THE SECRET RETIREE: DRUGS AND DEATH
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
It had been a gorgeous morning, bright sun shining on marching and mounted troops, flags unfurled in a slight breeze, with a background of martial music. A scene right out of 1930's or '40's China. The last hurrah of the remnants of the Army of Nationalist China. You would think the weather might have continued to cooperate, but it didn't. April can be a time of rapidly changing weather. The forward elements of the coming monsoons may result in short, but violent, changes in weather. That's what happened at Doi Maesalong that day. The sky suddenly clouded, there was thunder and lightning, mixed rain and hail descended, blown almost sideways by gusts of wind reaching 80 miles per hour. The roof blew off the reviewing stand, the ranks of soldiers wavered, and finally broke, as each person fled for shelter. General Tao, and the others on the stand were escorted back to the nearest army billets by the General's personal guard. They had just left the field when there was an enormous explosion. First, a flash of light, immediately followed by a shock wave of sound that knocked everyone within 100 yards to the ground. The remains of the reviewing stand, reduced to small smoking pieces of wood and bamboo, were scattered over the field. Horses panicked, throwing their riders, and galloped wildly through the debris. "What happened?" screamed Wipha, as she and the others were still on the ground in shock. "We've been struck by lightening," cried Clifford. Ai Seng was the first to realize what had really happened. "It was a bomb," he contradicted. "Let's get out of here now."
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Clifford, a rather shy and inexperienced young man, volunteers himself for missionary service in Thailand. In so doing, he escapes a restricted life in the American Midwest. Although a loner, and finding himself in a culture very different from his own, he learns to accept, and is in turn, accepted by a wide strata of Thai society; ranging from Hill Tribe people to a police general. His involvement in providing information on drug movements to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and Thai police, places him in dangerous situations, and even attempts on his life, which continues even after his retirement.
About the Author
The events that take place in this book, THE SECRET RETIREE; DRUGS AND DEATH, occur in two locations; a retirement community in Southern California, and Thailand. The author lives in a retirement community in Southern California, and previously lived for 33 years in Thailand. He is well acquainted with both locations. His previous book, JAI YEN MEANS KEEP A COOL HEART, is a non-fiction account of those years in Thailand. Fiction can often convey more truth than non-fictiion. In this book, the author draws upon his 33 year experience in Thailand to highlight the customs, languages, food, and geography of that country. His affection and respect for the ethnic minorities in Northern Thailand, known as the Mountain Tribes, is obvious, and he wants to share his insights with others. Current social problems in Thailand caused by drug use and the trafficking of young women are heart wrenching realities.l The author grew up on farms in South Dakota and Iowa. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University and the University of Wisconsin. He was employed by the Montana State Extension Service, working on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. He was an Agricultural Missionary in Thailand for 33 years. Together with Dee, his Hawaiin born wife of Chinese ancenstry, he lives at Pilgrim Place, a retirement community for retired church related workers, located in Claremont, California. He continues to be involved in peace building activities, gardening, reading and writing.