The owner’s brother was jealous. At first I thought he was protective and wanted to save me from nagging locals. But there was something more going on.
It started with a Thai boy I call Big Smile. Big Smile has a big smile. When I left the Internet cafe a few days ago Big Smile waved and said goodbye. I thought this was nice of him and returned the favour.
The Chinese owner saw this and gave me an amused and knowing look. The owner’s brother also saw it, but he was not amused.
I am sorry to say that when brains were distributed in this family the owner got most of it and little was left for his younger brother. The younger brother works in the Internet cafe, if you can call watching the money work. The brother never touches a computer. He sits there to make sure that the manager puts the cash where it belongs.
I had noticed earlier that if I chatted with any of the customers the brother came to listen in, hovering behind me. But I thought he had my best interest in mind. Sometimes the locals can get tiresome in their conversation, which often is about why they need 20 baht.
The next time I returned to the Internet cafe after the bye-bye waving the owner’s brother sat outside on the pavement and I said hello to him. I got a grunt and bad vibrations in return.
Later, when sitting by the computer, Big Smile came up to me and gave me his trademark grin. He didn’t say anything, he just hang around watching me type. The owner’s brother also came, watching Big Smile watching me.
The owner’s brother went over to the manager at the desk. Big Smile joined him. The brother hugged Big Smile. This was a new development. I had never seen any hugging before. And next the owner’s brother, who was holding Big Smile from behind, made suggestive body movements towards Big Smile’s rear end while looking at me to see if I was watching.
I was not watching. I was staring at the computer screen. I saw nothing and I heard nothing.
It is possible that I am imagining these things. It is possible that this Internet cafe is not a gay conspiracy, that the owner is not in bed with the managers and that the brother is not possessive about Big Smile. It is possible I didn’t see the brother dry-hump Big Smile and that Big Smile never acted flirty around me. It is possible that none of the gay boys in this place actually are gay, and that I am making it all up in my mind.
However, one detail is hard to ignore. And this was a few weeks ago when Big Smile came up to me and asked in Thai:
- Do you want to sleep with me?
- Sleep? I repeated clumsily, as if I didn’t know what the word meant. I was too surprised to give any answer. Nobody had said things like this in the Internet cafe before.
Big Smile did not say anything more. And he has not repeated his sales pitch. But I have a feeling that the offer stands.
February 25th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
That place sounds like it’s turned almost surreal! There should be crazy twin-peak like music playing when you’re there, lol.
February 25th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Is this real life, or is it part of the Novel? Or is the Novel part of real life? It’s all so confusing… Anyway, could you give us some directions on how to find this interesting place?
February 25th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
The owners are Chinese . They don’t wont to give anything for free. Soon they will tell you “the off fee” for mr. big smile. Enjoy.
February 25th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Beautiful! I am so glad this information about the goings on at the internet cafe is on the internet. Now the authorities can maintain the proper social order by doing what they have to do. I was getting worried that life in Thailand was beyond saving.
Let us hear more!
-Former Farang
February 25th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
I can see it now. I offer the owner 200 baht as off-fee for Big Smile and the brother turns deep red with jealousy. Then the owner slaps him and says “Are you crazy? Of course we take the money”.
February 26th, 2007 at 4:59 am
Beware. It’s a set-up. The brother fakes jealousy so that Silom Farang agrees to the 500 baht off-fee demanded by the owner.
-Former Farang
February 26th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Some people have a talent for the narrative. And, dude, you’ve definitely got it. To come up with protagaonists and antagonists on an outing to an Internet cafe, and to weave some mystery and suspense into it as well … that’s pretty goddamn awesome. I’m still waiting for the climactic scene, though.
February 27th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
I assume you meant the climax scene.
Does this cafe equip their computers with webcams?