by J. F. Gump
Just before he stepped onto the escalator leading down to baggage claim and customs, he waved at Jim and motioned he would meet him downstairs.
The first of the luggage appeared on the carousal as he entered the area. Without even noticing, he ended up standing next to his seatmate. "Hello again," he said, when he realized she was there.
She looked up, "Oh, hello. Sorry, I don't remember your name."
"My name is Mike. You never told me yours."
"I am Thichakorn. My friends call me Itta."
"Do you live in Bangkok?"
"No, my hometown is north of here."
"Chiang Mai?"
"No, but my sister lives there. My home is in Phitsanulok. Oh, there's my suitcase." She snatched it from the carrousel and hurried away.
Mike's heart jerked frantically. Math had been from Phitsanulok. He wondered if this woman knew her. He wanted to follow her and ask, but his legs wouldn't move. He watched as she wrestled her luggage onto a cart and headed toward customs. Suddenly, he found himself walking in her direction. She had exited the baggage area before he came within voice range.
"Do you know anyone with the family name of Bongkot?" he shouted.
She stopped and looked over at him. Her own surname name was Bongkot. Why would he ask such a question? "What?" she shouted back. The customs agent ordered her to keep moving.
"If you know the family, tell them I think of them often."
His words stunned her. How could he know her family? This was all too weird.
Itta passed beyond sight.
Mike thought he saw recognition on her face when he said Bongkot. He wondered if she did know the family. Probably not, he decided, and returned to the baggage area. Jim was watching the endless circling of suitcases and boxes.
"My offer of sharing the taxi is still open, if you're interested," Mike said.
"A man on the flight said it could be dangerous going to Pattaya this time of the night. He said there was a hotel next to the airport. I have decided to stay there if my ride doesn't show up. I think right now I need a good night's sleep. I appreciate the offer, though."
"Mai pen rai," Mike responded. "It can be dangerous going to Pattaya at any time. Look me up when you get into town and I'll show you around. I'm staying at the Amari Orchid Hotel. If you don't find me there, try Toy's Fun Bar. It's at the corner of Second Road and Soi 2."
Jim nodded and they shook hands.
The air outside the terminal clung like a wet blanket. It was overcast but not raining. The breeze was slight to none. Exhaust fumes stung his eyes. Sweat instantly formed on his forehead. He went to the taxi stand and hired a driver to Pattaya. Within minutes they were moving down the freeway toward Bangkok and beyond. The rear seat of the taxi was small and uncomfortable but at least it was cool. The air conditioning made up for any shortcomings. He watched as the driver steered his taxi in and out of traffic. The young man liked to speed but he didn't take risks. Mike relaxed, he had a good driver.
The sprawling metropolis of Bangkok slid past on both sides of the vehicle. He strained his memory to recognize the shape of the skyline. Beyond an occasional landmark, he drew a blank. Had Bangkok changed so much in the year he had been gone, or was he just getting forgetful? He supposed it could be either or a bit of both.
Within thirty minutes they had passed the heart of the city and were moving south and east toward Chonburi, Sri Racha, and Pattaya. The road was lined by a continuous stream of gas stations, roadside shops, and outdoor restaurants. The old contrasted sharply with the new. Traditional Thai food cooked over glowing charcoal embers while gas pumps filled Mercedes Benz sedans. Ramshackle buildings stood in the shadow of modern high-rises. Pink fluorescent lights merged with yellow mercury vapor.
The traffic thinned as they left the outskirts of the city. The driver pushed his speed up to 120 kilometers per hour and held it steady. Not far from the Chonburi bypass they stopped at a gas station. Mike bought two beers and a soda while the driver relieved his bladder. When the driver returned, Mike handed him the soda and offered a cigarette. He accepted both. They stood outside and smoked before returning to the coolness of the cab. They reached the northern edges of Pattaya at one o'clock in the morning.
Chapter 23
It was just after nine o'clock when Nuang finished her dinner. She waved the waitress to her table, paid her tab, and left the street-side restaurant. Her heart raced at what she had decided to do. She was going to get a job as a bar-girl.
The idea grated hard against her morals but she pushed it aside. She didn't know for sure, but she suspected her sisters Itta and Math had done the same thing. How else would they find rich foreigners to love and take care of them? Maybe she would find one who could help take care of her baby and Somjit.
She braced herself and crossed Second Road to Toy's Fun Bar. She approached hesitantly. For a few moments no one noticed her, or even acknowledged her presence. Finally, just as she decided to leave, a woman approached.
"My name is Lek," the lady said, appraising her coolly. "Can I help you?"
"I am Kamonal," Nuang lied. "Everyone calls me Ann. I saw your sign for help. Can I have a job working in your bar?"
"Where are you from, Ann?" Lek asked, maintaining her aloofness. The high season was getting under way and Lek needed extra help, but she needed the girl to understand what was expected and who was the boss. "Have you ever worked in a bar before?"
"I am from Chiang Mai," Nuang answered. "I have never worked in a bar."
"Do you speak English?"
"Yes, I practiced English very hard last year. I thought I would visit a friend in America, but I never did. My English is better than most."
"Have you ever had sex with a farang?"
Nuang blushed and lowered her eyes away from Lek.
"You do know what sex is, don't you?" Lek pushed the issue.
"Yes, I know," Nuang stammered. "I had sex with a farang one time. He was my sister's boyfriend."
Lek smiled. The girl wasn't young but maybe had more to offer than she first thought. "How was it? Did you like having sex with him?"
"He hurt me," she said, remembering her labor pains. "He was the biggest man I ever had," she added to stop more questions.
Lek laughed aloud. "They are not all so big or maybe you are just very small."
Nuang blushed again. She was sure she was not so small now that she had given birth to a seven pound baby. "I like big men, even if they do hurt a little."
"Then maybe I'll hire you," Lek said, sure she had a boyfriend-stealing slut ready to work for her. "Do you know what I expect of you, if you work here?"
"To have sex with farangs?" Her words came out as a question instead of a statement like she intended.
Lek smiled briefly then turned serious. "I will hire you for a couple of nights to make sure I want you working here. I expect my girls to take good care of my customers. Talk to them, entertain them, get them to stay and buy more drinks. If a man wants you, I expect you to go with him, even if you don't like him or think he's ugly or smells bad. I won't make you go with anyone, but if you want to make money, it's what you should do. If I think a man is dangerous, I will tell you. I will pay you eighty baht for every night you work. If a man buys you drinks, I'll pay you twenty baht for each. If a man pays your bar fine, I will pay you fifty baht. Whatever the man pays you to have sex is your money to keep. Understand?"
"Yes, I understand," Nuang answered. She didn't know if it was a fair deal or not. "What is a bar fine?"
Lek couldn't stop herself from laughing. "If a man wants to take one of my employees away from the bar to go dancing or to dinner or for sex or for anything, they must pay me two hundred baht. Otherwise all of my help would be gone by ten o'clock and I would have no business. Sometimes men only want to take a lady for a short-time. When that happens, you can come back to work and maybe have another man pay your bar fine. Some of my girls make two thousand or three thousand baht in one night for everything."
Nuang's eyes grew wide. Two or three thousand baht! If she could do that, in two nights she would make as much as she would earn in a month at another job. She would do anything to make that much money. She could get rich in just a few months.
"You will hire me then?"
"Yes," Lek replied. "But first I must see your I.D. I need to make sure you're who you say. Besides, some hotels won't let you go to a man's room unless you have an I.D. to leave with the security guards."
Nuang fumbled briefly inside her purse. "I must have left it in my room," she lied again. "Can I bring it tomorrow?"
Lek stared. "Okay," she finally conceded. "I need girls or I wouldn't do it. Just make sure you're not lying to me or I'll see that you never work anywhere in Pattaya. Do you understand me? I know everyone in this town."
Nuang nodded her head yes, wondering how she would cover her lie about her name. "I understand. What do I do?"
Lek's expression softened a little. "Usually, I start new girls inside the bar for a few nights until they are comfortable and until they learn some English words. But I think you are not so young and you say you can speak English already. I will start you outside the bar because I need help there. Men from all over the world come to Pattaya for holiday. Your job is to keep them happy while they are at my bar. I'm in the business of selling beer, whiskey, and fun. Just so I know, do you like German men, English men, Belgium men, or what?"
"You mean I have a choice?" Nuang asked incredulously. "Are there Americans here, too? I think I would like an American man."
"You don't have too much choice," Lek answered. "But since you are new, I'll introduce you to someone you will be more comfortable with. Tonight you are lucky, because there is one American here. Not many Americans come to Thailand."
Nuang's face brightened. She glanced around the bar. "Which farang is the American?"
Lek laughed at the Nuang's excitement. "He's the man sitting over there, at the far end of the bar." She tilted her hand casually in his direction without pointing directly. "He comes here two or three nights a week and sits in the same place every time. He's a nice man."
Nuang looked to where Lek had motioned. The man was middle-aged, about forty-five years old. He was not fat like many of the other farangs sitting at the bar. He was clean shaved and distinguished looking, almost handsome. She turned back to Lek.
"His name is Jon. He has been working in Thailand for three or four months. If he has taken a girl from the bar, I'm not aware of it. He says he has a girlfriend in America and they will get married when he goes home. I don't think he will take you from the bar, but he will buy you drinks. Be nice to him and he might leave you a tip."
"Thank you," Nuang said. She fidgeted with the strap of her purse for a moment before adding, "I am embarrassed to ask this, but what do I say to him?"
"I will introduce you," Lek smiled. "What you talk about is up to you. Just make sure you keep him happy."
She led Nuang outside the bar to where the American sat sipping his beer.
"Jonathan," she spoke above the music. "This is my new girl. Her name is Ann. She started here just tonight. She is very shy. I thought you would want to meet her. She speaks English very good."
Nuang gave him a wai. "Sawasdee ka, good evening, Khun Jonathan," she stumbled slightly at the unfamiliar feel of his name on her tongue. She blushed. "I am sorry, if I say your name wrong."
"Mai pen rai," Jonathan replied.. "You can call me Jon. I think that would be easier for you to say."
"Khop khun ka. I think I can say that better." She paused, then said, "Jon. Did I say it correct?"
He laughed. "You said it perfect. Would you like to sit down? I'll buy you a drink. What you would like? Beer, whiskey, coke, Lipo, or what?"
Nuang sat on the bar stool next to Jon. "Please talk slowly. I can speak English a little, but I cannot understand when you talk so fast."
"Sorry," Jon said. "Ja derm arai dee, nah?"
Nuang looked at him, questions lined her face.
"Phom poot Thai. Ja derm arai dee, nah? Khow chai mai?"
It took her a moment to realize the farang was speaking Thai. His words were horribly accented and monotone. Still, she understood him. He was asking her if she wanted a drink. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, you speak Thai."
"I don't think very well," Jon smiled sheepishly. "What would you like to drink?"
"I think only water."
"Bad idea. I think Lek will not pay you if you have only water. I will buy you a lady drink and a bottle of water. You can throw the lady drink away, if you don't want it."
"Okay," she giggled at the idea of getting paid to drink water, or to anything else for that matter. "I'll have a lady drink and water."
He ordered her drinks and another beer for himself. "Lek said this is your first night here. Where did you work before?"
"I worked as a seamstress in Chiang Mai. But that was a long time ago."
"I mean what other bars have you worked in Pattaya?"
Nuang blushed. "I have not worked in another bar before. I came to Pattaya just today."
He let her words sink in as he took a sip of beer and lit a cigarette. "You've never been to Pattaya before?"
"I have been here two times before. One time when my sister was killed in a motorcycle accident and once when her boyfriend invited me to a Buddhist ceremony for her spirit."
Jon reached out and touched her arm gently, briefly, then pulled his hand away. "I am sorry about your sister's death."
He was silent for a moment, then noticed Nuang staring at his cigarette. "I am not polite. Would you like a cigarette?"
"Mai aou ka," Nuang answered. I don’t want. “I was only looking. I don't smoke."
He shrugged his shoulders. "So you're from Chiang Mai? I've heard it's very beautiful."
"No, I am not from Chiang Mai," Nuang answered. "I worked in Chiang Mai before, but my home is in Phitsanulok."
"Phitsanulok?" Jon's face pinched into a look of intense thinking. After a moment he said. "I don't know Phitsanulok. Where is it?"
"North of Bangkok, it's very far from here. Almost twelve hours by bus."
"In Thailand, almost everything is twelve hours away by bus," Jon mumbled wryly under his breath.
"I don't understand what you say. Please say again."
"Never mind," Jon responded. "It's not important. Why are you in Pattaya? Where do you live?"
Nuang squirmed nervously on the bar stool. What should she tell him? Certainly not everything. She decided to tell him bits of the truth.
"Please excuse me, if I do not know all of the English words to tell you, but I will try. I have a baby at my home in Phitsanulok." She blushed at the distorted truth she was about to tell. "Now the economy in Thailand is not so good and I cannot find work. I have not much money, but I must take care for my baby. Really, I came to Pattaya to work in a hotel or restaurant, but I am not so young anymore and every business wants young women with big educations to work for them. I thought I would work here until I find another job. I don't think I will be good bar-girl because I'm not beautiful or sexy. I am too old."
Nuang didn't mention that she had a husband, and she hoped the farang wouldn't ask any questions about her baby. She didn't like to lie, but she could lie with the best when she wanted. She had proven that today at the hotels. Like everyone, she had lied to people during her life, but usually it was to keep from hurting others, or when she had no other choice. Hiding the truth about her baby was a lie of omission, but a lie just the same.
"You don't look so old to me," Jon replied. "You can't be more than thirty-one or thirty-two."
"Khop khun ka, thank you," Nuang's smile widened at the compliment, "But I am much older than thirty-two."
"You shouldn't make jokes with us foreigners," he returned her smile. "By the way, you never told me where you live in Pattaya."
"I have a hotel room for tonight," she said. "It's not very nice. It's not clean and it doesn't have air
con or a TV or anything, except a bed. I will get an apartment, as soon as I can save some money."
"Is it near here?"
Nuang pointed south toward downtown Pattaya. "Not too far. I think a street numbered Soi 6. I don't remember the name but I can find it okay."
If her hotel was on Soi 6, it was probably a real dump. "How much do you pay for one night?"
"Just a little," Nuang answered, "One hundred fifty baht for one night."
Jon stared at her. That was less than four U.S. dollars. It had to be worse than a dump, and it was still probably more than she could afford. He changed the subject, "I'm sorry, but I don't remember your name."
"Nuang. My name is Nuang."
He lifted his brows. "Are you sure? I don't remember what Lek told me, but I'm sure it wasn't Nuang."
Her smile froze. She had worked as a bar-girl for less than an hour and already she had been caught telling lies. She glanced over at Lek and then back at Jon. She leaned forward and whispered. "I lied to Lek. I told her my name was Ann. My real name is Chalamsee and my nickname is Nuang. I don't want my mother to ever find out that I'm working as a bar-girl. You understand, yes?"
Jon took a sip of his beer. When he looked back at Nuang, his expression had turned to total seriousness. "Which lie do you want me to believe?"
Nuang stared at his face. Deep lines creased the corners of his eyes and across his forehead. There was no smile. Nuang could barely hear the music or the voices in the background. Her own smile faded to nothingness. "I want only for you to believe the truth," she answered, lowering her eyes from his face. There was a long moment of silence before she added, "I think you don't want to talk to me anymore so I will leave you alone."
She turned her seat away from the bar and stood. "Thank you for the drinks."
Jon reached out and took her by the arm. "Wait. I'm sorry if I insulted you. I didn't mean to do that. Please stay and finish your drink."
She allowed herself to be pulled back. His seriousness was gone and a sincere pleading look had taken its place. The slightest trace of a smile pulled at his lips. She could feel the heat of his hand on her arm.