“Congratulations on your birthday Khun Wattana. My name is Lek Atitam.” said Lek to Wattana who still stood there smiling towards the direction of Lek. The long stare that Lek was receiving from Wattana was quite uncomfortable, which then caused Lek to continue his kanom making. Wattana watched Lek making his kanom and was surprisingly interested. As a couple minutes pass by, he would ask Lek a couple question such as “What is that?”, or “What are you doing?” while standing near the working table. Although Wattana was totally into what Lek was doing, the parents seemed to have dozed off. Sometimes, Lek caught their head bouncing from side to side.

    Out of boredom, Lek started a conversation with Wattana who was still inspecting intently at what Lek was doing.

    “Khun Wattana, if you don’t mind me asking, what is your age?”

    Wattana changed his stance, and then replied, “If you are talking about right now, then I am 17 years old. But if you are talking my incoming age, then I will be 18.”

    Lek gave a gentle nod as sign to show his understandings. “Khun…”

    Before Lek can ask Wattana another question, Wattana interrupted, “You don’t have to keep calling me Khun. I give you permission to call me just by my nickname, Wat.” Lek just silently stared at Wattana, wondering what he should respond back. “Why don’t you try it! Just say Wat.” demanded Wattana abruptly. Lek thought that the idea wasn’t a good one since Wattana’s parents was just sitting right there dozing off. He continued to work on his kanom and ignored Wattana. However, Wattana kept imploring him to call him by his nickname. Therefore, in order to settle Wattana down, Lek just quickly asked Wattana a question without addressing him politely. “Wat, do you have a girlfriend?”  Lek was expecting an exciting and confident answer from Wattana since he seems to be the type of person to be excited about everything especially when it concerns about him. However, Wattana’s response was rather dull and hesitant. “Of course I have a girlfriend. Why would you ask such question?”  Lek shrugged.

    It was the time of late noon when Lek finished the Kanom Look Choop. By then the parents had woke up and prepared to leave the shop already since they had waited their whole morning. As Wattana gathered up their kanom on the request of his dad, his mom introduced herself and her husband to Lek. “Although we’ve been here the whole day, we’ve never got to properly introduced ourselves to you. I am Malai Naowarot and my husband is Nopadon Naowarot. Thank you for making us our Kanom Look Choop. You are surely talented since you are able to make such exquisite Look Choop.” Lek thanked Malai for her compliment, and then gave a farewell to the whole family as they left the store happily.

    By the time of 3:00 pm, Lek’s mother finally appeared back at home. To Lek’s surprise, his mother was in a joyful spirit. She had a smile on as soon as she entered the house while Lek was still cleaning. Normally, she would come home with a frown and an exhausted expression after finishing an errand. However, today was different and unique from the other days. Lek quickly placed the dish that was in his hand down on the table and walked to greet his mom. “Khun Mae (Mom), are you hungry? I’ll go make some food for you.” Lek turned back to the kitchen, but was stopped by the mom’s pull. “Lek, you don’t have to make anything for me to eat tonight. I am already full. Can you please just come and sit here with me?” Lek thought that his mother was really strange today. Although she spoke with a smile on, Lek knew that his mother was up to something due to the tone of her voice. Lek nodded his head as his response, and then went and close the entrance door, which resulted a silent house that only had Lek and his mother inside.

Lek’s mother sat in the high chair while Lek sat on the ground giving full attention to his mom. His mom looked deep into his eyes and calmly asked him, “If I was to leave this world, what will you do?” Lek gave a confused smile and replied back, “Mae, what are you talking about? Why would you be leaving this world?” Slowly, his mother caressed his face and told him, “Nothing. I was just testing you. Today while I was out in the market, a grandma was just telling all the moms out there to ask their kids the question and see how their kids will respond. It seems like you’re a little too old to use this question on.” Lek grabbed his mother’s cold hand and massaged it. “If you leave this world, I will leave this world with you because you are my world. I have to stay with my world, right?” Lek’s mother grinned with watery eyes and hugged Lek’s head tightly. “Right, you are right, Lek.” The hug was lasted for a long time, and then Lek’s mother broke it off by telling Lek that there is still work to be done, therefore, Lek should go back and clean the shop.

Followed by the next morning, Lek was repeating what he did everyday. Get dress, cook for his mom and him, help his mom make kanom, and then help sell the kanom at his shop outside of his house. As Lek was setting up the kanoms in their appropriate spot, Malai and Nopadon visited the shop again. Lek politely greeted them. “Welcome. Is there anything that you would like to buy today?” Malai replied, “We just came today to see if we want anything, nothing specific. By the way, your kanom Look Choop yesterday was super tasty! I’ve never ate any Look Choop that tasted as good as yours.” Lek thanked Malai in response. Abruptly, his mom came out from the house and greeted Malai and Nopadon. “Welcome. Is there anything my son and I can help you guys with?” Malai did all the responding while Nopadon was wandering around the shop back and forth looking at all the displayed kanom.

A bird about the size of a woman’s hand with brown feathers landed on top of the rooftop of Lek’s house unnoticed. Lek inched back towards his house to retrieve water for Malai and Nopadon without caution of the bird that was settled on top of the rooftop. As he inched back, the bird gave a little bit of itself to Lek; his feces. The feces landed spot on Lek’s hair, and then traveled itself into Lek’s scalp. The stickiness and moist of the feces caused Lek to noticed what had happened while he was walking towards the house. He calmly rubbed his hair with his hand to check whether or not what he think is was, or he was just imagination. With disappointment, it was feces.

In the background, he could hear his mom asking him, “What’s wrong?” Lek replied back, “Oh, there happened to be a bird that decided to release itself on my head.” His mom shook her head violently. “Go take a shower. I’ll take care of the customer.” said Lek’s mom to Lek, and he responded with a nod.

While Lek was taking a shower, his mom was dealing with Malai and Nopadon. Abruptly, Malai striked a conversation with Lek’s mom . “Lek’s mom ka, your son is really talented. Yesterday when my husband and I came here to order some Look Choop, there was no more, but then Lek was willing to make some for us right on the spot. The Look Choop that he made was good.” Lek’s mother gave a slight smile, and then replied, “Thank you. Lek had been making kanom ever since he was born. He is an obedient child.” Nopadon and Malai gave each other a smile. “If I and Nopadon can have a son like yours, who can make us kanom all the time, and plus his handsomeness, we would be considered really lucky.” said Malai unexpectedly. Lek’s mom stared intently at Malai and Nopadon after Malai’s statement. Many thoughts ran through her head, and most of them was the thought of her appointment with the doctor yesterday concerning about her bad health. Visions of the doctor timidly telling her that she will probably not last through this month due to the incurable tumor in her brain approached her mind. She worried that one day she will die all of a sudden, or go into a coma, in which it will cost Lek to be in pain even more.

Lek’s mom quickly snatched Malai’s hand, and ask her in a desperate tone of voice, “Khun, I don’t know you much, and you don’t know me much. However, you saying that you want a son like him makes me very happy. Do you perhaps want him to become your son? I can make that happen.” Malai and Nopadon looked at each other with astonished expression. “I will give him to you guys for free. Just take him, and promise me that you guys will love him.” Malai laid her hand on top of Lek’s mom and asked her in a quiet voice, “What is happening? Why are you willing to give out such a precious child?” Lek’s mother answered back in a quivering tone, “ I just want my son to live in a happy life for once, and have a person who he can call father.” Lek’s mother gave a quick glance at Nopadon. “Before he was born, his father never wanted him. Therefore,his father ran away and left me and him behind penniless. As soon as I gave birth to him, I never had time for him. I was always working, and saving money so that I can buy a house and open this kanom shop. He always had to help me which caused him to not have any friends, but he always pretended that he was alright with it.” Nopadon realized how saddened Lek’s mother had become. He sincerely gave a response, “If you’re willing to do this for your kid, I am willing to help. My wife and I will gladly adopt Lek as our second son, and provide him with everything that we can.” Malai interrupted, “Nopadon, don’t you realize that this will not only affect Lek, but also his mom. How can you say that?” “Please don’t worry about me. If you guys are willing to take him in, I will give him to you guys. He is only 15 years old, he will learn to adapt to you guys.” Malai gave a concerned look to Lek’s mother. Malai felt that there was something that Lek’s mother was hiding from them, and it had to be about a serious matter. However, since Lek’s mother was pleading for Malai and Nopadon to take Lek in, Malai couldn’t do anything else but to happily accept the offer.

Lek finished his shower, and came back outside of the house where Malai, Nopadon, and his mom stayed. He was completely clueless on the discussion that the elders had while he wasn’t present. His mom made a longing eye contact with him, and then quickly demanded, “Lek, today you will be going to their house tonight. They want you to make a large amount of kanom for them.” Lek displayed a smile on his face as he spoke to Malai and Nopadon. “How about I just make the kanoms here in my house, and then when I am done, I will deliver it you your guys house? I believe that this way will be more convenient for you guys and my mother.” Malai gave a slight nod as a response, but then was interfered by Lek’s mother’s voice. “Lek! Go with them. You can’t treat our customer like this, and plus, they’re willing to pay us a lot of money! Right now I need the money, so go!” Lek’s mother grabbed Lek by his biceps, and pushed him towards Malai and Nopadon. But before Lek’s mother was able to push Lek, he was able to capture his mom’s face. There was a small noticeable shimmer at the corner of her eyes; it was either a tear, or a blurred image for Lek. Her lips wavered uncontrollably like the waves at Hua Hin. The mother’s hands that gripped onto Lek’s bicep reminded Lek of a memory when he was a small child, and his mother held tightly on his whole body as she carried him to the hospital due to bullies that attacked him because he was fatherless. He remembered his mother’s pants and sweats as she ran him to the hospital, and her rare words, “My baby, my baby.” The grip that Lek’s mom has on him at the moment reminded of safety and care.

Lek snapped out of the memory, and obediently obeyed his mother’s demand. “Krap Khun Mae. I will go with them, but I will return tomorrow morning. Don’t work to hard na.” Malai clutched Lek’s arm loosely, and then ushered her husband to go into the car that was parked in front of the shop. She and Lek followed Nopadon.

After Lek’s mother was assured that Malai, Nopadon, and Lek had left the scene, she quickly ran into the house and closed the door without locking it, and forced her whole weight to the floor.  Her hands cupped in order to prevent the devastated cry that will burst out any seconds. Streams of tears traveled down her natural face. The thoughts of giving her child away was never an idea that she planned when she was young. She confidently believed that when she have her own children, she will never depend on anyone to raise it other than her and her husband. Sadly, the heavens played game on her, and made things happened the total opposite. Lek’s mother slowly laid down on the floor with her head resting on her left hand. Flashes of happy memories of her and Lek being together appeared in front of her teary eyes. One memory was her sneakily tucking in Lek to bed, trying her best not to wake him up. Another one was her trying to calm Lek down when the other town kids bullied Lek about being fatherless, and lastly, one was Lek giving her a beautiful wildflower that he picked up for her when he went to Hua Hin. After he handed the flower to her, he kissed her cheek, and proudly proclaimed, “I am my mother's son. Lek Atitam.”

Lek’s mother smiled greatly at the memories that she created with Lek, and then reached for the air as if she was caressing Lek’s smiling face. “Right, you are my son. My baby, my baby, Lek Atitam.” A tear quickly rolled down the corner of her eyes onto the floor as she flashed a last smile. There she laid, painless, mentally and physically.