Thailand The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Part 5

The Bad:

I have been alone the last few days in my hotel. I have tried to call my girlfriend Phim but she does not answer her cell phone and I have left many messages. This has me worried as she left mad after arguing with my Thai friend Tee and I had no time to apologize to her before I left to see a doctor about my stomach problem.

The medicine the doctor gave me seems to be helping and I feel better, just wish my girlfriend was with me. I feel lost without her and being that I do not have a cell phone, here I sit in my hotel room hoping she will call. This I know is pathetic and deep inside I am ready to give up. Maybe it is best if I do not have a girlfriend. I really do not need this grief that I feel inside. I am so mad with myself, worrying about this woman, like a school boy. I then make up my mind to go out alone, see some nightlife, like my first night in Thailand.

So off I go to the same bar where I met Phim. I think also that maybe she might be there and everything will be all right, but no Phim. I think to myself so what, maybe I’ll talk to another lady and have a good time. Why not, it is my vacation.

So the party starts and I buy drinks for a few of the girls and the next thing I know they are sitting on my lap. After three or four beers one of the ladies named Joy seems to take a fancy to me and all is right with the world. I am thinking of taking her back to my hotel, I just will not answer the phone if Phim calls. That's right, give her a taste of her own medicine. Joy is kissing me on my neck and cheeks, just loving me and everyone is laughing. The whole bar seems to be having a great time. Joy asks me to ring the bell so I do and the whole bar goes crazy, cheers and laughter from everyone! It turns out I have to buy the whole house drinks, but who cares, this is just too much fun and I am more then happy to keep the party moving. Joy brings over Tequila and the shots begin. I order more for the girls and myself.

This is heaven! Joy on my lap, one of the ladies behind me massaging my back and two others working on my arms. This has to be what my friend Tee was trying to tell me! Enjoy yourself! Wasn’t that what he said? Oh yeah, I remember.

You’re here for fun, good time Bangkok. Why you see one lady from bar?

Tee, my friend, this one is for you. I throw another shot of Tequila down my throat. Joy grabs my cheeks with both hands and gives me a big kiss and of course the laughter just never stops. But it does stop. The girls become quiet and the entire bar seems to go a bit silent. Joy is in front of me so I cannot see what everyone is looking at. I move her aside to see Phim looking at us. A few words are said between the girls.

Joy looks at me and says, “You her customer? I not know.”

As fast as they come, they leave just as fast.

Phim says a couple of words to the girls and for a moment they stand their ground and stare her down. But that is followed by laughter as they say things to Phim, no doubt about me. Everyone was good and drunk and I can tell they had no reason to fight over me. Phim looked at me for a moment and turned around to leave. Of course I follow her out only to be stopped by her brother whose name I do not care to remember. He stops me by putting his hand on my chest and stepping in my path. I could smell the booze on his breath a mile away.

“Jillber!”

Gilbert, my name is Gilbert. Think you can try a little harder to get that right?

“Jillber, marry her, must have money.”

“I do not want to talk to you. What your sister and I do is our business. not yours. So why don't you mind your own business?”

“No money, no marry.”

“I know all about the dowry thing. Phim and I had talked about that, so don't you worry about it ok. Mind your own business. Do you understand?”

I try to walk past him but he steps in my way. He looks at me with his dark eyes, black, very black, with his face close to mine. I step back to focus my vision. He has dark brown skin and dark curly black hair with gray hair mixed in. He just stared at me with his have unbuttoned red shirt that looks like he had been wearing it for weeks. In fact it was the same shirt I saw him wear at his house. He has a scar along the right side of his face, possibly from some kind of fight. His shorts looked like they were made from pants he cut up and his flip flops on his dirty feet looked so worn there was no rubber left on the bottom of his feet. I looked him up and down and the more I looked at him the madder I got. He was not ready for a fight because he stepped aside, but I knew it was not over.

Of course, Phim was nowhere to be found, so it was time for me to return to my hotel in hope of trying to reach her by phone. I started out in that direction, but stopped to think about this. Was this really what I wanted? Did I need to travel to Thailand just to go through all this drama? I was having such a good time at the bar with no worries. I take just a moment to look around and I see everyone laughing and enjoying their vacation

At that moment I walk towards another bar only to be stopped by Phim who must have been watching me all along.

“Must go hotel, need things.”

“You want your things from my hotel room?”

“Yes, I do. No see you, no trust you”

“I was just having a beer, you’re the one who would not answer your phone.”

“Not work, you butterfly, not marry you.”

“Fine, maybe it's for the best. Come for your things tomorrow. I want to stay out for a while. It was nice knowing you, but it is time for me to move on.”

“No want. No marry me?”

Phim starts to cry and covers her face. I ask her to stop but she gets louder with the tears and it feels like everyone is staring at us. Take me to room she says and I grab her hand and walk with her until we reach my hotel room. nd for the night we make up and become close once more.

The next morning I am awakened by a phone call from my friend Tee who tells me to be ready tomorrow to go to Singapore. I ask about Phim going with me again but Tee says no to that.

“How long do I have to stay there, Tee? Can I just get a stamp and return back again?”

“Can not, stay two week.”

“Two weeks. Why two weeks? Does it take that long?”

“Phim at hotel with you?”

“Yeah, she's here.”

“Tell her you be gone, two, three week. Maybe more. Please say this to her.”

“Why? Do I have to stay there that long Tee? It will upset her and we just made up last night.”

“Listen me, I take care you, Stan tell you trust me, must tell her you be gone long time. Tell you everything later.”

I hang up the phone and tell Phim the bad news. She cry's again and of course does not trust me. You see other lady she says and keeps the tears coming. I try to convince her that is not going to happen when there is a knock at my hotel door. I open it to a lady standing in the door way. She has brown shoulder length hair and is dressed very business-like. I think for a moment that she is part of the hotel staff.

“Hi my name is JoJo. Tee sent me over to introduce myself. I am your guide for Singapore and will be picking you up tomorrow early around 8 AM.”

“You're not Thai.”

“No I am from the Philippines, and for the next two weeks we will be seeing a lot of each other.”

I look behind me to see a very mad and very mean face from Phim, who just looks at us with out saying a word and I have no way out of this one.

Stickman's thoughts:

Phim was manipulating you like crazy!

Jojo could not be worse, surely?