Down And Out In The Large Mango

As a traveler, my worst worry has at all times been that I might discover myself on some lee shore, removed from house, lifeless broke, with no cash, no traveler’s checks and ineffective bank cards. And to prime all of it no air ticket house or buddies to lean on. It is a nightmare that does not bear desirous about. It is by no means occurred, however I dread it and to cowl such a disaster I at all times journey with an emergency fund of final resort within the type of three gold cash, Canadian Maple Leafs, stashed in my belt.

As a author, I’ve at all times been involved in coming throughout anybody who had skilled such an occasion. I’ve met just one. He was sitting on a store entrance step some fifty meters from the Nana Skytrain Station on Bangkok’s busy Sukhumvit Highway: commonplace for a farang in that infamous a part of city and he barely registered as I descended the steps to the road. However as I handed by him, my eye caught the crude cardboard signal stating:

DESTITUTE NEED MONEY FOR FOOD PLEASE HELP

A tin cup stood by the signal. I paused in my stride. I put him round fifty 5. Wearing a khaki shirt, shorts and a large rimmed bush hat, he jogged my memory of {a photograph} I might seen of the movie director, Francis Ford Coppola on location for the film, Apocalypse Now. He returned my gaze with a sheepish smile. It was two within the afternoon and 39 levels within the shade. Now, a farang, pan-handling the streets of Bangkok is losing his time. As Thais firmly consider that farang are wealthy, all farang, he might anticipate little pity a lot much less cash from the amused throng passing him by. In fact, the signal, being in English, was geared toward international expatriates and vacationers and the Nana space does teem with them. Even so, I put his possibilities of success as rather less than an ice dice in hell on a extremely popular day. I picked up the can: it contained a fifty baht notice and a few cash. I tossed in one other hundred. “Would you want a beer?” I requested him. He smiled extensively, grabbed his pack and got here to his ft. We shook arms. His title was Alain and he was from France. I discovered a bar shut by, took a table and ordered a pitcher of Chang beer. It was a quiet, nicely air-conditioned place and we had been the one patrons. A reasonably service lady introduced the pitcher and stuffed the glasses. Alain drained his in two lengthy pulls. “Nectar,” he stated, with a smile. “Thanks.”

“So, what the hell occurred to you?” I requested, refilling his glass. “It’s a lengthy story,” he stated, wiping his face with a napkin.

I suspected a lady was concerned someplace within the mess he’d discovered himself in and I used to be keen to listen to about it. “We’ve got time,” I stated. “Inform me.”

He took an extended draught of beer, settled again in his chair and closed his eyes; he regarded very weary. I seen the heavy beard stubble, the matted hair and he smelled tough. I made a decision to attend for my story. “Are you hungry?” I requested.

“I’m,” he replied. “Very.”

From the bar menu I ordered for him khao phat gai, fried rice with rooster, nothing for myself; I settled for the beer. Usually, I by no means drink earlier than sunset, however I used to be within the temper and this Chang was taking place like chilly, recent cream. Alain ate like a Frenchman, with measured gusto. His plate cleaned he went again to his beer. “When did you sleep final? In a bed?” I queried.

He shook his head. “I can not keep in mind.” He regarded nicely and actually bushed, and I sensed a bit of disorientated.

“You are drained, Alain,” I stated. “You want some sleep. I will get you a room.” I ordered one other pitcher.

“You’re actually very variety,” he stated. “You do not know me in any respect.”

“True,” I stated. “However I’ve at all times dreaded ending up like I discovered you. I actually could not go away you there. However the value is you inform me your story. We are able to try this tomorrow, after you’ve got rested. Is {that a} deal?”

“That is high quality,” he stated, smiling. “It is a deal.”

Again on Sukhumvit, I bought for him a shirt and a few shorts and underwear from a market stall. Then, I booked him within the Bangkok Inn Guesthouse and organized to satisfy within the foyer at midday the next day. I went again to my resort feeling good about myself. I might performed the Good Samaritan and executed the respectable factor. I might made advantage and pursued good karma. I showered and altered and got down to attend to unfinished business after which meet a stunning Thai woman, my future spouse, for supper.

Usually up at first light, I slept within the following morning and was late for our rendezvous. Alain was ready within the foyer studying the Bangkok Submit. A unique man, he’d bathed and shaved, his thick auburn hair was washed and brushed again and he was carrying the garments I might purchased for him. He smelt clean and of high quality cologne. “Paco Rabane,” he grinned after I commented. “I’ve a bit of left. However, it is nearly gone.”

Sleeping late, neither he nor I had taken breakfast, so I steered lunch was so as. We dined on the Meals Middle on Sukhumvit. Then, we repaired to a resto-bar on Soi 7 I usually frequent that serves respectable wine. We took an out of doors table in shade and relaxed in seats of nicely cushioned wicker beneath a fan. I ordered a bottle of Italian white on ice. I put Alain comfortable by telling him of myself, my work, my house in Canada and the guesthouse I used to be constructing close to Chiang Mai. He spoke glorious English in a cautious, circumspect method with a robust accent. He was from Bretagne and fifty 9 years outdated. He’d taken early retirement following a profession in civil engineering that had taken him world broad, working freelance, with excessive remuneration and paying little taxes. He’d labored 5 lengthy years in Saudi Arabia, hated it (no, wine, no girls!!), however made huge, tax free, cash.

“I can not complain concerning the cash,” he laughed. “However I could not stand the place. Each few months I might take an exit visa and get again to France to take care of my sanity.”

Although an engineer, he had many pursuits and over time had taken college programs on such various disciplines as historical past, political science, philosophy and social anthropology; he was clever and exceedingly nicely learn. I felt that Alain had mirrored usually on the that means of life and why males are born. We had a lot in widespread. And the wine had the specified impact and we each grew to become more and more expansive. We mentioned many issues, however primarily we spoke of journey, South East Asia and Thailand. We talked of ladies, Oriental girls and particularly Thai girls and the hypnotic, Siren like, allurement they’ve held for Western males since sixteenth century European sailors and adventurers returned house with tales of their fascinating magnificence. He was additionally conscious of the risks of involvement; like me, he knew the tales and we shared some.

Alain first got here to Thailand after the loss of life of his spouse. She’d died of ovarian most cancers leaving him with a daughter, Lisa, who had graduated from college with honors as a medical physician just a few months after her mom’s loss of life. Grief stricken, and on Lisa’s recommendation, Alain selected a yr of journey and Thailand was on the itinerary. He got here for 3 weeks and stayed three months. He returned once more the next yr for 4 months. He favored Pattaya and started spending the European summers there. Then, Lisa got here throughout images of her father with younger Thai girls which led to a bust up.

“She referred to as me a intercourse vacationer and hasn’t spoken a phrase to me since,” Alain chuckled. He took {a photograph} from his pocket and slipped it throughout the table. I picked it up. It was an expert studio portrait of a Thai lady, a really lovely woman, with an excellent smile. “Kab,” he stated. “She could be very beautiful,” I stated.

“Sure,” he smiled. “She was.” He fished out extra snaps of her. Some had been with Alain, others with a small baby, a woman, and others with Alain and the kid. They regarded a contented household. However this was the lady, I used to be certain of it.

“The place did you meet her?”

“In a Jomtien bar, bar.” he stated. “I might began to favor Jomtien, the city south of Pattaya as a result of it was quieter, much less raucous. I had a candy house there close to the seashore and fairly cheap. The bar was on a close-by road. I might dropped in for just a few beers and to look at some soccer,” he smiled. “Chelsea and Liverpool. She was working there. She was the supervisor and mamasan. It was a quiet night time with few prospects and she or he was going to shut when the sport ended. She spoke good English and regarded so beautiful in her again business go well with with shirt and tie. Her determine was very good. I purchased her a drink. She invited me to pick a woman. However they had been a uninteresting bunch of bargirls, non enticing. However she was.”

“So, you hit on her,” I stated.

“Sure. She appeared shocked. ‘I am thirty six,’ she stated. ‘I am outdated.’ I advised her she was beautiful. Sure, I bar-fined her. She put the cash within the money box, despatched the women house, closed the bar and got here again to my place.” He smiled. “And I by no means noticed the ending of the soccer recreation.”

“And that was the start?” “Sure. I noticed her once more the subsequent night time and once more bar-fined her. Inside per week she’d stop the bar and was residing with me. I made a decision to improve and signed a lease on a furnished home with three bedrooms, a house fitness center, a pool and wonderful backyard. I paid for every thing, in fact, and gave Kab 8,000 baht a month to spend as she wished. I additionally set her up with a market stand promoting garments and sneakers; it made a bit of cash on prime of her allowance and gave her an curiosity.” I smiled.

“She should have favored that?” “Sure, she did. However quickly sufficient my time was nearly up. My visa was expiring and I used to be as a result of fly house to France, however I did not wish to go. I made a snap resolution and let the ticket expire. I went all the way down to Penang, Malaysia and acquired one other visa for a yr.”

On his return they traveled north to Issan the place he met her household in a distant village. He refurbished her father or mother’s home and acquired her father a Honda scooter. Kab’s daughter, Fon went again with them to Jomtien for the varsity holidays. Life appeared idyllic and he privately debated whether or not he ought to ask Kab to marry him. A month later a debit card was declined at an ATM. As he used 4, he thought little of it. He’d skilled ATM computer glitches earlier than and so they usually corrected themselves. However this didn’t. Two weeks later a second card was declined. This time he was involved and irritated. He saved notice of all withdrawals and was nicely conscious of what the balances ought to be and he knew he was nicely within the black. He composed handwritten letters to each French banks asking for explanations and posted them registered mail. Then, in fast succession, his remaining two playing cards failed, the final one whereas he was in Bangkok visiting buddies; he now had critical issues. Unable to make headway by e-mailing and telephoning the banks, he wanted to fly to France. Sadly, Alain used solely debit playing cards and had no bank cards. However, as a cautious man, he had a reserve of money that might buy his ticket.

“I can interrogate my financial institution accounts on the web.” I advised him. Might you not try this?”

“No,” he stated. “You need to repair it along with your financial institution personally earlier than leaving house. I uncared for to do it. You may’t organize it from abroad.”

Alain headed again to Jomtien the place any anger he held for his banks and their system quickly dissolved into shock. Kab was not house. He phoned her, however her cellphone was lifeless. Getting ready to shower, he seen her toilet articles had been gone. And within the bed room an extra shock; her total wardrobe was cleared out. She’d left him. At his desk he discovered the locked drawer the place he saved his private issues had been compelled and the reserve fund, 50,000 baht, was gone. He realized now that the debit card downside was not a financial institution computer glitch. Kab was the issue.

“However I do not know the way,” he stated. I by no means let her use the playing cards. I by no means disclosed the pin numbers, nor did I ever write them down. The numbers are in my head. Solely I do know them.”

I could not start to think about how he should have felt. Cleaned out by a lady he had beloved and trusted. He wanted assist badly. His French buddies in Pattaya had been discovered wanting. “Consuming buddies,” he described them bitterly.

“What about your daughter, the physician? She would fly you house, certainly,” I stated.

He laughed. “She would, little doubt. However I’d by no means dwell it down. Might you think about the triumph, the contempt? I might acquired what I deserve, the wages of a intercourse vacationer. I might be below her thumb for all times. No, Lisa was out. My solely hope was Sacha, my brother. However Sacha is on a six week lengthy canoeing trip in northern Canada: he is not contactable. And he will not be house till the top of this month.”

“What about buddies in France?”

“I do have them, however I couldn’t stand the disgrace, the humiliation. They would want to know the way I acquired into this mess. And it would not be lengthy earlier than Lisa would get wind of it. No, Sacha is my lifeline.”

Together with his lease due, Alain moved out, ditched most of his issues and moved to Bangkok. His plan was to pan-handle enough cash for meals and if attainable lodgings till the time his brother could be again in France. He labored the Khao San Highway and the backpackers earlier than shifting to Nana. It was arduous and humiliating, however labored to a point as some days he picked up sufficient to get a dormitory room in some tough dwelling. He was doing that after I’d discovered him.

Two days later, in an act of belief, I put Alain on an Air France flight to Paris. He promised he would refund me when he acquired house. And he did. Two weeks after he left a deposit overlaying the ticket value arrived in my financial institution. He adopted this with a letter thanking me for my assist and belief.

Nearly a yr handed earlier than I heard from him once more. It got here within the type of an e-mail; he was again in Thailand, in Jomtien and invited me down. I bussed down the next week and we met for lunch on the Pattaya Beer Backyard. Alain, immaculate in ivory slacks and a blue tropical shirt and loafers and exuding the acquainted Paco Rabane, regarded the image of well being and contentment. He gripped my hand vigorously. “Good to see you. Wine or beer?” he grinned.

“Wine,” I replied. “White.”

“And pizza?”

“In fact.”

He ordered the wine, a high quality white Wolf Blass from Australia to be adopted by a big all dressed pizza. We made small speak and bantered normally on many issues. He had healed the breach together with his daughter and so they had been again on talking phrases. However he’d discovered France chilly and depressing and the individuals, in distinction to Thais, as disagreeable because the climate. He’d been again in Thailand for 3 months and glad of it. However, impatient to know the endgame of the Kab affair, I modified the topic. “What occurred about your cash?”

He paused, drank a bit of wine. “It was devastating,” he stated. “My financial institution statements confirmed Kab had withdrawn enormous quantities of cash, some days the every day most on the playing cards. I could not consider it. Inside a month she’d nearly emptied the accounts.”

“However how, if she did not have the pin codes?”

He chuckled. “Oh, however she had the pin codes. However I by no means gave them too her.” He refilled the glasses. “It took me some time to determine how she’d executed it.”

Intrigued, I stated nothing, sipped wine and waited.

He gave me an extended smile. “She used the kid,” he stated.

“Her daughter?”

“Fon. Sure, she used her.”

“How?”

“Every time I went to a financial institution ATM to make a withdrawal, I might usually take Fon with me. Afterwards we would perhaps take a stroll on the seashore and I might purchase her ice cream. I loved the lady and having her come alongside. And typically, on the ATM she’d ask me to elevate her up and watch me work the keypad and out would pop the cash. This was magical to her and made her chuckle. Generally I even let her push the buttons. You may guess the remainder.”

“Fon then advised her mom the pin codes,” I stated. He nodded.

“Christ,” I stated. “You are optimistic?”

“It is the one legitimate clarification. I saved the numbers in my head as all of us do. I by no means wanted to put in writing them down. However I foolishly gave them to the kid. It was a recreation to the kid, however critical business for Kab. Arriving house, Fon offers her mom the pin quantity as a part of the sport. And on the first alternative after I’m not round, Kab takes a card and makes a giant withdrawal, 10 to fifteen,000 baht: some huge cash. I do consider she introduced Fon down to stick with us only for that function.”

I assumed I might heard all of the tales, however this was a brand new one, utilizing a baby in that means; undoubtedly one for the archives. Alain by no means disclosed to me how a lot he had misplaced which leads me to consider it was a really heavy quantity, many thousand Euros. But, he remained cool about it and displayed no bitterness. Searching for Kab and retribution didn’t enter into his thoughts. He little doubt realized it will be a waste of time. He’d moved on. The pizza got here and was promptly devoured and a brand new bottle ordered. As we drank, he introduced that he had a brand new woman. “She’s out of your territory, Chiang Mai,” he stated. “Her title is Sunisa, nickname Kung. She’s a schoolteacher. You’ll like her 방콕물집.”

I met Kung that night time and favored her instantly. She was forty two, divorced with an adult son and daughter. She had a stunning condominium, low rise and spacious. We sat out on a balcony terrace that neglected the bay and loved a high quality meal consisting of many Thai dishes washed down with copious quantities of wine from France. Kung was small with an athletic, shapely determine and a pleasing clever face. I loved watching her going about her home business and fussing over Alain and myself. I discovered her very enticing, although not even near the surreal fantastic thing about Kab. However then Alain wasn’t searching for that anymore.

I returned to Jomtien 4 months later for Alain and Kung’s weddings: there have been two, a Buddhist ceremony and a Catholic one. And 6 months after that they got here north to Chiang Mai for mine. We keep up a correspondence and meet usually. We’ve got a real and lasting friendship..

Alain’s story illustrates how a sort, respectable, trusting, however silly, man can usually be taken benefit of, in his case, by a ruthless lady. It additionally serves as a lesson to vacationers particularly in South East Asia and particularly male vacationers in Thailand. In sultry climates, within the languid seductive ambiance of the tropics there’s a tendency to drop one’s guard. I am tempted to say: belief nobody, however that might be unfair and make for an un-enjoyable journey expertise. However a person ought to hold his wits about him and take smart precautions. Lastly it’s a story of belief and having religion in a fellow man. I took an opportunity, supplied a serving to hand and was nicely rewarded for it.