Gemscentric

Written by Julian Robov


Fourteen


The taxi driver wanted more. In the end, he settled for one hundred and fifty baht. The taxi had no meter. But Rudy had to get to the address fast. The driver took several short cuts through several back streets, and now they were on Rachadapisek Road. He glanced at the address, and then turned right to Huay Kwang market, before entering a small back street.
The taxi stopped in front of a townhouse. Rudy checked the time. He walked to the front gate and pressed the doorbell. There was an initial gaze from the second floor, and a gal in her late twenties opened the front gate.
Rudy waited for Rasami Klongtoy in the guest room. In ten minutes, she arrived wearing shorts and a T-shirt.
“Rudy Smith. You can call me Rusi, my nickname. I’m a friend of Meechai,” he said gently, while extending his hand. She shook his hands and smiled. The name Meechai alerted her instantly. He observed her gestures intently.
“Me no understand what you speak. I no problem. He no good,” she answered in broken English.
Rudy understood her pathetic situation. Being Jeffrey’s mistress for the past five years wasn’t an easy job. And Meechai happened to be her pimp. The money was good, and from what he had learnt from Meechai was that Jeffrey visited her every two months, and stayed at the townhouse for four weeks, and then was off to some God forbidden place to trap another victim. For reasons he couldn’t understand, the woman still loved him. A rare phenomenon. Rudy was careful not to mention Jeffrey’s name at this juncture. Instead he wanted to get a feel of her personality—before taking the next step.
She was a complete knockout with all the qualifications for the next Miss Universe competition. He wondered how Meechai got hold of her, and envied Jeffrey for being a lucky asshole—to sleep with such a beautiful women.
“Why you come to see me?” she asked plainly.
“I’m your friend. Meechai told only good things about you. He wanted to know if you are okay or not?” Rudy said gently, and watched her reaction.
She stared out of the window for a while, before turning her face to his direction.
“You know Meechai, how? You stay with him, Cambodia?” she asked hurriedly.
“I did business with him in Cambodia,” Rudy said, knowing he was telling a lie.
“He make good money, na?” Rasami was no different from other women in a similar situation. She continued, “I no work. Before my friend, Jeffley, come to see me and give me money. But he go to another woman. No good. But, I love Jeffley. Maybe, he come next week. He telephone me yesterday. You have girlfriend or not?” Rasami was as open as a public library. Rudy realized she was the right person for probing. He felt sorry for her.
“No. Me no have time, but you are beautiful. I like your face. Very good. You like movie star,” Rudy answered in a way she could understand. And the reaction was spontaneous. She had that sparkle in her eyes even though she tried hard to hide her wicked face.
“You no joking, na?” she asked with a twinkling smile on her face.
“No. You’re a beautiful woman, Rasami,” Rudy added slowly. “I come to give you this gift from Meechai.” He handed her a box of perfume and an envelope. She opened it and screamed out of joy.
“Was is your name again, pease?” she asked not knowing how to control herself.
“You can call me, Rusi, and here is my telephone number. If you need any help, you can call me at this number. If I’m not in town, Toni or James, will take the message,” Rudy said.
Instead of giving his full name, which she had forgotten already, he scribbled on a piece of paper his nickname and Lec’s office number.
“You come again, na?” she asked eagerly.
“If you want me to....,” Rudy answered observing her reaction. She was happy, and possibly in heaven, dreaming of several visits everyday, if it brought several envelopes.
“Sure. Come everyday. I give good company for you. Jeffley come only next week. No poblem. I take care of you. I good, na,” she said intermittently.
Rasami remembered something and excused herself for a few moments. She returned with two cans of Pepsi and a packet of cigarette. Rudy declined. Instead, he settled with a Pepsi. She had a lot of question to ask, but somehow she had difficulty putting across her thoughts in a language he could understand.
Rudy checked the time. She noticed that. In fact, she wanted him to stay for a while. And she found a better way to keep him busy.
“You hungry, na? We go to Jim’s restaurant. No very far—there, only five minit walk. Okay, na,” she said while getting ready. She rushed to her bedroom, and returned with that unforgettable smile on her face.
Rudy decided to spend some time with her at Jim’s restaurant. She ordered from the menu two plates of American fried rice and two large Singha beers .
“Stone businet very good, na. Good money. You see this.” She passed a blue sapphire ring for him to see. It was at least a 15carat piece from Jeffrey set in twenty two karat gold surrounded by small diamonds. Rudy was definite.
“You like, na? Jeffley give me last time. He told to me the ploi (gem) was good and espensive. I think he good, na,” she said happily.
They sat for another half an hour, and Rudy decided to leave. He paid the bills and reminded her to call him again, if she needed good company. She liked it.