Stickman Readers' Submissions November 8th, 2012

Me and my Friend, Aki


(Some names are changed for respect of family and relatives)


We met at Helsinki Airport. My name is Carl and yours Aki. We both had a last minute trip to Phuket, two weeks of partying. We agreed to share a taxi from the airport to Patong Beach. I was 48, you 44, my new found friend, Aki.

He Clinic Bangkok


This time your holiday was perfect. You met your lovely Thai woman, not a girl, a real woman. She was about your age. You had a good time. Drinks, sex and sauna, everything a farang holidaymaker man can dream about. A woman you can trust, sexy but not a naughty girl.


On the opposite, my holiday didn’t go as planned. I had planned to dance on the gogo bar tables and fancy with the girls. What happened to me! First night when I went out I met a lady I encountered on my holiday one year before. She had a small baby in her arms and said to me, "Carl, this is your son, his name is Carlos."


I took a deep breath, went to 7 Eleven (take me to heaven) and bought a large whisky… A Finn and as such, a heavy drinker, I am.

CBD bangkok


So now I’m a father. Am I really? Next thing to do was to take a flight to Bangkok. We had the DNA test made at Bangkok Criminal Investigation Hospital and yes, I was the father. My friend Aki told me no need to test because the baby looks like you, exactly like you, Carl. You are ugly, baby is beautiful but same same look. The rest of my holiday was no party! It was babysitting and changing Pampers. What a wonderful holiday!


With the holiday finished, we both went back to our home country of Finland, me and Aki. I had a son in Thailand so I visited him two weeks every now and then over the ensuing years. I really missed my baby son a lot when I stayed back home in Finland. I have strong feelings for him.


Two years later I find out that I can take an alternative holiday. In Finland, when you have worked 25 years you can take 12 months holiday and get half of your salary. I counted, 1,300 euro salary. I sell my car and use some of my savings, 2,700 euro a month to spend. I made it and went to Hua Hin for 14 months. Rented a nice house with swimming pool in the area. Paradise!


Now back to my friend, Aki. He also wanted to stay in Thailand with the warm climate and beautiful girls. He got the idea from the pictures I sent to him. He worked in Finland as a truck driver. At this time he was 45, had his house almost paid and a fancy sports car. A lucky man. When he went to beer bars in Finland he didn’t sit alone for long. Many girls were attracted to him as he was a good-looking fellow.

wonderland clinic


In late 2009 Aki sold his house in Finland and quit work. He decided to join me in dreamland, Dusit Land, Hua Hin, Thailand. I arranged a house for him in Dusit, where I stayed at that time. We had a wonderful time in November 2009. Beer, Sangsom, karaoke… sometimes a soapy massage.


Aki started to tell me about his plans for the future, his new life in Thailand…opening a beer bar in Phuket with sexy ladies.

I asked him, "Are you crazy?"

"No", said Aki "This has been my dream all my life, to have my own beer bar!"

I told him that my idea is to sit on the “right” side of the bar desk, pay my bill and go home to sleep when I’m tired, usually about 10 PM.

Aki didn’t listen.

At Christmas 2009 Aki opened his beer bar in Phuket. He had great success and made good money. Had a lot of friends from our homeland, Finland, on 2-week holidays. Friends drinking with both hands and friendly with tips and barfines to the
bargirls.

We spoke on the phone every week, me in “boring” Hua Hin, Aki in Phuket… both enjoying life. I was a family guy mostly staying home, enjoying my Chang in front of the TV. Aki was the “bar man”, telling me I don’t
achieve anything. I like my sofa and playing Lego with my son, I told him.

In February Aki started to complain about pain in his stomach. He tried to stop drinking from time to time but this is not easy when you have 2-week party friends visiting. If you don’t sit in your bar, entertaining your guests, they
have many other choices…and no money for your bar if they leave.

Aki was only 46 and his health was going down. In May 2010 his kidneys stopped working. He went to hospital and was put in intensive care. A good hospital but…he had no insurance and had to pay a hell a lot each day. Money from his house
sold in Farangland was running out. Oh my God, I would never leave for a “holiday” without insurance, not at my age.

Aki died in June 2010. He was my best friend; he will always live in my heart.

I continue my life, back in my dear Finland, of course taking financially care of my Thai baby boy, 100% always. (Sometimes one has to pay a little bit more for the ride, don’t forget the condom).

Always in my heart, Aki.


Stickman's thoughts:


Very nicely put together. Sadly, there are many who walk the same path as Aki, and end up at the same destination…prematurely.

nana plaza