Open Wind

In the massage shop at Bangkok’s southern bus station, making use of a gift hour resulting from my first-choice bus being sold out, I told the masseuse about a crick in the neck caused perhaps by sleeping the wrong way. She began with the feet, as they do, and after about five minutes said something about “bpeurt lom,” meaning to “open the wind.” At first I figured she was referring to an electric fan as the room was a little bit warm. I said fine, for me it’s OK either way.

But then she didn’t stand up or move toward any switches, and it occurred to me that she might not be talking about fans at all. The word for wind in Thai can also refer to the life force… not exactly the same as “chi,” but in that category. Maybe she was referring to the beginning stage of any massage, giving me a kind of description of what she was doing? Something along the lines of “With these humble hands of mine I will now unblock your essential energy.” Which she then proceeded to do.

She got a big tip. The massage had so many nice results. My neck really did feel better the next day. Almost as nice was the feeling I got after figuring out the second possible translation. It’s satisfying to have lived in a region long enough to realize there’s more than one option. In Thailand I have a chance of understanding unexpected or deadpan remarks. In Myanmar my language skills are still a long way from that place.