167. Finding Noi
Larson sat down on the stairs outside the shopping centre. It was too hot to stand up for long and he wanted to be in the shade. The others joined him.
- Do you have a picture of Noi? asked Duff.
- No.
- Why not?
- I am actually looking for Lek, right? The brother is just to help me find Lek.
- They look similar?
- Yes, but Lek is more handsome.
- Well he is not here, said Larson. - We might as well go back to the hotel. Thank you for your help, Bia.
- No ploblem, said Bia.
- Can we get a taxi from here? Traffic looks hellish.
Bia waved to a passing taxi. Larson and his friends got in.
- To The Malaysia Hotel please, said Larson. - Sathorn soi 1.
A motorbike came up to the taxi and the driver removed his helmet. He wore an orange and yellow jacket with the number 9 on the back. The man leaned over and knocked on the car window where Larson sat.
- Lar-san! said the driver.
- Noi! said Larson.
- What? said Duff.
- Is him? asked Bia.
Larson stepped out of the taxi.
- Here he is! said Larson, smiling broadly. - And he is a motorbike taxi driver!
Noi wai’ed Larson.
- You! said the taxi driver.
- You must to pay him, said Bia.
- Why?
- Becau him begin meter already, said Bia.
- All right, here is 50 baht!
The taxi left. Duff and Bia greeted young Noi.
- Is he working here? asked Larson.
- Yes, said Bia.
The boss came over, smiling.
- Why don’t they know him here? asked Larson.
Bia asked the boss.
- Becau him name not Noi. Him name number nine.
- They know them by numbers? This is like a go-go bar, ha ha!
- Him working now. Can not go with us, said Bia.
- Just ask him where Lek is.
Bia spoke Thai to Noi, who explained and pointed and talked some more, shaking his head.
- What? said Larson. - Is something wrong?
- Him say Lek go work bar. Him not lie Lek work bar. But Lek say him only waiter no go customer.
- What bar? Where?
- Suriwong, said Bia. - Bar name Superboy.
- I never heard of Superboy, said Duff.
- And you know them all, said Larson.
- Actually I rarely go to bars, said Duff.
- Is bar new, said Bia.
- Thank you very much, said Larson, nodding to Noi. Noi said something to Bia.
- Him say him no money. You give him one hunled baht.
- What? Must everyone in this country be paid constantly?
- Him no money eat rice.
Larson looked annoyed but gave Noi 100 baht. Noi wai’ed politely.
- Anyone else want my money? asked Larson.
- You should give Bia something for his trouble, said Duff.
- That’s a reasonable request for once, said Larson. - Let us go inside the shopping centre and get you something, Bia. What do you want?
- Pefum, said Bia.
Larson was already going up the stairs but turned when the two others were not coming. Larson saw Bia speaking to Noi and writing something on a piece of paper. Bia gave the paper to Duff.
- What was that about? asked Larson when Bia and Duff came.
- Nothing, said Duff.
- What are you up to? Tell me. Bia, you explain.
- Not importan, said Bia.
- What did you write?
- Only number him.
- Noi’s phone number? For Duff? What?! This is the most shameless ploy I have ever heard of. Duff, I can’t turn my back at you for a second before you go fooling around with the boy? Does the term predatory homosexual have any meaning to you?
- Knock it off, said Duff. - It is just his phone number.
- I know you!
- I know you too. So quit moralising.
In the perfume section Bia found a nice large bottle shaped as an Egyptian pyramid.
- How much is it? asked Larson.
- Only four.
- Four hundred? That’s a bit more than I had thought.
- Four thousan, said Bia.
- Four thousand baht? Do you think I am stinking rich?
Bia put the bottle back with a sad look on his face.
- Wait, said Larson. - Look here. This one is nice. 99 baht. It’s on sale.
Bia looked away.
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