Sasquatch
Không same-same monkey
This Substack is about life in Việt Nam from the viewpoint of a 11-year expat who spent his first 60 years in a low-context culture.
Despite the virtual omnipresence of AI “writings”, this Substack will never use them. Everything published here uses only, unless otherwise noted, my original thoughts and words.
Original thoughts are important. Please do not use AI to write… use your brain… or you will lose it. If that is not enough incentive, then remember that AI is created 100% with stolen content from legitimate writers and creators with original thoughts (not the parasitic so-called “creators” you see on social media).
Art Enhances Life
When I got my prosthetic leg, one of my first thoughts was, “It’s too plain.” It needs art.
Those of you who know me IRL know that I am a bit of an art junkie/collector. Back in the late 90’s I moved from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Olympia, Washington, courtesy of my second — and last — failed attempt to fit into Corporate America. The company paid for movers to come to my home and document and pack everything for the move. Included in the list of packed items were 157 pieces of art that I had displayed in my ~1000 ft2 townhouse.
When I sold almost everything in preparation for my move to Việt Nam, most of those and those I’d accumulated in my 15 years in Olympia were either sold or given to friends. I brought a couple dozen pieces with me — those that I just had to keep.
In my 11+ years here, I’ve bought a few watercolors and oils and a couple statues. I am always, of course, looking for new additions. My most recent acquisition is an unsigned oil I bought in Hanoi during our family trip to get a U.S. visa for H.
As I loaded the photo above, I realized there is a theme coming… you’ll see it in a minute.
Permission
Back to the prosthesis…
My first inclination was to have whatever art I chose airbrushed onto the leg. I even mentioned that in a previous post, to which D.W. suggested1 I do a vinyl wrap instead because it’s both less expensive and easier to change when my mind does.
I took his advice and, a few days ago, I added Sasquatch to my leg:
I “borrowed” the image from a t-shirt I bought on Amazon during my most recent trip to the U.S. — the one to get my leg. The original image has the prosthetic on the left leg and the vinyl wrap guy was able to change it to the right.
I contacted Amazon to see if I could get permission to use the image for only personal use. It took about 30 minutes of on-line chat and a phone call to get that permission, as long as I didn’t “take any ownership of the design.” They even sent me a confirming email.
Thank you, Amazon!
Why Bigfoot?
This is almost the perfect image for me to use, because:
I’m from the Pacific Northwest, Bigfoot’s home turf.
Most Vietnamese people have almost no body hair except on their head and pubic areas. I’ve had quite a few people, mostly strangers, rub the hair on my arm and say “Same-same monkey“.
When my daughter, H, was five, she got me a small monkey stuffed animal. When I asked why a monkey, she said, “Same-same Daddy.” It’s since traveled with me on various motorbikes throughout Việt Nam and in Thailand, Canada, and the U. S.
Yes, I know Sasquatch isn’t a monkey. It still works for me.
Dental Work
About a month ago, I noticed that my upper right third molar (top right rear tooth) was, my tongue told me, broken. I went to a dentist in Dalat whom I’d previously seen, and they told me it wasn’t a cavity, it was deteriorating due to old age. He also told me it needed to be pulled. They told me they couldn’t do it and that I would have to go to Saigon, preferably to a dental hospital.
Instead, I got a referral from a friend who’d recently had extensive dental work, and made an appointment with the recommended dentist at Westside Dental Clinic. She initially told me she could save the tooth, most likely with a root canal.
Great! (sarcasm)
Once she ground down to what good was left of the tooth, she said a crown might do the trick.
Great! (sincere)
And it did. My first-ever dental work other than filling cavities was a success.
Whew!
And you’re in luck… no photos.
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I'm surprised that Amazon was so accommodating. Lawyers must have had the day off.
Looks great! And yes, even though I’m not that hirsute, people in China tugged on my arm (and even leg!) hair frequently.