MangoZeen

SEMI-FICTION by Pascha Ray
I’ve been arrested several times in my life.
Age 12 for vandalizing an abandoned missile base. Age 21 for driving over a bed of flowers at a girl’s college. Age 25 in NY for running an after hour club. Age 31 in Paris for writing a love poem on the British Embassy wall. […]

When I first toured the Orient, friends and family asked, “Are you scared of someone robbing you?”

“I live in the East Village.” The neighborhood welcome wagon in 1977 had been Hakkim and his junkie friends cleaning out our apartment. “I’ll be careful.”
Truthfully the greater danger was my losing something.
Nothing of value can stay in my […]

After New Year’s Day my wife packed up the car with Angie, Champoo, and her sister for the drive to Chai-nat. I was once more being deserted to my own devices in Pattaya. I was no longer doing drugs. Not even cough syrup.
“I’ll be fine.” I kissed my wife and daughter good-bye. They had a […]

Fabo and I were sitting in the garden of the Welkome Inn. He was drinking Heineken and I was supping a cold San Miquel Lite. Unexpectedly two unordered bottles arrived at the table. The waitress explained that a girl had received ten million Zaire Francs from a customer and rung the bell for the entire bar. […]

I turned 55.
I never thought I’d be this old, however everyone here in Thailand says, “You not old. Not old same Thai.”
This would be comforting, except the Thais are very gracious liars.
I know the truth.
My knees are shot and I don’t think I can outrun my 3 year-old daughter much longer, then again why would I run […]

Champoo my dog had been missing over a day. My wife said she had probably been stolen, but also suspected the little Tzit-Tzhu might have been left behind during my travels. To be honest I couldn’t remember when I had seen the dog last.

My wife and I handled Champoo’s disappearance with different temperaments.
I printed photos […]

I am honest and looking in the mirror I have to admit one thing.

I am a fuck-up.
I even have a letter from the CIA dated 1/2/80. Lawrence Woodward, director of Employment, wrote,”….no vacancy has been found for someone with your academic background and experience.” which was mostly smoking pot and hanging out at gay bars hunting […]

My second sister likes to say I lie.
In some ways she’s not wrong, even if I prefer to think I perceive things differently from everyone else.
She’s a lawyer.
I have my rules and she has hers.
I recently returned to Boston for my younger sister’s birthday. I know you’re not supposed to tell a woman’s age. I’m a bad […]

It’s been two years since I’ve been back in New York and everyone asks if I see anything different.
First it’s colder than I remember, second I have to wear shoes and soxes too, third beers cost about 240 baht at a bar, and lastly young girls don’t smile at me. In fact they scowl if […]

I’ve been in the USA almost ten days. New York and Boston. Neither had been totally conquered by the obese barbarians, although my brother, who has a million dollar beer belly said, “Disneyworld. No adult there is under 300.”
Maria from Korea added, “I was in St Louis and everyone at the riverboat casinos was over […]