Chunlukkun’s parents were modern-day nomads.  They didn’t herd sheep, goats or other livestock moving from one pasture to another; they move around a lot.  After leaving Thailand they settled in West Covina living in his aunt’s house.  A few years later they moved to Los Angeles into an apartment located above a Thai restaurant, which was owned by a different aunt and one that his mother was working at.  A couple years of waking up to the smell of fried rice wafting in from an open window he moved to an apartment complex not to far away form the restaurant.  Not the last stop in Chunlukun’s nomadic life but a memorable one. 

Chunlukkun’s was home alone again; well not really… he was at home with his baby brother Rex.  It was a horrible day…the sun was shining, birds were singing, the new friends he made were out playing around the neighborhood and it was Saturday.  He couldn’t go out because he was responsible for looking after Rex while both his parents were out making ends meet.  He just wished he could go out to play like any other regular 10-year-old.  He really liked this new place lived now, over the past 2 years he had made friends with kids around his own age and there many  places to play around his neighborhood.  His neighborhood; he liked the sound of that.  Maybe they’ll stay here for more than just a few years; maybe these friends he makes now will be the ones who will be with him into his future.  He sighed as he dreamed about stability starring out of the second floor corner apartment.

“Chun!”

Chunlukkun blinked as he looked around to find one of his friends Melvin standing in the lot waving frantically at him, standing in the lot of the adjacent apartment complex. 

“Hey Chun, the guys and I are going to the park!  You wanna come?”  Melvin called out loud enough for his friend, who had his head out the second story window and along with the rest of the neighborhood,

“I can’t go Melvin,”   Chunlukkun said with a sigh “I have to watch Rex.”

“Ok Chun.  See ya later then!”  Melvin yelled out as he ran off toward the park.

What a horrible day.  All his friends are at the park probably eating sugary popsicles form the ice-cream trucks, throwing paper airplanes in to the sky, and running and rolling in the grass.  His parents wouldn’t be back until evening and by then his friends would be on their way back home.  It was just a horrible waste of a good day.  It wasn’t fair, it seem like everybody is out running around and enjoying the day.  Even that damn young kid who lived in the same apartment complex he did, why would Chunlukkun associate with a 7-year-old he had standards damn it.

Did that kid just lean over the side of the wall and stick out his tongue at Chunlukkun?  There he did it again!  Chunlukkun ran and grabbed his water pistol, the cheap ones you get from the previously mentioned ice cream truck, fill it up and waited for the kid to stick his head out again.  He didn’t have to wait very long; he squeezed off a round and let loose a stream of water.

Squirt! Squirt!

The water flew through the air for about two feet and the plummeted to the ground short of the intended target.  the kid seeing that he was out of range of the cheap water pistol promptly stuck out his tongue and let loose a volley of his own… in the form of a raspberry.   It was war!  Chunlukkun garbed some wadded up tissues and wet them down so he had some palm sized spit balls.  He threw three in quick succession and in quick succession the kid dodged all three.  He was preparing to wad up some more tissue an idea crossed his mind. 

He lit the wadded up tissues with the stove walked over to the window and threw his first fireball at the kid… which flew wide and caused the kid to laugh.  He then lit two more and threw them at the kid.  Both missed but the damn kid finally ran off and the battle was won.  The victor being Chunlukkun master of the fire ball, or great fireball hurling warrior Chunlukun!  Hmm … Master Mage Chunlukun yea that sounds awe… why did he smell smoke, oh shit!   He ran out to join the group of neighbors forming a bucket brigade to put out the fire that was blazing along the dried grass.  The kid was among those who where helping putting out the fire along with the line of neighbors who would glare at him and mumble to themselves.  The fire was put out and Chunlukkun’s parents made apology after apology and thanked the the owner of the apartment complex for not filing charges against their arsonist son.  They also gave him a sound talking to, which was followed but a vigorous spanking. 

His family move to a new home shortly after that, and Chunlukkun decided he rather be called Chuck shortly after that too.