Y2K

I ended up at Y2K for the first time on my first Friday night in Mae Sot. Patrick and Brooke told me they were taking me out to meet people, but the only people I met were their significant others and a British girl named Mel. We had some beers and chatted. Someone said, "Lets go to Y2K!" Brooke got very excited and told me that girls wear fur bikinis there, and it was settled. We went.

People who have lived in Mae Sot for ten years or more have never been there. Last night was my third time.

The second time we went, it was an organized outing. Inspired by our first evening there, several people were persuaded to join in and we went en masse. Last night, it was just kind of spontaneous. There we were again, drinking beer and feeling like dancing, so off we went.

One of the funny things about Y2K is that I still don't know how to get there. It's the fault of the quantity of beer we have to drink in order to feel like going. There's a tricky turn involved and a small back road. I often don't have any recollection at all of even getting home, let alone how I got there.

Whiskey seems to be the only drink on the menu there and you have to order it by the bottle. I had never drunk whiskey before coming to Thailand. Actually, whiskey and soda is a surprisingly good drink. Or maybe I'm just used to it now, who knows?

Y2K is the local disco. The music is so loud that the building actually does shake. You can hear it rattling when you pull up out front. Men in white shirts and ties escort you to a table, if there is one left, then take your order. (Will it be whiskey or whiskey? Hmmmm....) There are stools but mostly people stand around their table. Unfortunately, there is no dancefloor and actually not a lot of people dance. I haven't figured out yet why they go really. The music is atrociously loud, so there is no chance of having a conversation. There is a DJ and a band with two female singers that alternate. One of them indeed wears skimpy outfits although she has been favoring huge boots and silver spacegirl clothes on all of the occasions I have been. I have yet to see the fur bikini I was originally enticed with.

I, of course, go to dance and my mission is to get the most number of Thai people dancing with me. Last night this included a table of ladyboys celebrating someone's birthday. I dont' know any of the people there and I doubt they know me so its a good place to go a little crazy dance around and be the big white fool that I am.

And that's what I do for a change of pace and a shot of fun on a Saturday night. Oh, small town life, look at what it does to you.