by J. F. Gump
Math remembered the last time she had been in this part of Pattaya. It had been seven years ago, when she was little more than a flat-chested, naïve, sixteen-year-old. She had traveled to Pattaya alone, looking for her second eldest sister, Itta. She hadn’t come on a whim or on holiday. She had run away from her home in Phitsanulok to escape from her father.
Three months after Math turned sixteen, her father, Supit, had come home drunk and in a foul mood. Within minutes a scuffle had erupted between him and her brother Anan. By the time Math realized what was happening, Supit had knocked Anan to the floor and was kicking him. Math intervened by pushing Supit away. Her distraction was brief but effective. Anan escaped through a window. Her father went into a rage at her interference. He hit her hard in the face. The blow knocked her down. She curled herself into a tight ball and pulled her arms over her head and her face. Supit went to the floor after her, flailing her back with his bony fists.
She wasn’t sure how many times or how long he hit her. She passed out after the first few punches. When she finally awoke, he was gone. Her back ached terribly, inside and out. Lying there in agony, she knew she had to get away from the house and her father.
When the pain eased to a tolerable level, Math got up from the floor. She looked around the house, certain that at any moment her father would see her and resume his attack.
He was gone, but her mother was there, and she had been brutally beaten. She washed her mother’s face and helped her to bed. Then she stuffed a few clothes into a plastic bag and left the house.
Math had no idea where she would go, but with only ten baht in her pocket she knew it wouldn’t be far. On impulse, she decided to go to the temple. She knew they sometimes took abused women into the temple and gave them shelter. The motorcycle-taxi driver wanted her entire ten baht for the ride.
At the temple, the monk Jum took care of her. She had known Jum since she was a little girl. It seemed as if every time she had ever visited the temple, he went out of his way to notice her. He was the monk who had helped her pray for a miracle when she needed her heart operation.
While growing up, Math would talk to Jum whenever she was upset or in trouble. He had always listened without criticizing or being judgmental. Sometimes he would offer advice and guidance. Over the years, she had come to think of him as more than a monk - he was her good friend. But, as close as she had always felt toward Jum, he was still a monk.
That night, as she described to Jum what her father had done to her, her brother and her mother, she was sure she saw fury in his eyes.
When she finished talking, Jum told her she must stay away from her father for a few days. He suggested she stay at the temple. Since it was very late, and since she had no money, she decided she had no options. She stayed that night at the temple.
The next morning there was blood in her urine. There was nothing she could do about it except hope it was nothing serious. In Thailand, if you have no money, you have no doctor. She would either live or die.
After two days at the temple, she felt better and was ready to leave. She had already decided she would not go back to her home. She would go to Pattaya and stay with her sister, Itta. Math had no money for food or bus fare, but she had made up her mind. She would go to Pattaya, even if she had to walk. At the age of sixteen she thought she could do anything.
When she told Jum of her plan, he worried she was too young to be traveling so far alone, especially without money. For a while Jum coaxed her to stay, but she refused to change her mind. Eventually he gave up and said he would pray for her safe return.
As she walked away from the temple that day, Jum stopped her and pressed 500 baht into her hand. For bus fare and food, he told her. She accepted his money and promised to repay it when she could. Jum refused her promise. The only thing he wanted in return was for her to come and visit him when she had time.
Math was surprised at his generosity. When she promised she would see him as soon as she returned, Jum accepted that as his repayment.
***************
“Hello, sexy lady,” a man’s voice shouted up at her from the bar below. “Come sit with me.”
The man’s words jolted Math from her thoughts. She blushed, realizing how she must look, standing there alone and staring at the cluster of bars and men.
She moved to the other side of Soi 2, where it wouldn’t seem like she was eyeing the farangs, the foreigners. She continued her scan of the bars from there.
***************
Seven years ago, when Math made her spur-of-the-moment trek to Pattaya from the temple, her second oldest sister, Itta, had been working as a scuba diving instructor. She had no choice except to take Math into her home. No matter that it turned her life upside-down, she couldn’t turn away her sixteen-year-old sister.
At that time, Itta was living with a man from Scotland, but she had been careful to keep it a hidden from her family. Math’s unplanned visit changed all of that. Itta’s secret was exposed. She was relieved when Math accepted the situation as if it was normal.
While Math lived in Pattaya, Itta had taken her everywhere she went - even when she and her Scottish boyfriend went out drinking. They liked the bars on Soi 2 and went there almost every night. Her sister, it seemed, had a lot of friends who worked in the bars. A couple of Itta’s friends, Som Jai and Nao, had befriended Math and treated her like a younger sister.
To sixteen-year-old Math, the glitter and excitement of Pattaya’s nightlife had been overwhelming. The music, the lights, and the crowds of farang men drinking and laughing - she had never seen anything like it. She didn’t even know places like this existed. She was totally enthralled.
Once, when Math told Itta that she would like to work in the bars when she got older, Itta had gone into a rage and spoke very harshly and very loudly to her. At the time, she thought Itta might hit her. Itta hadn’t hit her, but her outburst made Math realize she should never mention being a bar-girl again. Still, at age of sixteen, the idea had excited her. It had excited her enough that she decided to study hard to learn English, just in case she ever did become a bar-girl.
Itta allowed Math to live with her for three months before insisting she return home and finish her schooling. During that period of time, her father and mother had separated. When she returned home, she went to live with her mother.
***************
Tonight, Math saw no one she recognized from her position at the corner of Soi 2 and Second Road. She took a deep breath, then walked back across Soi 2 and into the nightlife of Pattaya.
Chapter 5
Math wandered through the maze of beer bars. It was crowded with farang tourists drinking beer and laughing with friends. Music blared from every bar, each trying to be louder than the next. Smiling Thai ladies vied for the attention of the men.
She searched the faces of every bar-girl hoping to see Nao, or Som Jai, or anyone she knew. After twenty minutes and a lot of bars, she gave up and went back to the top of Soi 2. As she stood there deciding what to do next, a lady on a motorcycle drove up and parked directly in front of her. When the woman removed her helmet, Math recognized her immediately. It was Som Jai. She was older, of course, but her face was unmistakable. “Sawasdee ka, Khun Som Jai,” she said, barely able to contain her excitement. “Do you remember me?”
Som Jai stared at her for a long moment before saying, “No, I do not.”
“Maybe you remember my sister. Her name is Itta. She used to work here in Pattaya as a scuba diving instructor. Her boyfriend was a man from Scotland. I am her sister. My name is Math. I met you a few years ago when I was much younger. Please say you remember me.” Her heart raced in anticipation.
Som Jai smiled. She remembered Itta, but she didn’t remember this girl. “Of course I remember Itta. She is my friend,” Som Jai said truthfully before telling a lie. “And now that I think about it, I remember you too. My, haven’
t you grown up. The young lady I remember was a skinny teenager with barely lumps for breasts. How is your sister? The last I heard, she had married that farang and moved away.”
Math breathed a sign of relief. “Pee sao sabai dee, khop khun ka.. My sister is well, thank you. She is living in Scotland with her husband. I am very embarrassed to ask you this, but I need help. May I ask a favor of you?”
Som Jai tensed noticeably, but her smile stayed in place. Maybe this girl was Itta’s sister, but maybe she wasn’t. Som Jai measured her words before answering. “I will help the sister of my friend, if I can. What do you need? I hope it’s not money, because I barely live week to week myself.”
“Oh no, not money,” Math answered. She told Som Jai the story about her brother and the man at his house. “ I don’t want to go back there tonight and I have no place to stay. I have a little money, but I think not enough for a hotel room. My brother should be home by tomorrow. I need a place to stay for only tonight. Would it be possible for me to sleep at your house?”
It was Som Jai’s turn to show relief. The tension faded from her smile. If the girl was truly Itta’s sister, the least she could do was give her a place to stay for one night. If she wasn’t, well, she was bigger than the girl - certainly big enough to take her on, if there was any trouble.
“Of course you can sleep at my house, but you will have to wait until I finish work. It will be late, you can ride home with me on my motorcycle. Meanwhile, let’s stop standing in the street. I have to work, but you can sit at the bar and talk to some of the farangs. Just be careful. Most of those men are okay, but some of them are not so good. They would love to get you to go with them for a short-time.” Som Jai turned and strolled toward Toy’s Fun Bar.
There were those words again, short-time. Now Math was sure she knew what it meant, but decided to ask Som Jai, just to be sure. When they reached the bar, she said, “Som Jai, what is a short-time? I have heard it two times today already.”
Som Jai laughed. “It’s when a man and a lady go to have sex for an hour or so. Surely you know what sex is.”
Math blushed and lowered her eyes from Som Jai’s face. “Yes, I know what sex is. It’s just that I have never heard those words before.”
Now she had no doubt about the meaning. Sex! Short-time meant going to have sex for an hour or so. Well, Som Jai didn’t have to worry about that. After her recent break-up with Sawat, she had no intentions of getting involved with another man any time soon, maybe never again.
Som Jai wasted no time going to work. She strolled around the bar, stopping to talk and laugh with the foreigners. She seemed to know a few quite well and called them by their names. Others she didn’t know but took the time to introduce herself. The smile never left her face. In fact, all of the girls at the bar wore smiles, but sometimes their words belied their expressions.
Som Jai gave Math a soda to drink but didn’t charge her for it. A few of the bar-girls stopped by to talk. Most wanted to know if she was going to work at the bar. She spent some idle time watching the farangs. None sat close, which was okay with her. She knew this was a good chance to practice her English, but she was not in the mood to talk with drunken strangers. She glanced at her watch. It was only ten thirty. It was going to be a long night.
At eleven o’clock, Som Jai came over and sat down. She pointed down the street and whispered, “The big bosses are coming.”
Math looked in the direction Som Jai had pointed. She saw two well-dressed Thai women, accompanied by two farangs. When they reached the bar, the women went inside the bar area, while the two men sat on the outside with the rest of the customers. She wasn’t sure if the big bosses were the ladies or the farangs.
“The older one is Toy and the younger one is her sister, Lek,” Som Jai whispered. “They own the bar. The two farangs are Lek and Toy’s current boyfriends. Toy is really nice, but not much of a business lady. Lek is okay, but she is all business. I like Toy better. I had better look busy.” Som Jai started another tour of the bar.
Math watched the owners as they went about their business of greeting customers. She was impressed by the women’s confidence in themselves. Especially the one named Lek. Lek left no doubt about who was in charge.
The two farangs, the owners’ friends, had fallen into a deep conversation. They barely paid any attention to the goings-on at the bar. After a few minutes, one of them waved Toy over. The younger man, the one with dark hair, said something which seemed to upset her. Toy went to Lek and talked angrily while pointing at the two men. Lek only smiled. Finally, Toy grabbed her purse and went to sit next to them.
At that moment, Som Jai returned and struck up a conversation. Math turned her attention to Som Jai and lost interest in the farangs and the boss ladies. A few minutes later, a man hugged Som Jai from behind, interrupting their conversation. Math looked up. It was the older of the two foreigners who had arrived with the boss ladies.
“Hello, Som Jai,” the farang said. “How are you today?”
Som Jai smiled. “Hello Mike,” she said politely. “I am very well, thank you. Are you leaving? Where are you going?”
The man ignored Som Jai’s questions. “Who is your friend?” He nodded toward Math. “Is she going to work here?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Som Jai answered. “She is the sister of my friend. She arrived in Pattaya just today. She is spending the night at my house. Where are you going? Are you leaving?”
“I am taking Toy’s boyfriend, Eduardo, downtown. He has come to Pattaya twice now, but he has never been to South Pattaya. Toy insists on going with us. I guess she thinks we cannot be trusted alone. We are leaving as soon as she comes back from the toilet. What is your friend’s name? Does she speak English?”
Math answered the question herself. “I am Math and I speak English. Your name is Mike?”
Mike was surprised at how well she spoke English. He turned his full attention to her. “Your English is very good. Where did you learn it? Have you worked in a bar before?” Like most farangs, Mike assumed if a girl spoke good English, she must have learned it in a bar.
“I am not a bar-girl,” Math responded, her voice clipped. “I have never worked in a bar. I learned English in school. I studied very hard.”
There was a pause while his insinuation, and her rebuttal, took effect. Then, for no reason other than impulse, she added, “You said you were going to South Pattaya. I have never been to South Pattaya. Would it be okay if I go with you and your friends? I am tired of sitting here and I want to see everything in Pattaya. I promise I will not be any trouble.”
Mike hesitated. “Are you sure? I am taking Eduardo to a few places that aren’t very nice. You might see things which would embarrass you.”
“I want to see everything in Pattaya,” she repeated.
“Well, okay,” Mike said after a short silence. “It’s up to you. I need to tell a friend at the Classroom Bar that I will catch up with him later. I’ll be back in a minute. When Toy is ready, we will leave.”
Math watched the farang as he walked across the street toward the Classroom go-go bar. He was an older man, about 45, she guessed. She thought he was a little overweight, but to her, most farangs looked overweight. If he smelled like a farang, she hadn’t noticed. He had a kind face, but his moustache made him look serious.
As she waited for the farang to return, a growing sense of unease crept into her thoughts. She wasn’t sure what she might be getting herself into by going to South Pattaya with total strangers. She searched the bar for Som Jai. She seemed to know the foreigner quite well. Maybe she could tell her something about him. If he was a bad man, she could always change her mind. She caught Som Jai’s attention and motioned her over. “How well do you know the farang named Mike?” she asked.
“I have known Mike for a long time. He is very nice. He works in Thailand. He never takes ladies from the bar, but all of the g
irls like him anyway. Why do you ask?”
“I have invited myself to go to South Pattaya with him and his friends. I just wanted to make sure I would be safe.”
Som Jai laughed. “Mike will be a gentleman with you. If he is not, you tell me and I will hit him. But don’t worry, I guarantee you will be safe with Mike. Just be careful how you act while you are here. Lek, the boss-lady, might not like it if you get too friendly. She treats Mike like he is her personal property. I don’t think Lek really wants him, but she does not want another woman to have him either.”
Mike returned and their conversation was cut short.
“There’s Toy,” Mike said, pointing. “Let’s go.” He grabbed Math by the hand and led her over to Toy and Eduardo. “This girl, uh... I forget her name, wants to go with us,” he said. “I hope no one minds.”
“I am Math,” she said, looking at Mike.
No one else spoke. There were no objections.
“Let’s go then. I vote we grab a baht-bus,” Mike suggested.
“No, we will take my truck,” Toy announced, then walked away, leaving no room for argument.
As they followed, Mike whispered into Math’s ear. “We really should take a baht-bus. It is much easier and faster. There is no easy place to park downtown.”
Almost before he had stopped speaking, Math shouted softly, but loud enough to be heard, “Toy, I think we should take a baht-bus too.”
Mike cringed.
“I am not riding in a disgusting baht-bus,” Toy shouted back pointedly. “We will take my truck.”
Math looked at Mike. He shrugged and continued walking toward Toy’s truck.
Pattaya has its own unique form of public transportation. Most people call it them baht-buses, but a few people call them baht-mobiles. Picture a small pick-up truck with bench seats on either side of the bed and an open-sided, metal cap overhead. These trucks serve as the local bus transportation. Baht is the local currency. Baht-bus! Ten baht (about 25 cents U.S.) will get you to most places you need to go and some places you don’t. The baht-buses follow a set route around town. You get on, ride until you are close to your destination, and then you get off. Ten baht! Easy! But Toy was determined to drive.