Friday, March 18, 2016

A Story From the Life of Phil J. Ghostwritten by Tatum J.

Photo courtesy of Phil J.
A Story From the Life of Phil J.
Ghostwritten by Tatum J.

Zak

Not judging a book by its cover is a basic lesson almost everyone learns at a young age. Although this lesson is well-known and possibly cliché, it is important and I wish I could have understood it more before my trip to the island of Koh Tao.

Just as the boiling sun was beginning to have its effects on me, I saw something that boosted my spirits. A clearing. My way out of the dense, breezeless rainforest that surrounded me. Everywhere I looked I saw tall Koi Naam trees and purple bitter bush plants. I could hear sounds of foreign birds and my boots breaking the twigs and leaves that lay motionless beneath me. As I approached the clearing on the top of the hill, I felt a sudden breeze. As I got closer, the breeze got stronger and stronger. It felt like going into an air-conditioned house on a hot summer day. It dried my sweat-drenched clothing and gave me the cooling that I so desperately needed.

When I finally arrived on top, I saw an unexpected sight. There was an unstable, weed covered, wooden fence that reached left and right as far as the eye could see. It lead onto a stranger's property which made me wary about crossing.

Before making my trip to the small island of Koh Tao, I had been warned about the locals and heard stories of them being violent towards unfamiliar travelers. Crossing this fence was a big risk, but I needed to get to the other part of the island in a reasonable amount of time. I decided to take the risk and cross the fence. Step by step, I grew closer and could feel my nerves building up. Lifting my right leg, I swung it over the top of the fence. The left followed. Feeling relieved, I looked up and that feeling immediately disappeared. About 15-20 feet away from me I saw a big, muscular, man carrying a machete walking towards me.

I was terrified and unsure what to do. I felt my heartbeat throughout my body as my breathing became heavier. I decided to raise my right hand and wave hoping he wouldn’t harm me. I waited anxiously for what seemed like forever until I saw something I couldn’t have predicted. The man had a huge smile spanning from one side of his face to the other. He threw one of his hands in the air and gestured for me to follow him. As he turned around and walked in the opposite direction, I followed. Still nervous, I walked about 40 feet and arrived at a small fire pit positioned next to a one-room shack. I assumed this was where the man lived. It was covered with dried palm leaves and structured with bamboo.

The unfamiliar man offered me a cup of warm tea and told me to sit on a chair next to the fire. He sat across from me and pointed to himself. He pounded one finger on his chest saying “Zak” over and over. Once again, a big smile appeared on his face and he gave me a thumbs up as to say “everything is okay.” Although Zak spoke Thai and I spoke English, I understood what he was trying to convey.

Later that day, he brought me to a colorful hammock that hung next to his house. He pointed to the hammock, pointed to me, and then back to the hammock. This was his way of telling me I could stay with him.
“How much?” I asked.
“Nothing” replied Zak.
I continued to ask Zak how I could pay him, or how much I owed him. Every time I would ask, he replied with “nothing.”

I ended up staying with Zak for three weeks. Throughout my trip, I learned around 50-100 words in the Thai language. I learned how to hunt bats and make coconut oil. I learned how the natives live and how they earn their money. I learned many things this trip but most importantly I learned a valuable lesson, not to judge a book by it’s cover. I assumed Zak was a bad guy just by looking at him. He looked intimidating however, he was one of the greatest guys I have ever met. I made assumptions based on his appearance without ever talking to him. If I had run from Zak, I never would have had one of the best experiences of my life.
Photo courtesy of Phil J.