Gemscentric

Written by Julian Robov


Sixty One


The next morning, Ms Jambo was spirited out of the country by road to Penang (Malaysia), and then flew to Bali (Indonesia) from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) for a short vacation after collecting fifty thousand dollars. She had her next assignment ready. To Sierra Leone. A beautiful country, kind-hearted people, alluvial diamonds, a tenacious peace, a divided land with political and economic breakdown. She always saw new opportunities in chaos. No wonder gemstones and diamonds killed people. A new Seri. A new story.

Julian Tsang had been waiting for Rudy, at the Oriental hotel for the signed paper so that he could work out the legalese making Rudy J. Smith the largest shareholder of S.B. Gem Trend International Corporation. After checking the document and Seri’s signature, he left for Singapore to double-check the previous records so that there was a smooth transition without any hiccups. James had taken care of the trade press avoiding any negative publicity. In fact, none of them knew of Seri’s unfortunate death. Seri’s body was wrapped in a wooden crate with the help of a funeral director, and dispatched to Pailin (Cambodia) by road where he would be buried in a gem pit—the very spot where Rudy was left to rot with the help of local contacts.

At eleven, Rudy called Prapan. Instead, Bobby picked up the call.
“Hi Bobby. Can I talk to Khun Prapan?”
“Khun Prapan is in Basel (Switzerland). He should be back in three days time. You did a good job with Seri.”
“How did you know that?”
“Basic gem instinct, as they say. Are they the right words?”
“I am not quite sure. Please tell Khun Prapan that I would like to see him urgent, please. Thanks, buddy.”
“Sure. Take care.” Bobby then hung up.
He checked the day’s schedule. There was a meeting with a broker. He called the broker on his cell-phone postponing it indefinitely. Potch had been out of the country on a business trip. In fact for two days. She was in South Africa. Toni had gone to Malaysia and Singapore with new stones. Bill and Gary were in Germany and Italy exploring new markets. They should be returning to Bangkok in two days time with positive results. EXPANSION, CUSTOMIZATION and GLOCALIZATION (going global with a local flavor / tint); it was becoming a reality. Everyone was working hard to get the business operation smooth and straight. James had gone to Cambodia to thank his friends for assisting them, and now Rudy felt lonely. He switched on his laptop computer to check any email messages. There was only one from Denise. She was arriving late afternoon for business. He emailed her quickly requesting her to have dinner with him, before leaving the next morning. The instant confirmation made him happy. At least he had someone close enough to kill the time. He decided to stay home. There was enough food for the whole week. He fell on the couch trying to read his favorite magazine—the Economist.

A few moments later, he fell into a deep sleep pushed by a supernatural force, transporting him into his previous lives; as an Abelam (New Guinea) meeting his lover, Potch; as an Aborigine (Australia) playing didgeridoo and performing wind dance with James; as an Acholi (Uganda) villager donning ostrich feathers and animal skins performing ceremonial dance with James, Bill, Toni and Gary; as a female frog swallowing her own eggs, incubating and giving birth through her mouth; as a Brittany wearing black shawls and tall lace bonnets gathered outside a church with Potch, Khanita and Busaban; as a Siberian Buriat preparing his caravan with James and Gary; as a Burmese gem dealer in Mogok along with Busaban; as an Afar (Ethiopia) nomad with James; as an Afghan selling carpets and beads; as a Masai (Kenya) woman drinking milk and blood; as an Ainu (Japan) woman with blue tattoos; as an Alacaluf (Chile) with bark canoes, harpoons, bows and arrows on a rocky shore with James; as a Caribou Eskimo (Canada)inside a snow house; as a Cayapo (Brazil) hunting along with Khanita and Busaban; as a Sinhalese Buddhist monk; as a Chagga (Tanzania) dancing to a special drum beat; as a Chahar Aimaq (Iran and Afghanistan) playing buz kashi (snatching the goat) with James, Toni, Bill and Gary; as a Vietnamese Cham priest; as an Hawaiian crow; as a Chenchu (India) looking for nuts, berries, and wild honey in the forest; as a Chin (India and Burma)women with facial tattoos; as an Amahuaca (Peru) hunting monkeys with James; as a Xikrin Indian (Amazon), hair shaved back and face painted, getting ready for a festive occasion; as a wealthy lady playing cards in Miami (U.S); as an Amhara (Ethiopia) king; as an Amish (U.S) with a horse and buggy; as a Navajo (U.S) warrior on the Arizona landscape; as an Apa Tanis (India) with a black wooden nose plug; as a Bedouin in the Arabian peninsula; as a Badaga (India) woman working on a tea plantation along with Potch, Khanita, Busaban and Denise; as a Bafut (Cameroon) prince; as a Bajau(S.E.Asia) fisherman; as an Iranian Bakhtiari nomad living in the mountains; as a Balinese(Indonesia) girl dancing in front of a small crowd; as a French Basque touting in a village square; as an Indonesian Batak enjoying a long smoke with Potch; as a Beja (Sudan)fighter with wild frizzy hairstyle; as a Berber (N.Africa) in a souk; as a Bhotia (Himalayas)women living in the mountains; as a Bontoc (Philippines) headhunting with James; as a Bororo (Sudan) women in the company of Potch, Khanita, and Busaban; as an eagle; as a Xhosa (S.Africa) living in a white town with Seri; as a Yakut (Siberia) trader; as a Zulu (S.Africa) warrior; as a king of Akure (Nigeria); as a buffalo roaming in a Cambodian paddy field; as a Tasaday (Phillippines) living in a cave; as Tibetan monk; as a Vaisya (India) merchant; as Rotinese (Indonesia) climbing a palm tree; as a Scottish businessmen; as a Burmese king; as a goat roaming the plains of Iran; as a playboy prince shagging the princesses of a neighboring kingdom in India; as a Shan (Burma) poppy farmer; as a parrot in a golden cage; as an Indian prince making love with his mistress (Denise), in his palatial palace.

Slowly he opened his eyes, as he could feel someone standing beside him. He was weak and confused. She was wearing a Geoffrey Beene evening jacket holding a table enclosing a circular slab of Arizona petrified wood displaying a range of colors: blue, green, pink, yellow, gray, white, black and deep red. On top of it she placed a nice piece of quartz crystal with stiff hairs or needle crystals of rutile labeled as ‘Arrows of Love’ for him to view. There was another piece of Amethyst crystal in its matrix displaying a penis-like structure in an amazing posture.
“Hello! It’s me, Denise! It’s for you.”
He paused. “Oh my goodness,” he said, holding the magazine. “Sorry for being impolite. I slept too long.”
“You were speaking some strange languages, at times crying, laughing and masturbating. What’s going on?” Denise asked.
“Masturbating? No! You must be joking,” he replied, looking down, zipping up. Then he laughed at his stupidity. She was right. He had no words left except apologize.
“You’re right. Gimme a few minutes. I will be right back.” He dashed to the bathroom feeling good—like a man again.
Thirty minutes later, he arrived, charming and clean. She kissed his cheek first, before sitting opposite him in his dining room.
“So everyone is out or busy,” she said, sipping the pineapple juice. “When do you think you will be arriving in Hong Kong?”
“Pretty soon,” he replied, preparing the food, laughingly. “Don’t throw the plates at me, if the food tastes awful. I have been dreaming like as if I had been watching a preview of my past lives. I couldn’t believe it at first. It was just there like watching a movie—the crazy things I have been doing somewhere in the world. Have you had any such experiences before? It’s hard to explain.”
“Did you see me in any of your dreams?” she asked curiously, while tasting the cold pizza.
Rudy paused. “Yeah! I can’t believe. I saw everyone. James, Toni, Gary, Bill, Potch, Khanita, Busaban, Seri and a group of other people whom I couldn’t name—their faces were so vivid, I believe it did happen. How is the pizza?”
“Fucking cold,” she said smiling, in a cool manner. He had never heard her speaking that way before. No wonder, he thought, women were different. They acted and spoke differently when with friends.
“I like the way you just said that,” Rudy said, pouring wine into her glass. “You look cute and beautiful too. By the way, thanks for those erotic-looking crystal specimens. Look how nature creates its own memorable beauties. It’s just amazing.”
She laughed. “Thank you. I wish I had married you before. I love you. The minute I saw you, I knew immediately we had lived elsewhere before—you know that.”
Rudy said nothing, instead looked up at her spellbound, and gave a sweet kiss on her lips. Immediately she snaked her hands inside his pants—rubbing the warm flesh. For a long time they continued staring at each other, wholesomely magnetized. Their bodies began holding each other, grinding slowly but passionately, and he thrust himself against her.