65. In the bathroom
Bia was a reasonable boy. He gave Peter time to reconsider. First one hour, then two hours. But Peter wasn’t saying anything. It looked like Peter had forgotten. Bia’s mood turned dark. He thought of how patient and loving he was with Peter and how stingy and arrogant Peter was in return. Just how much should a Thai boy accept?
Without saying anything Bia rose from his chair and went to the bathroom. He locked the door, sat down on the bathroom floor and cried quietly.
Peter thought Bia was spending an unusually long time in the bathroom even for a vain gay boy. He knocked the bathroom door.
- Hello, said Peter. Are you in there?
Silence.
- Heloooo? cried Peter.
More silence. Peter tried the door. It was locked.
- What are you doing in there? asked Peter. Hello? Speak to me. Are you sick?
Still more silence.
Peter heard fait sobbing from inside the bathroom. Now what? thought Peter. What did I do? He is sulking again. What is it this time? I haven’t said anything. I haven’t done anything. What could possibly be wrong?
Peter went to the bedroom to call Robert Miller out of Bia’s hearing range. Robert was in his hotel, working in the office.
- I am quite busy, said Robert. I have staff problems today. Suddenly half my personnel decided they would be sick. It is probably because they got paid yesterday.
- Sorry, said Peter. Boy emergency.
- What did he do?
- We have a locked-himself-in-the-bathroom situation.
- Is that all?
- Isn’t that bad enough? said Peter. I don’t understand what’s wrong. Everything was fine. Without any provocation or reason he goes to lock himself in and cry. He refuses to speak or to come out.
- There is always a reason, said Robert. That reason may not make sense to you but there is a reason. It may not have anything to do with you at all. Think back. What has happened today?
- Nothing, said Peter. We have been home. Bia has been watching TV. I have been working on the computer.
- Try to think about what he has done or said lately, said Robert. Think of anything that might cause it.
- And if I can’t think of anything?
- Then you leave him in there. Even if you know the reason you should leave him in there. If you beg him to come out you give him too much power over you. Then he can manipulate you.
This advice didn’t calm Peter, who by now was quite upset. Peter tried the bathroom door once more but it was still locked. He heard no sound or movement inside. Thai boys, thought Peter. Sometimes I wonder if they are worth it. Why this constant drama? If Bia was unhappy about something why could he not simply say what it was?
Peter lay on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. He had planned to take Bia out to eat but that was off the agenda now. I wonder how long he will stay in there, thought Peter. One hour? Two? All night? He must get hungry. I hope nothing is wrong with him. What if he is sick? What if he hurt himself? Not very likely but one never knows. Should I break the door? No, that is to overdo it. How frustrating. Bia, come out!
Peter was drowsing and drifting in and out of sleep. What Bia had said and done was repeated in Peter’s head. Then Peter got an idea.
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