Meth: a Ticking Timebomb Gone Viral

The Quest for Perfection

I've mentioned before about seeing Thai kids on their way to school looking pressed to perfection. And in the afternoon, they don't appear that much different. During the day in malls all over Thailand, the only thing that takes away from this apparent search for prim and proper appearance is the fact that many Thais don't wear shoes...instead wearing flip-flops or Crocs with socks. This quest for perfect whites and the overuse of starch used to be something I saw only at a distance, but now that I have a Thai living with me, this obsession with appearance now comes on a first-hand basis.

I'm a longtime (former) bachelor, and things like towels, bedsheets and white T-shirts inevitably became 'off colour'. That's just how it is...or, at least, was. It never bothered me because I had no one to impress, and to be perfectly honest, I never really cared...until now. These yellowish and sometimes even darker stains are not sitting well with my new girlfriend, so last night, she decided it was time to do something about it.

Bleach is, to her, a miracle fluid that she hopes will fix all that is wrong in this dirty world we live in. And don't get me started on Nada and her iron. EVERYTHING must be starched and pressed, including bedsheets...a situation I've had to put my foot down about. Yes, I could simply allow her to spend every available minute slaving over mountains of things that require ironing (she has three showers a day and changes clothes each time). Time that in my eyes, could be better spent with me because I have better plans for her...and this inborn need to look spectacular 24/7 must come to an end.

I understand Thai culture and all the various requirements that will arise as a result. Unfortunately, she finds it hard to get her head around the fact that I am Australian...and we (in general) don't take things quite as seriously in the wardrobe department. Sure, I admit my clothes look better after Nada has spent hours removing all the creases, but at the end of the day (or in the hour I sit waiting on the couch for Princess Perfect to get ready to leave the house), this process is, IMO, a complete waste of time and effort.

So this morning, after our white towels had spent the night soaking in bleach, they are now in the washing machine and will soon be ready for inspection. I'm sure they will be brighter than they were before, but as I explained to my lovely and well-intended girlfriend, she has no idea the task she is taking on when it comes to my skin staining everything that comes in contact with me (think of Pigpen from Peanuts and you will have a better idea of what she is up against).

I just had a conversation with Nada, which has helped me better understand where she is coming from. If we go out and I'm looking below par appearance-wise (in her mind), people will judge her for not taking good care of me. So it isn't about me at all...it's about her and how she sees herself reflected in the eyes of other Thai women.

No matter how long ago she left her village in Isaan, she will always retain that mentality where everyone knows everyone else...a place where gossip and drama are the only form of daytime entertainment for the lack of TV.