164. High speed
- It’s me, said the Thai voice in Duff’s telephone.
- Who?
- Me.
- Who are you?
- You forget me?
- What is your name?
- Why you forget me already?
- Bia? Is that you?
- Yes.
- Why can’t you say your name when you call?
- I waiting you downstair.
- In this hotel? Why?
- I wan you go with Larson.
- I don’t have anything to do with this. You go with him.
- Please please. I not wan go alone Larson. I scare him.
- Larson is not dangerous. A bit eccentric maybe, but perfectly safe.
- I scare.
- And you want me to come along as your chaperone?
- Yes. You go to Lad Prao with me.
- I don’t want to get involved.
- Please please?
- No.
- You must to go.
- Why?
- Because you must take care me.
- Oh must I?
- Yes.
- You are a big boy. You can take care of yourself.
- Please?
Duff heard Bia’s voice change. Oh dear, the boy is going to cry, thought Duff. This is not worth it. It is emotional blackmail. Or maybe it is real? Who knows?
- What are you doing here? asked Larson when he saw Duff and Bia sit together in the reception.
- I was invited along, said Duff.
- Oh you were?
- Yes.
- Well I guess it won’t hurt if I have you to hold my hand.
Bia said nothing.
The tree of them went outside to fetch a taxi. The farangs let the Thai boy do the talking with the taxi driver. The two foreigners shared the back seat.
- Driver say do we wan go highway? said Bia.
- Do we? asked Larson and looked at Duff.
- Traffic jam, said the driver.
- I guess we do, said Duff.
The taxi went to Rama 4 and entered the toll way. Larson gave 40 baht to the driver, who handed it to the woman in the window.
- This La Lao… began Larson.
- Lat Prao, said Bia.
- La Praha. Have you been there, Duff?
- I drove past once, said Duff.
- Why would Noi work there? Why not a more central location?
- It is central enough, said Duff. – There is no specific downtown in Bangkok. I guess he went there because he got a job.
- I think of Silom soi 2 as the centre of Bangkok, if not the universe, said Larson.
- It is certainly the centre of the gay life. Or should I say the moneyboy life?
- That’s exaggerated, said Larson. – Most guys in DJ are ordinary boys. Only a few are for rent.
- If you say so, said Duff.
The taxi was on the elevated highway and it was driving faster.
- Can you see the speed? asked Larson.
- 140, said Duff.
- Bia, tell him to slow down a bit, will you?
Bia said something to the driver in Thai.
- He is not slowing down, said Larson. – How much is it now?
- 150.
- He is going to kill us. Why are we overtaking in the middle lane?
- Because we are in Thailand?
- He must watch for that pickup truck!
- Let him drive, said Duff. – He is used to it here.
- Bia! Tell the driver I will tip him 100 baht if he slows down.
Bia told the driver, who looked in the rear mirror and smiled.
- But he still isn’t slowing down! said Larson.
- Hush! said Duff. – Don’t disturb the driver. If you make a scene we might have an accident.
- I can’t watch this.
- We are almost there.
- He is driving five metres behind that big BMW. What if it suddenly brakes?
- Then we die in luxury.
Larson hid his face in his hands and went quiet.
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