Stingray surat

Thu, 03 Jul 2003 18:56:30 +0700

Dear Friends,

Wednesday July 2, i woke up pretty late as I went to bed around 4 am. in the morning.

One friend of mine will come to see me at the office around noon for an urgent work. And I have to send one photo to my Spanish friend as I promised her and she to leave back to Spain that day.

I was at my office around 1 pm. and head to the Bank first and just waiting on line. My cell phone was ringing and my friend asked me where I am. He did shout to me "surat your office is on fire"

I ran out from the bank at hopped on motobike taxi, took me few minutes to get there. And what I saw in front was the second floor top of my office on big fire. There is no fire brigade yet. The road were blocked by the pollice and a hundred people gather there watching.

I was just sitting on the footpaht near by looking at my office. Where is the fucking water car, where is the hell are they. Fire get biger and I just hope that fire not come down to ground floor.

Traffic near by stuck, then I heard the siren louder and lounder. Fucking hell it was a police car, c'mon I don't need that pig car I need the fire brigade car. Oh yes another coming I can here the siren, yes.. One small water pick up car from some rescue foundation approched. They started to pee to that building, poor them, that water strong as your pee or my pee, how can that pee stop fire. Not long another couple water pickup car came in and start to pee again. Hopeless for me, fire still bigger and bigger but down stair seems still okay.

More than half and hour the big real fire brigade came, and that water not big like my pee anymore. I feel I can hope that my office will be safe. More big car came in and not long they stopped the fire, smoke everywhere till you can not see anything.

I keep calling friends, Martin, Al, David and Jamikorn came. The fire police wanted to get in my office and started to break the front door, Martin stop them and called me to bring the key. Martin took the key and open the door. I don't want to see my office at the first place, but I saw Martin got in and start took things out to the street, i took off my shoes and rant into move things out. Water every where in my office, I got in my darkroom, thank god my enlarger safe, my dark room is like a big box inside the building and that box protected my enlarger.

But out side the dark room just in the water on the foor. Stink and hot in there. I did not move my enlarger. The police asked me to move all things on the street up to the foot paht next door, we did. A couple wander passing by and comfort me and help us to move things. Lovely them. We rested there and we bought beers and celebrate..cheers. Some friend took the photo of me with all thing for memory.

My darkroom box starting worse, the second floor all gone, nothing burn in my office but ruined by water. So many negs lying in the water. Work for client gone in the water. Holy shit...what the fucking day. We started to take out more things and Martin and David to leave to bring the pick up car to take away my stuff. I was there at my stuff with friends and have had more beers.

My enlargers safe, the building and my darkroom ruined, I lost my office. Lastnight I tried to rescue all my negs till 4 in the morning and not finish yet, I hope the rest will be all right.

Martin drove me back home and now all things lying on my house floor with some smoke smell.

I will go to the district and police tomorrow to do some paper work and will get some support from the officer which I don't know how but they want to help anyway.

I almost cry yesterday not for my office but for my friends, when they shown up, hugs me, comforted me,my cell phone always ringing with offer to help. I am very appreciated on their kindlyness, emails from everywhere, most in their country and ended their mails with the word "anything I can help you" that make me just to cry for their kind heart. Tom from Colorado offer to give me his camera, thanks Tom.

Thank you so much my dear God, you did it right you're sent me so many good friends, my good friends around me.

I am fine, I am all right my dear friend. I'll be all right soon. I will start work again next week. I still can smile and keep walking and I will get myself go for the better days.

I can not mention all my friends name here but to let you all to know that I am very happy to have all of you be my friend. I thank you so much to all, thank for your kind heart and your help. I appreciat I will never ever forget about it.

All the best,

Surat Suvanich.