The class giggled. But Mr. Tep, never one to miss a joke, added, "But now I am old — maybe chhmuah thla (expired expensive)!"
And every time Miss Srey Rath saw him chasing his runaway ox or tripping over a chicken, she’d whisper to herself, "Some angels cost more than others… but this one is priceless." A funny Khmer name isn’t a curse — it’s a conversation starter, a memory keeper, and sometimes, a ticket to being the most beloved character in the village.
Mr. Tep nodded proudly. "Yes. My mother prayed very hard for me. Many offerings. So I am expensive."
This was funny enough on its own. But the real humor came when the village received a new young teacher from Phnom Penh, Miss Srey Rath. On the first day of school, she called roll for the adult literacy class. "Tep Thla?" she called out.
