Goodbye Idiris

Mook – a former student – called to let us know that Idiris passed away on February 14, 2007. That was our first day in Bangkok. Idiris was one of the three young male faculty when I arrived in Kamphaengphet in 1967. But he was different. He was Muslim. He generally ate only fruit and obviously halal foods with other Thais; he bought meat from the Muslim butcher in town and usually cooked his own meals. He lived in a small room in the corner of the school, not far from the house I lived in on campus. We spent many evenings sitting and talking about the world. He taught French and English, but he was much better in French. Much later, after I had left Thailand, he was able to travel to France. I think he stayed six months or a year. He also read the Koran in Arabic. He was much more introspective and serious than most Thais. Idiris was one of the most decent, thoughtful, and caring people I have ever known. He was a good friend to me – both of us somewhat outsiders in this culture. And he had a smile as big as the sky. When we visited Thailand in 1988 with the kids, Monica slipped in with his three daughters so very easily. In summer 1989 he arranged for me to visit Umphang with one of his former students, a police captain. Umphang is a small village on the other side of nowhere. First you go to Maesod – a Thai town over the mountains on the Burmese border. Then on a small road, you go south about 3 hours. There was this sleepy little village. I stayed with the police captain. No electricity, no running water. Last time we saw Idiris was 2003. We stopped by for far too short a time. Even though he was having some health problems, we were talking as if we saw each other every day. We laughed a lot in the nicest sort of way. Mook was calling to arrange a time for us to visit on this trip. Idiris’ daughter told Mook the sad news. We’ll go by to visit Maliwan, Idiris’ wife, next week - on the way to Umphang, where Mook has arranged for us to visit with another former student – Songprasong – who, if I understood right, is the principal of a school there. Good bye Idiris. The world is a little dimmer because you are gone. My life is a lot dimmer knowing I will not see you again.