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“Often a Thai temple will have a particular animal or object associated with it. Wat Lumba Loy’s auspicious animals are turtles and crocodile. This is a row of marble turtles in the Head Monk’s quarters. Turtles are related to business success. ”
Photo Taken May 2009 at Wat Lumba Loy, Thailand, by Tum Yum Goong
May 2009, ordination hall at Wat Lumba Loy. Nakhon Nayok, Thailand – Photo by Tum Yum Goong
My mother was always going after me to wear a helmet when I rode my motorcycle. At first when I started riding I did but after I got better I decided it wasn’t necessary for short trips. She would tell me horror stories after she saw accidents on the highway but I would tell her ‘Mom, that was on Sukhumvit and I’m just go down the road/to the temple/market/etc. I always thought she was over-reacting. That suddenly changed a few days ago.
I was awaken in the early morning to the sound of screaming coming from outside. I realized it was my Mom screaming ‘Stop! Stop! Stop!’. Thinking that there’s a fight outside and that she might need help I went outside to take a look. I’m on the third floor and the first thing I see is a motorbike leaning against the fence across the street. I walk to the balcony end and my mother is standing in the street along with some other people while her cousin is squatting next to a woman lying in the street. Her head was in a pool of blood. I yelled down ‘Mom what happened!?’ She shouts ‘Accident, go and take a shower.’ I know my mom will explain later so I do as I am told.
When I came down the woman and motorbike were both gone and the blood had been covered by sand. Inside our business my mother tells me that her brother had come to pick up the bike and that he was shocked that she was injured during such a short trip. Later that afternoon he came back and told my mother that she had to be transferred to a hospital out of town because the hospitals in town couldn’t treat trauma that extensive. For the next several months she will call the hospital home. At some point she will have to have reconstructive surgery on her face but she will still have a disfigurement. For the next several If she’s lucky that’s all she’ll have. I doubt it though.
The accident was not much of an accident at all. For some strange reason she pretty much just fell over. I feel it’s quite horrifying that something that, at worst, should have only resulted in bruising and embarrassment could cause injury that severe. If I had not seen the aftermath myself, I would never have believed someone if they told me. I’m never leaving my helmet at home again.