HE AIN'T HEAVY, HE'S MY BROTHER by the Hollies

That 1960s Hollies hit gets plenty of play in Pattaya, only bargirls have changed to words to suit their need for subterfuge.

"He not boyfriend. He my brother."

The tenacles of an extended Thai family are more tangled than a cluster of fornicating rattlesnakes. The second cousin of a third aunt from your sister's second marriage is family as is almost anyone from your village. Farangs have a hard time getting their head around this galaxy of uncles, aunts, sisters, and cousins, even when the 'cousin' or brother' seems awfully tight with their wife.

"He not boyfriend. He my brother."

And not wanting to call your wife a liar cause many farangs to turn a blind eye to the obvious.

"He ain't her brother, he's her boyfriend."

The words fit the tune this way too.

100%.

In 1983 I was living with Brigitte Yorke in Paris. She had a husband in the South of France. Her explanation of our living situation was that I was gay. Guy accepted my pederastism, because I would show up with a gay friend whenever he came to town plus Brigittie was using me as a beard for her many affairs.

I'm not gay.

Really, so when my mia noi explain that her 'cousin' was gay, I rewrote the words to the Hollies' hit.

"He ain't gay, he's your boyfriend."

Did I end it with her?

What for?

Her cousin was good fun.

After all we are both gay.

To hear the Hollies hit, please go to this URL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si7gu9yGz64