Gemscentric

Written by Julian Robov

Four


Rudy returned to the Holiday Inn Hotel on Silom Road to meet James. It was eight in the evening. He waited for him at the Window-on-Silom restaurant. From the window seat, he observed a car crash, which shouldn’t have happened if the Ferrari driver drove normally. Instead, the occupant drove like a Formula One driver killing the Mercedes driver, which had crossed his path, and several scores of footpath vendors. It all happened in a split-second. This unnecessary blood bath stopped all traffic on both sides of Silom Road, causing the traffic police to flee. A common scenario in Bangkok.

Tea and a ham sandwich arrived, which Rudy ate to kill the time. James was late.
As he finished his tea, a familiar voice caught his attention. He looked back. It was her—Siriporn ‘Potch’ TukTukpai. At first he couldn’t believe his eyes. She was now walking toward his table. Rudy rose to greet her.
“Oh Rudy,” she said. “What happened? I’ve been asking everyone. And, look at you now. Alone?”
She sat opposite his table. He looked back to see if anyone was watching. She noticed that.
“It’s all right, Rudy. My friends can wait, it is good to see you here. What a surprise?” She looked at him closely. He looked a bit leaner, but handsome. Her brown eyes wanted to know a lot. The message was clear.
“Yeah. Alone. But I’m waiting for a friend. He is late. Looking at the car crash on Silom, I can only guess. So, how are you? Good to see you too,” he said.
Potch collected people like gems and preferred to view them in privacy. The enormous wealth accumulated from several real estate property deals, and government projects made her the most outstanding business woman of Thailand. She had several awards to her credit. Chaiwath—her husband, ran the telecommunication business separately outwitting his competitors. He too grabbed credits for the past several years in an obsessive pursuit of modernizing the Thai telecommunication industry.

But Potch was different. In her late fifties, she looked much younger than her age. Rudy was her choice when it came to blue sapphires. She liked the color blue, and him too. The soothing color always brought luck and fame, and she believed in its merits even though it seemed superstitious. She didn’t care. Contracts and building projects kept arriving uninterruptedly forcing her to open a private bank. The money was flowing like the Chao Phraya river. She had a good heart, and her contributions to several social projects, brought instant recognition. Incrementally, she became the first woman advisor to the Prime Minister.
“I heard a lot of rumors about you. But I didn’t believe them. Are you back in business?” she asked.
“Yeah. I’m trying to.” He remembered something. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“Get me one lemon juice. No sugar,” she said. The service was fast.
“Getting back to the trade after a six years absence is not that easy. The landscape has changed tremendously. It was a set up, I’m still alive while others perished in that God forbidden jungle of Cambodia. It was hell, but I survived,” he briefed.
She sat closely watching his movements and his grayish blue eyes. He used to have good blue sapphire eyes—like the PAILIN SAPPHIRES. Now a grayish tone had taken over the blue hue.
“You know something,” she remembered. “I’ve just finished a new house not too far from the Dhammakaya Temple in Pathumthani—Indonesian architecture. I want you to be at my new home tomorrow. By the way, where are you staying?”
“Holiday Inn!” he said.
“No wonder you are here. I don’t think it’s good for you to stay alone in a hotel—not so safe nowadays. O.K. We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Wait a minute,” she recalled.
“You don’t have a car, do you?” she inquired.
“Nope,” he said apologetically.
“O.K. I’ll send my driver to pick you up. The traffic will be bad in the evening. But, don’t worry. I’ll make sure you arrive in time. Don’t go out anywhere tomorrow. I’ve something for you. Now listen, I’ve got to go. I’ve a wedding to attend. That’s why I’m here. Rudy, take care.”
She smiled at him. Rudy rose to extend his hand. She took his extended hand and pressed gently. It was natural.
He saw James at the entrance sweating and walking toward his table.
“What a bloody traffic jam? Can’t you see the chaos outside?” he continued. “I had to take a motorcycle taxi to get here. Thank goodness, I didn’t take my car.” He was breathing heavily.
“I think I should get you something to drink—your choice,” Rudy said.
“Singha beer—large,” James replied. “Who is that woman you were talking to, uh? I’ve seen her before.”
“Potch. A good friend and a good customer too. We met quite by chance.” Rudy kept gazing at the crash site.
“Oh, I know her. She looks different today,” James commented. “So, how did it go with Seri?”
“Rough and tough. On Chantaburi’s scale, he should be a five out of ten,” Rudy said.
“That’s not hard,” James commented. The Singha beer arrived with some snacks. Rudy motioned to the waitress to come back later.
“Tomorrow I have to go to Pathumthani, an invitation from Potch,” Rudy said immediately. He continued, “I want to walk the streets tonight. I don’t know why, but I just feel that way.”
“I can join you if you want, and we can have dinner later,” James quipped.
Rudy paid the bills, and together they walked down the escalator to Silom Road. The pimps were already out with their bait. The traffic looked much better now moving slowly. Street vendors screamed at them for their attention to buy something.
James bought two fake Versace T-shirts. There were big hotels on Silom Road: Monarch Lee Gardens, Narai, and the Dusit Thani. They weren’t interested in strolling the back streets of the notorious Patpong. They had seen this several times before. Rudy felt sorry for them.

Both James and Rudy strolled the streets without talking much, till they reached Lumpini park. Joggers and exercise fanatics were slowly leaving the ground. The park closed at eight. It was the only greenery available for the people of the Bangkok metropolis to breath in some pure, pollution free air. Sky train project works kept going on relentlessly amidst the traffic chaos and pollution on Silom—one of the sleepless streets of Bangkok. James wondered how Silom would look like if a wicked earthquake hit the street in the middle of the night. Another one of his bloody thoughts. Tour buses were emptying several loud-talking Koreans and Chinese on to the street—like popcorns. Only they knew what they were saying. Rudy and James watched them from a distance haggling with one of the street vendors. He was deaf, but good in calculations. The haggling went on for several minutes with repeated calculator exercises. They both laughed at the persistence and style of the deaf street vendor finally closing the sale. He got his deal in the end.

Gemscentric

Three


Rudy walked to the office of Seri Fonhlaeng, which was located on the fourth floor of the Sita building, on Mahesak Road.
“I have a ten o’clock appointment with Khun Seri.”
“Ecu me, your name, sir.” The receptionist asked.
“Rudy Smith.” he said.
“Jut a minute, pease.” The stupid-looking receptionist disappeared into one of the rooms. Rudy knew he was not going to have an easy time with Seri, knowing his temperament and all of his moves he had found out about him through his brother, frigging Meechai. He had thoroughly planned his moves well in advance.
“Sir. He’s buesy, butt pease follow me,” she replied with a wicked smile. Seri approached him with a wai (greeting), even though Rudy extended his hand.
“I heard a lot about you from Jeffrey.”
Seri motioned Rudy to take a seat. His secretary brought in a pot of green tea, which she poured into two glasses, and then glanced at Rudy.
“Sugar, please,” Rudy said, as Seri watched him intently.
“Now, what brings you here, Mr Rudy?” Seri asked.
“Business. You are well aware of my background—PAILIN SAPPHIRES. I’m looking for ways we could work together and prosper,” Rudy said.
“Oh! So that’s what brought you here. Why me?” Seri asked.
“Because, you’re the expert. I met Meechai, and he told me everything about you,” Rudy quipped.
“Oh, I see,” Seri said.
“You did a good job with that 20carat blue sapphire,” Rudy reminded. That statement brought a chilled reaction. Seri knew the secret was out.
“Did Meechai tell you everything?” Seri asked.
“What do you want me to say?” Rudy knew the answer. Incremental revelation was his choice—that way he could draw him into his territory, bit by bit.
“So you know a lot, uh?” Seri looked disturbed.
“We’ll go fifty-fifty. That way, we share our experiences equally. Does that sound good to you?” Rudy waited.
“When?” Seri asked.
“In seven weeks,” Rudy replied.
Seri wanted to know more. Meechai had revealed something, which he shouldn’t have done in the first place. A cardinal sin.

Both were single, and selective womanizers, but Seri was the mastermind. They both loved the trade and decided to specialize in blue sapphires from Pailin. He wanted to make more money knowing that good times didn’t last for long. Greed over took commonsense. Newcomers were entering the market with reckless money, driving prices sky high. Surviving in this dog-eat-dog market became more difficult. When doing business the right way became difficult, the wrong way emerged as the best option. As long as demand existed, he cared less. Several factors made it possible for him. The trade itself was conservative and secretive. He liked it. Everyone kept their careful distance to avoid unnecessary scrutiny. Confusion and distraction became his best weapons. Now that luxury had become a boomerang.

Meechai was supposed to be released in a week after Seri made a special deal with the Khmer Rouge. He wanted to know how much information was out. Rudy thought for a second. He extracted a blue stone from his pocket that caught Seri’s attention. Seri’s face turned brown. He couldn’t forget that blue stone.
“Where did you get that from?” he asked.
“Do you recognize the blue stone? Meechai gave it to me,” Rudy said.
“I don’t believe this. Are you playing games with me, uh?” Seri was furious.
“I told you already, Meechai gave it to me,” Rudy said calmly.
“What are you after, if I may ask?” Seri asked.
“You know the answer already. I want to do business with you,” Rudy quipped.
“But you have already put me in trouble,” Seri shot back. Rudy now had something to say.
“Listen to me, will you? I have told you already what you need. You should leave the market to fat cats—like Prapan and Suchinda. Let them play with large stones. You can’t afford to play their games. You don’t have that kind of money, but I’m in a position to take care of that problem. Who knows? In the coming years, our company will be making loads of money well into the future,” Rudy stated.
Seri realized Rudy had already done his homework. He didn’t know what to say. Instead, he kept gazing at him doubtfully.
“What’s your input?”
“Two million.”
“Cash?”
“Cash.”
“When?”
“In five weeks.”
“And…...” Seri added.
“I know what you are thinking. Share, right? I told you already: fifty-fifty,” Rudy quipped.
“Any other option?” Seri asked.
“Not now. We’ll discuss that later at an appropriate time,” Rudy commented.
Seri gazed at Rudy. He sat opposite Rudy, “and the money?”
“From a safe place,” Rudy promised.
“Not from you?” Seri asked, puzzled.
“Nope. A friend of mine will take care of that part,” Rudy said calmly.
“Rudy,” Seri said. “I suppose you’re aware of market realities.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Rudy asked.
“The authorities, I mean, the revenue department, police, and the Mafia’s are out to catch people like you, and bury you with your Versace suit in a nearby grave. I don’t know how, but somehow they know how to do it. What I mean to say is when the bank sees big money coming in from a dubious source, they will begin to suspect everyone including me. Look what happened to Meechai. The police have already confiscated his property and other assets thinking that he was dealing in drugs. For reasons known only to the police, they think gems and drugs are twins, and dealers can’t stay without it. Meechai is finished. I’ve to now take care of him.” Seri was the acknowledged resident expert of such inside matters. He could be working for the drug and gem enforcement organization, if it existed.

But Rudy knew it all. He was covering up the truth. Gems were such portable wealth—he had it hidden at some God forbidden places on earth—to avoid repeating Meechai’s experience. Seri hid his money safely, and it was untouchable. Rudy knew it. His office itself was a good example. He left junk for the authorities to confiscate if they came in with a search warrant. The best gems, he never kept in his office. The risks were greater. Instead, he left synthetic counterparts to confuse the tax officers.
“Already,” Seri said. “I think I can do business with you, Rudy. Deal.”
“Deal.” Rudy smiled.

Gemscentric

A gem novel about blue sapphires.

“From the pavilion depth of the blue sapphires we learn of the intrigue, trust, and eternal mystery confronting the reader as Julian Robov explores the characters hidden under the “fingerprints” of this venture into Southeast Asia.”

Margaret Magnussen
Author “Namaste—Chronicle of a Peace Corps Volunteer”


“So you think the gem business is glamorous? You’ll think twice after reading Gemscentric!, this second novel by Julian Robov. It’s a thrilling tale with a multi-colored cast of characters lighting up the gem world. Page after page takes you on a journey through a maze of twists and turns of the plot, uncovering the hidden passion and greed in the world of gemstones.”

Barbara Lipatapanlop

Written by Julian Robov


Two

Ban Ploi has been a hangout for Chantaburi’s big time gem dealers. This facility had become their second home after moving away from their expensive condos in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Big brokers had a reason to be there—updating on the latest arrivals of large sapphires and rubies from the mines of Cambodia and elsewhere. They loved gossiping about the losers and winners of the week. Special brokers frequented it to keep in touch with the new arrivals. They had nothing to lose. A good week meant thousands of tax free dollars.

Rudy Smith entered the place, as a foreigner, he was an exception. They trusted him. As the members saw him, the conversation became louder and explosive. Loud cheers permeated throughout the room to officially welcome his arrival. There was a joyous cry from a corner.
“Khun Rudeee! Welcome again to Chanburi.”
They had all known about his ordeal in the Khmer Rouge territory. The reaction was a mixture of shock and disbelief. But then working in Pailin had always been full of risks and opportunities.
Now, he was back. It was natural, and the expected cheer rose again from his friends as the brokers frequented there regularly for two main reasons: drink and women.
Sendi, the man of the house, welcomed the man of the hour—Rudy, with a wai (greeting) and a warm embrace. “Rudee,” he called. Mekong Whisky and Chateau de Loei (Thai wine) began to flood the table. Rudy took a gulp. The mutual respect and trust they had for the past several years seemed to accumulate from nowhere—lost chances and gained experiences. The special look followed by the warm embrace showed that Rudy was still the same respected gem dealer of the town.
Rudy acknowledged with a wai (greeting). Later on, it was back to drinks and food. A female singer dedicated a Isan love song on his behalf followed by roars of laughter and cheers.
He was back. From nowhere Noi—a broker, came and wai-ed him. She remembered the old days when he helped her sell blue sapphires. She wanted to thank him in return with a warm embrace. He was happy to see them all in the flesh, because he could do business with them again in the coming days.
Noi offered him a drink to show her affection—followed by a juicy kiss on his abraded cheeks. In her Versace dress, she looked much younger. Another group of women rushed forward to get his attention. They all knew that if he consented, the tips would be more than enough for the whole month. He danced with them as a token of appreciation.
But, he had other reasons. This was where relationships bloomed, and transactions harvested abundantly. His longstanding friends were awaiting him in the adjacent dining room.
Toni Chen was there too. Most important of all—James Hughes, Gary Seth and Bill King. They approached Rudy, and shook his hand with a brief embrace and a high five followed by that ritual body slam.
Rudy had enough of the noisy welcome. Instead, he wanted to get back to his business—BLUE SAPPHIRES. He had several things in his mind.
“They miss you, Rudy,” Gary said, as he was motioned by Rudy to sit close to him. “Since you are back, it’s going to be business as usual. On Chantaburi scale—I must say, you are nine out of ten—hard enough, and tough. Only you could have survived such a situation. I admire you a lot.”
“Thank you buddy,” Rudy replied.
Gary was his anchor in New York. The partnership had worked well for several years. Since the mysterious kidnapping of Rudy, Gary had difficulty getting good quality blue sapphires from other sources. He too was broke, as business became low other dealers forced him out of business due to his close association with Rudy.
“As a dealer, I have to tell you this. The gemstone market needs you back. They need you to compete with the fat cats of Chantaburi and Bangkok. And most important of all, you are alive,” Bill echoed his sentiments exactly.
“Your table is flawless, Rudy. We need to find the guys who rocked the boat. Maybe, Toni has something to say,” James said.
All this time, Toni was silent. He was always like that. But everyone liked him. He was the best bug in town—loyal and faithful.
“I suspect, it is Jeffrey and Morakot,” Toni said.
“How do you know that?” Bill asked.
“Give him a break. He is drunk,” Gary interrupted.
“Okay, guys. That’s enough. We need to follow up with the news. I mean, Jeffrey and Morakot,” Rudy said. That statement put everyone deep in thought. No one knew how Toni got the information. But everyone knew he was the real bug in the gem market. If he didn’t know anything, then others knew nothing.
“I don’t think you will do anything crazy,” Bill added.
“Why do you think that Bill?” Rudy jumped in.
“Because, I know how you feel about the situation. If it is true, then they deserve it.” James interrupted again.
“What about Philip?” Rudy asked.
“He killed himself,” Bill replied.
“What about his company?” Rudy had something in his mind. They were right. No one had thought about it.
“All right, Rudy. Philip deserved that. There was more. Outright cheat. Guess what? He sells a 20carat surface-diffused blue sapphire as untreated natural blue sapphire to a rich Parisian. The very same Parisian sells it again to a Japanese industrialist as a Kashmir sapphire. Now, listen to this. This industrialist who happened to be in Bangkok, gives the sapphire to one of the independent gem testing laboratories for certification just to know its quality, because he had decided to design it for his Thai mia noi (mistress). The result shocked him, and the poor chap died of a heart attack. He had paid a bundle to acquire this blue sapphire. It was like an after-quake shock. The Parisian visits Philip in the guise of buying more sapphires. The last thing we all know is that Philip kills himself for the irreparable damages. Otherwise, he knew his fate. That’s the tragic end,” Bill added.
The arrival of Mekong whisky heightened the mood.
“What are we gonna do now?” James asked.
“Start all over again,” Rudy said. “That’s the only way out of this situation. Let the market know that we are not out. At least you guys are still alive. We can do it.”
“How much capital, Rudy?”
“Get me the details on Jeffrey,” Rudy said, addressing the question.
“And after that?” Bill asked, wanting to know a definite plan.
“Seven weeks,” Rudy answered.
“So, how much?” Gary asked.
“Five million. That will do for the time being,” James answered.
“We got taken by friends. The market is watching. Everyone around us are also watching. If you want to become the tallest tree in the forest, there are two ways—either you grow taller or cut down other trees. Remember the old saying?” Rudy said.
“I think we should do both. This shouldn’t have happened to us in the first place,” Bill reminded.
“O.K. One more thing,” said Rudy. “Have any of you heard of a guy named Bobby-must be-Seri Fonhlaeng?”
“Yeah,” said James. “He has a small office opposite the Peninsula Lapidary on Mahesak Road.”
“Natural or an imitation?” Rudy asked.
“Never bothered,” answered James. “Why?”
“I met his brother in Pailin, and he is still with them,” Rudy said.
“Really? But....”
“Confirmed crook. Only he, had the balls to bluff the Khmer Rouge soldiers thinking that they were dumb and primitive. He traded salted blue sapphires for real ones—mixing and confusing them all the time. This was going on for sometime when one day their boss decided to send some stones to Bangkok for testing. Very unusual, but it happened. All fucking surface-diffused, and eventually surface-confused,” said Rudy.
“What’s the big deal? The gems are still natural, aren’t they?” Gary asked.
“How is Seri involved?”
“To quote his own brother, he did the treatment,” Rudy replied. “Low profile and clean deception.”
Another round of drinks arrived.
“I got an idea after that revelation,” Rudy added. “But his brother is still alive.”
There was a deep silence.

Gemscentric

A gem novel about blue sapphires.

“From the pavilion depth of the blue sapphires we learn of the intrigue, trust, and eternal mystery confronting the reader as Julian Robov explores the characters hidden under the “fingerprints” of this venture into Southeast Asia.”

Margaret Magnussen
Author “Namaste—Chronicle of a Peace Corps Volunteer”


“So you think the gem business is glamorous? You’ll think twice after reading Gemscentric!, this second novel by Julian Robov. It’s a thrilling tale with a multi-colored cast of characters lighting up the gem world. Page after page takes you on a journey through a maze of twists and turns of the plot, uncovering the hidden passion and greed in the world of gemstones.”

Barbara Lipatapanlop

Written by Julian Robov


One

Bangkok, 1998

The day was hot and quiet at the border town of Bo Rai, as Rudy J. Smith was being dropped off at one of the back streets of Bo Rai ruby market to be picked up by a close friend. The days spent at one of the unnamed mines in Pailin, where he had been kidnapped and held by Khmer Rouge soldiers had been an unforgettable and unforgivable experience.
In fact, for five years and seven days, a ransom of a million dollars had been demanded in order to release him from Khmer Rouge captivity. As the prospectors poured in from around the world hoping to strike up deals, there were internal conflicts among several factions as to who should control the productive gem mines.
In fact, he was the lone American in the Khmer Rouge territory. Politics; too, played a significant role in changing sides when problems arose.
He was back in Thailand, and obviously broke. An adventurous New Yorker, he specialized in top quality blue sapphires of big sizes, 10carats and above, feeding the hungry blue sapphire markets around the world. His connections deep inside the jungles of Cambodia, and the excellent rapport he enjoyed with Iang Sery, the de facto finance boss of the former Khmer Rouge leadership gave him access to the richest mines in Pailin, and most importantly of all—that FIRST LOOK. Pol Pot had already died.
As the international pressure intensified to bring his remaining faction to justice, a certain few within the leadership took their own course tilting the fluid relationship. Rudy had to live with the chaos and mistrust. Iang Sery defected to the government side when he felt the time was right. The disgruntled faction wanted money and knowing the amount of years Rudy had done business, a million dollars seemed to be an attractive option. He would be dead by now if the money hadn’t been arranged.
He paused. Pathetic. At first he had to camp with the Thai miners who had bluffed their captors by not paying their share. They would have been killed, but for obvious reasons keeping them alive seemed more sensible so that they could make more money.
THE RANSOM GAME:Some gem miners were steady and honest, while others refined themselves in that strong pursuit of becoming qualified cheats. The daily routine by the captors kept changing to avoid detection by other factions. Waking up at five thirty was difficult. Breakfast was restricted to rice and vegetables, and occasionally lizards, birds, snakes, rats and scorpions. Lunch was the same. Dinner at nine was also the same. And, there were no weekend’s off. Unexploded land mines sharpened his awareness and instincts.
ENTER THE INTELLIGENT BUFFALOES: He kept watching them all the time. The animals had God-given instincts to sense the mines. They became his constant source of solace. Keeping track of the days and years became extremely difficult, as his contact with the outside world was shut off. His captors were in constant communication with his close friend, James Hughes, a confidant of Khieu Sampan, the spokesperson for the Pol Pot faction. Having nothing to do all day drove him crazy. At times he had been allowed to talk to other captives or stare at the mute buffaloes. The yearning to get back to his regular business in Switzerland, New York, Singapore and Hong Kong drove him nuts.
He cried a lot. There was a full moon beaming like a giant moonstone displaying schiller, cotton-puff clouds moving across it at a snails pace. At some point, the mosquitoes would wake him up—then he loved singing.

Life’s but a walking shadow—a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

He learned one thing. THE ART OF PATIENCE: He glanced countless times down the dilapidated road in Bo Rai. James was taking more time. Perhaps, the traffic, he thought. Then, he saw the Land Rover coming. Rudy rushed to the back street and waved frantically as it approached the meeting place. The Land Rover stopped in front of him. James couldn’t believe his eyes. They embraced quickly. It was natural.
“Jeez, look at you. You never looked like this before.” James stroked his hand across Rudy’s face. He cried. They both cried. It was spontaneous.
Rudy was weak and tired. The captors had delivered him at one of the back streets with a backpack. They gave him a pair of jeans, and a T-shirt with a U.N emblem as a memento of sorts.
In fact, Rudy had friends in Bo Rai and Chantaburi. But, James was the best. He knew every in and out of Rudy’s business and the Khmer contacts. Without him, he would have been dead meat a long time ago.
They were driving through Trat, James briefing him about the market and its latest developments.
“How do you feel buddy?” James asked.
“Feel much better now that I’m still alive. That’s great. I need a good sleep,” Rudy replied.
They were approaching Chantaburi, and fifteen minutes later, the Land Rover was drawing up outside The K. P. Grand hotel. The presence of hundreds of gem dealers meant the market was active.

Gemscentric

Gemscentric is a gem novel on blue sapphires and gem traders.

The novel illustrates the colorful blue sapphire trading life in Bangkok, Thailand surface-diffused and confused—with black humor and radioactive dialogues, along with a group of blemished gem dealers, lust-driven wives, gangsters and gospel gemologists. All are heavily included.

For more information, please visit @
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-29701-3