My Girlfriend, Continued
This story is rather boring. There are no sick buffalo, outrageous dowry requests, or screaming 2AM phone calls. No one gets knifed; no one dies. It’s not funny, nor exciting, nor adventurous. It’s just my story.
I run the Asian division of a Fortune 500 company. You’ve heard of us. You probably use our products. We employ over 10,000 people in Asia and I guess you can say they all report to me. We have factories and offices in 12 countries. I report to the Chairman of the Board in New York.
In a good year I make a million US dollars.
I’m 50 years old, fit, work out regularly, tall and thin. Neither good looking nor bad, just average. I’m married to my college sweetheart and have been for over 25 years. We have twins who are both in college, and my wife and I have lived all over the world for the last 20 years, currently in Singapore. I travel every week, and am on the road about 75% of my time.
I’ve been faithful to my wife during our marriage, and have never had an affair. However, when she reached menopause, and her already low sex drive diminished to nothing, she let it be known to me, in that way married couples have of communicating, that as long I was discrete, she didn’t mind what I did when I was traveling.
I usually go out for dinner with clients or suppliers. Often, the evening ends up in a bar with hostesses. There is always a girl sitting next to me, and she is always available for me to take home. Maybe once or twice a year I do, but I must be very careful as to who knows about it, as I do have enemies and people in New York would not understand. Within my industry, I am well known. When I take someone home, the money is handled separately, and I am never involved. After some research, I was able to find out that a top girl in Shanghai will cost about $400 short time. They never spend the night.
I’ve been going to Thailand for 15 years now, and until recently never set foot in a bar. Thailand is a country, curiously enough, where the locals do not feel it necessary to entertain foreign visitors in that way (I assume they feel it’s easy enough to find on your own). I have spent a fair amount of time in Thailand sightseeing with my wife. I love the temples and going up country, and now own an extensive collection of Buddhist antiques.
About two years ago, I started to have some very serious problems with my Thai operations. Labor unrest, fueled by agitators. It got ugly. There were death threats made against me, and a warrant was put out for my arrest at one point. I was the American representative of the domineering multinational corporation and, although I was genuinely trying to help our Thai employees, other people twisted the truth to show things their way.
One night, when the troubles were at their peak, a senior ex-pat employee of ours living in Bangkok took me out for a well needed drink. We went to Soi Cowboy, my first time. Within minutes a young lady had her hand down my pants, within a few minutes more I had learned about bar fines and lady drinks, and within a few minutes after that had her up in my suite.
It was terrible. She turned on the TV to its loudest volume and demanded room service (satay and fries if you want to know.) She lay on her stomach drawing pictures while watching movies on HBO. I eventually paid her off and sent her on her way, but not before she asked for, and I gave her, the fruit basket the hotel management always sent to my room.
I started going to Bangkok every two weeks to deal with the issue, and my friend and I started going to Soi Cowboy every night to blow off steam. I did not bar fine anyone again. A while later, I found myself in Soi 33 (Painters Street) where again a rather aggressive girl pounced on me. I followed through, even paying the outrageous 1500 baht bar fine she demanded (is that for real or was I just ripped off?). Again, a lousy experience where she wouldn’t even take a shower. This time, I didn’t even give her the fruit.
Months passed, where we regularly bar hopped but no bar fines. One night, I was in a bar in Soi Cowboy, deep in a business discussion with a supplier. I noticed a young lady at the other side of the bar, and that she was watching me, but made no move to come over. After about an hour, my associate went to the toilet, and I motioned the girl over. We shared names, and I asked why she didn’t come over. She explained that she saw we were having a business talk, and she didn’t want to interrupt. That was the first thing different about her.
A while later all of my associates had drifted off, and I was alone in the bar with her. I found her funny and a delight to be with, and she wasn’t pushy. I asked her if she would come back with me and she nodded; I asked her how much and she said up to you. When she came back after changing, there was no tank top, low rider jeans, nor platform heels, but a beautiful outfit of Thai silk and expensive flat sandals. That was the second thing.
In the hotel room, after we were finished, she showered again, and I remember her walking around the room with the towel wrapped around her waist, brushing her long black hair, chatting to me. Finally, she got into bed and asked me to turn out the light, and went to sleep.
Gentlemen, this was the first time in over 25 years that a woman other than my wife spent the night sleeping next to me. When you live with someone for so long, you grow accustomed to every movement, every sigh, you know how and when she is going to turn. I couldn’t sleep all night, wanting to savor the new experience. That was the third thing about her, and the one that finally did me in.
A month later, I landed in Bangkok late one night, and called up my regular drinking buddy, who had turned in early that night and was not interested in going out. I was in a quandary. All of my experiences had always been when I was being taken out by others. I had never gone out by myself. But I desperately wanted to see her. I walked around the hotel room, debating with myself what to do. I was still debating as I went down in the lift, and as I was crossing the street. As I entered the bar a doubt hit me. Would I remember her? I had only spent a few hours with her, mostly in the dark. I need not have worried.
I began seeing her every time I went to Bangkok, sometimes once a month, sometimes twice, sometimes once every two months. In all, it’s been over eighteen months now, and we have seen each other perhaps fifteen times during that period, sometimes for one night, sometimes for several. You should see the post called “My Girlfriend” dated 20/03/04. It’s all true. She’s never asked me for money, although I give her a very large amount every time I leave. She doesn’t complain, or cause any trouble. She has asked to see pictures of my wife and children, as I have been honest with her about that since the beginning. I have now taken her out to dinner many times, to some of the best and trendiest restaurants in Bangkok, where she acts like the perfect lady she is. I know her life story, and I have the utmost respect for her and how she has managed to survive. We celebrated her 40th birthday together, and were joined by her nineteen year old daughter, who lives with her and works at Robinsons.
That’s my story. As promised, nothing happened. I have no intention of leaving my wife for her, although I care for her greatly. She has never asked me to support her, and I know she has other boyfriends. I totally enjoy the time I am with her, and feel we have become part of each other’s lives. Where it will go I have no idea. It’s like taking a drive in the countryside, on a beautiful day, with the sun shining, in an open topped car. You know you will have to return to the city at some time, but while you’re out there driving you hope it will never end.
Stickman's thoughts:
Wow. I wonder if the fact that she is a lot older than the average girl is a good part of the reason why things seem to "work" between the two of you?
