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One of my most treasured Thai friends was Absorn. She was very generous with her friendship, time and skills. In addition to coaching me in Thai, she taught me how to teach English as a second language. She introduced me to the head mistress of the distinguished Wattana Girls Preparatory School. Before I knew it, I was teaching English to female members of the extended royal family. Each little girl had shiny black hair cut in a perfect bob with equally perfect bangs. They wore navy jumpers and crisp white blouses. They were very eager to learn English. The text books that were in use at the school were, yes, Dick and Jane, from the 1940���s. I spent many afternoons on my screened-in porch, which had been named by Absorn the ���Gossip Corner��� because so much news was exchanged there during cocktail hours in the early evenings. I remember many glasses of icy Bangikon Thai vermouth. But the afternoons were quiet and solitary. I corrected school papers and caught up on letters. We had no television and overseas phone called had to be set up by appointment. The time difference and the ever-present crackling made letters the preferred method of communication. I had soon had big news of my own and my staff was very pleased to learn that there would soon be another baby to dote on. Since I had been shamed into being a proper mistress for the household, I learned to tolerate being called Madame and having every one of my requests fulfilled with a ���Yes, Madame. Of course, Madame���. And then, one day, it was not so. HYLAND