Long Ago and Far Away

Handyman or
Endangered Species?

Things have a tendency to break, no matter how careful you are. When was the last time something of yours got broken? Chances are it was pretty recent because so many things we own are not made to last. Manufacturers figured out a long time ago it was best for the consumer to replace, rather than repair ($). So long to the handyman and welcome to the throwaway society. Hello landfill.

A few days ago, the pull tab on my luggage zipper came off for no reason. I'm sure the same thing has happened to you. The zipper is frozen in place and you are totally paralyzed. Off to Walmart to buy another piece of crap. Take it to a shop, you gotta be kidding! Not in Thailand! A guy on the street fixed my luggage in about 30 minutes and charged me $3.50. I think I bought it at Walmart for $60, about a third of the monthly income for many Thai people living in Khon Kaen.