shocking
tzzz tzzzz tzzzz
i have just been electrocuted by the computer in this internet cafe. trying to plug in my camera and being wet from the rain on my motorbike...it decided there was a little too much energy, so it shocked the hell out of me.
if i was in america, in about five weeks, after the trial, i would be a rich rich woman.
this reminds me of how many things people simply won't put up with in america. and not to bash america...i grew up there. my family is there. but the stigma attached to american people and their "sue happy" ways did in fact come from somewhere.
i remember when my parents sold out house in vermont the family who bought it sued my father. they were also a canadian family, which in most circumstances would make both parties apologize profusely:
"i'm sorry the house is not bigger,"
"no, i'm sorry we are not giving you three million dollars extra."
"no, i'm sorry the view is not better..."
"no, i'm sorry you feel sorry about that."
"sorry."
"sorry." (ad infinitum.)
however, this family had it in for my parents. back when my mother had her cafe, the man who bought the house (who was a chef) tried to sell my mother some chocolates to carry in her store. she tried them, they were terrible, and she said no. from here on it this family was and perhaps always will be my parents' only nemesis.
when the couple bought our house (which my father built) they moved in, did quite a bit of work making the place look like a trashy hotel, and in the midst of this, in the crawlspace behind the master bedroom there was a leak that did some damage to the hardwood floors.
instead of fixing this, the couple decided to sue my parents for $15,000, as my father, knowing the family didn't like our family, intentionally screwed with the pipes so that after my family had moved to new york and were out of town, the pipes would break and ruin their lives. as if.
they took my parents to court, and tried to use a lawyer who just happens to be my mother's best friend, and tragically lost.
i could not imagine a hardcore american (or perhaps i should say "north american," as in this example both parties were canadians living in america. shit. let's blame it on the soil.) living in thailand. there are things that happen every day for which i could sue.
examples? sure:
-today in class one of my students came up to me and grabbed a handful of boob (mine, not hers), looked me straight in the eye, grinned and squeezed it in her hand. i could almost hear the *honk honk* noise. she giggled and ran away. what is that about?
reason for suing: sexual harassment. (by a five year old at that.)
-on many an occasion while riding my bike through town i will pass a restaurant that at that exact moment happens to be opening a sac of chili powder, and some happens to fly into my eyes and temporarily blind me. as i swerve down the street, eyes closed and watering, i often wonder why there isn't a sign warning people of this pending impairment.
reason for suing: obstruction while operating a motorized vehicle.
-while walking down the sidewalk in thailand one cannot read a book or glance at one's watch as one may do in the west. while at university i would often walk to and from class with a book in hand, or glancing at a magazine. here, if i look away for one moment, a low hanging highly taut wire could be waiting to behead me. i could b dead in an instant. not to mention the holes in the sidewalk. if i am not looking, it is certain, roy percent, that i will fall and possibly die.
reason for suing: attempted murder
-this is not to mention the millions of hairs, bugs, live ants, unwanted body parts, stray plants and unwanted objects found in my food on a daily basis. i remember when i first got here i as eating with a newbie friend and she found an ant in her food. dead even. she never ate there again (and has since returned to the homeland.) if my biggest problem was finding one lone ant already dead in my rice, i would die a happy woman.
reason for suing: because i want to (a la, 'hot coffee mcdonalds' case.)
this being said and done, i have chosen not to sue. i will go home, minding the chili powder and low wires as i go, and try not to get electrocuted next time i come here. you see, life is all about not making the same mistake twice. or three times at most...
i have just been electrocuted by the computer in this internet cafe. trying to plug in my camera and being wet from the rain on my motorbike...it decided there was a little too much energy, so it shocked the hell out of me.
if i was in america, in about five weeks, after the trial, i would be a rich rich woman.
this reminds me of how many things people simply won't put up with in america. and not to bash america...i grew up there. my family is there. but the stigma attached to american people and their "sue happy" ways did in fact come from somewhere.
i remember when my parents sold out house in vermont the family who bought it sued my father. they were also a canadian family, which in most circumstances would make both parties apologize profusely:
"i'm sorry the house is not bigger,"
"no, i'm sorry we are not giving you three million dollars extra."
"no, i'm sorry the view is not better..."
"no, i'm sorry you feel sorry about that."
"sorry."
"sorry." (ad infinitum.)
however, this family had it in for my parents. back when my mother had her cafe, the man who bought the house (who was a chef) tried to sell my mother some chocolates to carry in her store. she tried them, they were terrible, and she said no. from here on it this family was and perhaps always will be my parents' only nemesis.
when the couple bought our house (which my father built) they moved in, did quite a bit of work making the place look like a trashy hotel, and in the midst of this, in the crawlspace behind the master bedroom there was a leak that did some damage to the hardwood floors.
instead of fixing this, the couple decided to sue my parents for $15,000, as my father, knowing the family didn't like our family, intentionally screwed with the pipes so that after my family had moved to new york and were out of town, the pipes would break and ruin their lives. as if.
they took my parents to court, and tried to use a lawyer who just happens to be my mother's best friend, and tragically lost.
i could not imagine a hardcore american (or perhaps i should say "north american," as in this example both parties were canadians living in america. shit. let's blame it on the soil.) living in thailand. there are things that happen every day for which i could sue.
examples? sure:
-today in class one of my students came up to me and grabbed a handful of boob (mine, not hers), looked me straight in the eye, grinned and squeezed it in her hand. i could almost hear the *honk honk* noise. she giggled and ran away. what is that about?
reason for suing: sexual harassment. (by a five year old at that.)
-on many an occasion while riding my bike through town i will pass a restaurant that at that exact moment happens to be opening a sac of chili powder, and some happens to fly into my eyes and temporarily blind me. as i swerve down the street, eyes closed and watering, i often wonder why there isn't a sign warning people of this pending impairment.
reason for suing: obstruction while operating a motorized vehicle.
-while walking down the sidewalk in thailand one cannot read a book or glance at one's watch as one may do in the west. while at university i would often walk to and from class with a book in hand, or glancing at a magazine. here, if i look away for one moment, a low hanging highly taut wire could be waiting to behead me. i could b dead in an instant. not to mention the holes in the sidewalk. if i am not looking, it is certain, roy percent, that i will fall and possibly die.
reason for suing: attempted murder
-this is not to mention the millions of hairs, bugs, live ants, unwanted body parts, stray plants and unwanted objects found in my food on a daily basis. i remember when i first got here i as eating with a newbie friend and she found an ant in her food. dead even. she never ate there again (and has since returned to the homeland.) if my biggest problem was finding one lone ant already dead in my rice, i would die a happy woman.
reason for suing: because i want to (a la, 'hot coffee mcdonalds' case.)
this being said and done, i have chosen not to sue. i will go home, minding the chili powder and low wires as i go, and try not to get electrocuted next time i come here. you see, life is all about not making the same mistake twice. or three times at most...
posted by isobella at 6:46 PM
2 Comments:
There are so many of those things aren't there? The sue happy moments. I have almost died from electric shock at internet cafes and have been told to put a piece of paper under your feet. Hmmmm
Interesting post my friend, I always like hearing about your fam.
xo
B.O. <- tell me that isn't funny
haha...almost as funny as my little brother. his initials: o.b. what a tampon. and my grandmother's name is bo. (short for isobel...don't ask.) how do you spell her name? b-o. ha ha.
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