Written by Julian Robov
Twenty
The traffic was much lighter than they thought. A tour bus had just arrived with scores of tourists at the Narai hotel. Touts were seen licking their lips and talking on their cell-phones to hook the new tourists arriving and leaving the hotel. Only they knew the art of cheating and misrepresentation, but somehow they survived.
James and Rudy arrived at the hotel, separately. Rudy wore sunglasses so that he saw others, who were staring at him. Like a tourist, he walked to the reception, and asked a few questions regarding sightseeing. The receptionist gladly answered all his queries and directed him to the concerned travel agency specializing in such tours.
After thanking her, Rudy looked around to see if anyone was watching him. He saw James reading the Bangkok Post in the lounge. Before he could finish asking the bellhop the direction to the lavatory, Rudy recognized a familiar voice. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Jeffrey was talking to another foreigner and walking hurriedly to the lavatory just like him. Rudy hesitated first whether it was the right decision. James was still reading the paper deceptively, while keeping an eye on the lavatory.
And he had no other choice. Inside the lavatory, Jeffrey and the foreigner were still talking about some stones like the way gem dealers talk: Non-stop.
Meanwhile, Rudy’s attention concentrated on the second toilet. It was locked, while other doors remained open. Rudy waited for Jeffrey and his friend to leave. Instead, they were reading a newspaper while urinating. Rudy began to worry whether this was a set up. He thought of James. Now he opted moving discreetly to the first toilet instead of waiting for them to go. He had other ideas. Rudy pulled up a few rolls of toilet paper, and wrote his name, and urged Meechai to remain in the second toilet, if he was still there. He wrote Jeffrey’s name, and threw them over to the second toilet, urging him to remain quiet. There was no reply. Rudy began to worry. He saw people arriving and leaving in a dash. Without showing any sign of confusion, Rudy decided to come out and pretended washing his hand and face, while keeping an eye on the door.
Jeffrey and his friend were still there. Then in a matter of few minutes they were gone. Rudy then rushed to the second toilet, and called Meechai. There was no response. He called again, shaking the door. It was locked. After several attempts, he decided to give up. As he was washing his hand, the second toilet door slammed open, with a angry-looking foreigner swearing in an unknown language, looking in all directions for the lunatic who threw the paper on his head. Rudy ducked his head deeper into the washbasin, pretending he was washing his face. The foreigner then returned to the second toilet to finish the unfinished business.
At first Rudy laughed at what he saw and at himself—stupid. He then wondered why Meechai had tricked him this time. With that sunken feeling, he came out of the lavatory walking toward James. Rudy thought James was still reading the paper. Before Rudy could call James’s name, he got the surprise of his life.
“Meechai! What the heck are you doing here? Where is James?” Rudy asked in utter disbelief.
Meechai laughed and pulled up a chair to say something. James joined them with diet coke and a Singha beer.
“I saw Jeffrey in the lavatory. What’s going on here?” Rudy asked worriedly.
Meechai was silent.
“Do you know a safe place?” James asked. Meechai looked at them pathetically.
“Okay guys. Let’s get out of this place, before it is too late,” said Rudy, and urged James to keep an eye on Meechai.
Rudy’s mind was unsettled after seeing Jeffrey in the hotel. He couldn’t find any trace of Jeffrey, as they walked to the entrance. They hired a taxi immediately and instructed the driver to a quiet back street restaurant off Silom. It was James’s suggestion. Meanwhile, Meechai was signaled to remain quiet, till they reached the back street restaurant. It was a naturally filthy place. After ordering soft drinks, they got to the real topic.
“What happened?” Rudy asked. He couldn’t wait any longer.
“I’m finished. They will kill me,” Meechai said.
Rudy understood everything. Other ideas were brewing in his head. But he didn’t wanted to disclose them. He wanted more information knowing Meechai too well. James too was thinking on the same wavelength. Meechai was in real trouble.
“Where are you staying now?” Rudy asked.
Meechai explained everything that had happened to him. Rudy didn’t have that many choices. Now he had to keep Meechai in safe hands till the mess was settled, but still Rudy had his reservations knowing the past. Sometimes it was difficult to trust Meechai.
“You are a courageous man,” James complimented him.
“So, what do you want me to do? I have nothing to lose. I have nobody in this world. I don’t trust anyone now except you,” Meechai said helplessly.
It was a difficult moment. Rudy and James sat silent for a while. There was nothing more to ask. The difficult task was facing Seri during the final stage of the deal, and Meechai’s role was definitely going to be influential at a crucial moment. But Rudy had no other choice.
“What did you tell Rasami before you left her home?” James asked.
“Nothing much. But I don’t think there is any need to return,” Meechai replied thoughtfully.
“What are we waiting for Rudy? Let him stay with me for a while, till we arrange alternative accommodation,” James said. Rudy nodded.
Showing posts with label gemscentric. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gemscentric. Show all posts
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Nineteen
There was a procession of pickup vans moving up the lane, as people danced in the street along with the music. They were on their way to the nearest Buddhist temple for the ordination ceremony of a young man. Dressed in white and clean shaven, the man sat quietly behind one of the pickup trucks wondering how on earth he was going to stay in the temple for the next three months—away from the material world. It was a tradition among the Thais to be a monk for at least three months or more once in their lifetime. They believed this spiritual gesture brought in lots of merits. Old women were in the front dancing the traditional way, while young women and men clapped hands keeping the rhythm.
Meechai had thought about it several years ago, but he was too busy with business and violence. He wished once his problems were over, he would be able to get back to his normal life.
Rasami returned in a tuk-tuk with shopping bags and food. Meechai opened the door for her. He looked much younger in his new Gucci outfit. After thanking her, he followed her to the kitchen for food. He was really hungry. They ate together. She had a lot of questions for Meechai, knowing Jeffrey’s unpredictable arrival. He had a tradition keeping it that way, despite her repeatedly requesting to be told in advance. But he never responded, instead he showered her with money and sex. He was too good in that as she enjoyed both, especially from a farang (foreigner). After a pause, she asked Meechai about his plans.
Rasami saw the fear in his eyes when he looked at her. He was almost in tears. In turn, she put twenty—one thousand baht bills—in an envelope, in case he needed the money, knowing his situation. Meechai knew staying forever with her wasn’t the solution. He had to be out of this home. But first, he wanted to meet Rudy in private. After thanking her for providing shelter, he asked her to hail a taxi for him. She complied without any questions asked. After he had disappeared from her vision, she sighed with relief.
The taxi driver asked Meechai his destination. It was then he realized he hadn’t told the taxi driver where to go.
“Silom!” he said quickly.
Meechai took out a piece of paper, and remembered the telephone number, praying for Rudy’s presence, when he called. Though the traffic was heavy, the taxi was moving slowly, as they approached Pratunam junction.
“Where do you want to go at Silom?” The driver asked gently.
“Hotel Narai!” Meechai said calmly.
“Thank you.” The driver replied. They were already on Silom, and it was a pleasure to see the lively street after a long absence. He didn’t know whether to cry or smile, but he had more important events awaiting. After paying the taxi-fare, he walked straight to the reception of the Narai, asking for directions to the telephone booth. He thanked the girl, because she was beautiful.
The lobby wasn’t crowded at all. It was quiet. He placed the piece of paper on the desk so that he could read the numbers better under the incandescent light. There was a moment of silence, as he pressed the numbers, and then waited.
“Hello!”
“Hello! Rudee!”
“Meechai! Is that you?” Rudy asked in utter shock and disbelief.
“You remember me, ya?” Meechai asked. He wanted to say more, but wasn’t sure if it was a wise move.
“Where are you calling from? Does anyone know what you are doing?” Rudy asked.
It was a big surprise, and then began worrying if anyone was after him. Rudy needed Meechai alive at any cost.
“Only the two of us. I’m at the Narai, on Silom. I have many things to talk to you. You must help me this time,” Meechai said softly. He didn’t know what else to say. For some unknown reasons he trusted Rudy.
“Okay. I am on my way. Don’t go anywhere. By the way, how will I be able to meet you?” Rudy asked.
“In the lavatory. You will find a blue sticker in front of the second toilet. I will be waiting for you,” said Meechai.
Rudy wasn’t surprised at Meechai’s ways. He always had an awkward way of getting things done. He didn’t care, but Rudy knew he had to be careful this time.
“Thank you. I’ll be there. See you soon,” he replied.
“Me too.” Meechai waited.
James was listening to the whole conversation.
“What’s up?” he asked Rudy.
“Meechai is in Silom, at the Narai. He wants to see me. That’s all I know at the moment,” Rudy said.
“Do you smell a rat?” James asked.
“It’s fucking everywhere. But I must help him this time. He is our only bait to know more about the past. I know it’s not going to be that easy. So what do you think?” Rudy glanced at James.
“You know better than me. If you need cover, I’m ready. What do you want me to do?” James said with a grin.
“Okay, come with me.”
Nineteen
There was a procession of pickup vans moving up the lane, as people danced in the street along with the music. They were on their way to the nearest Buddhist temple for the ordination ceremony of a young man. Dressed in white and clean shaven, the man sat quietly behind one of the pickup trucks wondering how on earth he was going to stay in the temple for the next three months—away from the material world. It was a tradition among the Thais to be a monk for at least three months or more once in their lifetime. They believed this spiritual gesture brought in lots of merits. Old women were in the front dancing the traditional way, while young women and men clapped hands keeping the rhythm.
Meechai had thought about it several years ago, but he was too busy with business and violence. He wished once his problems were over, he would be able to get back to his normal life.
Rasami returned in a tuk-tuk with shopping bags and food. Meechai opened the door for her. He looked much younger in his new Gucci outfit. After thanking her, he followed her to the kitchen for food. He was really hungry. They ate together. She had a lot of questions for Meechai, knowing Jeffrey’s unpredictable arrival. He had a tradition keeping it that way, despite her repeatedly requesting to be told in advance. But he never responded, instead he showered her with money and sex. He was too good in that as she enjoyed both, especially from a farang (foreigner). After a pause, she asked Meechai about his plans.
Rasami saw the fear in his eyes when he looked at her. He was almost in tears. In turn, she put twenty—one thousand baht bills—in an envelope, in case he needed the money, knowing his situation. Meechai knew staying forever with her wasn’t the solution. He had to be out of this home. But first, he wanted to meet Rudy in private. After thanking her for providing shelter, he asked her to hail a taxi for him. She complied without any questions asked. After he had disappeared from her vision, she sighed with relief.
The taxi driver asked Meechai his destination. It was then he realized he hadn’t told the taxi driver where to go.
“Silom!” he said quickly.
Meechai took out a piece of paper, and remembered the telephone number, praying for Rudy’s presence, when he called. Though the traffic was heavy, the taxi was moving slowly, as they approached Pratunam junction.
“Where do you want to go at Silom?” The driver asked gently.
“Hotel Narai!” Meechai said calmly.
“Thank you.” The driver replied. They were already on Silom, and it was a pleasure to see the lively street after a long absence. He didn’t know whether to cry or smile, but he had more important events awaiting. After paying the taxi-fare, he walked straight to the reception of the Narai, asking for directions to the telephone booth. He thanked the girl, because she was beautiful.
The lobby wasn’t crowded at all. It was quiet. He placed the piece of paper on the desk so that he could read the numbers better under the incandescent light. There was a moment of silence, as he pressed the numbers, and then waited.
“Hello!”
“Hello! Rudee!”
“Meechai! Is that you?” Rudy asked in utter shock and disbelief.
“You remember me, ya?” Meechai asked. He wanted to say more, but wasn’t sure if it was a wise move.
“Where are you calling from? Does anyone know what you are doing?” Rudy asked.
It was a big surprise, and then began worrying if anyone was after him. Rudy needed Meechai alive at any cost.
“Only the two of us. I’m at the Narai, on Silom. I have many things to talk to you. You must help me this time,” Meechai said softly. He didn’t know what else to say. For some unknown reasons he trusted Rudy.
“Okay. I am on my way. Don’t go anywhere. By the way, how will I be able to meet you?” Rudy asked.
“In the lavatory. You will find a blue sticker in front of the second toilet. I will be waiting for you,” said Meechai.
Rudy wasn’t surprised at Meechai’s ways. He always had an awkward way of getting things done. He didn’t care, but Rudy knew he had to be careful this time.
“Thank you. I’ll be there. See you soon,” he replied.
“Me too.” Meechai waited.
James was listening to the whole conversation.
“What’s up?” he asked Rudy.
“Meechai is in Silom, at the Narai. He wants to see me. That’s all I know at the moment,” Rudy said.
“Do you smell a rat?” James asked.
“It’s fucking everywhere. But I must help him this time. He is our only bait to know more about the past. I know it’s not going to be that easy. So what do you think?” Rudy glanced at James.
“You know better than me. If you need cover, I’m ready. What do you want me to do?” James said with a grin.
“Okay, come with me.”
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Eighteen
Rasami went to bed early, but couldn’t sleep. Instead, she switched on channel five TV to watch a soap. She was alone. The maid who used to stay during the weekend had gone to Ubon Rachathani to visit her parents. It was already eleven. She walked to the kitchen for drinking water. As she opened the fridge, she felt someone standing behind her.
“Ssshhhhhh!” he whispered. Rasami froze in horror. Meechai Fonhlaeng!
He walked to her bedroom without saying a word. She was still gasping for breath. Her surprise was how on earth he managed to get into her house. Meechai waited. He allowed her to stay in bed, while searching the room. The soap on the tele was still on. He searched every nook and corner of her house. It remained the same. Meechai returned to her bedroom. She sat on her bed staring at him like never before. He didn’t care much.
She asked him why he hadn’t called her before. His concentration was elsewhere instead of answering her questions. Several thoughts surged to the tip of his tongue but she couldn’t utter a word.
She looked extremely puzzled by the strange behavioral pattern of Meechai. He never had such a trait before. Meechai sat beside her bed gazing at her intently. Beads of sweat kept forming on her face. This was her natural face. She switched off the tele and sat closer to him stroking his hair.
“What happened?” she sighed. Instead, he rested his head on her shoulder.
“I’m in trouble again. They want to kill me,” he responded quietly in Thai.
“Who?” she asked.
“Seri,” he said.
“Isn’t he your brother?” she asked. He was breathing heavily.
“How did you get here? I mean....” she asked curiously.
“The key. Remember? You gave me a duplicate one the last time I saw you. It was with me. Did you get my envelope?” he asked. She replied with a juicy kiss, and that triggered his inactive brain to do something quickly. He needed an instant fix of sex desperately. She knew it instantly, and within minutes he was on top of her and rolling over the bed. After a while he lost interest and sat up gazing through the window. It was pitch dark outside. Dogs and cats were having their parliamentary debate in style.
“What happened?” she asked again. “If you don’t like me then why are you here, uh?”
“I don’t know,” Meechai replied aimlessly.
“Are you afraid of dying?” Rasami asked purposely.
“I don’t want to die,” he shouted at her angrily. He couldn’t concentrate on anything. It took her a while to grasp that he was wounded. She saw the blood stains on his left leg. Rasami rushed to the kitchen and returned with a first-aid kit.
“You need a hot shower. Come,” she said. “I’ll bathe you. Is someone following you?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he followed her to the bathroom. He had no spare clothes. After the shower, she gave him her night gown, and put his clothes in the washing machine. She understood now that he must have been traveling from Chantaburi. How? She was too scared to ask. Meechai needed a good sleep. She dressed his wounds without asking anything. He went off to sleep in her bed. Rasami couldn’t sleep the whole night.
Next morning, Meechai woke up refreshed. He went to the kitchen and made breakfast for both, and then thought of the next step.
“What happened?” she asked again, expecting a believable answer.
“Did the farang(foreigner) tell you anything more, when he came to see you?” Meechai asked. But first he awaited her response in Thai.
“Which farang (foreigner)?”
“Did anyone else come before Rudy?” he queried.
“Oh him. The American? Nothing much. He gave me his telephone number in case I needed any help. That’s all. No business, nothing.”
“Telephone number? Where is it?” At last it had happened. He was in an ecstatic mood. He began dancing around the table.
“What’s wrong with you?” She couldn’t understand why he was dancing—like a whirling dervish.
“Give me the number,” Meechai urged. She returned from her dressing room with a piece of paper.
Meechai looked up at the phone number several times and mumbled something in Khmer. Only he understood the meaning.
It was already eleven fifteen. Rasami had no special plans for the day except that Jeffrey should be calling her anytime next week. She was too scared to ask how long Meechai would be staying at her house. Most important of all he needed a good change of clothes. And going to a hospital at this stage seemed too dangerous. Meechai was not telling the whole truth.
“I am going to Robinsons to buy some food and clothes for you. How can you go out with these old clothes?” she said reluctantly.
Meechai stopped her, and said, “Come back quick.” She nodded.
After she had left on a motorcycle taxi, he slumped in her bed plotting his next move. It seemed like accumulated luck that he had traveled in a fruit van all the way from Chantaburi to Bangkok. No one asked anything except that he gave them a bottle of champagne stolen from Seri’s villa in Chantaburi. He thanked all the revered Buddhist monks for keeping him alive, despite the bad deeds, he had done in the past.
He had no one to blame except himself. But the situation now seemed too difficult to grasp. Now his brother Seri had turned against him. Meechai wanted to know what Rudy had said to Seri. He trusted Rudy a lot after they became friends during their captivity in Pailin and Anglong Veng. Now Seri and Jeffrey were after Rudy’s life.
As if in the middle of a minefield, he became vigilant. At least in Khmer Rouge captivity those brilliant buffaloes were with him as guides. Now in his own country, Meechai couldn’t trust anyone. Even though he believed Rasami wouldn’t betray him at this stage, he remained watchful.
It was a pleasant day outside. Children got ready for school, as the school bus arrived. Retired citizens had all the time in the world chit-chatting, as they stopped their friends on a back street continuing their conversation. Street kids were busy playing football, while dogs and cats kept barking at each other for trespassing into their territory.
Meechai stood on the first floor of the house and watched in awe the simple and colorful lives of the people around him. Now that circumstances had changed drastically by the sudden events, he wanted to get back to the normal life. Money, women, and miscalculation in business had ruined his life, but he believed given another chance he was willing to go the extra mile for a genuine comeback without Seri. With that thought, he quietly returned to her bedroom.
Eighteen
Rasami went to bed early, but couldn’t sleep. Instead, she switched on channel five TV to watch a soap. She was alone. The maid who used to stay during the weekend had gone to Ubon Rachathani to visit her parents. It was already eleven. She walked to the kitchen for drinking water. As she opened the fridge, she felt someone standing behind her.
“Ssshhhhhh!” he whispered. Rasami froze in horror. Meechai Fonhlaeng!
He walked to her bedroom without saying a word. She was still gasping for breath. Her surprise was how on earth he managed to get into her house. Meechai waited. He allowed her to stay in bed, while searching the room. The soap on the tele was still on. He searched every nook and corner of her house. It remained the same. Meechai returned to her bedroom. She sat on her bed staring at him like never before. He didn’t care much.
She asked him why he hadn’t called her before. His concentration was elsewhere instead of answering her questions. Several thoughts surged to the tip of his tongue but she couldn’t utter a word.
She looked extremely puzzled by the strange behavioral pattern of Meechai. He never had such a trait before. Meechai sat beside her bed gazing at her intently. Beads of sweat kept forming on her face. This was her natural face. She switched off the tele and sat closer to him stroking his hair.
“What happened?” she sighed. Instead, he rested his head on her shoulder.
“I’m in trouble again. They want to kill me,” he responded quietly in Thai.
“Who?” she asked.
“Seri,” he said.
“Isn’t he your brother?” she asked. He was breathing heavily.
“How did you get here? I mean....” she asked curiously.
“The key. Remember? You gave me a duplicate one the last time I saw you. It was with me. Did you get my envelope?” he asked. She replied with a juicy kiss, and that triggered his inactive brain to do something quickly. He needed an instant fix of sex desperately. She knew it instantly, and within minutes he was on top of her and rolling over the bed. After a while he lost interest and sat up gazing through the window. It was pitch dark outside. Dogs and cats were having their parliamentary debate in style.
“What happened?” she asked again. “If you don’t like me then why are you here, uh?”
“I don’t know,” Meechai replied aimlessly.
“Are you afraid of dying?” Rasami asked purposely.
“I don’t want to die,” he shouted at her angrily. He couldn’t concentrate on anything. It took her a while to grasp that he was wounded. She saw the blood stains on his left leg. Rasami rushed to the kitchen and returned with a first-aid kit.
“You need a hot shower. Come,” she said. “I’ll bathe you. Is someone following you?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he followed her to the bathroom. He had no spare clothes. After the shower, she gave him her night gown, and put his clothes in the washing machine. She understood now that he must have been traveling from Chantaburi. How? She was too scared to ask. Meechai needed a good sleep. She dressed his wounds without asking anything. He went off to sleep in her bed. Rasami couldn’t sleep the whole night.
Next morning, Meechai woke up refreshed. He went to the kitchen and made breakfast for both, and then thought of the next step.
“What happened?” she asked again, expecting a believable answer.
“Did the farang(foreigner) tell you anything more, when he came to see you?” Meechai asked. But first he awaited her response in Thai.
“Which farang (foreigner)?”
“Did anyone else come before Rudy?” he queried.
“Oh him. The American? Nothing much. He gave me his telephone number in case I needed any help. That’s all. No business, nothing.”
“Telephone number? Where is it?” At last it had happened. He was in an ecstatic mood. He began dancing around the table.
“What’s wrong with you?” She couldn’t understand why he was dancing—like a whirling dervish.
“Give me the number,” Meechai urged. She returned from her dressing room with a piece of paper.
Meechai looked up at the phone number several times and mumbled something in Khmer. Only he understood the meaning.
It was already eleven fifteen. Rasami had no special plans for the day except that Jeffrey should be calling her anytime next week. She was too scared to ask how long Meechai would be staying at her house. Most important of all he needed a good change of clothes. And going to a hospital at this stage seemed too dangerous. Meechai was not telling the whole truth.
“I am going to Robinsons to buy some food and clothes for you. How can you go out with these old clothes?” she said reluctantly.
Meechai stopped her, and said, “Come back quick.” She nodded.
After she had left on a motorcycle taxi, he slumped in her bed plotting his next move. It seemed like accumulated luck that he had traveled in a fruit van all the way from Chantaburi to Bangkok. No one asked anything except that he gave them a bottle of champagne stolen from Seri’s villa in Chantaburi. He thanked all the revered Buddhist monks for keeping him alive, despite the bad deeds, he had done in the past.
He had no one to blame except himself. But the situation now seemed too difficult to grasp. Now his brother Seri had turned against him. Meechai wanted to know what Rudy had said to Seri. He trusted Rudy a lot after they became friends during their captivity in Pailin and Anglong Veng. Now Seri and Jeffrey were after Rudy’s life.
As if in the middle of a minefield, he became vigilant. At least in Khmer Rouge captivity those brilliant buffaloes were with him as guides. Now in his own country, Meechai couldn’t trust anyone. Even though he believed Rasami wouldn’t betray him at this stage, he remained watchful.
It was a pleasant day outside. Children got ready for school, as the school bus arrived. Retired citizens had all the time in the world chit-chatting, as they stopped their friends on a back street continuing their conversation. Street kids were busy playing football, while dogs and cats kept barking at each other for trespassing into their territory.
Meechai stood on the first floor of the house and watched in awe the simple and colorful lives of the people around him. Now that circumstances had changed drastically by the sudden events, he wanted to get back to the normal life. Money, women, and miscalculation in business had ruined his life, but he believed given another chance he was willing to go the extra mile for a genuine comeback without Seri. With that thought, he quietly returned to her bedroom.
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Seventeen
Five hours later, the strongman Praphan arrived with his entourage to visit Rudy. This tragic event had happened in his territory, and he had all the reasons to know the truth.
After waving his men to stay outside the room, Prapan sat closer to Rudy. Rudy thanked Prapan for coming. James and Johnny had just gone out for food. The explosion shook the whole trade—like a passing tornado, and dealers had just begun assessing the damages. Some were too scared to return, because of a repeat revenge act in the offing. Prapan looked at Rudy smilingly like always, but this time he had a message in it.
“What happened?” Prapan asked Rudy in a low tone.
“I just don’t know. I saw this blue BMW at a gas station near Chonburi, and then again on our way to Chanthaburi. The same car threw a plastic bag at us, and it exploded. Now this same gang, I believe is chasing us. I was at Johnny’s office, and look where I am now,” Rudy answered respectfully.
“I see. That’s what happened? Listen, I know you don’t do bad things, but who is suffering now? The traders and brokers. They are afraid to return, because they think another explosion is on the way. This is not good for the business. Every week we have a turnover of several million. The point is we want to continue the business—the old way. You are a farang (foreigner). When things go badly, you can always return to your country. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m with the people of Chantaburi, and they want to know who these people are—who want to kill the innocents in the street,” Prapan said reluctantly.
James and Johnny entered the room not realizing that Prapan was in the room. He motioned them to take their seats. Instead, they decided to stand to show their respect. They knew too well how powerful and influential Prapan was in the town. It was because of him they had survived, among a handful of few jealous dealers who had always wanted them out of the country. Under Prapan’s wings, they continued their business operation, contributing frequently to his favored charitable institutions. Rudy could have only guessed the reason for Prapan’s quick visit.
“Do you have any suspects?” Prapan leaned back and asked.
Rudy knew a few names, but linking them to this incident without proof didn’t sound sensible.
“Give me a week, and I should be able to get some lead. I’m back in Chantaburi to do business. My stay at Pailin for six years was a trap set by someone in Chantaburi and Bangkok. We are all working hard to put together our ideas and numbers so that we can do business the old way,” he said.
“What do you think?” Prapan turned his attention to James.
“We’ll find them. You have been extremely helpful in Rudy’s release from Pailin. I believe our enemies are still around plotting their next move. But we are here to stay. We are not fleeing anywhere.”
“Look at Johnny. What do you think?” Prapan asked merrily.
“If I knew them, of course, with your help, I would have those assholes cut to pieces for the crocodiles. But the thing is we don’t know. We do know one thing,” Johnny said.
“What’s that?” Prapan asked eagerly.
“It’s a blue BMW. How many in Chantaburi own a blue BMW. That’s what we should find out,” Johnny answered.
“There are hundreds of BMW’s in all colors coming in and out of Chantaburi from every province. But if we have some sort of an ID, may be we can do something about it,” said Prapan.
“I remember. It has a blue sticker taking the form of a hexagonal bi-pyramid of twelve faces—six above and six below—meeting at a girdle,” Rudy said firmly.
“Good. Then we have some serious work to do in the coming days. I have to go. One more thing,” Prapan paused. “Be in constant communication with me. And the rest well......” He didn’t elaborate.
Prapan rose and shook Rudy’s hand. James and Johnny walked to the door, as Prapan was joined by his entourage waiting outside.
Seventeen
Five hours later, the strongman Praphan arrived with his entourage to visit Rudy. This tragic event had happened in his territory, and he had all the reasons to know the truth.
After waving his men to stay outside the room, Prapan sat closer to Rudy. Rudy thanked Prapan for coming. James and Johnny had just gone out for food. The explosion shook the whole trade—like a passing tornado, and dealers had just begun assessing the damages. Some were too scared to return, because of a repeat revenge act in the offing. Prapan looked at Rudy smilingly like always, but this time he had a message in it.
“What happened?” Prapan asked Rudy in a low tone.
“I just don’t know. I saw this blue BMW at a gas station near Chonburi, and then again on our way to Chanthaburi. The same car threw a plastic bag at us, and it exploded. Now this same gang, I believe is chasing us. I was at Johnny’s office, and look where I am now,” Rudy answered respectfully.
“I see. That’s what happened? Listen, I know you don’t do bad things, but who is suffering now? The traders and brokers. They are afraid to return, because they think another explosion is on the way. This is not good for the business. Every week we have a turnover of several million. The point is we want to continue the business—the old way. You are a farang (foreigner). When things go badly, you can always return to your country. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m with the people of Chantaburi, and they want to know who these people are—who want to kill the innocents in the street,” Prapan said reluctantly.
James and Johnny entered the room not realizing that Prapan was in the room. He motioned them to take their seats. Instead, they decided to stand to show their respect. They knew too well how powerful and influential Prapan was in the town. It was because of him they had survived, among a handful of few jealous dealers who had always wanted them out of the country. Under Prapan’s wings, they continued their business operation, contributing frequently to his favored charitable institutions. Rudy could have only guessed the reason for Prapan’s quick visit.
“Do you have any suspects?” Prapan leaned back and asked.
Rudy knew a few names, but linking them to this incident without proof didn’t sound sensible.
“Give me a week, and I should be able to get some lead. I’m back in Chantaburi to do business. My stay at Pailin for six years was a trap set by someone in Chantaburi and Bangkok. We are all working hard to put together our ideas and numbers so that we can do business the old way,” he said.
“What do you think?” Prapan turned his attention to James.
“We’ll find them. You have been extremely helpful in Rudy’s release from Pailin. I believe our enemies are still around plotting their next move. But we are here to stay. We are not fleeing anywhere.”
“Look at Johnny. What do you think?” Prapan asked merrily.
“If I knew them, of course, with your help, I would have those assholes cut to pieces for the crocodiles. But the thing is we don’t know. We do know one thing,” Johnny said.
“What’s that?” Prapan asked eagerly.
“It’s a blue BMW. How many in Chantaburi own a blue BMW. That’s what we should find out,” Johnny answered.
“There are hundreds of BMW’s in all colors coming in and out of Chantaburi from every province. But if we have some sort of an ID, may be we can do something about it,” said Prapan.
“I remember. It has a blue sticker taking the form of a hexagonal bi-pyramid of twelve faces—six above and six below—meeting at a girdle,” Rudy said firmly.
“Good. Then we have some serious work to do in the coming days. I have to go. One more thing,” Prapan paused. “Be in constant communication with me. And the rest well......” He didn’t elaborate.
Prapan rose and shook Rudy’s hand. James and Johnny walked to the door, as Prapan was joined by his entourage waiting outside.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Sixteen
Next day, James was on the phone. Rudy was playing chess on his notebook computer.
“Meechai is already in Chantaburi,” James said, gasping for breath.
“Hold on a sec.” Rudy closed the game, and then switched off the notebook computer. “It can’t be—double-check again.”
“I did. In fact, he is with Seri. Simith called,” James answered.
“Meechai will be dead, buddy. Off to the crocodile farm. We need to keep him alive,” Rudy continued, “he knows too much.”
“Does Johnny know about it?” Rudy asked in despair.
“I tried to contact him. The line is busy. I think we should go together to Chantaburi now, and do something about it,” James said frantically. “I’m coming to SV City, and let’s get there before something bad happens.”
“Let’s go.” Rudy hung up.
James arrived at SV City. James was driving a Volvo. They had a mutual interest in Meechai’s fate. But Seri had his plans too. Nature’s call drove James to the nearest gas station. Rudy remained in the car, as James rushed to the toilet at lightning speed. Several travelers kept coming and leaving to buy food and drinks from the food store for their ongoing journey.
Rudy checked the time. Another three more hours to go. He switched on to jazz music to while away his time. James was taking more time. As he glanced at the side mirror, a blue BMW parked behind their Volvo. No one came out. But he noted the number and waited.
Later, James walked briskly to the food store to buy some snacks and drinks for the long journey. Rudy still kept an eye on the blue BMW, as James got to the front seat.
“You okay?” Rudy asked, judging by his facial gestures.
“Better,” James replied. He waited for the construction trucks to pass, before he turned left to the main road. The music was in full blast, as the Volvo took its speed.
“You know something,” James added. “By the time we get there, Meechai will be gone to the nether world. Our only contact at the moment is Simith. Do you think it’s another trap?”
“Nope. We’ll call from Johnny’s place, instead of going to Simith’s office,” Rudy answered. He saw the blue BMW behind them. “Keep an eye on that blue BMW, will you?”
“Who are they?” James asked.
“I wish I knew. There it is. It’s overtaking us,” Rudy said. In no time a plastic bag was thrown at them.
James slowed down bringing the car to halt. The plastic bag had a foul smell. He threw it away to the paddy field. Before they could get into their front seat, there was an explosion starting the birds and dogs fleeing in all directions.
“What the hell was that?” Rudy asked in horror. “Someone wanted to kill us. They must have been following us all the way from Bangkok. Isn’t that something? Does anyone else know of our trip?”
“Nope. Just the two of us,” James said in a low tone. He was still in a state of shock.
They arrived Chantaburi at two in the afternoon. Johnny looked disturbed by the event, as he listened to the whole episode. Rudy knew already the game had started.
“So what do you think? You want to chase Meechai, and get blown up again? You know the people too well, don’t you?” Johnny reminded.
“How about Simith? He is our insider,” James added.
“Do you think you can trust anyone in this trade? They are all either for your money or stones. Once the deal is over, no more intimacy,” Johnny continued, “but I think Simith may be hiding something. You never know, but be diplomatic when he gets here.”
“You think so?” Rudy asked.
“They are after you, Rudy—nobody else. You are the big whale in town today. They have already forgotten what happened in Cambodia. It’s history. Now you are the villain for them. They know your caliber during the hey days. Remember those days—one million, two million dollars worth of stones everyday. How many of them can afford that today? With the present economy sinking like the Titanic, and being a foreigner, they are suspicious of your every move. They are after your meat,” Johnny said.
Simith arrived hurriedly. He looked completely confused and was sweating heavily too.
“Meechai had escaped when Seri had gone out of his villa to meet an associate. That’s what he said to me. When he returned, there was no one in his house,” Simith said quietly.
“That’s a good news. Meechai knows from experience that he won’t be alive, if he trusted his own frigging brother, given the information I have about Seri’s shady affairs,” Rudy said quickly, “and once when he gets back to Bangkok, he may want to speed up the deal. Again, Meechai is unpredictable.”
“Maybe you’re right,” James said in a depressed voice. “But you never know.”
“I can tell you this, buddy,” Johnny sighed. “Meechai will be looking for you. Maybe he can trust only one person today. That’s Rudy Smith.”
Simith paused. Later he rose lazily from his seat near the wall, and Rudy noted that Simith had a gun.
“This is for you. In case, if anyone feels like testing the hardness and toughness in you, then just use it. The rest, we’ll take care of the situation,” Simith reminded Rudy with a smile.
“Do you know how to use a gun?” Johnny asked Rudy. Rudy nodded.
James looked at Rudy thoughtfully. And Simith gave a curious glance.
“James, do you need one? I have many at home,” Simith said. James laughed.
Rudy was thinking something else when others indulged themselves with their whisky bottles. He knew where to meet Meechai in case he was in Bangkok. And Jeffrey too was going to add flavor to the cause when he arrived in Bangkok. With a sigh of relief, Rudy drew from his pocket his palm pc and made some notes. He had never killed anyone in his life, and now it seemed the events were leading to such a scenario.
Normally in Chantaburi, differences and arguments in business dealings, were settled peacefully in the presence of the strongman Prapan Chantabun. He knew the damage and insecurity it might invite—scaring away the dealers coming from other provinces and foreign countries—thus ruining the local economy. Once in a while skirmishes occurred, but they were just minor events.
Rudy weighed the situation. All of a sudden he was interrupted by a heartbreaking sound of an announcement by the fruit vendor so loud, he decided to take a look outside.
There it was—that very same blue BMW. A plastic bag was thrown at him from the car so quickly, he had hardly any time to call to others. Rudy dove under the pushcart carrying ice cream. There was an immediate confusion when the explosion hit Srichan street, breaking glass windows, and forcing the brokers to flee in panic and desperate confusion. Johnny and James rushed to the scene to help Rudy, as he lay on the ground covered in blood. The ice cream vendor incurred severe head injuries, as he was carried away by an ambulance to a nearby hospital. Simith made several telephone calls to alert his friends and families to stay elsewhere as a reminder. He hid the gun he had given to Rudy in his jacket to avoid further consequences, and accompanied Johnny and James to the hospital.
Sixteen
Next day, James was on the phone. Rudy was playing chess on his notebook computer.
“Meechai is already in Chantaburi,” James said, gasping for breath.
“Hold on a sec.” Rudy closed the game, and then switched off the notebook computer. “It can’t be—double-check again.”
“I did. In fact, he is with Seri. Simith called,” James answered.
“Meechai will be dead, buddy. Off to the crocodile farm. We need to keep him alive,” Rudy continued, “he knows too much.”
“Does Johnny know about it?” Rudy asked in despair.
“I tried to contact him. The line is busy. I think we should go together to Chantaburi now, and do something about it,” James said frantically. “I’m coming to SV City, and let’s get there before something bad happens.”
“Let’s go.” Rudy hung up.
James arrived at SV City. James was driving a Volvo. They had a mutual interest in Meechai’s fate. But Seri had his plans too. Nature’s call drove James to the nearest gas station. Rudy remained in the car, as James rushed to the toilet at lightning speed. Several travelers kept coming and leaving to buy food and drinks from the food store for their ongoing journey.
Rudy checked the time. Another three more hours to go. He switched on to jazz music to while away his time. James was taking more time. As he glanced at the side mirror, a blue BMW parked behind their Volvo. No one came out. But he noted the number and waited.
Later, James walked briskly to the food store to buy some snacks and drinks for the long journey. Rudy still kept an eye on the blue BMW, as James got to the front seat.
“You okay?” Rudy asked, judging by his facial gestures.
“Better,” James replied. He waited for the construction trucks to pass, before he turned left to the main road. The music was in full blast, as the Volvo took its speed.
“You know something,” James added. “By the time we get there, Meechai will be gone to the nether world. Our only contact at the moment is Simith. Do you think it’s another trap?”
“Nope. We’ll call from Johnny’s place, instead of going to Simith’s office,” Rudy answered. He saw the blue BMW behind them. “Keep an eye on that blue BMW, will you?”
“Who are they?” James asked.
“I wish I knew. There it is. It’s overtaking us,” Rudy said. In no time a plastic bag was thrown at them.
James slowed down bringing the car to halt. The plastic bag had a foul smell. He threw it away to the paddy field. Before they could get into their front seat, there was an explosion starting the birds and dogs fleeing in all directions.
“What the hell was that?” Rudy asked in horror. “Someone wanted to kill us. They must have been following us all the way from Bangkok. Isn’t that something? Does anyone else know of our trip?”
“Nope. Just the two of us,” James said in a low tone. He was still in a state of shock.
They arrived Chantaburi at two in the afternoon. Johnny looked disturbed by the event, as he listened to the whole episode. Rudy knew already the game had started.
“So what do you think? You want to chase Meechai, and get blown up again? You know the people too well, don’t you?” Johnny reminded.
“How about Simith? He is our insider,” James added.
“Do you think you can trust anyone in this trade? They are all either for your money or stones. Once the deal is over, no more intimacy,” Johnny continued, “but I think Simith may be hiding something. You never know, but be diplomatic when he gets here.”
“You think so?” Rudy asked.
“They are after you, Rudy—nobody else. You are the big whale in town today. They have already forgotten what happened in Cambodia. It’s history. Now you are the villain for them. They know your caliber during the hey days. Remember those days—one million, two million dollars worth of stones everyday. How many of them can afford that today? With the present economy sinking like the Titanic, and being a foreigner, they are suspicious of your every move. They are after your meat,” Johnny said.
Simith arrived hurriedly. He looked completely confused and was sweating heavily too.
“Meechai had escaped when Seri had gone out of his villa to meet an associate. That’s what he said to me. When he returned, there was no one in his house,” Simith said quietly.
“That’s a good news. Meechai knows from experience that he won’t be alive, if he trusted his own frigging brother, given the information I have about Seri’s shady affairs,” Rudy said quickly, “and once when he gets back to Bangkok, he may want to speed up the deal. Again, Meechai is unpredictable.”
“Maybe you’re right,” James said in a depressed voice. “But you never know.”
“I can tell you this, buddy,” Johnny sighed. “Meechai will be looking for you. Maybe he can trust only one person today. That’s Rudy Smith.”
Simith paused. Later he rose lazily from his seat near the wall, and Rudy noted that Simith had a gun.
“This is for you. In case, if anyone feels like testing the hardness and toughness in you, then just use it. The rest, we’ll take care of the situation,” Simith reminded Rudy with a smile.
“Do you know how to use a gun?” Johnny asked Rudy. Rudy nodded.
James looked at Rudy thoughtfully. And Simith gave a curious glance.
“James, do you need one? I have many at home,” Simith said. James laughed.
Rudy was thinking something else when others indulged themselves with their whisky bottles. He knew where to meet Meechai in case he was in Bangkok. And Jeffrey too was going to add flavor to the cause when he arrived in Bangkok. With a sigh of relief, Rudy drew from his pocket his palm pc and made some notes. He had never killed anyone in his life, and now it seemed the events were leading to such a scenario.
Normally in Chantaburi, differences and arguments in business dealings, were settled peacefully in the presence of the strongman Prapan Chantabun. He knew the damage and insecurity it might invite—scaring away the dealers coming from other provinces and foreign countries—thus ruining the local economy. Once in a while skirmishes occurred, but they were just minor events.
Rudy weighed the situation. All of a sudden he was interrupted by a heartbreaking sound of an announcement by the fruit vendor so loud, he decided to take a look outside.
There it was—that very same blue BMW. A plastic bag was thrown at him from the car so quickly, he had hardly any time to call to others. Rudy dove under the pushcart carrying ice cream. There was an immediate confusion when the explosion hit Srichan street, breaking glass windows, and forcing the brokers to flee in panic and desperate confusion. Johnny and James rushed to the scene to help Rudy, as he lay on the ground covered in blood. The ice cream vendor incurred severe head injuries, as he was carried away by an ambulance to a nearby hospital. Simith made several telephone calls to alert his friends and families to stay elsewhere as a reminder. He hid the gun he had given to Rudy in his jacket to avoid further consequences, and accompanied Johnny and James to the hospital.
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Fifteen
Potch waited for Rudy at the Omni Collection, a jewelry store on the fourth floor of the World Trade Center. No sooner did she see him coming, Potch bid her host a quick sawadee (greeting) and proceeded to the parking lot with him. This time she had a Ferrari. There were several onlookers staring at them, as she drove towards Victory Monument, and then turned right to Phayatai Road.
“I think you will like the house. It’s on private land and belongs to Busaban. You see, you need a permanent shelter, and I believe this is the one you were looking for,” she said while stopping in front of a Chinese-looking house.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit too early?” Rudy asked.
“Nothing is too early. You’re not a teen-ager anymore. Okay let’s get in,” she commented.
They entered through a carved door, and from the first impression, he realized the place was something very different. The architecture, theme, and the water flows, all had a genuine uniqueness, as he walked through the entrance lobby. A broad verandah, granite wall frames, dining pavilion overlooking the serene green pool reminded him of one sure factor. Whoever built this masterpiece had an acute obsession for privacy.
The spectacular high ceiling bedroom took his breath away, as he stood in awe wondering what she had in mind. It was a fusion of different cultural trends portraying Indian, Balinese, Thai, and Chinese themes.
“Do you like it?” she asked. He didn’t know what to say, but knew one thing. Offending her meant no more companionship.
“I think I like it. Maybe, I can turn this into an office and residence as well,” he remarked, while strolling through the front garden.
“Busaban should be here any moment. I think ,” she added. “I forgot to tell you this. Having an office on Silom is not that good. It may be a business street, but not enough privacy. In fact, you don’t need to go anywhere. She has installed state of the art communication equipment for business. And also there is a servants quarters, so your food problem is taken care of. What else do you need? Perhaps few visits by us to keep you informed so that you will always be happy.”
“How much is all this going to cost me?” Rudy glanced at Potch.
“You don’t have to worry about that now. Busaban always does business fairly. Ah, there she is…” Potch walked to the front lobby to greet Busaban. They sat on a wicker chair on the verandah to ease the situation.
“Do you have houses like this elsewhere?” Rudy asked.
“In fact many. We travel often to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore all the time because of our business and friends. When we spot a new design it is immediately transplanted to Thailand in one of our family properties. So you will see a lot of these traditional style houses, and I hope you will like it,” she answered.
Busaban went on and on talking about the Chinese characters involved in the design, and the awaiting luck and fortune for the residents. The spirit house was one such example. She even suggested consulting a feng shui expert in case he needed any renovation to meet his style. After a pause, Busaban began talking like a business woman.
“I sell houses like this one only to close friends, who keep three or four houses for investment purposes. Since you are a close friend of Potch, I have decided to sell it all for ten million,” she concluded. Rudy thought for a while before making a decision.
“Agreed. Cash in five weeks. Is that okay?” Rudy asked with a smile.
“No problem. It’s yours,” she said. They shook hands in the presence of Potch, and later they walked together for a detailed inspection.
“We thought of an idea. May be you will like it,” Potch interrupted.
“Sure. Why not now?” Rudy added.
“Busaban and Khanita did like the idea. We’ve just bought a thirty storied building on Rachadapisek Road, and have decided to call it The Blue Color City Tower. In fact, it was just a thought, we’ve decided to invite you so that we all could work together. That means Khanita will get involved in bringing more tourists through her wide network of tour operators from around the world, and Busaban has blue sapphires coming from her mine and, of course, you will market her stones, and yours as well if you wish. That way we have a brand, and people will trust our stones. We have also decided to work with an independent gem testing laboratory to certify our gems regarding their natural origin, treatments, and what not. We will have to discuss it in detail later. Are you with us?” Potch asked.
“Of course, I am, count me in,” Rudy said.
“That’s good. I knew you would like it. It’s good that we are now all working like a team, aren’t we?” Busaban added.
Hours later they were in their cars, Busaban driving towards Rangsit. Potch and Rudy decided to ease the time at the Sheraton Grande on Sukhumvit Road. They took their seats in the bar, as the jazz music took the beat. But his mind was orbiting elsewhere. Putting together the numbers seemed easy at first, but expenses kept creeping from elsewhere—like the house purchase.
“What are you thinking? Don’t think too much. It’s not good for your health,” she said. After ordering from the menu, she then continued, “and after all I’ve been with you all the time in need. By the way, my husband is coming in two days time. He wants to modernize the antique Chinese telecommunication systems. Believe it or not, with a couple of his close friends, including the Chinese government, they have closed the deal. He is good in that kind of stuff, but not always the way I want to be.”
“What does that mean?” Rudy interrupted. The food arrived.
“You know something. I feel safe talking to you because we have known each other for a long time. All my friends have this problem. Their husbands just don’t know how to handle their wives sexually. They are good in making deals and money. After all with all this wealth and status, and if we don’t get what we want, then relationships with other men become common. At least this is true among my friends. The kids have no idea what’s happening behind the scene. And I hope, they won’t,” Potch said in a low tone.
“What do you want me to do?” Rudy had no idea what she had in mind. The only alternative left was to probe gently.
“Stay with me,” she added, “and you have been faithful to me all the time. I appreciate that. You are the one filling my needs. Don’t go away.”
Rudy looked around to note if anyone was watching them. The bar had only a very few occupants, mostly tourists. The music continued in full blast—that was good. At least no one was listening to their conversation. She was getting emotional and needed his company at any cost.
“I understand,” Rudy replied.
“Do you really want to open an office on Silom? Your enemies will be out for your life. It costs only a few thousand to hire a assassin. That’s the value of your life. I don’t know much about the men you deal with, but believe me when it comes to money and protecting their interests, human lives are worth nothing. So please be careful with those shady characters. I don’t want you to be seen taken as a captive again. I couldn’t sleep well for the past six years,” she said pressing his hands gently. It was a very emotional moment for both of them.
“It won’t happen this time,” Rudy said. The waitress left the table after collecting the bill.
Fifteen
Potch waited for Rudy at the Omni Collection, a jewelry store on the fourth floor of the World Trade Center. No sooner did she see him coming, Potch bid her host a quick sawadee (greeting) and proceeded to the parking lot with him. This time she had a Ferrari. There were several onlookers staring at them, as she drove towards Victory Monument, and then turned right to Phayatai Road.
“I think you will like the house. It’s on private land and belongs to Busaban. You see, you need a permanent shelter, and I believe this is the one you were looking for,” she said while stopping in front of a Chinese-looking house.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit too early?” Rudy asked.
“Nothing is too early. You’re not a teen-ager anymore. Okay let’s get in,” she commented.
They entered through a carved door, and from the first impression, he realized the place was something very different. The architecture, theme, and the water flows, all had a genuine uniqueness, as he walked through the entrance lobby. A broad verandah, granite wall frames, dining pavilion overlooking the serene green pool reminded him of one sure factor. Whoever built this masterpiece had an acute obsession for privacy.
The spectacular high ceiling bedroom took his breath away, as he stood in awe wondering what she had in mind. It was a fusion of different cultural trends portraying Indian, Balinese, Thai, and Chinese themes.
“Do you like it?” she asked. He didn’t know what to say, but knew one thing. Offending her meant no more companionship.
“I think I like it. Maybe, I can turn this into an office and residence as well,” he remarked, while strolling through the front garden.
“Busaban should be here any moment. I think ,” she added. “I forgot to tell you this. Having an office on Silom is not that good. It may be a business street, but not enough privacy. In fact, you don’t need to go anywhere. She has installed state of the art communication equipment for business. And also there is a servants quarters, so your food problem is taken care of. What else do you need? Perhaps few visits by us to keep you informed so that you will always be happy.”
“How much is all this going to cost me?” Rudy glanced at Potch.
“You don’t have to worry about that now. Busaban always does business fairly. Ah, there she is…” Potch walked to the front lobby to greet Busaban. They sat on a wicker chair on the verandah to ease the situation.
“Do you have houses like this elsewhere?” Rudy asked.
“In fact many. We travel often to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore all the time because of our business and friends. When we spot a new design it is immediately transplanted to Thailand in one of our family properties. So you will see a lot of these traditional style houses, and I hope you will like it,” she answered.
Busaban went on and on talking about the Chinese characters involved in the design, and the awaiting luck and fortune for the residents. The spirit house was one such example. She even suggested consulting a feng shui expert in case he needed any renovation to meet his style. After a pause, Busaban began talking like a business woman.
“I sell houses like this one only to close friends, who keep three or four houses for investment purposes. Since you are a close friend of Potch, I have decided to sell it all for ten million,” she concluded. Rudy thought for a while before making a decision.
“Agreed. Cash in five weeks. Is that okay?” Rudy asked with a smile.
“No problem. It’s yours,” she said. They shook hands in the presence of Potch, and later they walked together for a detailed inspection.
“We thought of an idea. May be you will like it,” Potch interrupted.
“Sure. Why not now?” Rudy added.
“Busaban and Khanita did like the idea. We’ve just bought a thirty storied building on Rachadapisek Road, and have decided to call it The Blue Color City Tower. In fact, it was just a thought, we’ve decided to invite you so that we all could work together. That means Khanita will get involved in bringing more tourists through her wide network of tour operators from around the world, and Busaban has blue sapphires coming from her mine and, of course, you will market her stones, and yours as well if you wish. That way we have a brand, and people will trust our stones. We have also decided to work with an independent gem testing laboratory to certify our gems regarding their natural origin, treatments, and what not. We will have to discuss it in detail later. Are you with us?” Potch asked.
“Of course, I am, count me in,” Rudy said.
“That’s good. I knew you would like it. It’s good that we are now all working like a team, aren’t we?” Busaban added.
Hours later they were in their cars, Busaban driving towards Rangsit. Potch and Rudy decided to ease the time at the Sheraton Grande on Sukhumvit Road. They took their seats in the bar, as the jazz music took the beat. But his mind was orbiting elsewhere. Putting together the numbers seemed easy at first, but expenses kept creeping from elsewhere—like the house purchase.
“What are you thinking? Don’t think too much. It’s not good for your health,” she said. After ordering from the menu, she then continued, “and after all I’ve been with you all the time in need. By the way, my husband is coming in two days time. He wants to modernize the antique Chinese telecommunication systems. Believe it or not, with a couple of his close friends, including the Chinese government, they have closed the deal. He is good in that kind of stuff, but not always the way I want to be.”
“What does that mean?” Rudy interrupted. The food arrived.
“You know something. I feel safe talking to you because we have known each other for a long time. All my friends have this problem. Their husbands just don’t know how to handle their wives sexually. They are good in making deals and money. After all with all this wealth and status, and if we don’t get what we want, then relationships with other men become common. At least this is true among my friends. The kids have no idea what’s happening behind the scene. And I hope, they won’t,” Potch said in a low tone.
“What do you want me to do?” Rudy had no idea what she had in mind. The only alternative left was to probe gently.
“Stay with me,” she added, “and you have been faithful to me all the time. I appreciate that. You are the one filling my needs. Don’t go away.”
Rudy looked around to note if anyone was watching them. The bar had only a very few occupants, mostly tourists. The music continued in full blast—that was good. At least no one was listening to their conversation. She was getting emotional and needed his company at any cost.
“I understand,” Rudy replied.
“Do you really want to open an office on Silom? Your enemies will be out for your life. It costs only a few thousand to hire a assassin. That’s the value of your life. I don’t know much about the men you deal with, but believe me when it comes to money and protecting their interests, human lives are worth nothing. So please be careful with those shady characters. I don’t want you to be seen taken as a captive again. I couldn’t sleep well for the past six years,” she said pressing his hands gently. It was a very emotional moment for both of them.
“It won’t happen this time,” Rudy said. The waitress left the table after collecting the bill.
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Thirteen
Toni, James and Gary arrived late evening at SV City. Rudy’s study room-cum-office looked a bit disorganized with files and papers around. He motioned them to sit on the sofa, while he switched on his notebook computer.
“So everyone is back,” Rudy said pleasantly. He continued, “which is a good news. How was your trip to Indonesia, Toni?”
“Disaster. Riots everywhere. I think Suharto needs a long vacation far away from his country. Perhaps to the end of the world. And his successor looks no different. Economy is too bad. With unemployment going sky high, and the rich moving money out of the country at the speed of light, there is no way we can sell any gemstones in that country. People just don’t have the money. I hope there won’t be another coup,” he said with a shrug.
“So that market is off the map for the time being,” Rudy added dryly. “Gary, how are things in New York?”
“Booming. Probably the best market in the world if the Asian crisis doesn’t contaminate the American economy like Aids. They say it is a global economy. But everyone is getting sick when one country gets cold. People have money and they are spending it on women, men, cars, houses, gems and jewelry. Lately, traveling too. The stock market is shooting up—like some of our space programs. The Dow Jones is smiling happily and God knows what happens when it hits beyond ten thousand. So far so good. And it did cross the ten thousand mark. Our old customers are still alive and believe me, if they know you are back, they will buy from us. In fact, the Sotheby’s people were asking about you, and you know all that personal stuff,” Gary answered. Rudy nodded. James sat thoughtfully staring at Rudy.
“The local market is half-dead, but I still think we may be able to sell to the rich. I know. In the long term, we should expect the market to recover from Burma to Indonesia. If we can keep that ten per cent rich happy, we are floating not sinking. They have a culture of buying good, big and expensive stones, and given the lack of confidence in their own currency, where do you think they want to put their money? GEMSTONES! They can’t put their money in local and foreign banks. The whole world will know it in a short while. So if they have spare cash, we should encourage them to buy more blue sapphires, because the good ones will always have value despite the crazy mood swings in their economy,” Rudy said.
“I need something to eat,” Toni interrupted.
“Help yourself. In fact, I did order a large vegetarian pizza from Narai, for you and Gary. James, your favorite Big Mac is also on the dining table. And we have more than enough Singha and Carlsberg in the fridge. After this meeting, I’m taking you out to the Rembrandt hotel. Try some hot Indian food—a good chemical match,” Rudy said.
“Ooh! Isn’t that something?” Everyone nodded.
After a fifteen minute break, they were back to the discussion, as Rudy began working out his plans and their assignments.
“I think Gary should be shuttling between Bangkok and New York. Toni will be moving between Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. While James will work closely with me, as a contact source in Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia,” Rudy commented.
“Are we still working the same way like before?” Gary asked.
“Both Gary and Toni will have a five percent commission on each sale, including other benefits. Is that agreeable to you guys?” Rudy motioned James for a Singha.
“Good. We have two percent more this time,” Toni added. “But more than that we love working for you. It’s not the money that matters. You are just taking care of us beyond the commissions and other expenses. God bless you, Rudy.”
“Thank you. Gary, are you okay with this arrangement?” Rudy asked.
“I’m thinking on the same wavelength like Toni. The facilities you have provided for me in New York, Jeez, which dealer will do such things—free housing on Washington Square North. You have given me more than I deserve. I’ll work with you forever. I have no more comments. My mission this time? More business, more blues,” Gary smiled.
“So that’s it? Everyone wants to work for me? That’s great. I’ll have to work out some details with James later, but more than that, I have to thank James for all the help and making it possible for me to get back on my feet. Since you guys have been working with me for a good long time, I have to make this overdue statement. I’ll share fifty-fifty, our profits with James. And it’s my decision,” Rudy said firmly.
James never expected such a gesture from Rudy. He was surprised and felt happy. James deserved this privilege. Toni and Gary felt the same way too. They couldn’t pluck Rudy out of the jungle, and James did it his way with some help from a third party.
There was a jubilant mood among them, as Rudy went for a second round of drinks. Having the numbers tallied fairly, his concentration now moved to the legalese involving Seri and his business.
“What are you going to do with Seri?” Gary asked, after emptying ten cans of Singha.
“I’ll be working out a fair deal with Lec’s lawyer. He has his office at the ITF building on Silom Road. Philip Mathew is a long-term resident and quite influential too. Lec has enormous respect for him. It should be all over by the end of next week,” Rudy replied.
“Jeffrey?” Toni asked with a loaf of pizza still in his mouth. He was gasping for breath, as the food got stuck in his throat. Rudy and Gary rushed to the kitchen for water, while James kept massaging his back shoulder. After ten minutes, Toni was back to normal, but he looked different—like a pizza. Rudy had other plans. He had to first get into Seri’s business. They decided to break up the discussion.
“Are you all ready for the Rembrandt hotel?” Rudy asked while switching off his notebook computer. Then he remembered the note on his table from Potch.
Thirteen
Toni, James and Gary arrived late evening at SV City. Rudy’s study room-cum-office looked a bit disorganized with files and papers around. He motioned them to sit on the sofa, while he switched on his notebook computer.
“So everyone is back,” Rudy said pleasantly. He continued, “which is a good news. How was your trip to Indonesia, Toni?”
“Disaster. Riots everywhere. I think Suharto needs a long vacation far away from his country. Perhaps to the end of the world. And his successor looks no different. Economy is too bad. With unemployment going sky high, and the rich moving money out of the country at the speed of light, there is no way we can sell any gemstones in that country. People just don’t have the money. I hope there won’t be another coup,” he said with a shrug.
“So that market is off the map for the time being,” Rudy added dryly. “Gary, how are things in New York?”
“Booming. Probably the best market in the world if the Asian crisis doesn’t contaminate the American economy like Aids. They say it is a global economy. But everyone is getting sick when one country gets cold. People have money and they are spending it on women, men, cars, houses, gems and jewelry. Lately, traveling too. The stock market is shooting up—like some of our space programs. The Dow Jones is smiling happily and God knows what happens when it hits beyond ten thousand. So far so good. And it did cross the ten thousand mark. Our old customers are still alive and believe me, if they know you are back, they will buy from us. In fact, the Sotheby’s people were asking about you, and you know all that personal stuff,” Gary answered. Rudy nodded. James sat thoughtfully staring at Rudy.
“The local market is half-dead, but I still think we may be able to sell to the rich. I know. In the long term, we should expect the market to recover from Burma to Indonesia. If we can keep that ten per cent rich happy, we are floating not sinking. They have a culture of buying good, big and expensive stones, and given the lack of confidence in their own currency, where do you think they want to put their money? GEMSTONES! They can’t put their money in local and foreign banks. The whole world will know it in a short while. So if they have spare cash, we should encourage them to buy more blue sapphires, because the good ones will always have value despite the crazy mood swings in their economy,” Rudy said.
“I need something to eat,” Toni interrupted.
“Help yourself. In fact, I did order a large vegetarian pizza from Narai, for you and Gary. James, your favorite Big Mac is also on the dining table. And we have more than enough Singha and Carlsberg in the fridge. After this meeting, I’m taking you out to the Rembrandt hotel. Try some hot Indian food—a good chemical match,” Rudy said.
“Ooh! Isn’t that something?” Everyone nodded.
After a fifteen minute break, they were back to the discussion, as Rudy began working out his plans and their assignments.
“I think Gary should be shuttling between Bangkok and New York. Toni will be moving between Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. While James will work closely with me, as a contact source in Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia,” Rudy commented.
“Are we still working the same way like before?” Gary asked.
“Both Gary and Toni will have a five percent commission on each sale, including other benefits. Is that agreeable to you guys?” Rudy motioned James for a Singha.
“Good. We have two percent more this time,” Toni added. “But more than that we love working for you. It’s not the money that matters. You are just taking care of us beyond the commissions and other expenses. God bless you, Rudy.”
“Thank you. Gary, are you okay with this arrangement?” Rudy asked.
“I’m thinking on the same wavelength like Toni. The facilities you have provided for me in New York, Jeez, which dealer will do such things—free housing on Washington Square North. You have given me more than I deserve. I’ll work with you forever. I have no more comments. My mission this time? More business, more blues,” Gary smiled.
“So that’s it? Everyone wants to work for me? That’s great. I’ll have to work out some details with James later, but more than that, I have to thank James for all the help and making it possible for me to get back on my feet. Since you guys have been working with me for a good long time, I have to make this overdue statement. I’ll share fifty-fifty, our profits with James. And it’s my decision,” Rudy said firmly.
James never expected such a gesture from Rudy. He was surprised and felt happy. James deserved this privilege. Toni and Gary felt the same way too. They couldn’t pluck Rudy out of the jungle, and James did it his way with some help from a third party.
There was a jubilant mood among them, as Rudy went for a second round of drinks. Having the numbers tallied fairly, his concentration now moved to the legalese involving Seri and his business.
“What are you going to do with Seri?” Gary asked, after emptying ten cans of Singha.
“I’ll be working out a fair deal with Lec’s lawyer. He has his office at the ITF building on Silom Road. Philip Mathew is a long-term resident and quite influential too. Lec has enormous respect for him. It should be all over by the end of next week,” Rudy replied.
“Jeffrey?” Toni asked with a loaf of pizza still in his mouth. He was gasping for breath, as the food got stuck in his throat. Rudy and Gary rushed to the kitchen for water, while James kept massaging his back shoulder. After ten minutes, Toni was back to normal, but he looked different—like a pizza. Rudy had other plans. He had to first get into Seri’s business. They decided to break up the discussion.
“Are you all ready for the Rembrandt hotel?” Rudy asked while switching off his notebook computer. Then he remembered the note on his table from Potch.
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Twelve
It was ten fifteen in the morning. He was late. The lights were on. He looked at his naked body, and then glanced at the blanket rolled into a corner. He rubbed his eyes several times to make sure he was still awake. The bedroom looked clean and tidy except his table. Then he saw the note on the table.
A simple thank you from Potch. He flipped the note, and there was a telephone number. She always did things like that. The notebook computer and telephone were plugged on. Before he could reach the bathroom, the phone buzzed.
“Hey, Rudy!” James called.
“Good morning to you,” Rudy said. “What’s up?”
“Be at TD building, fourth floor. Let’s say around twelve thirty. You know the building, don’t you?” James said.
“Sure. I’ll be right there.” Rudy hung up and smiled.
He slid the curtain to get a glimpse of Chao Phraya river. Long boats with their heavy cargo moved slowly to their destination. The crew sang a melodious folk song he had heard before while in the northeastern part of Thailand.
By twelve noon, he was on Silom Road. He paid the taxi fare and decided to walk to Mahesak. Several African dealers with their black leather bags full of rough gems crossed the road to Warner Towers. Some recognized him and waved at him. Rudy knew they would be chasing him to buy their junk. But he liked them for one reason—a source for rough gems of a different quality. Gem brokers, salesmen in gray and white uniform with polished gems, ran from building to building, either selling or negotiating a deal. The crowded streets, with people and food vendors, occupying every nook and corner of the back streets in and around Mahesak, made it naturally colorful. The security guard in front of the building recognized, and informed Rudy that James had already arrived. He walked past the red carpeted stairs to the fourth floor. The front door was open.
“Hey, Rudy, welcome back to Mahesak,” Lec Dutoit continued, “and James told me all about you and the plans. Okay, buddy—take your seat. Tea?”
“Darjeeling,” Rudy said.
“Now listen. Seri, is a real asshole. If you think you can cut him off from the trade, you’ll be doing a favor to me and to my friends. The locals think we can be handled the way they like, and guess what? I’ve been seeing all kind of stones I can’t sell. What’s going on? Believe me, it’s a fucking cat-and-mouse game. And you must be careful this time,” Lec said with a grin.
Lec Dutoit, a Canadian, and a gifted dealer specializing in blue sapphires from Burma, Cambodia, Thailand and Madagascar had tremendous access to the top miners and rough dealers, who used him as an agent to sell their goods in the international market.
Rudy too had done some business with him in the past. It was good. And he had excellent information on demand and supply trend around the world among the top class collectors, a unique facility he took advantage to its zenith. Seri and Lec were like two lions in a cage. They never got along well. In fact, Seri sold a blue sapphire through another broker—a trusted guy of Lec—one surface-diffused blue sapphire of 20carats as natural to a rich new client. It took Lec a while to know the true situation as his customer—an Arab merchant—returned to his office from Dubai, with a gun and a dagger. The Arab wanted to kill Lec for the misrepresentation. Lec was forced to pay double the price and other costs to clear his name. When he traced the source of the scam, it was none other than Seri. From that day onward, Lec had been thinking about how to square Seri. Now the opportunity had come from nowhere, and he was willing to go the extra mile to drive Seri to his grave by whatever means.
“Okay. What’s the deal?” Rudy asked.
“James tells me that you are going to buy out his business in two stages. First, as a partner, and then taking full control. How? I know there is a better way. You can join my business, if you want,” Lec said laughingly.
“I need to first use Seri to square his partner in disguise, frigging Jeffrey. It was he who set up the trap in Cambodia. I met Meechai, in the same jungle where I was holed up. He told me all about it, and in fact he gave me a blue sapphire, as a luck charm to be used at an appropriate time. You know something? He hid this blue sapphire in his fucking penis to tell me his fucking story. I want Jeffrey in the flesh, and Seri is the best bait. He is in trouble and needs money. That’s my game,” Rudy answered.
“So we have a common enemy, don’t we?” James interrupted.
“I want Seri’s two fingers as a reminder. You can take the rest,” Lec replied with a hearty laugh and walked to the tea pot. “More tea?”
Lec poured tea into each glass and slumped in his chair.
“Any time limit for the acquisition?” Lec asked.
“Five weeks. In fact, if everything goes well it should be all over in a few days,” Rudy said firmly.
“You know something about Jeffrey?” Lec added. “He is a jackal. And there are several jackals in all the countries where we do business. He is no different from the despots of all these countries. You know what I’m talking about. You can call him the Slobodavan Milosovic of the gem trade. It won’t be that easy.”
“I know. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Act like him,” Rudy said.
Twelve
It was ten fifteen in the morning. He was late. The lights were on. He looked at his naked body, and then glanced at the blanket rolled into a corner. He rubbed his eyes several times to make sure he was still awake. The bedroom looked clean and tidy except his table. Then he saw the note on the table.
A simple thank you from Potch. He flipped the note, and there was a telephone number. She always did things like that. The notebook computer and telephone were plugged on. Before he could reach the bathroom, the phone buzzed.
“Hey, Rudy!” James called.
“Good morning to you,” Rudy said. “What’s up?”
“Be at TD building, fourth floor. Let’s say around twelve thirty. You know the building, don’t you?” James said.
“Sure. I’ll be right there.” Rudy hung up and smiled.
He slid the curtain to get a glimpse of Chao Phraya river. Long boats with their heavy cargo moved slowly to their destination. The crew sang a melodious folk song he had heard before while in the northeastern part of Thailand.
By twelve noon, he was on Silom Road. He paid the taxi fare and decided to walk to Mahesak. Several African dealers with their black leather bags full of rough gems crossed the road to Warner Towers. Some recognized him and waved at him. Rudy knew they would be chasing him to buy their junk. But he liked them for one reason—a source for rough gems of a different quality. Gem brokers, salesmen in gray and white uniform with polished gems, ran from building to building, either selling or negotiating a deal. The crowded streets, with people and food vendors, occupying every nook and corner of the back streets in and around Mahesak, made it naturally colorful. The security guard in front of the building recognized, and informed Rudy that James had already arrived. He walked past the red carpeted stairs to the fourth floor. The front door was open.
“Hey, Rudy, welcome back to Mahesak,” Lec Dutoit continued, “and James told me all about you and the plans. Okay, buddy—take your seat. Tea?”
“Darjeeling,” Rudy said.
“Now listen. Seri, is a real asshole. If you think you can cut him off from the trade, you’ll be doing a favor to me and to my friends. The locals think we can be handled the way they like, and guess what? I’ve been seeing all kind of stones I can’t sell. What’s going on? Believe me, it’s a fucking cat-and-mouse game. And you must be careful this time,” Lec said with a grin.
Lec Dutoit, a Canadian, and a gifted dealer specializing in blue sapphires from Burma, Cambodia, Thailand and Madagascar had tremendous access to the top miners and rough dealers, who used him as an agent to sell their goods in the international market.
Rudy too had done some business with him in the past. It was good. And he had excellent information on demand and supply trend around the world among the top class collectors, a unique facility he took advantage to its zenith. Seri and Lec were like two lions in a cage. They never got along well. In fact, Seri sold a blue sapphire through another broker—a trusted guy of Lec—one surface-diffused blue sapphire of 20carats as natural to a rich new client. It took Lec a while to know the true situation as his customer—an Arab merchant—returned to his office from Dubai, with a gun and a dagger. The Arab wanted to kill Lec for the misrepresentation. Lec was forced to pay double the price and other costs to clear his name. When he traced the source of the scam, it was none other than Seri. From that day onward, Lec had been thinking about how to square Seri. Now the opportunity had come from nowhere, and he was willing to go the extra mile to drive Seri to his grave by whatever means.
“Okay. What’s the deal?” Rudy asked.
“James tells me that you are going to buy out his business in two stages. First, as a partner, and then taking full control. How? I know there is a better way. You can join my business, if you want,” Lec said laughingly.
“I need to first use Seri to square his partner in disguise, frigging Jeffrey. It was he who set up the trap in Cambodia. I met Meechai, in the same jungle where I was holed up. He told me all about it, and in fact he gave me a blue sapphire, as a luck charm to be used at an appropriate time. You know something? He hid this blue sapphire in his fucking penis to tell me his fucking story. I want Jeffrey in the flesh, and Seri is the best bait. He is in trouble and needs money. That’s my game,” Rudy answered.
“So we have a common enemy, don’t we?” James interrupted.
“I want Seri’s two fingers as a reminder. You can take the rest,” Lec replied with a hearty laugh and walked to the tea pot. “More tea?”
Lec poured tea into each glass and slumped in his chair.
“Any time limit for the acquisition?” Lec asked.
“Five weeks. In fact, if everything goes well it should be all over in a few days,” Rudy said firmly.
“You know something about Jeffrey?” Lec added. “He is a jackal. And there are several jackals in all the countries where we do business. He is no different from the despots of all these countries. You know what I’m talking about. You can call him the Slobodavan Milosovic of the gem trade. It won’t be that easy.”
“I know. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Act like him,” Rudy said.
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Eleven
By late evening, Rudy returned to Bangkok via Singapore Airlines. Several ideas were pulsating through his mind, as the taxi drove to SV City. Bangkok remained the same all the time. The same traffic, incomplete construction sites without life, new and old buses, people hanging out of the buses like a bunch of grapes, and the tightly dressed police with all their gadgets, trying to restlessly cope with the pressures and temperatures exposed made him laugh. Even the taxi driver understood Rudy’s thoughts, laughing at him ironically.
After dropping Rudy at his condo, the taxi picked up another foreigner, disappearing into one of the back streets of Bangkok. He switched on his notebook computer to record all the information he had from his trip to Singapore and Hong Kong. He had two more destinations: New York and Switzerland. After that he would be back in full swing. He had a deadline. Five weeks to handle Seri Fonhlaeng, and another two weeks for that official announcement. After double-checking the data in the computer, he switched off the computer and the telephone. He needed a good shower and uninterrupted sleep. The bedroom light remained dim. Rudy hated a dark room. The Cambodian ordeal always brought back scary memories.
After a few hours of sleep, he felt someone in bed. He ignored it at first and pulled over the blanket one more time. But it was moving and rubbing his skin. Soft scented lips started rubbing his thigh, and the hairs on his whole body stood up straight—like the spikes of a porcupine. He was too tired to switch on the light. A soft hand moved slowly upwards massaging his balls gently to further coax his pressurized erection. He was beyond heaven and began moaning, as the massage became intense. Then he felt someone moving on top of him stretching his body so that both could see each other’s face.
“Potch,” Rudy cried in utter shock.
She glanced at the alarm clock. It was three in the morning. As he opened his eyes, he couldn’t believe it all happened in such a short time. He wanted to say something, but was too tired.
“Are you okay?” Potch asked. “I needed this after a long absence. I love you. Do you remember the last time we slept? That was......”
“Seven years ago,” Rudy answered correctly.
“But sorry for not informing you first. Please allow me to lie down for some more time.” They were both naked, as she threw the blanket away to a corner. She was still on top of him breathing heavily and kissing his neck and lips.
Potch had a second key to the room. She was informed of his arrival by the manager of the condo, who was authorized to keep a close watch on Rudy. That way she made sure no one else disturbed him. She wanted to keep him as her bonsai. By half past five in the morning, she was ready for her business.
Rudy was still asleep. She left a message for him on his table. He was too tired to wake up and she knew it. Rama III Road was slowly waking up. She drove a Audi A3 out of the parking lot and before the world woke up, Potch was back to work heading to her office on Srinakarin Road.
Potch Towers, a twenty two storied building accommodated her various business operations. She was the first one to be in the building at seven. Till eleven, she remained in the office delegating important assignments to department heads, and then off to business meetings and social visits. She stayed with her husband at Blue Valley on Bang Na Trat Road, when in town. Otherwise, she lived in different houses inviting close friends from around the country for company or pleasure. Their two daughters—Cookie and Lookie, visited them once a year, and that was always during the month of December.Since Rudy was back, she saw him as a good friend and companion. He knew it. It was a discreet relationship. It had worked for more than ten years without any problem.
Eleven
By late evening, Rudy returned to Bangkok via Singapore Airlines. Several ideas were pulsating through his mind, as the taxi drove to SV City. Bangkok remained the same all the time. The same traffic, incomplete construction sites without life, new and old buses, people hanging out of the buses like a bunch of grapes, and the tightly dressed police with all their gadgets, trying to restlessly cope with the pressures and temperatures exposed made him laugh. Even the taxi driver understood Rudy’s thoughts, laughing at him ironically.
After dropping Rudy at his condo, the taxi picked up another foreigner, disappearing into one of the back streets of Bangkok. He switched on his notebook computer to record all the information he had from his trip to Singapore and Hong Kong. He had two more destinations: New York and Switzerland. After that he would be back in full swing. He had a deadline. Five weeks to handle Seri Fonhlaeng, and another two weeks for that official announcement. After double-checking the data in the computer, he switched off the computer and the telephone. He needed a good shower and uninterrupted sleep. The bedroom light remained dim. Rudy hated a dark room. The Cambodian ordeal always brought back scary memories.
After a few hours of sleep, he felt someone in bed. He ignored it at first and pulled over the blanket one more time. But it was moving and rubbing his skin. Soft scented lips started rubbing his thigh, and the hairs on his whole body stood up straight—like the spikes of a porcupine. He was too tired to switch on the light. A soft hand moved slowly upwards massaging his balls gently to further coax his pressurized erection. He was beyond heaven and began moaning, as the massage became intense. Then he felt someone moving on top of him stretching his body so that both could see each other’s face.
“Potch,” Rudy cried in utter shock.
She glanced at the alarm clock. It was three in the morning. As he opened his eyes, he couldn’t believe it all happened in such a short time. He wanted to say something, but was too tired.
“Are you okay?” Potch asked. “I needed this after a long absence. I love you. Do you remember the last time we slept? That was......”
“Seven years ago,” Rudy answered correctly.
“But sorry for not informing you first. Please allow me to lie down for some more time.” They were both naked, as she threw the blanket away to a corner. She was still on top of him breathing heavily and kissing his neck and lips.
Potch had a second key to the room. She was informed of his arrival by the manager of the condo, who was authorized to keep a close watch on Rudy. That way she made sure no one else disturbed him. She wanted to keep him as her bonsai. By half past five in the morning, she was ready for her business.
Rudy was still asleep. She left a message for him on his table. He was too tired to wake up and she knew it. Rama III Road was slowly waking up. She drove a Audi A3 out of the parking lot and before the world woke up, Potch was back to work heading to her office on Srinakarin Road.
Potch Towers, a twenty two storied building accommodated her various business operations. She was the first one to be in the building at seven. Till eleven, she remained in the office delegating important assignments to department heads, and then off to business meetings and social visits. She stayed with her husband at Blue Valley on Bang Na Trat Road, when in town. Otherwise, she lived in different houses inviting close friends from around the country for company or pleasure. Their two daughters—Cookie and Lookie, visited them once a year, and that was always during the month of December.Since Rudy was back, she saw him as a good friend and companion. He knew it. It was a discreet relationship. It had worked for more than ten years without any problem.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Ten
Rudy decided to stay for two more days. He had immersed himself in privacy at Julian’s office with his collection of top quality blue sapphires. It was all well intact. Now he moved his attention to other attractions.
The Hindu temple became a must visit since he began doing business with Julian in Singapore. Even though he didn’t understand the complex deities significance in the Hindu religion—the varieties of Gods, their mythical definitions, the good winning over evil scenarios, infinite rituals, festivals, and the colorful people who frequented the temple made him like it more than any other entertainment in town.
Rudy thought a bit differently. He had nothing to lose by visiting a holy shrine. The rituals also allowed him to exercise his aging body, as he bowed several times in front of different deities under the supervision of temple priests. He loved it.
By Wednesday evening, Rudy was punctually back at Changi airport to take a seven o’clock flight to Hong Kong. A simple truth he knew to stay alive and survive in this dog-eat-dog market of the gem trade was to keep making money. Money took away all prejudices. The old confidence was back because of his savings. Armed with this ammunition, entering again into the gem battle field seemed convenient. Julian had already transferred forty thousand dollars, and one of his contacts was going to deliver another forty thousand dollars cash at Rudy’s for his disposal at the hotel. Rudy loved Hong Kong for one reason—less corruption, fairly transparent, everything within his reach—and, of course, the majestic skyscrapers. This was a trading colony, and everyone wanted to make money. As a major Asian banking and insurance center, there was no shortage of money. The spectacular harbors intrigued him constantly all the time he was in Hong Kong.
Mandarin hotel was his favorite. Julian had already booked his room. He was amazed at the pace of changes in Hong Kong, since his last visit six years ago. He did special business with the famous auction houses. The last time he had been in Hong Kong was before his ordeal in Cambodia. He had an exceptional quality blue sapphire of 18.88carats from Pailin, and the trade sold it as a Kashmir sapphire to a private collector for three million dollars. Hong Kong always had a tradition of buying big gems of good quality as an investment, and a very few families controlled the exceptional quality blue sapphire market. Putting each of these wealthy families into fierce competition became the trick of the day—to fetch high prices. Visiting these families who had business interests in mainland China wasn’t that easy. He had several names in mind, as he began searching for their phone numbers from his palm pc. After double-checking, he dialed Simon Foo, a textile tycoon with several factories and fashion outlets in Shanghai. He had gone to Russia. Rudy reminded his secretary that he would be calling again—tough luck. Rudy dialed Emily Chia. The response was the same. They were all out of the country. It was just a bad timing. That was it. He got tired and went to bed.
Next day after breakfast, he went for a walk on Connaught Road. The soothing breeze and the skyscrapers symmetrical elevation reaching up to the skies, created a different mood in him altogether, as if he were in a museum. It reminded him of the days when he stayed in New York. The same feeling orbited through his mind, as he walked along the footpath, at times halting and gazing at a person, as if he recognized someone. He walked for two kilometers, and later decided to return to the hotel.
Rudy switched on his palm pc, and searched for one more contact—Kennedy Lee. He hung up, as the secretary said something in Cantonese.
“Hello! So you’re back. Good. Where are you calling from?” Kennedy asked.
“I’m staying at the Mandarin. Maybe, we could have lunch today, if you’re not that busy,” Rudy said, expecting a positive reply.
“Just hold on a sec.” Rudy waited. “What time?” Kennedy asked, holding the line. “Say at around eleven.”
“I’ll be there. You must have some interesting news to share. By the way, my business is good. I’m selling blue sapphires to the Xinhua (Chinese news agency) guys, and the fat cats in Beijing like hot cakes. Guess what? Someone had told them wearing blue brought luck and prosperity. Rudy, you won’t believe this. I’ve already received orders for fifteen pieces. Good you are in Hong Kong. I was thinking of making a trip to Bangkok. You know Seri?”
“Yeah!”
“He has been supplying me with some very nice stones at a very competitive price. Rudy, you won’t believe this. The blue hums like Mariah Carey. So you’re back in business, right? Okay. Don’t tell me anything. Just allow me to get there to see you in the flesh. I should be there in a few minutes, when I’ve finished signing a few checks,” Kennedy answered.
“I’ll be waiting for you in the lobby,” Rudy said, and hung up.
Seri Fonhlaeng. The name kept coming back again. This time in Hong Kong. Kennedy ran his import and export business, and gems became a side business due to its portability and liquidity. Rudy had known Kennedy for the past eleven years, and he always bought from him when he had rich ladies looking for a particular size blue sapphire. He had sold more than two thousand pieces of top quality perfectly cut eight carat blue sapphires from Pailin, because Kennedy’s client believed in the lucky number eight.
Rudy had what others didn’t have. Both Kennedy and Rudy made a bundle from that deal. Now that he had turned to Seri, Rudy wondered whether he was selling the right stuff. If it turned out to be salted blues, then Kennedy’s fate in Hong Kong was quite obvious—dead meat. But he waited to hear the whole story.
By a quarter to eleven, Rudy returned to the lobby. Kennedy was already there with his brand new leather briefcase. He never invited anyone to his office. The meetings were always scheduled in a restaurant or in a quiet coffee house. That was his style. This time Rudy decided that the meeting should be in the Chinese restaurant. After ordering from the menu, it was business as usual.
“So tell me about everything. You look the same—perfect shape and handsome. Why on earth did you opt to live with the Khmer Rouge?” Kennedy asked, munching a few snacks from the table.
“It was not my choice. It was a set up. Someone in the trade......I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out, my way. Now why I’m here is to let you know personally that I’m back in business with the same old team—James, Toni, Gary, Bill and Johnny. You know them, don’t you? Now tell me about Seri,” Rudy said briskly.
“I forgot to tell you this. Jeffrey was here in Hong Kong last week with some, you know, the pieces I can sell. Just one call to Seri, and Jeffrey was in Hong Kong with the goods. I’ve no idea where he gets the cream, but as you know in business, we all have to make money,” Kennedy answered. Kennedy was right. A deal always generated good money.
Rudy went into a deep thought as to how to handle the situation. He struggled in vain to find a language in which he could convey everything he knew about Seri, Jeffrey and the scam in which they were involved. In Hong Kong gauging the loyalty of old friends after a long absence wasn’t that easy. Like in any other business, repeated personal visits and constant communication were the only medium in which he could do business, because they cared more for relationship than the transaction concept. He had to start all over again to build that incremental and consistent relationship followed by trust, and that simple but powerful handshake.
“Are the clients happy with the blue sapphires?” Rudy asked in a low voice.
“I think so. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting in Hong Kong. So, when can I start to buy stones from you. We did a good business and you know that too well. I understand your problems. We all have ups and down. That’s part of our lives, isn’t it?” Kennedy was back to his noodles and fragrant soups.
Rudy decided not to reveal the facts he had intended. The timing was not right. Kennedy still remembered the good old days. It was a good sign and a convenient avenue to renew an old relationship. At least Kennedy had a good attitude.
“You know something,” Kennedy continued, “the auction houses are begging for 8carat blue sapphires—good color, clarity, and well cut stones. That’s what they are looking for. Can you believe this? They don’t care about the origin. As long as it remained natural that was fine. 8carats. Not 8.01carats, but 8carats. The Chinese men and women are crying like crazy for this one particular size—believe it or not.”
“Where did you get this information?” Rudy asked.
“They called me, you know. They are crazy. 8carat blue sapphires! That’s what they want.
Crazy, Rudy. Crazy. How do you like that?” Kennedy added.
“8carats,” echoed Rudy.
Ten
Rudy decided to stay for two more days. He had immersed himself in privacy at Julian’s office with his collection of top quality blue sapphires. It was all well intact. Now he moved his attention to other attractions.
The Hindu temple became a must visit since he began doing business with Julian in Singapore. Even though he didn’t understand the complex deities significance in the Hindu religion—the varieties of Gods, their mythical definitions, the good winning over evil scenarios, infinite rituals, festivals, and the colorful people who frequented the temple made him like it more than any other entertainment in town.
Rudy thought a bit differently. He had nothing to lose by visiting a holy shrine. The rituals also allowed him to exercise his aging body, as he bowed several times in front of different deities under the supervision of temple priests. He loved it.
By Wednesday evening, Rudy was punctually back at Changi airport to take a seven o’clock flight to Hong Kong. A simple truth he knew to stay alive and survive in this dog-eat-dog market of the gem trade was to keep making money. Money took away all prejudices. The old confidence was back because of his savings. Armed with this ammunition, entering again into the gem battle field seemed convenient. Julian had already transferred forty thousand dollars, and one of his contacts was going to deliver another forty thousand dollars cash at Rudy’s for his disposal at the hotel. Rudy loved Hong Kong for one reason—less corruption, fairly transparent, everything within his reach—and, of course, the majestic skyscrapers. This was a trading colony, and everyone wanted to make money. As a major Asian banking and insurance center, there was no shortage of money. The spectacular harbors intrigued him constantly all the time he was in Hong Kong.
Mandarin hotel was his favorite. Julian had already booked his room. He was amazed at the pace of changes in Hong Kong, since his last visit six years ago. He did special business with the famous auction houses. The last time he had been in Hong Kong was before his ordeal in Cambodia. He had an exceptional quality blue sapphire of 18.88carats from Pailin, and the trade sold it as a Kashmir sapphire to a private collector for three million dollars. Hong Kong always had a tradition of buying big gems of good quality as an investment, and a very few families controlled the exceptional quality blue sapphire market. Putting each of these wealthy families into fierce competition became the trick of the day—to fetch high prices. Visiting these families who had business interests in mainland China wasn’t that easy. He had several names in mind, as he began searching for their phone numbers from his palm pc. After double-checking, he dialed Simon Foo, a textile tycoon with several factories and fashion outlets in Shanghai. He had gone to Russia. Rudy reminded his secretary that he would be calling again—tough luck. Rudy dialed Emily Chia. The response was the same. They were all out of the country. It was just a bad timing. That was it. He got tired and went to bed.
Next day after breakfast, he went for a walk on Connaught Road. The soothing breeze and the skyscrapers symmetrical elevation reaching up to the skies, created a different mood in him altogether, as if he were in a museum. It reminded him of the days when he stayed in New York. The same feeling orbited through his mind, as he walked along the footpath, at times halting and gazing at a person, as if he recognized someone. He walked for two kilometers, and later decided to return to the hotel.
Rudy switched on his palm pc, and searched for one more contact—Kennedy Lee. He hung up, as the secretary said something in Cantonese.
“Hello! So you’re back. Good. Where are you calling from?” Kennedy asked.
“I’m staying at the Mandarin. Maybe, we could have lunch today, if you’re not that busy,” Rudy said, expecting a positive reply.
“Just hold on a sec.” Rudy waited. “What time?” Kennedy asked, holding the line. “Say at around eleven.”
“I’ll be there. You must have some interesting news to share. By the way, my business is good. I’m selling blue sapphires to the Xinhua (Chinese news agency) guys, and the fat cats in Beijing like hot cakes. Guess what? Someone had told them wearing blue brought luck and prosperity. Rudy, you won’t believe this. I’ve already received orders for fifteen pieces. Good you are in Hong Kong. I was thinking of making a trip to Bangkok. You know Seri?”
“Yeah!”
“He has been supplying me with some very nice stones at a very competitive price. Rudy, you won’t believe this. The blue hums like Mariah Carey. So you’re back in business, right? Okay. Don’t tell me anything. Just allow me to get there to see you in the flesh. I should be there in a few minutes, when I’ve finished signing a few checks,” Kennedy answered.
“I’ll be waiting for you in the lobby,” Rudy said, and hung up.
Seri Fonhlaeng. The name kept coming back again. This time in Hong Kong. Kennedy ran his import and export business, and gems became a side business due to its portability and liquidity. Rudy had known Kennedy for the past eleven years, and he always bought from him when he had rich ladies looking for a particular size blue sapphire. He had sold more than two thousand pieces of top quality perfectly cut eight carat blue sapphires from Pailin, because Kennedy’s client believed in the lucky number eight.
Rudy had what others didn’t have. Both Kennedy and Rudy made a bundle from that deal. Now that he had turned to Seri, Rudy wondered whether he was selling the right stuff. If it turned out to be salted blues, then Kennedy’s fate in Hong Kong was quite obvious—dead meat. But he waited to hear the whole story.
By a quarter to eleven, Rudy returned to the lobby. Kennedy was already there with his brand new leather briefcase. He never invited anyone to his office. The meetings were always scheduled in a restaurant or in a quiet coffee house. That was his style. This time Rudy decided that the meeting should be in the Chinese restaurant. After ordering from the menu, it was business as usual.
“So tell me about everything. You look the same—perfect shape and handsome. Why on earth did you opt to live with the Khmer Rouge?” Kennedy asked, munching a few snacks from the table.
“It was not my choice. It was a set up. Someone in the trade......I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out, my way. Now why I’m here is to let you know personally that I’m back in business with the same old team—James, Toni, Gary, Bill and Johnny. You know them, don’t you? Now tell me about Seri,” Rudy said briskly.
“I forgot to tell you this. Jeffrey was here in Hong Kong last week with some, you know, the pieces I can sell. Just one call to Seri, and Jeffrey was in Hong Kong with the goods. I’ve no idea where he gets the cream, but as you know in business, we all have to make money,” Kennedy answered. Kennedy was right. A deal always generated good money.
Rudy went into a deep thought as to how to handle the situation. He struggled in vain to find a language in which he could convey everything he knew about Seri, Jeffrey and the scam in which they were involved. In Hong Kong gauging the loyalty of old friends after a long absence wasn’t that easy. Like in any other business, repeated personal visits and constant communication were the only medium in which he could do business, because they cared more for relationship than the transaction concept. He had to start all over again to build that incremental and consistent relationship followed by trust, and that simple but powerful handshake.
“Are the clients happy with the blue sapphires?” Rudy asked in a low voice.
“I think so. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting in Hong Kong. So, when can I start to buy stones from you. We did a good business and you know that too well. I understand your problems. We all have ups and down. That’s part of our lives, isn’t it?” Kennedy was back to his noodles and fragrant soups.
Rudy decided not to reveal the facts he had intended. The timing was not right. Kennedy still remembered the good old days. It was a good sign and a convenient avenue to renew an old relationship. At least Kennedy had a good attitude.
“You know something,” Kennedy continued, “the auction houses are begging for 8carat blue sapphires—good color, clarity, and well cut stones. That’s what they are looking for. Can you believe this? They don’t care about the origin. As long as it remained natural that was fine. 8carats. Not 8.01carats, but 8carats. The Chinese men and women are crying like crazy for this one particular size—believe it or not.”
“Where did you get this information?” Rudy asked.
“They called me, you know. They are crazy. 8carat blue sapphires! That’s what they want.
Crazy, Rudy. Crazy. How do you like that?” Kennedy added.
“8carats,” echoed Rudy.
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Nine
When he landed at Changi International Airport on Sunday evening, Julian was waiting for him. They took a taxi to Shangri-la. Every time he came to Singapore, he became aware of his addictive habit—SPITTING.
Julian updated Rudy of the changes that had occurred since his last visit. The roads, streams, canals, gardens, footpath, and shopping malls looked clean and ultramodern, as the taxi sped through the traffic. And, of course, the economy.
They arrived at Shangri-la in a few minutes. Julian had Rudy’s favorite room reserved for him. He waited at the lobby for Rudy to return.
“What a day?” Rudy said in a low voice, as he took his seat opposite to Julian. They had a lot to share. The incandescent lighting made the environment perfect for a quiet conversation.
Julian knew all the questions Rudy wanted to ask about his money and gems. Before Rudy could utter, Julian reached his leather briefcase and extracted a box of Ginseng, a ritual he had not forgotten since they became friends.
Rudy acknowledged the healthy gift by a high five. Julian urged him to open the Ginseng box. He had all the numbers scribbled in a piece of paper—US$47,868,754.10
He closed his eyes in praise of God the Almighty.
“Regarding the rest, you can come to my office,” Julian added.
Rudy knew what Julian meant. His mind warmed up fast. He had more than enough to get back on his feet. In fact, if he wanted to retire and lead a normal life, he had it all. But he hated that quiet lifestyle. Action, adventure, and risk taking were in his blood. This time he reminded himself to be more careful and conservative. He was getting older and new players were coming with lavish cash and less experience—to compete with old timers in the same market. But the pool was too small for that many people to swim.
“Thank you, Julian,” Rudy said, appreciating his service.
“So, what are your plans? I heard a lot about you through our contacts—negative. But I always knew you would surface somewhere in the jungle to surprise your competitors. Since Pol Pot is dead, business should be a bit easier—I assume. Iang Sery should be doing a brisk business in Pailin—I suppose,” Julian reminded.
“Right. Iang Sery is a good friend of mine. He is going to be my reliable source once I have finished putting my house in order. My old friends are still with me. But this time it won’t be the same relationship. Friendship and business, I want to keep separate. They don’t know how I am going to organize my new house. But one thing they do know is this time I’m serious,” Rudy answered.
“What do you want me to do?” Julian asked.
“I want you to transfer two million to my account in Bangkok Bank. Now the Board of Trade and Investments are giving special privileges for investors who put money into the country. I hope the laws don’t change after the money is in my account. I’ve other ideas of how to take advantage of this situation,” Rudy explained.
“No problem. It’s done,” Julian said.
After working out the numbers and other cash transfers, they moved their discussion to the Chinese restaurant.
Nine
When he landed at Changi International Airport on Sunday evening, Julian was waiting for him. They took a taxi to Shangri-la. Every time he came to Singapore, he became aware of his addictive habit—SPITTING.
Julian updated Rudy of the changes that had occurred since his last visit. The roads, streams, canals, gardens, footpath, and shopping malls looked clean and ultramodern, as the taxi sped through the traffic. And, of course, the economy.
They arrived at Shangri-la in a few minutes. Julian had Rudy’s favorite room reserved for him. He waited at the lobby for Rudy to return.
“What a day?” Rudy said in a low voice, as he took his seat opposite to Julian. They had a lot to share. The incandescent lighting made the environment perfect for a quiet conversation.
Julian knew all the questions Rudy wanted to ask about his money and gems. Before Rudy could utter, Julian reached his leather briefcase and extracted a box of Ginseng, a ritual he had not forgotten since they became friends.
Rudy acknowledged the healthy gift by a high five. Julian urged him to open the Ginseng box. He had all the numbers scribbled in a piece of paper—US$47,868,754.10
He closed his eyes in praise of God the Almighty.
“Regarding the rest, you can come to my office,” Julian added.
Rudy knew what Julian meant. His mind warmed up fast. He had more than enough to get back on his feet. In fact, if he wanted to retire and lead a normal life, he had it all. But he hated that quiet lifestyle. Action, adventure, and risk taking were in his blood. This time he reminded himself to be more careful and conservative. He was getting older and new players were coming with lavish cash and less experience—to compete with old timers in the same market. But the pool was too small for that many people to swim.
“Thank you, Julian,” Rudy said, appreciating his service.
“So, what are your plans? I heard a lot about you through our contacts—negative. But I always knew you would surface somewhere in the jungle to surprise your competitors. Since Pol Pot is dead, business should be a bit easier—I assume. Iang Sery should be doing a brisk business in Pailin—I suppose,” Julian reminded.
“Right. Iang Sery is a good friend of mine. He is going to be my reliable source once I have finished putting my house in order. My old friends are still with me. But this time it won’t be the same relationship. Friendship and business, I want to keep separate. They don’t know how I am going to organize my new house. But one thing they do know is this time I’m serious,” Rudy answered.
“What do you want me to do?” Julian asked.
“I want you to transfer two million to my account in Bangkok Bank. Now the Board of Trade and Investments are giving special privileges for investors who put money into the country. I hope the laws don’t change after the money is in my account. I’ve other ideas of how to take advantage of this situation,” Rudy explained.
“No problem. It’s done,” Julian said.
After working out the numbers and other cash transfers, they moved their discussion to the Chinese restaurant.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Eight
The noise was getting louder at the restaurant. Rudy needed a break. It was approaching nine o’clock. James wanted to stay a bit longer. He tried to contact Tony Chen, but he had gone to Malaysia for three days. Later, Rudy returned to his room on the tenth floor. He had a lot of thinking to do, as days approached like seconds. Getting back to the gem market became his utmost priority.
A quick trip to a foreign country should solve his problems to a great extent, but still he had a lot of work ahead—putting all the numbers and people in the right place. He checked the time.
It was approaching midnight. He decided to call the reception to check if James was still in the room. The reply was positive. He was in the room, possibly drunk and asleep by now. Rudy left his room and arrived at the lobby. People were still checking in. He watched the people and their mood, a hobby for the past several years. Mostly gem dealers were from Bangkok and other provinces. He looked around to see if anyone was watching him. After confirmation that no one was watching him, he walked to the public telephone, and stood there for a few moments. It was all in his head. He hated writing anything on a piece of paper. Instead, he tattooed important numbers deciphered into alphabets on both his arms and chest in a way he could read. He knew it all by heart. He began to dial the number. The international operator’s usual may I help you call came in. He opted for a collect call to Singapore for Jackie Chan. Before she could ask, he spelled his name as Robert Lim. Gem dealers always preferred to use fictitious names to avoid detection and duplication. As dealers without borders, this scheme tremendously helped them to move funds, and keep their anonymity. And knowing the efficient system in Singapore, he was more careful. That’s why he preferred to use Chinese names. It had worked in his favor in times of need.
After a pause, the call came. Rudy heard the surprise in Julian Tsang’s voice after several years of absence. Julian Tsang, Rudy’s confident and trusted right-hand man managed his finance and other legal matters. Some of his superior quality blue sapphires from Pailin were also deposited with him, in case he had to flee to a different country, and start all over again. These blue gems were to become his seed capital if needed. But he had several million stashed away in various accounts—altogether thirty million dollars. Julian knew Rudy called only when he needed money. From personal experience and watching other gem dealers, Rudy knew that the money made in gems didn’t last long if not carefully managed and deposited in safe banks. But banks too had a tendency to go broke given the examples of bankruptcies in Thailand, Indonesia and elsewhere. Instead, he was advised by an experienced dealer to split his profits in a 3:3:3:1 ratio—thirty percent in real estate, thirty percent in banks, thirty percent in gems and jewelry, and the last ten percent—for charity.
Rudy had no interest in putting his money into real estate because most of them collapsed before completion, and being a foreigner, the locals always remained suspicious for strange reasons. They had this superstitious belief that the foreigners were on a holy mission to swallow the whole country with their powerful money and technology. Instead, he recycled his profits into a 3:6:1 ratio—thirty per cent in banks, sixty per cent in top quality gems and jewelry, and the rest—for meaningful charities. No one knew this arrangement except two people. Julian and himself—not even James Hughes. Rudy had two choices: either Switzerland or Singapore. Switzerland used to be a favorite destination among big gemstone dealers for obvious reasons. Transactions if complete were faster and the profits were converted into any chosen currency. Many gem dealers had secret accounts in Swiss banks for this very reason. In their own country when paying taxes and bribes became beyond the limit, gemstones offered a portable and a less visible liquid wealth. Trips to Switzerland became frequent and legitimate. Infighting among dealers, and tipping to the authorities by jealous competitors made the frequent trip to this favored destination almost halt. That’s why Rudy opted for Singapore. It was closer and efficient in so many ways because of the Chinese connection. They were the masters in moving liquid wealth—at a cost—once requested, from country to country. He could finish the transactions quite fast, and be in Bangkok the same day. Most important of all Singapore being a reputed financial center with good fundamentals, transactions became just smooth and faster, despite the economic difficulties.
Rudy had a reason to like Julian. In his late fifties, Julian knew all the combinations for a successful nest-egg operation. He had several business tycoons from Southeast Asia as his clients, and Rudy became the only gem dealer in his portfolio. In fact, Julian was approached by several military generals and local businessmen from Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia, but never trusted their face and actions. He became suspicious of their background and their accumulated wealth, which always came from drug transactions or something similar. Knowing the corrupt landscape and the information he had been receiving through diplomatic channels, Julian became very selective in choosing clients.
Rudy had that sparkle in his eyes, when he turned up in Julian’s office on Orchard Road. Julian liked him immediately. The chemical match in the relationship had not disappointed him. He explained in detail how the whole system worked simplifying the technical jargon in a layman’s language—including his percentage. It looked fine with Rudy as long the system took care of his money.
“Are you in Singapore?”
“Not yet. I’m calling from Chantaburi. I would like to see you soon.”
“When?”
“How about Sunday?”
“Are you really sure about it?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
“Why don’t we make it in the evening? By the way, what time will you be arriving Singapore? I can make a room reservation for you.”
“Thank you. Shangri-la will be fine with me.”
“Done. Anything else?”
“Are the numbers and gems safe?”
“Safe. Thou shalt know when thou arrive. I look forward to meeting you at the airport. One more thing—the flight number.”
“I’ll call you from Changi.”
“Excellent. You’re always like that. Good thinking. I like that.”
“Take care.”
He hung up and checked the time. Nope. It was in his room. Instead, he looked around again to see if anyone was watching. He walked to the information counter. The wall clock said 12.30 a.m. Going back to bed seemed unlikely. His mind was full of numbers and the gems he had accumulated with time, and were now in Julian’s hand. They were the best. He always picked the best and kept them separate. Instead, he sold the second grade as the top, and there was no problem. The market and his clients accepted it. The cream—he stashed away for future plans. He loved to see them again in his own privacy. Those brilliance flashes, the soothing blue, and the excellent cut, drove him crazy. At times he wouldn’t take his eyes off these beauties, when in a good mood. With that thought in mind, he decided to stay in the lobby to while away the time. Gem dealers were still pouring in with their leather handbags and suitcases even at this odd time. He enjoyed the solitude. It was already two in the morning.
Eight
The noise was getting louder at the restaurant. Rudy needed a break. It was approaching nine o’clock. James wanted to stay a bit longer. He tried to contact Tony Chen, but he had gone to Malaysia for three days. Later, Rudy returned to his room on the tenth floor. He had a lot of thinking to do, as days approached like seconds. Getting back to the gem market became his utmost priority.
A quick trip to a foreign country should solve his problems to a great extent, but still he had a lot of work ahead—putting all the numbers and people in the right place. He checked the time.
It was approaching midnight. He decided to call the reception to check if James was still in the room. The reply was positive. He was in the room, possibly drunk and asleep by now. Rudy left his room and arrived at the lobby. People were still checking in. He watched the people and their mood, a hobby for the past several years. Mostly gem dealers were from Bangkok and other provinces. He looked around to see if anyone was watching him. After confirmation that no one was watching him, he walked to the public telephone, and stood there for a few moments. It was all in his head. He hated writing anything on a piece of paper. Instead, he tattooed important numbers deciphered into alphabets on both his arms and chest in a way he could read. He knew it all by heart. He began to dial the number. The international operator’s usual may I help you call came in. He opted for a collect call to Singapore for Jackie Chan. Before she could ask, he spelled his name as Robert Lim. Gem dealers always preferred to use fictitious names to avoid detection and duplication. As dealers without borders, this scheme tremendously helped them to move funds, and keep their anonymity. And knowing the efficient system in Singapore, he was more careful. That’s why he preferred to use Chinese names. It had worked in his favor in times of need.
After a pause, the call came. Rudy heard the surprise in Julian Tsang’s voice after several years of absence. Julian Tsang, Rudy’s confident and trusted right-hand man managed his finance and other legal matters. Some of his superior quality blue sapphires from Pailin were also deposited with him, in case he had to flee to a different country, and start all over again. These blue gems were to become his seed capital if needed. But he had several million stashed away in various accounts—altogether thirty million dollars. Julian knew Rudy called only when he needed money. From personal experience and watching other gem dealers, Rudy knew that the money made in gems didn’t last long if not carefully managed and deposited in safe banks. But banks too had a tendency to go broke given the examples of bankruptcies in Thailand, Indonesia and elsewhere. Instead, he was advised by an experienced dealer to split his profits in a 3:3:3:1 ratio—thirty percent in real estate, thirty percent in banks, thirty percent in gems and jewelry, and the last ten percent—for charity.
Rudy had no interest in putting his money into real estate because most of them collapsed before completion, and being a foreigner, the locals always remained suspicious for strange reasons. They had this superstitious belief that the foreigners were on a holy mission to swallow the whole country with their powerful money and technology. Instead, he recycled his profits into a 3:6:1 ratio—thirty per cent in banks, sixty per cent in top quality gems and jewelry, and the rest—for meaningful charities. No one knew this arrangement except two people. Julian and himself—not even James Hughes. Rudy had two choices: either Switzerland or Singapore. Switzerland used to be a favorite destination among big gemstone dealers for obvious reasons. Transactions if complete were faster and the profits were converted into any chosen currency. Many gem dealers had secret accounts in Swiss banks for this very reason. In their own country when paying taxes and bribes became beyond the limit, gemstones offered a portable and a less visible liquid wealth. Trips to Switzerland became frequent and legitimate. Infighting among dealers, and tipping to the authorities by jealous competitors made the frequent trip to this favored destination almost halt. That’s why Rudy opted for Singapore. It was closer and efficient in so many ways because of the Chinese connection. They were the masters in moving liquid wealth—at a cost—once requested, from country to country. He could finish the transactions quite fast, and be in Bangkok the same day. Most important of all Singapore being a reputed financial center with good fundamentals, transactions became just smooth and faster, despite the economic difficulties.
Rudy had a reason to like Julian. In his late fifties, Julian knew all the combinations for a successful nest-egg operation. He had several business tycoons from Southeast Asia as his clients, and Rudy became the only gem dealer in his portfolio. In fact, Julian was approached by several military generals and local businessmen from Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia, but never trusted their face and actions. He became suspicious of their background and their accumulated wealth, which always came from drug transactions or something similar. Knowing the corrupt landscape and the information he had been receiving through diplomatic channels, Julian became very selective in choosing clients.
Rudy had that sparkle in his eyes, when he turned up in Julian’s office on Orchard Road. Julian liked him immediately. The chemical match in the relationship had not disappointed him. He explained in detail how the whole system worked simplifying the technical jargon in a layman’s language—including his percentage. It looked fine with Rudy as long the system took care of his money.
“Are you in Singapore?”
“Not yet. I’m calling from Chantaburi. I would like to see you soon.”
“When?”
“How about Sunday?”
“Are you really sure about it?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
“Why don’t we make it in the evening? By the way, what time will you be arriving Singapore? I can make a room reservation for you.”
“Thank you. Shangri-la will be fine with me.”
“Done. Anything else?”
“Are the numbers and gems safe?”
“Safe. Thou shalt know when thou arrive. I look forward to meeting you at the airport. One more thing—the flight number.”
“I’ll call you from Changi.”
“Excellent. You’re always like that. Good thinking. I like that.”
“Take care.”
He hung up and checked the time. Nope. It was in his room. Instead, he looked around again to see if anyone was watching. He walked to the information counter. The wall clock said 12.30 a.m. Going back to bed seemed unlikely. His mind was full of numbers and the gems he had accumulated with time, and were now in Julian’s hand. They were the best. He always picked the best and kept them separate. Instead, he sold the second grade as the top, and there was no problem. The market and his clients accepted it. The cream—he stashed away for future plans. He loved to see them again in his own privacy. Those brilliance flashes, the soothing blue, and the excellent cut, drove him crazy. At times he wouldn’t take his eyes off these beauties, when in a good mood. With that thought in mind, he decided to stay in the lobby to while away the time. Gem dealers were still pouring in with their leather handbags and suitcases even at this odd time. He enjoyed the solitude. It was already two in the morning.
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Seven
Punctuality was the last thing in the world for Johnny Longman and his Thai partner Surachan Dokmai. Both were dealers specializing in blue sapphires from Cambodia, and took care of their international clients well. They had the whole ground floor for business operation on Srichan Road (Chantaburi). Surachan controlled the local interests, and Johnny took care of international clients who came for special good color blues. Sometimes they not only came for buying blue sapphires, but also for grading nice and good-looking young virgins. If possible they became permanent entertainers and karaoke partners after business. The business hours remained active between ten in the morning till five in the evening. Friday and Saturday evenings were either spent in special homes or with their brokers. Late dining and having some fun became a common practice.
But Johnny had his style. He would bring Russian blondes from Sukhumvit and Pattaya for entertaining his foreign clients. His clients loved this extra-curricular activity after business, and always returned punctually to his den when looking for blue sapphires. Money wasn’t a problem for them because each buying trip ranged, anywhere from half a million to several million dollars. Rudy and James knew that Johnny was the man to be brought into their net. An Englishman by birth, he never stayed in one place permanently. Instead, all the paper work and legal issues were handled by Surachan. Well into his late forties, and engaged to several women—twelve by the last count—and lately to a young women from Chile, he had a way of finessing women, who stayed with him lavishly for a year or two, and then they were sent back to their country, to be taken care of by him for the rest of their lives. This patriarchal concern, coupled to a philanthropic policy ensured that these former lovers remained staunchly loyal to him, and would again help if they were needed.
He was a very shrewd and a fast-calculating businessman. Rudy had done business with him several times over the years. They had become good friends. He knew about the world market trends, and the best size and colors in demand in advance. He was always ten years ahead of his competitors when it came to forecasting a price situation or just a popular demand. What really attracted Rudy to him was his constant alertness no matter where he was. He had good connections with the miners and other brokers, a very rare phenomenon in this usually dog-eat-dog market.
When Rudy walked into his office Friday morning at around ten, he was there as usual in his casuals sorting some blues from the drawer.
“Rudy,” he called, and motioned to him to sit close to his table. James too pulled up a chair and sat opposite Johnny.
“I hear that you were out of Cambodia, but boy look at you. You lost a bit of your unnecessary fat. Good for you. So, what brings you here?” Johnny asked.
“Business. Nothing more, nothing less,” responded Rudy. Johnny liked his comment. BUSINESS. That has been in his veins for the last twenty five years, and he had no desire stopping anywhere in the near future.
“There were a lot of rumors in the trade when we heard about your kidnapping in Pailin. But my gut feeling is either it must be Robert Chan or Jeffrey Generall—the snake. I’m still not too sure. Both of them owe me a lot and from what I hear is....”
“What?” James and Rudy moved closer to Johnny to finish the complete sentence.
“One of these guys takes his prey to the jungle in the guise of making a deal, and then leaves him in a trap for the renegade soldiers to either kill or keep for ransom. I think that was the situation in your case. Good that you guys had the money to take you out of the hell. If I ever see him anywhere in Chantaburi, I’ll kill him first, and feed his meat to one of my crocodiles in the farm.”
“What do you think about Seri?” James interrupted.
“He is a fucking pussy-cat—useless. But you can use him to track the sonofabitch. I’m told Robert has fled to Hong Kong or Macau, but Jeffrey is still in the country. He is like a ghost. He can be here one day and tomorrow elsewhere,” Johnny said.
Telephone calls kept arriving from all over the world, as he heard the country name where people were calling him for special stones. His office began to warm up, as selected brokers walked in with their stone parcels. They saw Surachan running around like a hare with three cell-phones, as the market began to heat up with asking, bidding and transactions prices. The scene was too familiar to Rudy after a long absence of six years, he realized that he too needed a similar warm up session to get back to his instincts.
“So, when do you think you’re planning to get back to business?” Johnny asked.
“In five weeks. As you know, starting all over again is not that easy. Trust and face recognition takes time. But with the old team still intact—and, of course, your presence should all help me in the coming days,” Rudy added.
“Anytime, anywhere—just a call. You know that too well, don’t you? I really feel sorry for the misery you had to go through in that bloody hell. Believe me, you will become stronger and smarter when you are standing on your bums. So, good luck to you all, and you know where to contact me, right?” Johnny stated.
Before he was about to leave the office, Johnny turned around and asked a pertinent question. “Do you have the money?”
Instead, Rudy gave a thumbs up sign to let him know that he was on his way. He knew he really didn’t mean anything, but it did hurt him.
James knew that grueling days were ahead, as they were trying to put the loose strings together. Rudy looked around the market. He identified the same smell, noise, and the colorful people he used to deal with during the hey days. Some recognized his face and called his name respectfully, while others murmured in privacy not knowing what was going on. They were too scared to ask directly, but were happy that at least he was back in the flesh again. He hadn’t run away like the others. No one knew the true story behind his long absence.
Instead of returning to the hotel, Rudy urged James to walk with him. A huge steel-cut gemstone stood at the entrance of the street introducing the presence of a vibrant gem market. Several shop houses and gem dealers—small and big, sat behind their tinted glass windows, either watching a soap on the tele or entertaining their clients. Some recognized and waved at him, as he walked past their office. There was an immediate urgency to know more about him. He missed the whole natural environment a lot. He used to love this place better than Bangkok. The people here were a bit friendlier than Bangkokians. Greed and a money grabbing attitude had taken over in a matter of time. Their mind and attitude were as ugly and filthy as their own armpit—only they could stand the smell.
After a brief stroll at the fruit market, they decided to walk back to the hotel. Suddenly James noticed that very same BMW again.
“Did you notice that car?” James asked in panic.
“There are hundreds going up and down. Which one are you talking about?”
Rudy’s interest was elsewhere. He was staring at the kid who was trying to convince a potential client to buy his red stone. His persistence at least forced the client to seal the single stone for bidding.
“Did you see that kid?” Rudy asked James. James nodded.
They were now walking over the bridge, and again he saw the BMW coming from the opposite direction.
“Did you see that bloody car again Rudy?” James said softly.
“Yeah. What’s wrong with that car? Isn’t it still moving on four wheels? Am I wrong?” Rudy said. He didn’t mean anything.
“It’s that very same car we saw at the gas station. They have been chasing us for sometime. I don’t know why, but it doesn’t look like a good omen,” James added.
“They must be some dealers who had come from God-knows-where—you know, on a buying trip. We haven’t gotten hurt yet. So, let’s think positive,” Rudy said.
They took their seats at the K. P Grand restaurant, and ordered two bottles of Singha beer.
Seven
Punctuality was the last thing in the world for Johnny Longman and his Thai partner Surachan Dokmai. Both were dealers specializing in blue sapphires from Cambodia, and took care of their international clients well. They had the whole ground floor for business operation on Srichan Road (Chantaburi). Surachan controlled the local interests, and Johnny took care of international clients who came for special good color blues. Sometimes they not only came for buying blue sapphires, but also for grading nice and good-looking young virgins. If possible they became permanent entertainers and karaoke partners after business. The business hours remained active between ten in the morning till five in the evening. Friday and Saturday evenings were either spent in special homes or with their brokers. Late dining and having some fun became a common practice.
But Johnny had his style. He would bring Russian blondes from Sukhumvit and Pattaya for entertaining his foreign clients. His clients loved this extra-curricular activity after business, and always returned punctually to his den when looking for blue sapphires. Money wasn’t a problem for them because each buying trip ranged, anywhere from half a million to several million dollars. Rudy and James knew that Johnny was the man to be brought into their net. An Englishman by birth, he never stayed in one place permanently. Instead, all the paper work and legal issues were handled by Surachan. Well into his late forties, and engaged to several women—twelve by the last count—and lately to a young women from Chile, he had a way of finessing women, who stayed with him lavishly for a year or two, and then they were sent back to their country, to be taken care of by him for the rest of their lives. This patriarchal concern, coupled to a philanthropic policy ensured that these former lovers remained staunchly loyal to him, and would again help if they were needed.
He was a very shrewd and a fast-calculating businessman. Rudy had done business with him several times over the years. They had become good friends. He knew about the world market trends, and the best size and colors in demand in advance. He was always ten years ahead of his competitors when it came to forecasting a price situation or just a popular demand. What really attracted Rudy to him was his constant alertness no matter where he was. He had good connections with the miners and other brokers, a very rare phenomenon in this usually dog-eat-dog market.
When Rudy walked into his office Friday morning at around ten, he was there as usual in his casuals sorting some blues from the drawer.
“Rudy,” he called, and motioned to him to sit close to his table. James too pulled up a chair and sat opposite Johnny.
“I hear that you were out of Cambodia, but boy look at you. You lost a bit of your unnecessary fat. Good for you. So, what brings you here?” Johnny asked.
“Business. Nothing more, nothing less,” responded Rudy. Johnny liked his comment. BUSINESS. That has been in his veins for the last twenty five years, and he had no desire stopping anywhere in the near future.
“There were a lot of rumors in the trade when we heard about your kidnapping in Pailin. But my gut feeling is either it must be Robert Chan or Jeffrey Generall—the snake. I’m still not too sure. Both of them owe me a lot and from what I hear is....”
“What?” James and Rudy moved closer to Johnny to finish the complete sentence.
“One of these guys takes his prey to the jungle in the guise of making a deal, and then leaves him in a trap for the renegade soldiers to either kill or keep for ransom. I think that was the situation in your case. Good that you guys had the money to take you out of the hell. If I ever see him anywhere in Chantaburi, I’ll kill him first, and feed his meat to one of my crocodiles in the farm.”
“What do you think about Seri?” James interrupted.
“He is a fucking pussy-cat—useless. But you can use him to track the sonofabitch. I’m told Robert has fled to Hong Kong or Macau, but Jeffrey is still in the country. He is like a ghost. He can be here one day and tomorrow elsewhere,” Johnny said.
Telephone calls kept arriving from all over the world, as he heard the country name where people were calling him for special stones. His office began to warm up, as selected brokers walked in with their stone parcels. They saw Surachan running around like a hare with three cell-phones, as the market began to heat up with asking, bidding and transactions prices. The scene was too familiar to Rudy after a long absence of six years, he realized that he too needed a similar warm up session to get back to his instincts.
“So, when do you think you’re planning to get back to business?” Johnny asked.
“In five weeks. As you know, starting all over again is not that easy. Trust and face recognition takes time. But with the old team still intact—and, of course, your presence should all help me in the coming days,” Rudy added.
“Anytime, anywhere—just a call. You know that too well, don’t you? I really feel sorry for the misery you had to go through in that bloody hell. Believe me, you will become stronger and smarter when you are standing on your bums. So, good luck to you all, and you know where to contact me, right?” Johnny stated.
Before he was about to leave the office, Johnny turned around and asked a pertinent question. “Do you have the money?”
Instead, Rudy gave a thumbs up sign to let him know that he was on his way. He knew he really didn’t mean anything, but it did hurt him.
James knew that grueling days were ahead, as they were trying to put the loose strings together. Rudy looked around the market. He identified the same smell, noise, and the colorful people he used to deal with during the hey days. Some recognized his face and called his name respectfully, while others murmured in privacy not knowing what was going on. They were too scared to ask directly, but were happy that at least he was back in the flesh again. He hadn’t run away like the others. No one knew the true story behind his long absence.
Instead of returning to the hotel, Rudy urged James to walk with him. A huge steel-cut gemstone stood at the entrance of the street introducing the presence of a vibrant gem market. Several shop houses and gem dealers—small and big, sat behind their tinted glass windows, either watching a soap on the tele or entertaining their clients. Some recognized and waved at him, as he walked past their office. There was an immediate urgency to know more about him. He missed the whole natural environment a lot. He used to love this place better than Bangkok. The people here were a bit friendlier than Bangkokians. Greed and a money grabbing attitude had taken over in a matter of time. Their mind and attitude were as ugly and filthy as their own armpit—only they could stand the smell.
After a brief stroll at the fruit market, they decided to walk back to the hotel. Suddenly James noticed that very same BMW again.
“Did you notice that car?” James asked in panic.
“There are hundreds going up and down. Which one are you talking about?”
Rudy’s interest was elsewhere. He was staring at the kid who was trying to convince a potential client to buy his red stone. His persistence at least forced the client to seal the single stone for bidding.
“Did you see that kid?” Rudy asked James. James nodded.
They were now walking over the bridge, and again he saw the BMW coming from the opposite direction.
“Did you see that bloody car again Rudy?” James said softly.
“Yeah. What’s wrong with that car? Isn’t it still moving on four wheels? Am I wrong?” Rudy said. He didn’t mean anything.
“It’s that very same car we saw at the gas station. They have been chasing us for sometime. I don’t know why, but it doesn’t look like a good omen,” James added.
“They must be some dealers who had come from God-knows-where—you know, on a buying trip. We haven’t gotten hurt yet. So, let’s think positive,” Rudy said.
They took their seats at the K. P Grand restaurant, and ordered two bottles of Singha beer.
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Six
James was waiting at the lobby. In fact, he tried to call Rudy’s room. There was no response. That really surprised him. The Rolls Royce Silver Seraph arrived at the entrance of the Holiday Inn just in time for the meeting. As Rudy rushed to the information counter, James called him from the lobby.
“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling your room all night,” James said.
“I couldn’t get back from last night’s party at Pathumthani. Okay, I’ll be back in ten minutes. Are we late?” Rudy asked, glancing at his Rolex.
“My driver got drunk last night. So, I’ll be driving the Mercedes,” James responded.
“Oh, then I can be a bit late. Just kidding. I’ll be right back,” Rudy said. James walked back to the lobby to grab the Bangkok Post.
The lobby was crowded with Japanese and Korean tourists. Their noisy conversation and repetitive photo sessions distracted him, and he couldn’t concentrate on his reading. They were just trigger-happy with their electronic gadgets making sure everyone was in the picture. He folded the Bangkok Post, and decided to move elsewhere so that he could watch some good-looking blondes checking in at the reception counter. He wondered at their nationality, but from their physical properties they looked very much German, and he wasn’t wrong. He heard them speaking German. Before he could get a bit closer to them, Rudy arrived with his luggage and paid the bills. The service was swift and efficient. The bellboy carried the luggage to the waiting Mercedes. Rudy paid him a tip.
“You’re not staying here anymore?” James asked surprisingly.
“Nope. SV City. That’s my new residence,” Rudy replied.
“Wow.”
James drove past Silom, and turned right to Rama IV road for the toll way. The traffic wasn’t that bad. It was moving. But the countless high rise buildings under construction, and the ones occupied, glittered in the morning sun. Bangkok had only one problem—too many cars and empty buildings.
“I did some homework regarding Seri. I think we are in a good position to take over his operation. He is in heavy debt. Gambling, I suppose,” James said.
“So I wasn’t wrong. But we need him for other purposes. Most important of all, I want to find the real guy who laid the trap in Cambodia. And I’m sure they are aware of my presence in town,” Rudy continued, “and they will do anything to keep me silent.”
“I know, but this time you are safe. First, get Jeffrey into our net. Maybe he has something interesting to share,” James added.
Jeffrey Generall, a New Yorker in his late fifties, had been competing with Rudy for the past ten years. He not only traveled inside Cambodia, but also had illicit dealings with the Burmese junta. Though an American, he traveled extensively in Burma and Vietnam, using a fake Irish passport. He took advantage of the neutrality of this ancient country, working secretively in order to close deals with all sorts of shady characters. Khun Sa was one of his reputed hosts who took care of him when in his territory. Imperial quality jadeite jade, good rubies, and sapphires were his main staple. Once when he recognized a competitor had entered his territory, the easiest way in which he dealt with the matter had been to use proxies to learn their interests, and then lay a trap in the jungle in the guise of making a secretive deal. Gem trading had always been secretive and everyone fiercely protected their interests and people—to avoid duplication and loss of a lucrative supply route. But getting him into the net had been the most difficult part. Seri, one of his patrons, took care of Jeffrey’s interest in Bangkok.
They pulled over at a nearby gas station to buy some drinks and snacks. In three hours time, they should be in Chantaburi. It was a Thursday. The sound of a BMW changing gears caught James’s attention, as he got into the front seat of his Mercedes. It was difficult to guess their intentions. Meanwhile, a tour bus had been discharging a bus full of Japanese tourists gazing in all directions. Rudy bought a few bottles of mineral water and took it to the front seat as James waited. They were now on the familiar highway, and that very BMW James saw at the gas station was following his car.
“Do you still see a car following us?” James asked Rudy.
“I think so. What’s the matter?” Rudy seemed to care less. He opened the water bottle and drank in one gulp. He was tired from last nights long chit-chat. James looked worried as the BMW swept effortlessly past. The road was wide enough to overtake the BMW. Somehow he decided to keep the speed limit intact as other heavy duty vehicles passed by. Taking any chances in this situation was dangerous, because they were in a different territory. The highway police were always on the look out for speeders, and entertaining them with tea money wasn’t always a pleasant experience. As he was thinking of how to handle the situation, the car suddenly took a left turn, and disappeared into one of the back roads leading to a rubber plantation. He sighed with relief. Rudy was already asleep.
Six
James was waiting at the lobby. In fact, he tried to call Rudy’s room. There was no response. That really surprised him. The Rolls Royce Silver Seraph arrived at the entrance of the Holiday Inn just in time for the meeting. As Rudy rushed to the information counter, James called him from the lobby.
“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling your room all night,” James said.
“I couldn’t get back from last night’s party at Pathumthani. Okay, I’ll be back in ten minutes. Are we late?” Rudy asked, glancing at his Rolex.
“My driver got drunk last night. So, I’ll be driving the Mercedes,” James responded.
“Oh, then I can be a bit late. Just kidding. I’ll be right back,” Rudy said. James walked back to the lobby to grab the Bangkok Post.
The lobby was crowded with Japanese and Korean tourists. Their noisy conversation and repetitive photo sessions distracted him, and he couldn’t concentrate on his reading. They were just trigger-happy with their electronic gadgets making sure everyone was in the picture. He folded the Bangkok Post, and decided to move elsewhere so that he could watch some good-looking blondes checking in at the reception counter. He wondered at their nationality, but from their physical properties they looked very much German, and he wasn’t wrong. He heard them speaking German. Before he could get a bit closer to them, Rudy arrived with his luggage and paid the bills. The service was swift and efficient. The bellboy carried the luggage to the waiting Mercedes. Rudy paid him a tip.
“You’re not staying here anymore?” James asked surprisingly.
“Nope. SV City. That’s my new residence,” Rudy replied.
“Wow.”
James drove past Silom, and turned right to Rama IV road for the toll way. The traffic wasn’t that bad. It was moving. But the countless high rise buildings under construction, and the ones occupied, glittered in the morning sun. Bangkok had only one problem—too many cars and empty buildings.
“I did some homework regarding Seri. I think we are in a good position to take over his operation. He is in heavy debt. Gambling, I suppose,” James said.
“So I wasn’t wrong. But we need him for other purposes. Most important of all, I want to find the real guy who laid the trap in Cambodia. And I’m sure they are aware of my presence in town,” Rudy continued, “and they will do anything to keep me silent.”
“I know, but this time you are safe. First, get Jeffrey into our net. Maybe he has something interesting to share,” James added.
Jeffrey Generall, a New Yorker in his late fifties, had been competing with Rudy for the past ten years. He not only traveled inside Cambodia, but also had illicit dealings with the Burmese junta. Though an American, he traveled extensively in Burma and Vietnam, using a fake Irish passport. He took advantage of the neutrality of this ancient country, working secretively in order to close deals with all sorts of shady characters. Khun Sa was one of his reputed hosts who took care of him when in his territory. Imperial quality jadeite jade, good rubies, and sapphires were his main staple. Once when he recognized a competitor had entered his territory, the easiest way in which he dealt with the matter had been to use proxies to learn their interests, and then lay a trap in the jungle in the guise of making a secretive deal. Gem trading had always been secretive and everyone fiercely protected their interests and people—to avoid duplication and loss of a lucrative supply route. But getting him into the net had been the most difficult part. Seri, one of his patrons, took care of Jeffrey’s interest in Bangkok.
They pulled over at a nearby gas station to buy some drinks and snacks. In three hours time, they should be in Chantaburi. It was a Thursday. The sound of a BMW changing gears caught James’s attention, as he got into the front seat of his Mercedes. It was difficult to guess their intentions. Meanwhile, a tour bus had been discharging a bus full of Japanese tourists gazing in all directions. Rudy bought a few bottles of mineral water and took it to the front seat as James waited. They were now on the familiar highway, and that very BMW James saw at the gas station was following his car.
“Do you still see a car following us?” James asked Rudy.
“I think so. What’s the matter?” Rudy seemed to care less. He opened the water bottle and drank in one gulp. He was tired from last nights long chit-chat. James looked worried as the BMW swept effortlessly past. The road was wide enough to overtake the BMW. Somehow he decided to keep the speed limit intact as other heavy duty vehicles passed by. Taking any chances in this situation was dangerous, because they were in a different territory. The highway police were always on the look out for speeders, and entertaining them with tea money wasn’t always a pleasant experience. As he was thinking of how to handle the situation, the car suddenly took a left turn, and disappeared into one of the back roads leading to a rubber plantation. He sighed with relief. Rudy was already asleep.
Gemscentric
Written by Julian Robov
Five
Next day, Potch’s driver arrived punctually at the Holiday Inn to pick up Rudy. The Rolls Royce Silver Seraph pulled up to the entrance of her new house—not too far from the Dhammakaya Temple. The forecourt of the house was designed, keeping true to traditional Javanese characteristics. A rare fete by a Thai. At first he thought he was entering a temple. The surrounding rice paddy fields fortified the whole natural environs beyond explanation. The house looked very different from the traditional Thai designs, a pleasing fusion between eastern and western concepts. “Please follow me, sir,” the driver said.
Rudy had never seen such a house before. Its natural ventilation, symmetrical wings approached by a broad flight of steps sat comfortably in this quiet landscape, romantic, beautiful, and proportioned—like a well cut gemstone. Their final destination was the ladies sitting room where Potch, and a few other women were comfortably seated. He didn’t bother to count. She motioned him to the green cushioned chair so that he could be seen by everyone.
She introduced him to her friends. Being a foreigner also attracted much interest among the ladies, each of them dripping with expensive jewelry, something quite popular among the rich echelons of Thai society. They loved wearing big gemstones as part of their status symbol. When Potch let her friends know that he had just been released from Khmer Rouge captivity, that aroused special interest and direct questions.
“Rudy specializes in blue sapphires from Pailin.” That statement by Potch brought several glances.
The short-looking woman to his right asked, “Why did the Khmer Rouge soldiers catch you in the first place? They are very cruel. My husband used to talk a lot about them.”
“It all just happened. It’s a long story. It was a set up,” he added.
“I know who goes to that God forbidden country. Only guerrilla capitalists and push-cart gem dealers who know only one thing—gemstones, money, corruption, sex and exploitation. Am I right?” The woman was too direct. If he remembered correctly—her name was Suwannee something.
“Suwannee is one of my partners,” Potch interrupted.
“So you know a lot about gemstones. You’re right in a way. That’s how we are all forced to do business in that part of the world. This tradition is everywhere except maybe in the West,” Rudy replied.
A tall woman to his left had something to ask. “I love blue sapphires, and I’m told the colors match very closely to that of Kashmir sapphires. Is it true? In fact, I have one right now. A 15carat piece. My jeweler said it was from Burma. How do you know if it came from Burma, Palin or Kashmir?”
“Khanita Taafai owns a tour company. In fact, the biggest in Bangkok,” Potch said.
“Well, it’s a tricky question. Only scientific identification can prove the origin of blue sapphires from Burma, Pailin or Kashmir. Let me start first with Kashmir. The mines are not operational today due to its geographical location. Whatever you see or hear today about Kashmir sapphires are old collections. The color of Kashmir blue sapphires in the trade are often referred to as cornflower blue. Sometimes even blue sapphires coming from Burma or Pailin may show a very close characteristic of Kashmir blue sapphires. To confirm any blue sapphires of unique Kashmir color, you will have to send it to Switzerland. There are one or two laboratories specializing in origin confirmation,” Rudy answered.
An unusually fat-looking woman seated near to Potch aired her views. “We have blue sapphires, I mean, really good ones from Kanchanaburi and Ubon Rachathani. They are as good and beautiful as Pailin, Burmese or Kashmir. In fact, I must tell you this, I wear only Thai blue sapphires. I’ll wear anything, if I’m convinced that it originated from Thailand.”
“How do you know your blue sapphires originated from Thailand?” Rudy asked politely.
“My family owns the mines in this country. You see, when I compare our stones with other localities, I don’t see any difference. They are as blue and beautiful as other famous localities. I must tell you this. People who buy from us may sell them to the rich or ignorant as Burmese or Pailin because the market loves to pay a premium.”
Rudy felt humbled by her statement. He saw the evidence on her body. A huge gold necklace on her neck by first count had fifteen oval shaped blue sapphires with a big center stone weighing at least thirty carats. Her eight fingers had rings embedded with blue sapphires weighing at least 10carats each. The blue color flashes were so intense and brilliant under the incandescent light, those pieces must have been the best colored stones he had seen so far. There was no doubt that she was promoting her blue sapphires, and the country itself by her extravagant statements. He could only wish the mines she owned produced big stones uninterruptedly. And most important of all, she was a successful business woman, and a friend of Potch.
“I have supplied blue sapphires, only good ones,” she added, “to all politicians, military men and their wives. I sell my stones only to Thais—not to foreigners. In the beginning tour operators, and some friends used to bring customers to my office in Kanchanaburi, but they don’t understand quality and price. They always want good ones for cheap prices. I stopped entertaining them because they don’t have a culture of appreciating a good blue sapphire from junk—the ones you see in local jewelry stores around the country. I have no problem convincing my good customers because they know what I’m talking about, and I don’t bluff. Also, I know they will check my stones with others, and when they realize how good my stones are there isn’t much to talk about. My stones have already spoken. That’s why they keep coming back to my office. I’m happy to say that I have what my competitors don’t have.”
Potch listened to her good friend, Busaban Sulinam’s extravagant speech quietly. She believed it was the right time to go for a break. She motioned to the chef from Shangri-la that they were ready for dinner. The chef poured in each glass Potch’s favorite, Chateau de Loei, from Loei province. Everyone took a sip and acknowledged its taste. She swapped her seat with Chintima Phayufonh, wife of a top finance executive, who was seated next to Rudy so that she could be closer to him.
“You can learn a lot from Busaban. Who knows? Someday you will be doing business with her. But, she is like that. Don’t take it too seriously. She is good hearted because I know her very well,” she whispered.
“I can understand that,” he replied.
“And one more thing,” she continued, “she is separated from her husband.”
“What happened?”
“Her husband had several mia noi’s (mistresses) and which wife can stand that fun. My husband is at least faithful. I think so, na,” she quipped.
Rudy giggled at her comment. She too followed him.
“Are you married?” Busaban asked.
“Nope. A reformed bachelor, I suppose,” Rudy said. That comment brought an immediate applause.
“How can you stay alone for such a long time given the temptations around?” Busaban asked again.
Potch knew that Busaban had taken an interest in him, and she had to do something to neutralize the situation to avoid any embarrassing situation, as the wine started to flow and fired up her veins. Instead, she switched the topic to religion. Even though it seemed inappropriate, she took the liberty to make a point. But Chintima who sat throughout the session without making any comment decided to air her views. Potch consented.
“I have to bring to your attention an important event. Sting, my favorite musician, and yours too, of course, is coming to Bangkok. His first concert in town. I’ve taken the liberty to announce that I’ve bought tickets for all our members.”
There was an immediate applause from the women. Chintima Phayufonh was the Chairwoman of The Blue Color Club, a meeting place where women interested in blue gemstones congregated to show off their recent collections of jewelry, and other assortments. That way they paraded their wealth. Even the top jewelers in town didn’t mind bringing their latest designs for their critical reviews.
The food kept arriving and the chef cleverly arranged them as if he knew well in advance everyone’s taste and preferences. Rudy’s attention focused on two women: Potch and Busaban. Potch was probably in her late fifties, but looked much younger, a possible forty or even an early fifty. Her physical features resembled a perfect cut gemstone—symmetrical and well-proportioned—with no bulge. Her most distinguishing features were her deep green eyes—like two of the purest green sapphires, each fixed in its own socket radiating flashes and twinkle, as her eyes shone. They were so beautiful, Rudy couldn’t, at times, take his eyes away from her. Her cantaloupe-sized breasts stood out in full blush, and the incandescent environment made it look—like large-sized fluorescent cabochon cut pinkish red ruby. She had onyx colored flowing hair, and with each twist and turn, it fell back on her shoulders—like sea waves. They were just gorgeous—a perfect creation of God. His attention shifted to Busaban, who was drinking wine. She was still cool and well composed, despite her aggressive intake of food and wine. Her strong-looking body seemed to accommodate her lavish tastes. But she too was attractive in her own way. She had a cushion face, and that thought reminded him of a blue sapphire he had several years ago, cut exactly like her face. The mixed cut, and the number of facets, made the stone look bigger than its actual size. A clever handicraft of a gem cutter, if he knew how to make it look bigger, without losing much weight. She too seemed to look in her fifties, but not anywhere close to Potch.
Busaban did have a moderate bulge, but the way she dressed, and the surrounding lighting cleverly hid those slight imperfections. Her breasts resembled a medium sized watermelon—less colorful, and the short hair she had was definitely dyed to hide her age, but overall, he gave a fair to good grade. Potch knew Rudy was grading her with his eyes. Instead of embarrassing him, she too gave him a meaningful wink, which meant it was okay. He moved his face away from her, and turned his attention on food and drinks.
Rudy’s mind was orbiting elsewhere. He was now approaching forty five. In fact, on the fifth of July. He couldn’t believe how it had all passed like a mirage—forty five years. Now there was a sudden shift in their conversation. The topic moved to politics. They all had a common stand regarding the coming elections. Potch never hid her strong affiliation with the Democratic Party. She had contributed heavily to their cause, and believed it was the most suitable and well liked party by the majority—to rule the country beyond the millennium. But Suwannee believed the Democrats were brainwashing the country and the people with technical jargon. It was difficult to understand economic theories in order to make the ignorant believe it was only the Democrats, who knew the problem so that they should be left alone to solve the mess. She wanted a national government so that there would not be any confusion and favoritism in the long run till the economy turned around in the coming years. Busaban believed the country should be run by technocrats, not the corrupt and crooked politicians, who had only one aim: money and women. They never had any interest in the affairs of the people and were master manipulators when it came to government contracts and concessions. She believed they should all be drugged, and sent to America to be launched into space, perhaps to Jupiter or Mars, never again to be seen on this planet. She hated them.
Khanita wanted nothing. She knew there wasn’t going to be any change in the coming several decades. The same politics and problems were going to continue to haunt the country, and the economy. Her only interest remained in bringing into the country as many tourists as possible. That way everyone benefited. She made it a rule that twenty percent of her income went to a temple—any temple in the country.
And finally, Potch’s attention turned to Rudy. She realized he must be swearing to all Gods for being forced to listen to their personal conversation. Instead, she decided for him to take the stage, and they had no problem.
“Can I call you Rudy?” It was Khanita again.
“Sure.” He glanced at Potch. She nodded.
“I have thousands of tourists coming to this country on our behalf. I do know Thailand has large gem deposits, and gemstones are part of our culture. Now, if we had a transparent system, and we have so many types of gemstones in this country, why can’t we do something about it? I mean, think about the tourists I bring into the country. They should be going to a reliable place and buying the real thing at a fair price. Instead what do we have? Crooks and bimbos all out in the streets cheating the innocents—selling all sorts of junk, putting them off from ever coming back. In the past, I have had a lot of complaints from my clients abroad. I tried convincing the trade and the government. They were all good listeners, but when it came to implementation, the same old gangs were out in the streets—to loot again. Why don’t we do something about it?”
“You have identified the problem correctly,” Rudy replied. “I think given the right environment, and the natural resources this country has, I don’t see any reason why we can’t do something about it—instead of expecting a positive gesture from the government, when we all know that it doesn’t work. They are pathetically slow.”
“We have Busaban, who owns the mines, and Rudy who specializes in blue sapphires from Pailin. Why don’t you two together work something out of this wonderful opportunity, which has been lying dormant for such a long time?” Chintima said.
“It’s not as easy as you think. There are logistical problems, and working with an industry, which is quite organized and stubborn, and going against their will could invite all sorts of problems,” Potch interrupted.
“I think you’re right,” Rudy answered. “What do we have here? Khun Khanita has an established tour company. Khun Busaban owns the major gemstones mines in this country. Maybe, we could go parallel.”
“Rudy has a point. He knows his market. Busaban and Khanita control a different market. If you can merge together in a magic combination, then believe me the whole world may want to imitate your success formula.” Chintima stepped in.
“What a perfect idea! Everyone benefits. We, the country, the people—and, of course, our clients too,” Potch quipped.
“So, what are we waiting for? Let’s join the treasure hunt and be happy,” Busaban poured more wine into the glasses.
Rudy glanced at his watch. She reminded the group of the date, time, and location of the next Blue Color Club session. They took turns, and the next meeting was going to be at Busaban’s residence.
“We want to thank Rudy for enlightening us today and sharing his thoughts. It was fantastic,” Chintima said.
There was a unanimous agreement, as they began to rise from the table.
“Stay a bit late. You can stay here if you want, instead of getting stuck in the traffic. It’s already late night,” Potch whispered.
“I have to go this time. Tomorrow early morning, I’m to be in Chantaburi with James. I’m trying to put back together our old team,” Rudy said.
“How long do you think you are going to stay at the Holiday Inn? I’ve a condo at SV City. It’s not too far from Silom Road. You have everything. It’s my wish that you stay there, and as you know, only a few friends enjoy this privilege,” she said.
“I very much appreciate this gesture,” Rudy replied.
“And, it is free. You pay nothing. Be my guest and partner,” she continued, “and you will stay here tonight. My driver can drop you anywhere in Bangkok. What time do you want to meet James?”
“Seven.”
“Uh-huh, that’s not a problem. Give me some company tonight, will you? The ladies will be out in a short while. My husband is in China, signing new contracts and eating scorpions; and snakes too. I have difficulty trusting him. My two girls are studying in New Zealand. I know how they behave when they are alone. Somehow we have to keep our relationship discreetly steady because there is lot of money at stake—and, of course, the family name. It’s just a show business, you know. About my children? My friends remind me always that they belong to fucked up generation. What else do I need? I’m alone at the moment. And, we have a lot to discuss, don’t we?” She leaned over to Rudy and said, “I really want to help you this time.”
“Thank you.”
Five
Next day, Potch’s driver arrived punctually at the Holiday Inn to pick up Rudy. The Rolls Royce Silver Seraph pulled up to the entrance of her new house—not too far from the Dhammakaya Temple. The forecourt of the house was designed, keeping true to traditional Javanese characteristics. A rare fete by a Thai. At first he thought he was entering a temple. The surrounding rice paddy fields fortified the whole natural environs beyond explanation. The house looked very different from the traditional Thai designs, a pleasing fusion between eastern and western concepts. “Please follow me, sir,” the driver said.
Rudy had never seen such a house before. Its natural ventilation, symmetrical wings approached by a broad flight of steps sat comfortably in this quiet landscape, romantic, beautiful, and proportioned—like a well cut gemstone. Their final destination was the ladies sitting room where Potch, and a few other women were comfortably seated. He didn’t bother to count. She motioned him to the green cushioned chair so that he could be seen by everyone.
She introduced him to her friends. Being a foreigner also attracted much interest among the ladies, each of them dripping with expensive jewelry, something quite popular among the rich echelons of Thai society. They loved wearing big gemstones as part of their status symbol. When Potch let her friends know that he had just been released from Khmer Rouge captivity, that aroused special interest and direct questions.
“Rudy specializes in blue sapphires from Pailin.” That statement by Potch brought several glances.
The short-looking woman to his right asked, “Why did the Khmer Rouge soldiers catch you in the first place? They are very cruel. My husband used to talk a lot about them.”
“It all just happened. It’s a long story. It was a set up,” he added.
“I know who goes to that God forbidden country. Only guerrilla capitalists and push-cart gem dealers who know only one thing—gemstones, money, corruption, sex and exploitation. Am I right?” The woman was too direct. If he remembered correctly—her name was Suwannee something.
“Suwannee is one of my partners,” Potch interrupted.
“So you know a lot about gemstones. You’re right in a way. That’s how we are all forced to do business in that part of the world. This tradition is everywhere except maybe in the West,” Rudy replied.
A tall woman to his left had something to ask. “I love blue sapphires, and I’m told the colors match very closely to that of Kashmir sapphires. Is it true? In fact, I have one right now. A 15carat piece. My jeweler said it was from Burma. How do you know if it came from Burma, Palin or Kashmir?”
“Khanita Taafai owns a tour company. In fact, the biggest in Bangkok,” Potch said.
“Well, it’s a tricky question. Only scientific identification can prove the origin of blue sapphires from Burma, Pailin or Kashmir. Let me start first with Kashmir. The mines are not operational today due to its geographical location. Whatever you see or hear today about Kashmir sapphires are old collections. The color of Kashmir blue sapphires in the trade are often referred to as cornflower blue. Sometimes even blue sapphires coming from Burma or Pailin may show a very close characteristic of Kashmir blue sapphires. To confirm any blue sapphires of unique Kashmir color, you will have to send it to Switzerland. There are one or two laboratories specializing in origin confirmation,” Rudy answered.
An unusually fat-looking woman seated near to Potch aired her views. “We have blue sapphires, I mean, really good ones from Kanchanaburi and Ubon Rachathani. They are as good and beautiful as Pailin, Burmese or Kashmir. In fact, I must tell you this, I wear only Thai blue sapphires. I’ll wear anything, if I’m convinced that it originated from Thailand.”
“How do you know your blue sapphires originated from Thailand?” Rudy asked politely.
“My family owns the mines in this country. You see, when I compare our stones with other localities, I don’t see any difference. They are as blue and beautiful as other famous localities. I must tell you this. People who buy from us may sell them to the rich or ignorant as Burmese or Pailin because the market loves to pay a premium.”
Rudy felt humbled by her statement. He saw the evidence on her body. A huge gold necklace on her neck by first count had fifteen oval shaped blue sapphires with a big center stone weighing at least thirty carats. Her eight fingers had rings embedded with blue sapphires weighing at least 10carats each. The blue color flashes were so intense and brilliant under the incandescent light, those pieces must have been the best colored stones he had seen so far. There was no doubt that she was promoting her blue sapphires, and the country itself by her extravagant statements. He could only wish the mines she owned produced big stones uninterruptedly. And most important of all, she was a successful business woman, and a friend of Potch.
“I have supplied blue sapphires, only good ones,” she added, “to all politicians, military men and their wives. I sell my stones only to Thais—not to foreigners. In the beginning tour operators, and some friends used to bring customers to my office in Kanchanaburi, but they don’t understand quality and price. They always want good ones for cheap prices. I stopped entertaining them because they don’t have a culture of appreciating a good blue sapphire from junk—the ones you see in local jewelry stores around the country. I have no problem convincing my good customers because they know what I’m talking about, and I don’t bluff. Also, I know they will check my stones with others, and when they realize how good my stones are there isn’t much to talk about. My stones have already spoken. That’s why they keep coming back to my office. I’m happy to say that I have what my competitors don’t have.”
Potch listened to her good friend, Busaban Sulinam’s extravagant speech quietly. She believed it was the right time to go for a break. She motioned to the chef from Shangri-la that they were ready for dinner. The chef poured in each glass Potch’s favorite, Chateau de Loei, from Loei province. Everyone took a sip and acknowledged its taste. She swapped her seat with Chintima Phayufonh, wife of a top finance executive, who was seated next to Rudy so that she could be closer to him.
“You can learn a lot from Busaban. Who knows? Someday you will be doing business with her. But, she is like that. Don’t take it too seriously. She is good hearted because I know her very well,” she whispered.
“I can understand that,” he replied.
“And one more thing,” she continued, “she is separated from her husband.”
“What happened?”
“Her husband had several mia noi’s (mistresses) and which wife can stand that fun. My husband is at least faithful. I think so, na,” she quipped.
Rudy giggled at her comment. She too followed him.
“Are you married?” Busaban asked.
“Nope. A reformed bachelor, I suppose,” Rudy said. That comment brought an immediate applause.
“How can you stay alone for such a long time given the temptations around?” Busaban asked again.
Potch knew that Busaban had taken an interest in him, and she had to do something to neutralize the situation to avoid any embarrassing situation, as the wine started to flow and fired up her veins. Instead, she switched the topic to religion. Even though it seemed inappropriate, she took the liberty to make a point. But Chintima who sat throughout the session without making any comment decided to air her views. Potch consented.
“I have to bring to your attention an important event. Sting, my favorite musician, and yours too, of course, is coming to Bangkok. His first concert in town. I’ve taken the liberty to announce that I’ve bought tickets for all our members.”
There was an immediate applause from the women. Chintima Phayufonh was the Chairwoman of The Blue Color Club, a meeting place where women interested in blue gemstones congregated to show off their recent collections of jewelry, and other assortments. That way they paraded their wealth. Even the top jewelers in town didn’t mind bringing their latest designs for their critical reviews.
The food kept arriving and the chef cleverly arranged them as if he knew well in advance everyone’s taste and preferences. Rudy’s attention focused on two women: Potch and Busaban. Potch was probably in her late fifties, but looked much younger, a possible forty or even an early fifty. Her physical features resembled a perfect cut gemstone—symmetrical and well-proportioned—with no bulge. Her most distinguishing features were her deep green eyes—like two of the purest green sapphires, each fixed in its own socket radiating flashes and twinkle, as her eyes shone. They were so beautiful, Rudy couldn’t, at times, take his eyes away from her. Her cantaloupe-sized breasts stood out in full blush, and the incandescent environment made it look—like large-sized fluorescent cabochon cut pinkish red ruby. She had onyx colored flowing hair, and with each twist and turn, it fell back on her shoulders—like sea waves. They were just gorgeous—a perfect creation of God. His attention shifted to Busaban, who was drinking wine. She was still cool and well composed, despite her aggressive intake of food and wine. Her strong-looking body seemed to accommodate her lavish tastes. But she too was attractive in her own way. She had a cushion face, and that thought reminded him of a blue sapphire he had several years ago, cut exactly like her face. The mixed cut, and the number of facets, made the stone look bigger than its actual size. A clever handicraft of a gem cutter, if he knew how to make it look bigger, without losing much weight. She too seemed to look in her fifties, but not anywhere close to Potch.
Busaban did have a moderate bulge, but the way she dressed, and the surrounding lighting cleverly hid those slight imperfections. Her breasts resembled a medium sized watermelon—less colorful, and the short hair she had was definitely dyed to hide her age, but overall, he gave a fair to good grade. Potch knew Rudy was grading her with his eyes. Instead of embarrassing him, she too gave him a meaningful wink, which meant it was okay. He moved his face away from her, and turned his attention on food and drinks.
Rudy’s mind was orbiting elsewhere. He was now approaching forty five. In fact, on the fifth of July. He couldn’t believe how it had all passed like a mirage—forty five years. Now there was a sudden shift in their conversation. The topic moved to politics. They all had a common stand regarding the coming elections. Potch never hid her strong affiliation with the Democratic Party. She had contributed heavily to their cause, and believed it was the most suitable and well liked party by the majority—to rule the country beyond the millennium. But Suwannee believed the Democrats were brainwashing the country and the people with technical jargon. It was difficult to understand economic theories in order to make the ignorant believe it was only the Democrats, who knew the problem so that they should be left alone to solve the mess. She wanted a national government so that there would not be any confusion and favoritism in the long run till the economy turned around in the coming years. Busaban believed the country should be run by technocrats, not the corrupt and crooked politicians, who had only one aim: money and women. They never had any interest in the affairs of the people and were master manipulators when it came to government contracts and concessions. She believed they should all be drugged, and sent to America to be launched into space, perhaps to Jupiter or Mars, never again to be seen on this planet. She hated them.
Khanita wanted nothing. She knew there wasn’t going to be any change in the coming several decades. The same politics and problems were going to continue to haunt the country, and the economy. Her only interest remained in bringing into the country as many tourists as possible. That way everyone benefited. She made it a rule that twenty percent of her income went to a temple—any temple in the country.
And finally, Potch’s attention turned to Rudy. She realized he must be swearing to all Gods for being forced to listen to their personal conversation. Instead, she decided for him to take the stage, and they had no problem.
“Can I call you Rudy?” It was Khanita again.
“Sure.” He glanced at Potch. She nodded.
“I have thousands of tourists coming to this country on our behalf. I do know Thailand has large gem deposits, and gemstones are part of our culture. Now, if we had a transparent system, and we have so many types of gemstones in this country, why can’t we do something about it? I mean, think about the tourists I bring into the country. They should be going to a reliable place and buying the real thing at a fair price. Instead what do we have? Crooks and bimbos all out in the streets cheating the innocents—selling all sorts of junk, putting them off from ever coming back. In the past, I have had a lot of complaints from my clients abroad. I tried convincing the trade and the government. They were all good listeners, but when it came to implementation, the same old gangs were out in the streets—to loot again. Why don’t we do something about it?”
“You have identified the problem correctly,” Rudy replied. “I think given the right environment, and the natural resources this country has, I don’t see any reason why we can’t do something about it—instead of expecting a positive gesture from the government, when we all know that it doesn’t work. They are pathetically slow.”
“We have Busaban, who owns the mines, and Rudy who specializes in blue sapphires from Pailin. Why don’t you two together work something out of this wonderful opportunity, which has been lying dormant for such a long time?” Chintima said.
“It’s not as easy as you think. There are logistical problems, and working with an industry, which is quite organized and stubborn, and going against their will could invite all sorts of problems,” Potch interrupted.
“I think you’re right,” Rudy answered. “What do we have here? Khun Khanita has an established tour company. Khun Busaban owns the major gemstones mines in this country. Maybe, we could go parallel.”
“Rudy has a point. He knows his market. Busaban and Khanita control a different market. If you can merge together in a magic combination, then believe me the whole world may want to imitate your success formula.” Chintima stepped in.
“What a perfect idea! Everyone benefits. We, the country, the people—and, of course, our clients too,” Potch quipped.
“So, what are we waiting for? Let’s join the treasure hunt and be happy,” Busaban poured more wine into the glasses.
Rudy glanced at his watch. She reminded the group of the date, time, and location of the next Blue Color Club session. They took turns, and the next meeting was going to be at Busaban’s residence.
“We want to thank Rudy for enlightening us today and sharing his thoughts. It was fantastic,” Chintima said.
There was a unanimous agreement, as they began to rise from the table.
“Stay a bit late. You can stay here if you want, instead of getting stuck in the traffic. It’s already late night,” Potch whispered.
“I have to go this time. Tomorrow early morning, I’m to be in Chantaburi with James. I’m trying to put back together our old team,” Rudy said.
“How long do you think you are going to stay at the Holiday Inn? I’ve a condo at SV City. It’s not too far from Silom Road. You have everything. It’s my wish that you stay there, and as you know, only a few friends enjoy this privilege,” she said.
“I very much appreciate this gesture,” Rudy replied.
“And, it is free. You pay nothing. Be my guest and partner,” she continued, “and you will stay here tonight. My driver can drop you anywhere in Bangkok. What time do you want to meet James?”
“Seven.”
“Uh-huh, that’s not a problem. Give me some company tonight, will you? The ladies will be out in a short while. My husband is in China, signing new contracts and eating scorpions; and snakes too. I have difficulty trusting him. My two girls are studying in New Zealand. I know how they behave when they are alone. Somehow we have to keep our relationship discreetly steady because there is lot of money at stake—and, of course, the family name. It’s just a show business, you know. About my children? My friends remind me always that they belong to fucked up generation. What else do I need? I’m alone at the moment. And, we have a lot to discuss, don’t we?” She leaned over to Rudy and said, “I really want to help you this time.”
“Thank you.”
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