfect. then i looked up...
while the girl rang up my order, i looked up the three levels to where i could catch a glance of my swinging chairs. my heart sank with such sadness and frustration as i saw sitting in my chair a creepy man staring down smirking at me. no!
i sat down to wait for my coffee in such utter despair...all i could think was, ï even packed my comfy pants, God!” oh, i can be so silly sometimes. i even prayed and asked God to make the creepy man go away...haha...it was just as if i found my little brother sitting in my sunny spot.
after a long while, i debated that even if that man was there, maybe i could still sit in the one next to him...i shivered just thinking about it, but i wouldn’t let this ruin my day.
i walked up the stairs to the third story even still hoping the man would be gone. as i reached the top, i couldn’t believe it! the man was no where to be seen! he disappeared! even more: hardly anyone was on the floor! Jesus does love me!
so here i am...little swings in between thoughts and all. perfect. green comfy pants and all. perfect.
if i ever own a coffee shop or have a room, i have to have a swinging chair. now i will draw.
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this actually took place last week, i only just got to typing it up. i wonder if anyone will actually read all the way to the end. this is freaking long...haha...oh, and i found out there is free wireless internet. whoo-hoo!
I loved your adventure Heidi! When I was little I was a tree person(like that has changed)If the trees weren't condusive for climbing I was lying under them. Several of the houses we lived in had the PERFECT reading trees, one was even a mulberry tree, which meant that when the mulberry's were ripe I did not need to bring a snack up with me! I would sit in the trees and read, dream, sing, and all other little girl things all day long...literally...mom would have to come out and make me get out of my tree. As for that moto dope, well I remember how persistant those girls were in siem riepe(?spelling) and I was nice for a very long time and they must have followed me around for an hour they were even waiting for me outside of that wonderfully air conditioned cafe, and it wasn't until I basically shouted no at them that they finally left me alone, so I do not think you did anything wrong in telling that dope drive no. He should have listened to you in the first place and he wouldn't have needed to be told off. :) By the way, I had a lovely time visualizing this whole shenanigan!
ReplyDeleteoh, rachel, i love you so much! after i posted this i didn't think anyone would read it because it was so rediculasly long! haha... and i love that you had a mulberry tree. i had one tree that had fruit (it was called a pe-SO-Dee...LoL...it was rare) and i loved eating from it. i hope you are well. and i do remember those girls...gosh, that was hectic.
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