What I enjoy most about this show is the tone, and at the backdrop of this tone, is this thoughtful writing. I feel like I am part of this world, rooted with these characters whom I have come to care about. Because of the author’s thoughtfulness, she opens up a world where we can sit back, relax and trust in the process.
In this episode, Chet gets a new housekeeper (houseboy) and on his survey of the population, he learns more about the former Nai Amphoe, directly from the people of his district.
EPISODE 3 RECAP
Chet comes home to find Yang (Saleen) waiting up for him. He gives her the raised eyebrow and asks what business she has with him. Saleen beams and says she wants to be his houseboy, even though Chet thinks they already put that to bed. Saleen puts her hands together and begs to be hired, then as Chet declines and walks past her, Saleen latches on to his hand. She says she won’t let go until Nai Amphoe hires her, to which Chet says she can’t use that card with him because he will just kick her if she doesn’t let go. Ha. Saleen stubbornly says she won’t leave the spot until Nai Amphoe hires her. Chet peers at her for a while as she pleads that she has no place to go (and it is getting so very dark out). Chet finally caves and says she has until the end of the month to prove that she is a good fit. Saleen vows that she will do her very best and not disappoint him.
But not even two seconds later, she asks who else lives at the Amphoe’s house. Chet says it would be just the two of them. Gulp. No wife or kids. Gulp. Saleen starts to get nervous thinking that she’ll be living alone with a man, but Chet reminds her that if she’s fussy she can leave. He orders her to bring a cup of coffee before he heads out to work in the mornings. Saleen thanks him again, this time in Isan dialect, but Chet just gives her one of his inquisitive looks. He finds the boy strange, lol.
Saleen prays to the gods for her mission to be a success. She lies down in bed and falls fast asleep. Chet realizes that he doesn’t know the boy’s name and as he waits for his morning coffee (which never showed up), he starts for the boy’s room. He finds the boy still asleep in yesterday’s clothing lol. Chet is incensed that the boy is lazy, and it’s only the first day. He tries to wake the boy up, to no avail, and decides he’ll startle the boy awake by shouting into his ears. But just as Chet leans down, he gets a waft of her scent. HAHAHA. It doesn’t seem like she smells bad, the opposite in fact, since Chet is trying to investigate more of her scent. That is when Saleen stirs awake and screams for help, thinking someone was about to rape her.
Chet tries to explain himself and says, “it’s me” but gets a swift slap in the face instead. Lmao. He gets up in irritation and Saleen finally gets a good look at his face, then immediately regrets her actions. She apologizes profusely and Chet questions who the heck would rape a boy unless he’s sick. Saleen realizes that she’s supposed to be a boy. Chet points his finger at her and questions if she’s actually a girl and is lying to him. Ack! Spot on as always Nai Amphoe Chet! Saleen says she’s a man 100% and questions HIM on why he was leaning over her. Heh. Chet explains himself, which gets Saleen apologizing again for sleeping in. Chet gives her a warning that if she wants to continue working for him, she cannot be lazy. Chet lists off her daily chores and gives her meal allowance for the day. It’s like he’s giving instructions to a child, it’s hilarious. As he turns around to ask for her name, he finds her lying down in bed again. LOL. Saleen introduces herself as Yang. (So to keep things simple, we are going to refer Saleen as “Yang” when she’s in her man getup, and refer to her as Saleen when she’s a girl again.)
Sahlee is Loi’s mistress, and Pong’s sister. Both the maid and Yodying do not like her, as they treat her like another maid, but Sahlee doesn’t backdown. Loi warns her, after hearing enough of the bickering, that she needs to know when to pick her battles. Yodying warns her dad that his mistress is still young and pretty, he should watch out because she’s going to bring trouble.
Pong reports to Loi that since he’s done with Nai Amphoe Kreuk’s case, he needs to get paid for the other half. Loi orders Win to handle it, and to ensure there’s no trace left behind. Yodying asks if that means that Pong will be silenced, to which Loi tells her to shut it. But Yodying wonders why, when Pong has helped them, and he’s also Sahlee’s brother. Loi doesn’t want it to come back to bite them and makes it clear to Yodying that they are the only two that knows this.
Pong doesn’t trust anyone, even the people who hired him to do the job, so he’s extra careful when receiving the money. As he takes the money from Win he promises that he’ll be out of their hair forever, they’ll never see him again. He does ask for Phor Yai Loi to take care of his sister Sahlee. They turn to leave but Win spins around (shocking Pong who points a gun at him) and asks if Pong hasn’t thought about treating him to a meal now that he made so much money. Win leads him to their spot, both wary of the other, making us wonder when Win is going to strike lol.
Finally, Win spins around and knocks Pong with a stick and tells him that he’s going to kill him. The two shoots back and forth at each other, when it looks like Win is closing in on Pong, Win makes it a case to tell Pong that he’s no match for him. Pong drops his gun and tells Win that he’ll give him some money, which makes Win scoff because he’s going to kill Pong and take his money. Pong, apparently a better match, makes his escape even while getting shot in the back, since Win ran out of bullets. Hahaha. It’s almost poetic justice because Pong no longer has the money (100,000 baht, which doesn’t seem like a lot of money, but it is to him). Win doesn’t see the blood dripping from the treetop and Pong lives to breathe another day.
Loi scolds his underling for failing to kill Pong, when Pong is a mere driver. He orders for all the minions to go after Pong, and anyone who finds him would receive the money.
Taeng-on finds out she hasn’t been hired to do housekeeping at Nai Amphoe’s house. She wonders why because she was the top three candidates to win Isan beauty contest. Her uncle says Nai Amphoe wants a male to do the job, which makes Taeng-on question if he’s gay. Long Chat explains that the close proximity between a single man and woman may be lead to impropriety, so Taeng-on wonders if Nai Amphoe is afraid he might like her. Lol, this one. Long Chat says she’s still responsible for bringing food to the Amphoe’s house.
Saleen promises mom that she would call every day because she doesn’t want mom to call her in case her disguise gets found out (though she doesn’t tell mom that she’s pretending to be a guy). Mom says she loves Saleen (aw) as she worries herself on the other end. Taeng-on goes to Nai Amphoe’s house to give her competitor a piece of her mind. Just as she approaches Yang and is about to slap him (her), Taeng-on is immediately smitten by the pretty face, which is just her type. LOL. Taeng-on starts flirting right away, and with Yang showing disinterest or being difficult, makes Taeng-on even more interested. She follows Yang everywhere and even jumps on him to give him a smooch on the bed. She compliments Yang for smelling nice like a woman. So she does smell nice, lol. Yang shoos her away.
Meanwhile Chet goes on his survey run, observing the countryside, meeting the people along the way. We really do get a good sense of his work and how much he cares about what he does, it is more than a job, as he sets out to meet the people of Isan district and try to understand their needs. During a lunch break, he hovers around a family having lunch. He inquires the area behind the mountains. One of the people says that most likely there are farmlands even beyond that, though it’s a small population. Chet learns that there are no electricity/water that extends to that remote area, just mountain and forest. The person comments that seeing Chet reminds him of Nai Amphoe Kreuk, who would survey the population, and help the people. Chet asks if the man thinks Nai Amphoe Kreuk is guilty, to which the man relents that he doesn’t believe it. They say that Kreuk is a good man and probably was accused. They advise him to beware of challenging the powerful here.
COMMENTS
I can watch Nai Amphoe Chet visiting the villages, talking to the people and helping them out as the title song plays in the background ALL DAY. He is a dreamy one. I love that the chorus of the song sets the mood for the whole series, and defines Chet perfectly:
You are a song that I hear once, and I’m impressed
You make me believe that there is still goodness
I have nothing to compensate you other than this heart
It is a reward I hold onto every minute
From this moment I will love only you
What’s even better than that? Prim Prima sang it. Swoon.
