Chalerm came back from Anyburi. It was good to be apart for a few days. It was also good to see him again.
I don’t think he did a lot in the village. Every time I called him it was the same: it was raining, he was in granny’s house resting on the floor, and the phone woke him from his slumber. Only once, on Saturday, did he go to Anyburi.
The exitement of his trips home in the early days is gone. His friends have moved away, or they have married and live with their new families, or they have jobs and little time for socialising. What is left is for Chalerm to organise fun and games for the children, but even that is out when it rains.
Granny sent her thanks for the pension I give her every month. I told Chalerm she is welcome.
An uncle is staying with granny in the house so she is not alone. This is a good thing. I still feel slightly guilty for kicking her out of our home in Bangkok after… how long was it… four months? Yes. I believe she had stayed with us four of the six first months of this year, and something had to give.
When Chalerm came back he had somehow reunited with his school friend from the university, and both went straight to bed. Ten hours later, around midnight, I went to bed and they got up. Chalerm had laundry to do. My laundry. The friend, a gay boy who is always polite and wai’s me, watched Jurassic Park 3 on DVD. I heard it in my sleep. Groan groan roar roar! Scream scream.
At 7am they left to sit for exams at 8.30. I pointed to my cheek but Chalerm was too shy to give me a kiss when the buddy was watching. But he had forgotten his keys and when he came back alone to get them I did receive the kiss on my cheek.