223. Larson’s decision
Larson sat in his apartment in Gothenburg and stared at the wall.
What is wrong with this country? wondered Larson. It is too quiet, everyone are sitting home watching TV and there is no male company. Boring.
Larson picked up the phone and called Bangkok.
- Miller.
- Hi. It is Pelle Larson.
- How did the meeting go?
- They wanted me to take early retirement. They had the papers ready to sign.
- Did you sign?
- No. Do they think I am stupid? If I quit now I my pension will be a lot lower than if I work till retirement age.
- So what will you do?
- What do you mean? I will work. I will carry on as normal.
- You can’t carry on as normal.
- Sure I can.
- They will freeze you out.
- They have no legal right to fire me.
- That’s not what I am talking about. Legally you might win but you are bound to lose anyway. You can’t continue in a school where they don’t want you.
- Try me!
- Larson, it isn’t possible. Not in the long run. You might survive a few weeks if you have a strong will. But with everyone against you it is only a matter of time before you give up. And then what?
- I refuse to let them freeze me out. I don’t care what they think.
- Larson, it doesn’t work like that. You must find a solution.
- A solution? Now you sound like my boss. Must find a solution. They have a problem. I don’t have a problem.
- What can you do for a living?
- I can teach English. It is the only job I ever had.
- Not a lot of choice, then.
- I miss Thailand. I want to go back.
- That’s what they all say. But what would you do here?
- I will think of something. Living in Thailand must be better than the rut I am in. And I still have the cops after me. They are watching me. I can feel it.
- Don’t put your pension at risk, said Robert. - It isn’t worth it.
- How come you know so much about arrests and police?
- I have been arrested a few times.
- Robert the serial criminal? I can’t imagine.
- It was when I still lived in the states and did the truck stop cruising. I got caught.
- Caught doing what?
- Nothing. But some policemen knew what I was there for and they hated gay people. They tried to find a reason to put me in handcuffs. Any reason at all. They would search the car hoping I had drugs. They checked my driver’s license, my car insurance, my records, everything. And they were rude to me hoping I would do something stupid in response.
- That’s not nice, said Larson.
- l learned what my rights were and that it is best to say as little as possible.
- I have nothing to confess, said Larson.
- If they brainwash you long enough you will confess things you didn’t know you had done.
- I confess I am in a mess, said Larson.
- Yes, you are. But what will you do about it?
- I will think of something, said Larson.
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