Milking My Monkey Mind

I stood there replaying the conversation I should have had with the tiny Thai lady who had plummeted my body the night before. Gazing at the first solid step of the 1100 I was about to embark on, to see this glowing Buddha at the top, biting on my straw drinking my Thai choc - soy drink. Deep in contemplation, asking myself questions like Should I bother? What if I get too tired? What if at the top there's some freak I'm forced to connect with..What if..?
A firm urgent tap on my right hip broke my chain of thoughts. I turned to see who was about, then another harder quicker tap was felt on my left  shoulder, causing me to spin around to catch up. Then a dramatic deep ‘Whoosh’ sound by my right ear as I felt a furry hand grab my milk drink out of my own hand and carry on whooshing somewhere overhead into the unseen canopy of trees..
All happened in a matter of seconds, startled and confused I looked up to where the culprit had settled and realised it was a lovely little monkey sat in the tree sucking on my straw and intently holding my gaze. Then like a lightning bolt in pure Tarzan style two other little monkeys swung in on one branch, joining the little fella, sharing my milk drink amongst themselves as if at a family picnic. Then the original - clearly the ringleader- couldn't contain himself and starting laughing manically while staring at me, soon all three were in fits, properly cracking up with me as the butt of their joke. I looked around to see if I could be vilified or somehow have someone to consult, acknowledge or just share my pain. No one. Just myself and the thieving trio, I started to soften as the reality settled in of what had actually just happened. Then I too threw my head back and laughed hysterically at the profound absurdity of the situation.They then laughed harder, as monkeys so effortlessly do.

I had been caught blatantly unaware of my surroundings in the Thai jungle, stuck in my mental chatter, which these intelligent little beings observed and quickly capitalised on; likely a trait they had seen countless times previously in the humble human.

For a long while after I wondered would they have attempted their theft if I had looked like a local Buddhist, calm, clear and grounded in present moment awareness?.
Was my lack of awareness an easy invitation to be taken advantage of? Was there something aloof and naive they picked up on? Likely yes to all of the above..

To be taught this lesson on Mindfulness or lack of it by monkeys was powerful proof to me of God's sense of humour. The utter silliness of the situation and obvious irony of my monkey mind being exposed by Monkeys was just epic and has stayed with me for many years.

As I gathered my thoughts, pride and freshly focused self, starting the climb step by step up the famous Buddha mountain of Krabi; Mind-fully and with the help of my new little friends along the way.