Identity Crisis
The story began in Bangkok’s Nana Entertainment Plaza where George met Mar. She was a dancer in a Go Go bar on the second floor and, even though he was intoxicated, George could see she had potential. Mar must have seen something similar in George because as soon as she finished her dance number, she slithered into the seat beside him. Their initial conversation began slowly but after buying her a couple of lady drinks, George decided he would like to see her on a more intimate basis. He paid her bar fine, she went off to dress and they disappeared into the sultry Bangkok night together.
The next morning when he awoke beside her, George knew he had made a good choice. She was lovely, even in the morning without makeup, and he made up his mind then and there, that he wanted to continue the relationship. After showering and dressing, he handed Mar the agreed amount for the evening as well as another bar fine telling her, if she wanted to spend another night, to go and pay the bar and meet him for a late lunch. Mar enthusiastically agreed saying she would also go to her room for a change of clothing.
They met for lunch and then headed back to his hotel for some relaxation before nightfall once again beckoned George out onto the streets of the Big Mango. At a late night cafe before finally retiring to the hotel, Mar and George fell deep into conversation. He learned she had a ‘problem’ at home. Now George was no mug; he had been around the bar scene long enough to realize that all the girls had a ‘problem’ and that his money was always the magic solution. Still, he thought he would at least listen to see if she had come up with any new scam he had not heard before.
Mar explained that her Papa was no good. He was a drunk and a terrible gambler and her Mama had thrown him out of their home in Buriram province. To make ends meet, Mama took a job in the city which meant staying in cheap accommodation away from home. Last week she returned home to discover Papa had been back and sold anything that wasn’t nailed down. He even sold the roof sheeting off the verandah, the water tank, the gas cooker, small fridge and the bed. The local mayor eventually ran him out of the village and got the water tank back. Mar’s younger sister found and retrieved some of the furniture and Mama quit her job, realizing she needed to stay at home from now on to protect what was left of her property.
Mama had a good rice crop and shared the rice with the local people who helped harvest it. Papa turned up again and sold the rice. He then hired a pickup to collect the furniture Mar’s younger sister had recovered, thinking he might sell it again. He was stopped this time. He then came to the family home and asked Mama where the food was. She replied, “You sold the rice!” He went to take a knife to her but stopped and left. He returned a few minutes later with a piece of wood and struck Mama across the back and shoulders. Fortunately, Mama was not badly injured.
George sat and listened in awe. If Mar was making this up she should apply for a job as a scriptwriter in Hollywood. If her story was true – and it was getting more believable each absurd minute – he wondered what the final punch line would be; where did he fit into all this. As if he didn’t already know. Mar went on to say she had called her mother earlier in the day and, during the conversation, Mama mentioned something about using poison to solve the problem of Papa. Mar replied an emphatic no, that would not be a good idea. Mama agreed by saying it didn’t seem to be working anyway.
George almost fell off his chair. When he composed himself, he heard the words he had been waiting for: “Ke-win, you can help me please?” They had reached the business end of the story and George listened as Mar explained that because her mother was required to remain at home to protect the family property, she could not work. Therefore Mar wanted to send Mama 5,000 baht to see her through to the end of the month.
She added she was not looking for charity, and in return for the money she promised to stay with him for a week. She still needed to work so, to save George paying her bar fine for seven nights, she would come to his hotel each night after she finished work at 1:00am and stay with him until starting work again at 5:00pm. George looked into her pleading eyes but he had already decided, even if she failed to live up to her part of the deal, her story alone was worth 5,000 baht.
But there was a problem which, this time, was George’s. Early the following morning he was flying off to Chiang Mai for two days to meet up with an old friend. He explained to Mar that yes, he would give her the money but it would have to wait until he got back to Bangkok in three days time. The disappointment in her face was obvious and he knew she didn’t believe him; that she had heard all this before and he was just another farang full of promises to come back but who never does.
George apologized as best he could, saying he would come to her bar in three days and give her the money. Mar forced a smile, saying, “It Ok. Up to you.” They walked back to his hotel where, early next morning, George gave her money for the night plus a healthy bonus. He again promised to be back to see her as she kissed him passionately before he boarded his taxi to the airport.
George returned from Chiang Mai as scheduled and caught a taxi to the same hotel. It was late afternoon and he couldn’t wait for nightfall so he could see Mar again. He could picture her surprise at seeing him and her joy at discovering this was one farang who did keep his promise and did come back. He showered, went out for a bite to eat and stopped at an ATM on the way to Nana Plaza to get the 5,000 baht for Mar. He imagined the look on her face when he handed her the money would be priceless.
Inside the Go Go bar he was happy to sit at the same seat he had occupied on the previous occasion and, as the waitress went off with his drink order, he scanned the room for Mar. At first, she was nowhere to be seen but then he noticed her dancing on the opposite side of the stage with her back to him. He smiled as he anticipated her reaction once she eventually recognized him and he waited no more than two songs before she was in position. He caught her eye and smiled. She smiled back then turned away. “Ok,” he thought, “I deserved that. If you want to punish me, that’s ok, but at least be happy to see me.”
As she descended from the stage, George called her over to his table. When she got close enough, he threw his arms around her saying, “See! I told you I’d come back.”
“Yes,” she smiled as she returned the hug.
She sat close to him and he ordered her a drink. When he began to apologize once again, she listened quietly, leaving George with the impression she was handing him the silent treatment. He asked how her Mama was. She said, “Fine.” He asked if Papa was still a problem, to which she shook her head. “Never mind,” said George. “A promise is a promise and I have something that will make you happy.” With that he grabbed her hand and, making sure nobody could see what he was doing, pressed a bundle of notes into it before softly folding her fingers around the money.
She smiled broadly, bringing her hands to her face to give him a polite wai in gratitude. She then raised her glass with her other hand and clinked his with the words, “Chok dee, ka.”
“Wow,” thought George, “this girl really wants her pound of flesh!” She took a sip from the drink and then whispered that she had to go to the toilet.
Thirty seconds later, George heard a scream coming from the direction of the toilet and turned his head to see Mar running excitedly towards him. In the privacy of the horng nahm she had obviously checked the money in her hand. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him over and over again. “That’s more like it,” he mused. “I didn’t expect cartwheels but a little sign of appreciation doesn’t go astray.” Once she finished drowning his face in kisses she giggled. “We go now?”
“No,” George laughed. “Remember our deal? You come to my hotel when you finish work. Ok?”
She looked puzzled. “You want me work?”
“That was the deal. Don’t you remember?”
Now she looked totally confused but enlightenment was at hand and came in the form of a tap on his shoulder from behind. He turned his head and his jaw dropped to the floor. The girl standing behind him wearing the knee-length t-shirt was identical to the almost naked girl sitting on his lap. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The penny dropped with a clang sounding more like the entire US treasury than an orphan penny. This girl in his lap wasn’t Mar. Mar, the one in the t-shirt, asked with a grin barely covering her mock anger, “What you do?”
George stood up to get a better look. These girls were the same height, the same build, had the same facial features, had the same length hair which was done in the same style. It looked like they even wore the same makeup. The two of them could be twins – Siamese twins!
“I thought she was you,” he stuttered. “You both look the same!”
The real Mar then spoke to the other girl in Thai and they both fell about laughing. Turning to George she explained, “Many people think we sisters but Noy come from Surin. I from Buriram. When you speak she before, Noy not understand. Only speak English nit noy.” Both girls laughed again then Mar continued. “I wait you tonight but go out for buy food.” She held up a plastic bag of Esaan food to show George.
“Now I change and come back. Ok?” Without waiting for his answer, she headed behind the bar leaving George in the hands of the ‘pretender’. He finished his drink with one swallow and placed the empty glass on the table. “So, you’re Noy?” he asked.
Mar returned a few moments later as George received his new drink order. Now in her ‘work clothes’ comprising a gold g-string and see-through bra, she not only looked like Noy but was dressed the same as well. George stood and gently moved the two girls side by side. They were bookends; a perfect match.
“I don’t care if you don’t have the same father or mother, you pair are twins!” he exclaimed. Mar translated for Noy and their laughter made it apparent to George they were used to this joke. He ordered Mar a drink and stared at his two companions nestled along side each other.
Eventually Noy said she had to return to dance and excused herself by giving George a hefty kiss on his cheek. Mar turned to George. “Ok I come your room tonight if I no have customer?”
“Sure,” George answered. “I promised you I’d be back and that was the deal.”
Then, out of the confusion came the crunch. As George is now aware, when reality hits it has a bite like a Great White shark. With a sly grin Mar looked into his eyes. “Why you give Noy five thousand baht too?”