Sokha Chhim, 75, owns a small battery-powered radio that sits on a shelf near the dining table. After dinner, he often turns it on while his wife washes dishes.
What do you listen to?
News, music, whatever is on. I do not search for programs carefully. I turn the dial and stop when I hear something I like.
Why a radio instead of your phone?
The radio does not send me messages. That is one advantage.
What work did you do?
Many things. For a long time I worked as a helper in a small hardware shop. I unloaded boxes, kept shelves tidy, sometimes delivered orders nearby.
Was it hard work?
When I was young, I did not think so. When I was older, the boxes became heavier. Maybe the boxes did not change.
What is your routine now?
I wake early, sweep the front area, have breakfast, sometimes go to the market with my wife. In the afternoon I rest. After dinner, the radio.
Chhim said his grandchildren sometimes borrow the radio because they find it amusing that it has no screen. He does not mind. “They call it old,” he said. “I call it simple.”
By P. Dara
