The Post-Partisan Emporium

  Sane Borders, Sabotaged Ones and Gonzalo Lira LINH DINH [Attaroast in Ubon Ratchathani, 7/1/23] Walking into Attaroast, I was loudly greeted by two lovely baristas, so life is good, no? Not exactly. If it wasn’t painful to walk, still, I’d be somewhere else. Again, they’re playing some jazzy rhythm and blues, with just about every line of every song a horrible cliché. “We were so perfect together,” “you broke my heart when you left me,” “I just want to stay with you forever,” etc. For a foreigner, such idiotic lyrics are easier to pick out, so suit them fine. This article, then, is not written under ideal conditions. It took me at least four minutes to put my pants on this morning. I’m wearing long pants to hide my sores. Some look like wounds. I’m improving, though. My right toe is almost normal, and my left knee is halfway healed. Leaking toxins, my bodily border is still a much-punctured sack, sad. I have just 13 days left on my visa. If I’m still unwell by then, I’ll take a taxi

  Ebbing Civility LINH DINH [Pakse, 5/12/23] I had a foul start to my day. At the 24-hour Vietnamese eatery, the overnight crowd leaves a mess which the owner only cleans up around 6AM. Arriving before 5:30, I had to ignore all the tissues on the floor as I ate my egg noodles with duck. There was also some wetness and two sprigs of mint on my table, left by somebody. Worst was a smell of dirty dishes in fetid water. I couldn’t wait to bolt. This explains why pricier Subinh Hotel has become my favorite. It’s still more affordable, though, than a ghetto Chinese takeout with you on the wrong side of the bulletproof plexiglass. Most dishes at Subinh are expertly prepared and artfully presented. A plate of  crispy pork  with cucumber, tomato, carrot, slivers of cabbage and a sprig of cilantro is just $4.27. A dinner of  cashew chicken  with assorted vegetables, rice and a pot of tea is $5.64. In this cool and civilized setting, you can linger in comfort. Just a decade ago, you’d have been h