Gemsicuted

Written by Julian Robov


Seventeen


Everyone loved to stay at the famed Oriental hotel. The hotel had carved its own history entertaining for several decades dignitaries and heads of states from around the world. Situated on the banks of Chao Phraya River the scenic venue portrayed the lives and sounds of the river people.

Long tailed boats kept cruising up and down the river with people and merchandise adding more color and life to the daily scores. The nights looked more beautiful and enticing, as the high rise buildings and hotels on the banks of the river glittered like shining diamonds.

Rubin Rosenberg checked once again the important appointments of the day on his palm pc. Everything looked perfect and confirmed. Now he wanted to enjoy the evening in its peak, and if possible with a beautiful women. He loved fantasy. He instructed the chauffeur to drive him to Cheers Pub at the Holiday Inn on Silom Road, a place he normally frequented whenever in Bangkok.

Skyscrapers competed in style wanting to emerge as a one-stop unique shopping facility. In fact, there were several on both sides of the street. Hawkers haggled and competed in various tongues to make a sale. Rubin was stuck in the traffic. But the sights and sounds were entertaining. He saw women in all shapes, colors, and disguises, chatting and laughing in amazing postures.

Teen-agers in bell-bottoms and baggy outfits kept babbling on their mobile phones giggling, screaming at times, or just plain-talking on sidewalks uninterruptedly. Construction workers in baggy pants were seen everywhere, even in narrow back streets buying lottery tickets. Food vendors never looked tired, as they kept making noodles and other local delicacies for the busy office workers. Sometimes, just like in New York.

Rubin arrived at the Holiday Inn, and asked the chauffeur whether he would wait for him. He nodded. He ordered a Singha beer, and took his seat studying the people. There were many foreigners with their girlfriends chatting and drinking. There was a festive mood, and then he spotted a young woman sitting alone drinking orange juice with her palm pc. She wasn’t interested at all in what was going on around her. He wondered if she was waiting for someone. But he decided to take a chance and feel the difference. He had done it before. She looked beautiful under the incandescent lights.
“Hi, can I take this seat, please? Rubin is my name,” he said, extending his hand.
“Hi, I’m Lim. In fact, July Lim. How do you do?” she answered in a cute way. He liked the way she looked at him, but was watchful.
“A tourist in Bangkok, I suppose?” she asked smilingly.
“Nope. Business! I like this place,” he said, glancing at the waitress, and then continued, “Drinks?”
“Oh no, how about you? Shall I order one orange juice for you? It’s good for your health,” she quipped. He couldn’t resist this time.
“What’s your business, Ms Lim, if I may ask? Oh, by the way, are you expecting anyone at this moment?” he asked reluctantly.
“Nope. I’m alone today. It was my decision,” she added. “And to answer your first question, its business. I too like this place whenever I am in Bangkok. I’m from Singapore, and once again glad to meet you.”
“New York. Sorry, I forgot to mention before. I’m in the gem business. I come here quite often,” he said, and as if he remembered something, he said, “I think I will go for another orange juice.”
She laughed. He too laughed after ordering the drinks.
“I love this trade, you know,” he continued, “because you’ve so much access to people from a variety of cultures, and listening to their stories, swapping their life experiences and ours, I love it, you know. There is a different angle to it, and it isn’t boring at all. All you have to do is be a good listener, then it flows like a never ending ocean of tales.”
“Why are you in Bangkok? You don’t have stones in New York?” she asked thoughtfully.
The music was getting louder and no one seemed to complain about it. When the drinks arrived, he requested that the waitress turn the music lower. She smiled at them saying something in Thai, and then fled the scene. They switched off the music.
Rubin and July laughed without making any further requests.
“My father is from Germany. He moved to New York in 1939 to be more precise. I love Bangkok, because whether be it for stone searching or just for a change, you don’t have to go to any exotic destinations. It’s all in one city. That’s Bangkok! Just take a flight, and you meet virtually all known human species on earth here. It’s great, and I love it. I can do both. Buy stones and meet new people,” he said plainly.
“If you like gemstones, and you said you came to search for good gemstones, and you said you love to meet all these different people in the world right here, then you must like women too, am I wrong?” July asked cunningly.
“Women? Yes!” Rubin replied, smiling.
“My parents are of Chinese stock, but I grew up in London. They are in the gem business, not me. Now I am graudually kind of liking the trade, because of the good money. My father has other business interests in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Europe. They don’t tell us everything, but one thing I know is that I was well taken care of. Sometimes I accompany my father, because he has a lot of old friends, and in turn, I also learn a lot listening to their experiences, which I think is valuable for me,” she said proudly.
“I like your name. Is there anything to do with the month of July?” he asked.
“Yep. July born people are different, and my favorite gem is ruby,” she whispered cutely.
“Ruby is for July people. Very hard and tough! Are you like that?” he asked laughingly.
A few Japanese men arrived with their Thai girlfriends. They were talking loud and babbling, inviting everyone’s attention. Some of the foreigners who were drinking quietly didn’t like the interruption, and gestured at the manager to remind the Japanese men to speak low. The response was quick and precise. Instead of staying, they left the place in disgust. There was a loud applause from everyone. But Rubin had a lot to share. Instead, July took the initiative.
“Not really. But I like the red color so much. It’s irresistible. I’m here in Bangkok to buy a big one if possible, because I have a client, a rich lady in Jakarta who wants a 10 plus carat ruby. My father has his old friends, and probably he will introduce them to me before he leaves for China. I’ll stay for few more days to see if I can find the piece,” she said confidently.
“That’s interesting. I know one person, Ris Rubyhall, who is a friend of my dad. We always buy from him when we need big stones anything above 10carat. He is a ruby specialist, probably one of the largest ruby dealer in the world. He has a virtual collection of rubies from around the world, and everyone goes to him if they can’t find them elsewhere. That’s the reason why I’m in Bangkok to buy stones for our special clients back in New York,” Rubin said quickly.
“Maybe, I should mention this Rubyhall’s name to my father. He must know him too, I suppose. How come he didn’t tell me this before? We could have saved a lot of time,” she commented.
Rubin glanced at his watch and said, “Oh, I’ve got to go. It was such a pleasure talking to you, July. Here is my card. I’m staying at the Oriental hotel.” July noted his room number and kept smiling at him.
“I’ll call you later. Thanks for introducing Ris Rubyhall. But, I may need your help,” she reminded him. He nodded, and gestured at the waitress for the bill.
Instead, he got a pleasant surprise. She had already paid the bill.