Life at Oddar Meanchey

Oddar Meanchey is a province. There is a good sized lake for
people to cool off during the heat of the day. We were not close to
the lake, maybe 2 miles away. Once in awhile we took a leisure
drive to town to see the lake.

Since Oddar Meanchey is close to Thai boarder, I assume there
were trade goods coming in and going out. The farm was situated
that I could see traffic coming and going. Just a note: houses are not
built on stilts, because we are not near the flood plain. Still they may
be elevated to keep the domestic animals and snakes out. The complex
apartment of ours was not elevated.

My duties here were to protect the farm produce from thieves
during the day time. During the night they can help themselves.
I was too young to cut down trees and put them in the fire. I did some
burning with what was available to burn. Most of the time I was alone. I did
handle customers who came to buy potatoes. The distance from home
to the farm is somewhere between 3 and 5 miles. A road runs along the property
for easy access that connected to the road that leads to Thailand. I either
walked or biked. Once in awhile I would take what we call a 'molad.' It's
a bike with a motor. I think I ended up pedaling it instead of letting the motor
propel me forward. I must have choked it to death, because it would not
run for me. What did I know about small engines? And it was harder to
to pedal on the deep powder clay road.

My other duty was to massage the body and legs of this head man
that we lived under. From what I remember of him he looked too much
like a French man with sharp big nose. I got along with every one. They
never mistreated me in anyway. I think my brothers would have been
envious of my status of life with these people. I was a willing 'servant.'