He was talking to a regular at Mum's shop.
We were hand-wrestling on the bartop. It is a favourite pursuit in those parts.
Half a dozen Thais asked to take me on. They lost.
Half a dozen Thais asked to take me on. They lost.
It was hard work on my right arm. But after a remark like that one, I could hardly let them win, could I?
I don't know who told Som that I am gay...his mother, perhaps. He has never mentioned it before.
Nor do I know where he picked up the idea that gays are not as strong physically as straight men. His school friends, perhaps.
I was wrestling a guy in his 30s, a wealthy playboy who lives nearby. He did not comment on Som's gay remark.
Mr Playboy might have done better, but had been drinking from a half-bottle of rum he keeps in his shoulder bag.
As soon as I finished wrestling one guy, someone else would step forward. He would take the seat vacated moments before by the previous punter. I didn't have to get up.
Most were regular customers, drinking on the sidewalk in front of the shop. The excitement also attracted one passer-by, a man who sells goods on a mat. He turned up with his mat rolled up under one arm.
I suspected that one had been drinking, too. Before he sat down, he forgot to remove his mat. As he turned towards me, he swung his arm around, knocking over a couple of glasses with the end of the mat. He was lucky they did not break.
Som then had a turn wrestling with the customers.
Mum's son, who is 13, is a big lad. After beating the playboy, he took on the man with the rolled-up mat. He beat him, too.
'You can go back to selling, now,' Som told the guy with the mat. He likes to keep customers moving, unless they are prepared to spend money.
Finally, I arm-wrestled with Som, who I suspect might have held the title of hand-wrestling champion at Mum's shop, as he beat everyone he took on.
He was surprised that I was so strong. 'You use your brains for a living, not your body,' he said.
I am gay, and use my brains rather than my brawn, so I can't be expected to win at hand-wrestling, too. That just wouldn't be fair.
Did I let him win?
No fear.
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