A friend of Chalerm from Anyburi came to The Mansion this morning. Chalerm introduced her as an old schoolmate.
The girl spoke no English. But she had an address and a phone number on a wrinkled piece of paper. It was to a man in Switzerland by the name of Gunter. She explained that this farang was the brother of the husband of her cousin’s older sister. Or something like that.
The idea was that Chalerm would call up Gunter and speak English to him. I realised it would be night in Switzerland. But was that my problem? Maybe the farang would be happy to get the call anyway.
I looked up the man’s home town on the Internet. It was a tourist village with a population of 2000. The village had a promotional website. The Thais thought it looked beautiful in the photos, which were all taken on bright sunny days. They had winter sun and summer sun, the snow was crisp and the grass green and everyone were smiling.
The first problem was the number. Chalerm tried it and didn’t get through. It had no international dialling prefix. I looked up the Swiss country code and added the number. It rang.
Chalerm talked to the person on the other end. But Chalerm soon said he didn’t understand what the farang said and handed the phone to me.
Why did I have to get involved in this? Oh well, it was too late now.
- Hello. There is a lady in Bangkok who would like to talk to you, I said.
- No! said the man. His accent was German and his voice sounded like he was in bed.
- Are you Mr…. ?
- No! No! said the man. He was annoyed but laughed too.
- Is this in Switzerland?
- Ja! Ja!
- Oh.
- Ja! Ja!
- In that case I am sorry to…
Beep beep.
- The poor man, said.
- Him poor? asked Chalerm, worried.
- I mean I feel sorry for him. It is… let me think… 5am in Europe.
- What him say?
- Wrong number.