“A Night in Sinning Amour” (Not to be confused with “A Knight in Shining Armour!”)

Part 3.

Bill and Gift arrived safely at Steve’s condo. Bill hurriedly locked the bike and led Gift up the stairs to the second floor apartment. The security guy, who had been slumped in his chair asleep, awoke like nothing had happened and changed the channel on the TV as it had stopped broadcasting about an hour ago. He smiled sleepily at Bill, they had known each other for several years. He thought Bill looked different somehow tonight. Bill looked more happy than usual, he thought.

As soon as the door was closed Gift pounced on Bill, the quiet reserved girl he had met in the bar turned into something he hadn’t foreseen. He was pleasantly surprised, he rather liked the idea of letting Gift take control. For all his life and in all his relationships he had been the driving force, even in the bedroom. This was a very different experience for him…

The morning sun began to peak through the curtain, it was around 6 am. Bill lay wide awake with gift wrapped around him like a hungry octopus. He felt a warm glow inside, a feeling of complete satisfaction. Could this be one of those magic moments people talk about?

It was time for the dream to end and for Bill to return home. He liked to get home before Fon woke up, he thought then she would not realise what time he had got back as he slipped into bed for a cuddle and a few hours’ sleep. Bill slowly unwrapped himself from Gifts embrace, got out of bed and went for a shower. When he came out of the bathroom Gift was already up and tidying the room, as if she knew where everything should go. Good girl, he thought to himself. He then asked “Where shall I take you Gift? I need to go home now.” Gift had kinda worked out that Bill was married, the big gold ring kind of gave that away. Bill had made no attempt to hide this. Maybe Bill’s wife had left or died? Gift would find out another time, if there was another time. She thought there would be, but tomorrow isn’t here yet so why worry!

“Take me to bar, have room there” Gift replied in Thai. So Bill took his pleasant surprise back to the bar, said goodbye and see you soon and made his way home.

Bill loved this time of day. Most people were sleeping and the air was cool. It reminded him of the best summer days back home in England, but this was winter in Pattaya! There is also very little traffic at 6.20 am, but you do have to be very careful of drunk drivers and speeding trucks and cars when crossing the Sukhumvit main road. Safely across Bill spotted 2 monks bare footed with rice bowls in hand on their daily walk along Soi Khao Talo. It was a reminder of being out all night. The indicator that the hour was late for a home run back in England was the sound of the electric milk van and chink of bottles as the local milkman started his day as yours ended, but those days were gone.

Bill arrived home shortly before 6.30 am. Fon normally wakes up around 7 am, so everything was in order. As he entered their apartment the sunlight danced across the floor from a gap in the curtains and headed towards him, it made him instantly think about being back at Steve’s studio apartment and the amazing night he’d just had. He then looked across at the sleeping Fon and felt a twinge of guilt before thinking it was a justified adventure based on the fact Fon wasn’t interested in intimacy anymore and he was! All the same, he still loved her. Time for some water.

Bill headed to the fridge and paused as he grabbed the handle to open the door. A faded photo of Bill and Fon hanged at angle held by a butterfly fridge magnet. One day the image would fade completely, but then again nothing lasts forever. Bill opened the door, poured a glass of cold water and headed to bed. Fon still enjoyed a cuddle, but anything more was off limits. Maybe deep down she knew about Bill’s ‘Adventures with Steve’.

Bill awoke to the sound of the morning news on Channel 3. It was that guy with his cup of Nescafe and the ‘Ka’ lady. He did all the talking, well 90% of it, and she simply said “Ka” at the end of pretty much every sentence. “You wan breakfast?” Fon asked.

“Some toast and coffee would be good!” Bill replied. Everything normal, everything ok he thought.

“I go Chonburi, see my sister for 2 day.” Fon said whilst pouring Bill’s coffee from the mocca pot, he liked his first cup of the day strong, espresso like. There was a full moon the next day and Fon would be going to the temple with her sister.

“Ok, I can look after myself!” Bill smiled, thinking about a repeat run of last night’s adventure. He felt truly excited about seeing Gift again, had he fallen in love? Don’t be ridiculous he thought. He had seen and heard many things over the years but always thought love at first sight was a myth. Maybe, it was the best kind of love? New, untainted, full of expectation and excitement!

Bill couldn’t wait for the sun to set and for the night to begin. Fon had already left by the time Bill started to ready himself. He put on his best shirt and long trousers and finished off the presentation with his best after shave, after all, Fon wasn’t here to question why he look so smart! It was 7 pm, time to leave. The bar should be open by now.

On the way, Bill stopped off at a gold shop and bought Gift a small gold chain with the letter ‘G’ hanging from it, her birthday had only been 2 weeks before. He really felt like he was on a date, tonight was going to be a good night!

Bill arrived at the bar. Balloons were hanging all around and a buffet spread came into view as he walked up the entrance steps.

“Hey, it’s the Old Bill!” It was Steve. He wasn’t due back in town until next week.

“Hi Steve, what brings you back so soon?” Bill asked with a rather perplexed look.

“Well me old mucker, it’s my birthday, business in Bangkok is all good and taken care of. Just before I left Pattaya a couple of weeks back I met this great new girl here and thought what the heck!” Bill’s heart sank quicker than a depth charged submarine as Gift turned around, kissed Steve on the cheek and said “Happy Bir day Sateve” in English. She then looked and Bill and smiled, happy to see him.

Time stopped, Bill had a moment to think, to compose himself. Gift was and is a bar girl. It’s a simple as that. Bill was a customer that is all. He felt so foolish. Then he remembered the famous bar saying. ‘You don’t lose your girlfriend, you just lose your turn’.

“What’s your name? I’m Bill” He said to Gift. She played along perfectly realising he and Steve were best friends. She was a fabulous actress Bill thought to himself, but she would be rather surprised to go to the same apartment 2 nights in a row with 2 different guys! Or, maybe not. He then realised that she had been there before.

“My name Gift” She said again in English. Bill Laughed, looked at Steve and said,

“Happy birthday mate, sorry it completely slipped my mind, but at least you have a great ‘Gift’ this year!” They all laughed together as though everything in the world was fine. This was fairly normal behaviour for Pattaya. If you drink in the same bar, you will inevitably share the same girls. After a few minutes Bill went and sat on his own with his plate of buffet food. He looked up at the Full Moon and felt it looking back at him, reflecting his thoughts and actions. Tonight he would go home alone feeling like he had been given a second chance to work on his relationship with Fon, or at the very least he’d never fall for a bar girl again.