I approached the 7-11. Outside, Mr Friendly was sitting on a plastic chair, eating an ice-cream.
Mr Friendly, whose real name is T, was taking a break.
He invited me to sit. The first chair he offered me had a blob of melted ice-cream on it. I peered at it, and declined. He laughed, and offered me another.
The last time we spoke, T was on a day off. I met him close to the 7-11. He was on his way to catch a bus to town, where he would meet friends at Central World department store.
T is from the North, and a newcomer to Bangkok. Thais from the provinces often have trouble finding their way around Bangkok.
On the day I met T, he was worried about whether he would manage to find the department store.
'I have my cellphone, so if I get lost I can call one of my friends,' he said, excusing himself to catch his bus.
When I met him outside the shop yesterday, I picked up our conversation from the last time we spoke.
'So, did you meet your friends in the end?' I asked.
'I did, but after leaving the bus I had to walk around for ages before I could find them,' he said.
T and I chatted about my work, and his own at the 7-11. We talked about snow ('Do you have snow in your home country?') and beer.
T has few friends in Bangkok other than co-workers at the 7-11. He's a personable young man...I hope we can get to know each other better.
"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
ReplyDeleteWill you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
I won't do that to him. The good thing about being my age is that I can keep friends and gay lovers apart.
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