64. A matter of trust
Larson had doubts about the gold. It sounded fine in theory but could Lek keep himself from selling the gold until he really needed it?
Lek found a necklace he liked. Larson held it in his hand and felt the weight of the chain. It cost 10 000 baht.
Swedes were among the most honest people in the world. Larson was raised to believe that people were honest until proven otherwise. Sweden was built on citizens trusting each other, and on trust in the ever-present state.
Larson believed it was important to show people trust. If you distrust someone, thought Larson, they will be offended. They will feel you don’t believe in them and your distrust becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. People will think that since you treat them like crooks they might as well become crooks. If you on the other hand show someone that you believe in their good qualities they will be eager to prove you right. Trust people and they will rise to the occasion.
Bjorn had told Larson that Thais distrusted each other to the point where employers demanded a deposit from workers to cover theft before they were hired, and where shoppers would insist on thoroughly testing products before they paid anything. Thais would go as far as to test light bulbs before they took them home from the shop. This was because the customers distrusted the shop owner to give them a refund for a faulty bulb, and because the shop owner thought customers would cheat him by handing in old bulbs in exchange for a new one.
Larson thought he could provide a good example for Lek by showing him that this kind of hostile paranoia wasn’t necessary. Therefore Larson put the necklace around Lek’s neck and paid for it.
*
It wasn’t just farangs who had Thai boy problems. Thai boys had farang problems. Bia, for example, wondered why Peter could to be so dim.
Peter owned an old computer he had bought second hand. It was a laptop and it wasn’t suitable for the games Bia liked to play. It was ripe for replacement and Bia thought Peter should buy a desktop computer with a bigger screen. Bia brought this up by mentioning in passing that a friend of him had seen a good offer on PCs in Pantip Plaza.
- How much is it? asked Peter.
- 35 000 baht, said Bia. Have flat screen. Vely good.
- That’s not too bad, said Peter. I have been thinking of getting a new one.
- Is cheap, said Bia.
- So what do you think? asked Peter. We can go to Pantip tomorrow and look at it.
- No no, said Bia. Is money too much. Old computer is OK. No problem.
- It won’t last forever, said Peter. I would like to have something faster than this old tin can. I am sure that would be better for your games too.
- Never mind, said Bia. You can save money you. Not need new.
- Really, said Peter. If you think so. I can live with the old PC another couple of years. If you can too we don’t have to buy another computer for a while yet.
- Yes, said Bia. Is better.
Bia was angry and disappointed. How can it be, thought Bia, that Peter doesn’t understand?
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