This past weekend Heidi and I visited Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, a massive weekend affair with over 15,000 stalls for vendors to offer their wares. Because of COVID there were lots of empty stalls, but also plenty of open ones hoping for a piece of the currently-meager tourist trade, augmented by expats and some locals.
Heidi and I had stopped to rehydrate, and while sitting on our stools a man and his wife walked up and opened the gate on the shop next to our beverage stand. They seemed to be selling quirky light fixtures, wood and steel, in a dark, spare stall. That contrasted with our drink outlet, which was shiny stainless and white paint.
Our vendor was a young Chinese woman who ran her stall with several Thai friends. The lighting couple were older, like grandparents. But they knew and greeted each other warmly. Another vendor from a nearby stall wandered over to say “Hi” as well.
It’s unlikely these people knew each other outside the market context, but they formed a little community brought together by circumstance, the proximity of their market stalls. They knew and cared about each other.
When you think about it, what communities of circumstance do you belong to?