76. A perv leaves
Duff had imagined he would be ecstatic when he left England for Thailand. But he wasn’t. He wasn’t sad either, but he was filled with nostalgia about the places and people he left. At night Duff had dreams about death and funerals. It is symbolic, Duff told himself. Death is a symbol of life change. The England Duff is dead and Thailand Duff is born.
Duff didn’t want any soppy farewell scenes. Duff had said goodbye to his friends earlier. He had been with his family the evening before and his mother had baked a huge cake, the leftovers of which she forced Duff to take with him. When Duff went to Victoria station in the late morning his parents were at work and his sister were busy with her children. There would be no waving from the platform or from the train window, and this was how Duff preferred it. Even so Duff caught himself hoping that someone would show up at the last minute. But nobody did.
Duff paid a last visit to the men’s room at Victoria station, a place with a reputation. A young man was standing there. He is not bad, thought Duff. Early 20ies, firm body, handsome. If he is not money I would not mind him to be my last memory from Manchester. Duff went over to stand next to him.
- What are you looking at? said the young man. Are you a fucking pervert?!
Duff lowered his eyes, zipped up and left.
*
Larson was reading Old English in the hotel room. Lek was watching television with the sound turned off. Lek had promised to give Larson peace to read in the daytime but Larson often had to send the boy out. Giving Lek 500 baht and telling him to go shopping always worked.
Lek’s mobile phone rang. The conversation was short and the other party did most of the talking. Lek only said “ja ja” and “alles klar”.
- Who was that? asked Larson.
- My friend, said Lek.
- Who?
- Up to me.
- Say who it was please.
- Not say. Is up to me.
- Don’t play games with me, said Larson. You spoke to someone in German. It was Dietmar, right?
Lek refused to answer.
- You and I need to speak about this, said Larson. I want to know what is going on.
- Is my life, said Lek.
- Don’t give me that, said Larson. You are hiding something. We are not going anywhere until you tell me what it is.
Larson folded his arms across his chest and gave Lek his most stubborn expression. Lek realised he could not get away.
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