This a little long but trust me, it will be worth it. I will continue posting the little stories about people I have met. But this is just too priceless to not post today!!!!!
So, I went down to the front desk to get a paper and a pleasant young lady presented herself. “You know, you seem to be a really nice guy.”
Arching my eyebrows, I wonder where this is going, “So I am told, but you have only seen me at best a few times. What makes you think I am nice at all?”
“The maid told me.”
Uh? “The Spanish lady? I do not think I have said much more than ‘hi’ to her.”
“She is Mexican and she says you are nice.”
“Okay, I will bite. How does she know I am nice?”
“She just does.”
“But, how?”
“She says you have not had any visitors…..”
Pregnant pause on her side told me the meaning was buried in this conversation somewhere and probably dealt with women. I cleared my throat, “So, you get very many nice guys through here?”
“No, you might be the first.”
“Yeah, traveling guys are pretty awful lot if you ask me.”
“Could you talk to a friend of mine?”
“What is up?”
“Uhm, she just needs someone to talk with and since you are a nice guy….. well, maybe you could help her….”
My brain attacked this one from about a dozen different angles. “Okay, can she meet me for dinner in the restaurant?”
“I will see…”
Scene change. Inside of restaurant, 5:00. Two young women were there to meet me. They introduced themselves, the female in question was quite a nice looking Asian – I was to learn she had been a beauty queen and did not doubt that…
“I need your help.”
“Well, what is it you think I can help you with?”
“I have overstayed my student visa and I can not go back home without my college degree!”
“How long were you here?”
“Four years.”
“How much more do you have to go?”
“Two years.”
“What happened?”
She looks down and turns red. Friend chimes in, “Too much partying.”
“Ouch! You know I do have some friends at the State Department, but I really do not know if they can help you….”
“No, no, no official! I will be in bigger trouble if the Ambassador finds out!”
“Why would he care?”
“My father is very important in the Thai government. He would hear instantly if something went wrong with my education!”
“So, what is it you are thinking of doing then?”
“I will marry you and in two years leave you to go back home.”
“Marry ME!”
“Yes, it is ok. I will give you $5,000 to marry me now. And I will even go on honeymoon with you – if you want. I can even cook and clean for you for two years….”
Here I was forced to interrupt. “I think marriage is a very sacred thing and I should only marry the woman I will spend my life with.”
“You not gay are you?”
“No, but this is not a good idea!”
“If you no marry me, probably someone else will and he will probably take my money and beat me.”
“You get beaten a lot?” I was thinking of the beatings her father should have given her!
She made a disgusted sound. “No! We are talking about you marry me!”
“I can not. And really think this is a bad idea…”
She looks at her friend, “What am I to do? You found me honest man!” Turning to me, “I might be able to get you more money through my mother. How much do you want?”
“No amount of money could buy me,” my soul shuttering at how much I could really use some cash this Christmas, “I can only marry for love and for a lifetime.”
“No, no, no, no! Only two years then I go away.”
“Well, what if you found that you loved me in return? You would not stay?”
Now she looked at me indignantly. “No, I am engaged to rich man back in Thailand. I go home and marry him in two years!”
Okay, us silly westerners both stared at her with open mouths.
That one was worth the cost of three dinners just for its pure entertainment value….. I will probably still be laughing over this one thirty years from now (might even kick myself later on in the day…)
No comments:
Post a Comment