13
Chalerm left for Anyburi and we agreed to meet there the day before school started.
I went with Chalerm to the market in Anyburi and paid for his new clothes. He had a woman embroider his name on the shirts. When he put his new uniform on he looked smart. I felt a fatherly satisfaction, almost as if he was my kid on his first day at school.
We stayed at the same hotel as last time.
Chalerm didn’t want me to be in town too long.
- Tomorrow when will you go to school? I asked him.
- 8am.
- What will you do there?
- Pay school and register.
- I will go with you then.
- No need. You can go Bangkok.
- Why?
- Many people look farang.
- And talk about you?
- Yes.
I saw his point and didn’t want to embarrass him by showing up in the schoolyard. I could imagine how kids and teachers would stare if a farang, probably for the first time ever, came to enrol a student.
I wasn’t worried about the stepmother. She was in Bangkok. Chalerm was capable of handling the rest on his own. When we were on the trip he had impressed me with his organising talent. Many Thai youths his age were easily lost or would mess up. But Chalerm was a bright and independent boy.
The next morning I gave him the money for books and school and kissed him goodbye. Then I took the bus back to Bangkok.
I wondered how I could keep in touch with him. His grandparents didn’t have a telephone. When I had asked him he had said I would not see him for a year. He could not call me and would not have time to go to Bangkok to visit me. I dismissed this as Thai drama and a test to see how I reacted. He liked to play these little games, partly to tease me, partly to hide his own feelings and partly to make me confirm that I cared about him by saying - Ooooh no! Too long. Broken heart.
I was tired of staying at the Malaysia Hotel. And this hotel wasn’t the best place for Chalerm. I began walking the sois around Silom road, looking for apartments for rent.
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