While it is a progressive country, Thailand also has its fair share of beggars and assorted mendicants. Maybe I should say "supplicants", for that seems to be their preferred posture when they beg for small mercies from passersby.
Anyway, I was on the skywalk to MBK when I chanced upon this sight:
It was a little girl, probably not much older than 3 or 4. She was dancing up a storm as an older girl - her sister, perhaps? - played a tune on some kind of Thai flute.
My initial reaction was of delight. "Aw, isn't that adorb! Look at that chubby little girl dance in her two-piece!" She instantly reminded me of a more famous Dancing Baby:
And dance she did, with nary a care in the world, it seemed. She looked like she was genuinely having the time of her life flailing her chubby arms about and twirling heedlessly out-of-sync with the music.
Then she saw me. And after snapping my pics, I got a good look at her.
The Coke can and makeshift rose on her head made her look like a little Lady Gaga wannabe, but upon closer inspection, I realized something: this was a child whose baby tits were literally hanging out of her top.
And then introspection set in. Dancing Baby Girl was dancing for her supper, out in the street, in a makeshift two-piece ensemble and a tin can on her head.
How long before she would dance for her supper in a fuller two-piece in Patpong?
But then she made the wai - that Thai gesture with hands clasped together at the chest. A gesture of respect and reverence, and also a common one to say thank you or apologize.
She then resumed dancing gleefully, unmindful of the world and lost in her own groove.
I gave them all my coins and walked away, lost in a groove of my own.
hmmm. potential cat scratch club dancer? maybe..maybe.
ReplyDeletenow, if you do know where CSC came from, you may be my soulmate LOL
Pay my Rent, Mimi.
ReplyDeletecute kid. if she's, she'd already been kidnapped. =D
ReplyDeletepaternal instincts coming out of your shell, rudely? haha
ReplyDeletehehe naks busilak
ReplyDeleteBad me. Those were what I noticed first: the tits. The top was placed way too low.
ReplyDeleteAnyway. I like your reply to Herbs. I was listening to the Rent soundtrack last night. "Out Tonight" was just so... ferociously feline.
innocence is bittersweet.
ReplyDeletethat was a great read! :)
wow. ally mcbeal flashback.
ReplyDeletehow (for lack of a better word) unfortunate. how do you say "kid, your top is too low. we can see your kiddie titties" in thai?
@Manech - true. yung tits din una kong pinansan. its just right to know kung tama ba ang attire ng bata sa kanyang chosen career.hehe. pwede na sana eh.
ReplyDelete@ dada Rudy - tinaas mo man lang sana yung damit niya no! baka lamigin ang tits & damn, youre good <3
i agree with darc, innocence is bittersweet.
ReplyDeletesoshal sila manglimos
ReplyDelete@ ash : You should know by now that my dogs are my children.
ReplyDelete@ xtian : Sino'ng busilak? Sino ang tunay na baliw? Sino'ng mapalad? Sino'ng tumatawag ng habag?
@ Manech : And I'm supposed to be a breast man.
@ Darc & ewik : I'd like to imagine that, once upon a time, you were just like this little baby girl.
Except for the tits.
@ citybuoy : I totally forgot that The Dancing Baby haunted Ally McBeal!!! Sheesh!
@ Herbs : "damn, youre good " And when I'm bad, I'm so, so baaaadd...
@ Ming : It's the Asian version of the street performers in several First World countries. Meron din naman tayo, yung mga bulag na kumakanta sa ibabaw ng overpass sa Quiapo.
...nyeta affected ako
ReplyDeleteBakit naman, E?
ReplyDeleteIs she available for adoption? My dancing grandma will love her.
ReplyDelete@ Yodz : Hahaha, cute.
ReplyDelete@ ?? : Eh??