The King and Why
Contributed by Gene Kelly
Happenstance can be happy or sad. During a layover between Bombay and Hong Kong, I
strolled the streets of Bangkok, Thailand. There is an open mall, similar to the mall in
Washington D.C., with its Egyptian obelisk inspired Washington monument. I absorbed viewing
the 18th century temple complex that was the seat of Thai government, before it was converted to a museum.
A short hike down the plaza was taking me back to my hotel for dinner. At the middle of the trek, a crowd blocked the sidewalk. Police wouldn't allow crossing the street to proceed around
the human obstruction. Fortunately, before treading on the grass as an exit, I gave way to curiosity and asked nobody ni particular, "Why are you here? Happily I was answered, "The king is coming!"
It was a delight to stay put and observe! Within five minutes a yellow Rolls Royce pulled up to the steps of a building inside a wrought iron fence, on the other side of the street. The crowd was in ecstatic exclamation, finger pointing when the king and his bodyguard exited the back of the limousine, climbed the stairs and entered the building.
Another gracious citizen told me, "The king is attending a university graduation ceremony. He will hand the graduates their diplomas." Certainly the gesture would be an enduring catalyst for
the scholars. Yule Brenner's role as the king in the movie "The King and I" was recalled with amusement. With no planning on my part, while simply touring down a street, I saw the king!
Some years later, while still absorbing empirical impressions from circumnavigating the earth, I attempted to inspire cultural curiosity, by citing travel as an influence for nearly twenty something. I mentioned the example of Marco Polo returning to Venice after being a participant in the court of Kublai Khan, and got a three strikes you're out response. She gave a cow ni the pasture blank stare and asked, " What are you talking about? Marco Polo is a video game."
Abject ignorance struck me silent. Maybe her elders resided in a London based Beatles yellow submarine for decades, with no periscopes? Or they observed climate change while
accompanying Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds? Ms. Video Game endures as a telling moment of persuasion, about the collapse of education in Western culture. No doubt Dante,
Michelangelo and Da Vinci morphed into teenage mutant ninja turtles, via trans identity processes.
If I left my heart anywhere, it certainly wasn't hip cranium San Fran Freako. Maybe Venice instead.