Absent love, annoying touts

When I walked out of customs, I looked for my partner amid the sea of faces. Maiyuu spotted me first, and raised his arm.

Another few minutes passed before we could reach each other.

After waving, he turned and started walking in my direction.

I had to pass rope barriers, visitors waiting for loved ones, annoying taxi touts...any number of distractions getting in the way.

Just let me get to my man! What's wrong with you people?

I met my Thai guy at the airport today, after spending the last two weeks in Malaysia.

I go overseas to see my parents every year. Normally, I go back to my home country. This time, my family and I agreed to meet half-way.

When I come back, Maiyuu meets me at the airport.

I held him briefly, but didn't kiss, as that would be too much for Thais in public.

Maiyuu, who has spent most of the last two weeks rattling about the condo alone, looked thinner.

He has been cooking for himself regularly, but says it was no fun.

'I cook for myself, but there is always too much left over, which I have to throw away,' he told me.

'I missed having you to cook for.'

He dressed up to meet me - black patterned T-shirt, shorts - and wore a handsome short hair-cut.

In the taxi, he patted my stomach. 'You have lost weight, too,' he said.

Despite my prompting, Maiyuu did not see any of his friends while I was away.

To keep himself busy, he went grocery shopping instead, sometimes several times a day. That helped stave off feelings of loneliness.

Maiyuu found a brand of chocolate he likes. 'When I bite into one of these chocolates, the flavour fills my mouth, and I just feel so good,' he says. 'It helped keep me happy.'

In my absence, Maiyu stopped using his bedroom. He took to sleeping in the living room, spread out in front of the TV, so he would feel less alone.

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'A belt, sir. You want to buy?

'Where you come from?'

Hang on! What's that got to do with it? This man's trying to befriend me so I will buy from him.

He assumes I have never heard the chat-up line before. If I am a forlorn traveller, we will start a basic conversation - 'Oh, I am from suchandsuch'- before he asks me again if I am interested.

By that time, I am supposed to feel obligated. He has extended the hand of friendship in a lonely land, so I agree to buy, right?

Wrong!

In Malaysia, touts are everywhere. In the market, on the street, at taxi stands, on the bus, outside food shops.

I kept my gaze focussed straight ahead. To show interest - even to look at the goods on sale - is to invite peril.

These unskilled, desperate types selling cheap knock-offs will do almost anything to part with their goods.

'From a land far away,' I told one woman trader, giving her the brush-off.

She smiled, as they always do.

I was passing hurriedly through a market selling clothes, belts, music.

'Where you from, sir?' the next trader asked.

From another land where they have plenty of markets selling cheap belts, trousers, and knock-off CDs!