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TO WAN they said their sorrowful goodbyes,
Then Jum said, ‘We go movie?’ Jim said, ‘No – go
To R _ _ _ H_ _ _ – it’s easier on the eyes.
(Here, a huge mirror reflects every gogo
Girl and makes her two – the best of lies!)
They had a Heineken and watched the show go
On for a while, then Jim said, ‘Who’s that bloke, er,
The one just there? He looks like – yes – it’s Joker!’
II
Jim signalled Joker over on a whim –
Two gogo girls, mistaking, joined them too.
Joker sat next to Jum. ‘Hi, Jum! Hi Jim!’
Jim bought the girls drinks (what else could he do?)
And they said thanks and cuddled up to him.
Fortunately, Jum made no ado.
She was too busy having fun with Joker –
He made her laugh so much it seemed to choke her!
III
He told her how he’d trained on Parris Island
In Carolina, to be a marine.
He said, ‘I dreamed that I would fight for my land
And liberty since I was seventeen.
I’m hoping to get posted in a while, and
Hope to see some action. I am keen
To serve in Vietnam – I mean Baghdad! –
I got mixed up – I must be going mad!’
IV
And while he talked, he moved his left arm higher
And slipped it round her waist. ‘What about you?
Where do you live?’ Jum answered, ‘In Pattaya.’
‘What do you do?’ ‘The one thing I can do –
I gogo dance – I wish I could retire!’
Joker said huskily, ‘I’d like that too…
I hope we’ll meet again. I have been told
I might be posted there on Cobra Gold.’
V
Jum laughed at him and pushed his arm away.
‘I have man – I don’t care about his age! –
He take care me.’ Asked Joker, with dismay,
‘But is he sending you a monthly wage?’
‘Yes – no,’ said Jum, ‘he will do any day…
Where is he now?’ ‘He’s dancing on the stage.
The girls have dragged him up – they’re going berserk.
You’d better save him – he looks like a jerk!’
VI
The evening done, they went back to their room,
And very quickly were denuded of
All stitch of clothes, their love games to resume –
Jim slipped inside snugly as hand in glove,
And Jum, in bliss, said, ‘We don’t make boom-boom –
(Kun mee tung-yaang – kawndom – mai?) – we make love!
I no lie you, Jim, you are number one!’
Said Jim, ‘I’ll not forget you when I’m gone.’
VII
After, they sat and talked an hour or two.
Jum said, ‘Honey, I can’t work bar much longer.
I’m twenty-eight – that is too old to do
Bar work; to go with any drunken monger
Who pays barfine. I need man – maybe you –
To take care me – a man who’s richer, stronger
Than I can be. Rak kao mot hua jai –
That man I love too mutt – love till I die.’
VIII
And now that Jim is on the plane to Blighty,
His mind is racing, wondering how to play it:
One side of him is thinking, ‘’Twould be mighty
Good to come back quickly and to say it:
‘Quit bar and be my wife!’ – but, God almighty!
What am I thinking of! Shall I delay it,
And think it over? Or would that confuse her?
I’ll have to decide soon or I might lose her!’
© Bangkok Byron, 2008. All rights reserved by the author.
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