You arrive to this arena, not as dressed up as you could be, but still dressed up in comparison to anybody around, with the exception of a couple or two way over the other side. You’ve just passed the entrance without paying too much attention. It didn’t look like there was much too see. Just some people acting uptight about getting taking your ticket from you. Now that you’ve settled into your seat you look around. You’re early. That’s fine, this way you get to feel the place before anything happens.

As more people begin to take more of the seats you notice this strange music in the background. You point it to your partner and your partner laughs. “It’s like the sound of a chicken being slaughtered”, “Except its being slaughtered for the last half an hour”, “The bells, and the drums, they’re funny, hunh?”

You go to this stand to get some Coke and some chips. Maybe a Thai beer? No, you’ll get the Thai beer later. Then you see a funny tape. It has a boxer on it. You laugh. You’ve guessed it, its the music they’re playing in the background. You laugh again, at the thought of buying it . Then you think of the children. How are you going to explain the sound of chicken being slaughtered? They’ll be amused by the first five minutes of it. Good. Reason enough to buy it.

You go back to your seat and you show it to your partner. You both laugh. Then you mention the kids. Then you admit missing them and wishing they were with you, although it has been nice just the two of you. And then they dim the lights. You take a last look at this place, and you see the local’s faces still casual. You look around some more and you notice that it has filled up quite a bit. You turn to your partner to see the camera coming out. The show is about to begin.

This kid comes on stage. He’s dressed in these wacky shorts. And gloves. Is this a joke? Then another kid comes on stage. The new kid has fancier stuff on. The music changes. More chicken music. The second kid starts doing some funny ritual moves. Up, down, putting his gloves out as if touching an imaginary object... Maybe its the imaginary god of boxing, or his grandfather, or something... Then he goes around the ropes, moving his gloves along the lines, and doing another ritual