Gemscentric

Written by Julian Robov


Thirty Five


Rudy looked at his watch. His mind was still unsettled. There were many things to do. He immediately took off to the Holiday Inn hotel after the deal with Seri and a gem broker. He found James, Toni and Bill discussing with Gary.
“How did it go?” James asked.
“It’s moving according to our plan,” Rudy said. “It’s like you said earlier. Seri was with one Mark Foo from Macau. He refused to talk further, but was a witness. Do you think he is after something. I mean……”
“There will be two more meetings, if things go my way, “ Rudy added.
“This Saturday,” Toni said.
“And the last one will be on……” James quipped.
“A week after—Saturday,” Rudy interrupted. “Let’s get out of this place and try something different.”
“You mean food?” James asked.
“Something like that,” Rudy answered sheepishly.
“Isn’t it a bit too early for lunch? What kind of lunch?” Toni asked.
“A cheap one, of course, but a different taste. I think you will like it. It’s a small restaurant on Sathorn Road. Let’s take a taxi, “ Rudy said.
“Do you know this place?” James asked innocently.
“I think so. Lemme show you,” Rudy replied laughingly.
After they had reached the restaurant, Rudy said, “Why don’t you pull up a chair and feel comfortable?”
“There must be someone out here to clean up the place. Why is it so bloody quiet?” Toni asked.
“The guys here are busy behind closed doors. You know what? I will tell them to buy the stuff we need, and then we will go and get them,” Rudy said, glancing at James.
“Wait a minute. Something is not right. Who the fuck is going to cook?” Toni asked.
“Me, of course,” Rudy said.
Silom wasn’t that far away. Tops was the best. Two hours later, James, Rudy, Toni and Gary were seen loading plastic bags of rice, ice-cubes, fruits and vegetables, cooking oil, cheese, soy, ready-made salad, two cases of Singha beer, cashew nuts, almonds, peanuts, spices and curry powder.
As the taxi driver helped them unload the stuff at the restaurant, James said, “The wine!”
Gary decided to rush back to the Tops liquor section. When the food arrived, no one could believe their eyes that Rudy had done the cooking, with someone whom they couldn’t recognize, behind closed doors. He began describing in detail with a list in hand.

Vegetable shark fin soup
Protein food with mushroom and bamboo soup
Tasty noodle soup
Fried vegetarian noodle with mushroom and bean sprout
Sukiyaki soup
Vegetable salad
Bean chili paste
Green chili paste
Tofu in tomato chili paste
Green curry in coconut milk
Spicy vegetable soup Rudy Smith-style
Coconut sprouts in red chili paste
Vegetarian duck in sour brown rice
Near flawless gem dealers balls in fresh hot sauce Rudy Smith-style
Deep Fried gem dealers brain in taro Rudy Smith-style
Fried gem dealers tongue in white radish cake with egg and bean sprout Rudy Smith-style
Fried gem dealers eyes served with spicy soup Rudy Smith-style
Fried rice with bean paste with sour soup Rudy Smith-style

No one had the heart to complain. Gary decided to immerse himself with five bottles of wine, and forget the whole ritual. James had to gulp several bottles of Singha water to quench the hot spicy vegetarian fried rice and the strange-looking side dishes. It was tasteful, but too hot and confusing. Toni and Rudy finished eating the remaining food with plenty of fruit juice without making any insulting comment. It was an experience for all of them.
When the real chef emerged from his kitchen, he couldn’t stop laughing. Toni, Gary and James were rocking on the chair in an unnatural posture, beer cans and wine bottles in hand, except Rudy.
“What’s going on?” The chef asked.
“We’re having a good time, pal,” Rudy replied.
Rudy dropped James, Toni, Bill and Gary off at Floraville in Srinakarin Road, and arrived at The Blue Color Club in Sukhumvit Road at six thirty.
Potch and her friends were waiting patiently.
“You’re on time,” Busaban said.
“He’s always like that. Come in,” Potch said holding his hand.
At seven, the supper was ready. Now the subject of blue sapphire came up, which gave him a chance to talk about gemstones.
Khanita, Potch’s business partner and a close friend, at times looked pushier.
“I believe if we get the equation correct, we’ll be the best organized blue sapphire trading company in the world,” she said firmly.
“It’s not that easy given the competition and enmity around,” Rudy said, sipping the orange juice.
“That’s why we need to work harder to beat the competition and destroy the enmity around. It’s a jungle world,” Khanita reminded.
Potch nodded.
“Don’t worry too much,” Busaban interrupted. “I know how to handle the situation, but we need Rudy.” Khanita seconded.
Rudy felt humbled, and at the same time nervous about the responsibilities and expectations these women were having of his abilities and knowledge. One screw-up was all that was needed to shatter their confidence in him. He had the experience, both good and bad, and the international contacts. And being Potch’s closest friend made it more difficult to refuse their request. He had his own accumulated problems, which were yet to be solved.
“The idea behind this grouping is to make it look professional and different. It’s a kind of mix and match situation. With the close cooperation from an independent gem testing laboratory, which should be doing the identification and grading of our blue sapphires, treatment disclosures if any, and the provenance should all make it look unique and convenient for our customers,” Khanita commented.
“Okay,” Rudy said. “I’m willing to help.”

Next day, at noon Seri pulled up in front of the Robinson Department Store on Rachadapisek Road. He was driving a Volvo.
Jeffrey was waiting for Seri outside the Pizza Hut. He had already booked a corner seat.
“How did it go?” Jeffrey asked, after ordering two Singha beers.
“So far so good,” Seri replied cautiously. He saw no reason to give away too much valuable information.
“Robert called me the other day. One George Hu from New York is looking for good quality blue sapphires,” Jeffrey continued. “Do you know him?”
“I think so. What’s he looking for? Large pieces?” Seri asked.
“Yep. What do you think we should do with him?” Jeffrey asked, reaching into his briefcase.
“Show him the real ones. He is not a fool. He knows a lot about treatments,” Seri reminded.
“What makes you so sure he knows more than us?” Jeffrey asked.
Seri didn’t want to delve too much into the details knowing the way the subject could drag. He also didn’t want Jeffrey to know that George had already visited his office.
“You know something. I think we should take a vacation,” Seri said. Jeffrey looked at Seri in a strange way, but said nothing. Two large vegetarian pizza brought the conversation to halt. Both were silent.
Seri knew he had to tread carefully, as the money was in. Rudy was going to ask a lot of questions on everything, and he was not a blockhead. At the same time he needed Jeffrey to track Rudy and his connections waiting for the right time to execute their plan. He encouraged this taciturnity hoping to monopolize the profits and gem sapphires from this new partnership. Cajolery and bluffs became the best choice—perhaps, a sophisticated swindle.
“Why, all of a sudden, you’re talking of vacation?” Jeffrey asked fishing an envelope out of his pocket. He glanced at it again and then handed it to Seri.
Seri opened the envelope. He froze in his seat. “You killed my girl!” he uttered.
“That’s what happens when anyone bites the hand that feeds them,” Jeffrey said coolly. Seri couldn’t stomach the comment. Sophia was Carly’s friend. And, now she was gone forever.
“What happened?” Seri asked.
“Where is Carly?” Jeffrey countered.
“She is with one of my clients, and won’t be available for quite a while,” Seri answered promptly.
“Are you hiding anything from me?” Jeffrey asked slamming his fist into the table.
“Why the fuck should I hide anything from you, uh? Aren’t we partners?” Seri said dismissing it with a little wave. Jeffrey paused.
He then took out some blue sapphires from his briefcase and spread a few pieces on a white tissue paper. They were at least 10carats each, and altogether ten pieces. But he had more gems of the same quality. Under the incandescent lights, the blue sapphires looked fabulously blue with superb brilliancy flashes. Seri knew immediately that Jeffrey was going to sell these pieces to George at a secret but safe location with the assistance of Robert. And they were in fact good quality synthetic flame-fusion colorless sapphires coated with blue color, and then heat-treated to induce natural-looking fingerprint inclusions.
Seri smiled. Jeffrey knew immediately that Seri had recognized the sample pieces. Jeffrey had other plans. He wasn’t asking too much about the partial sell out of S. B. Gem Corporation to Rudy and his friends. The new company was called S.B Gem Trend International Corporation.
“I think they all look good,” Seri commented, after taking a few pieces in his hand and rubbing them carefully.
“I think so,” Jeffrey replied with a wicked smile.