Chalerm, Lek AKA The Queen of Si Saket and a new boy came home last night, with Lek wearing stage makeup. Lek is taking part in a cabaret in the hotel where he works.
Chalerm was quick to spray the air with lemon freshener, and I didn’t understand why.
Later, Chalerm and the new boy were sitting at my computer and I noticed a bad smell. It was feet odor. I told the boys I wanted to use the computer (Chalerm has his own) and now it was my turn to spray with air freshener when they got up.
I asked Chalerm what the stench was. Was it the new boy? No, said Chalerm, it was him. Or maybe Lek. Yes, it had to be Lek. I said I hoped Lek would take a shower, and Chalerm said this would be done.
It still smelt strange in the living room, as if those smelly feet had left a layer of revolting air where they had stepped. I used more air freshener.
Later, before going to bed I went to the fridge to get a bottle of water. There was the stench again. I became worried. I remembered an episode of the comedy “Seinfeld” where a valet parking guy left such a BO in Seinfeld’s car that it spread to clothes, furniture and everyone who came near the source. - It’s alive, said Seinfeld. -It’s an entity!
Was this something similar? Where did it come from? Would we have to tear up the floor to get rid of it?
I sniffed my way to the point of origin. It was a pair of leopard patterned shoes left by the fridge. I picked them up. Lo and behold. How could a pair of shoes reek like this? I looked for a plastic bag. I found none that was not used but I took a full one and emptied the contents on a table. This was an emergency. While avoiding skin contact with my fingers I put the shoes in the bag and wrapped it up thight.
Chalerm appeared in the door and asked what I was doing. I gave him the bag. He opened it, sniffed and smiled.
- Is mine, said Chalerm.
- They stink to high heaven, I said.
- I put in kitchen.
- What? You can’t keep those. They smell bad.
- I have only one same this.
- They are ruined. We can’t have them in the house.
Chalerm gave me a hurt look, folded the bag up triple and gave it back to me. I put it in the trash can.
What was he thinking? Thais are sensitive about bad smell. Those shoes would make him the star on the bus, with a large zone of empty seats around him and his footwear.
And how did it happen? I have noticed earlier that some of these cheap Chinese shoes are made of a material that traps foul feet odor and seemingly makes it stronger. It happened to a pair of slippers I bought once. It has to do with the shoes getting wet while the wearer still has them on. There is no cure. Once the beast is loose the shoes end up with the garbage men, who are probably used to it.