No Beer from 2-5pm…but 11am is ok
The work week here is 6 days, yes 6 days. It was initially a challenge for me, as I was previously enjoying a 4-day work week in Brooklyn, but over time i have found many ways to adjust to these long weeks. One silent protest to Saturday work is having an occasional Friday night beer while watching an episode of some downloaded show. Yes, I still wake up at 6:30 Saturday morning, but for that 30 minutes on Fridays, I like to imagine that I am winding down for the week and that I will be able to sleep in the next morning. This ritual of mine was recently thwarted, however, when the worker at one of the many Mae Sot 7-11 stores refused to sell me my Archer beer. Yes, Archer - my budget is getting tight these days. She refused the sale in Thai, I expressed confusion in English and slightly nudged the beer closer to her register, she again kindly protested in Thai, and I again smiled and gave an affirming nod and held up my Baht for her to see. At this point, it was obvious to both of us that this conversation was getting nowhere. She smiled and pointed to an English sign behind her: “Selling of alcohol is from 11:00-14:00 and 17:00-23:00.” It was 4:55pm. No beer for me. So, I thought, had I come at lunch time, I could have purchased my beer, but I cannot buy it on the way home from a tiring day at work. I lowered my head, put my Baht in my pocket, put my ear buds in and resumed my listening to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, as I left the 7-11 empty-handed. Water and an episode of The Wire would have to do this Friday night.
I later learned that this break in alcohol sales is the compromised result of the Royal Queen’s efforts to reduce alcohol consumption in Thailand. Go Queen! I support this, but 11am and not 4:55pm, really? Ok, I’ll just go out at lunch time next time. That will be my compromise. Maybe I’ll even treat myself to Singha next week then.
February 25th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
hilarious..