For the past week I had been observing Ball’s lengthening nails, and wondering why he did nothing about them. Was he turning fem? He already uses make-up, for goodness sake.
No. He was just waiting for his girlfriend to do her duty and cut them for him.
‘Can’t you do it yourself?’ I asked, slightly annoyed.
‘Yes, but I want her to do it,’ he said.
Men...hopeless!
-
A day later, back in the living room...
Ball staggered down the stairs, bleary-eyed, having just risen from sleep. He headed straight for Nong Fresh, one of two toddlers in the household, for a long kiss.
He waring a pair of cotton shorts. I would rather he wore a shirt, as he looks alarmingly small and vulnerable when he is partially clothed.
I threw a towel at him. He left it on the floor.
-
Moody girlfriend Jay followed about 15 minutes later. She sat on the couch with her boyfriend, stroked his legs, spoke some impenetrable language which only lovers understand.
Mum and I were sitting on the floor just metres away.
‘Jay wants to quit work,’ Mum said.
What?
Jay works at a supermarket, but is tired of dealing with problems there.
Mum seemed resigned to the change, but I would not let it go so easily.
‘She should wait until she finds a new job before quitting. Do you want her hanging around the house all day, doing nothing?' I asked.
'As it is, she contributed nothing towards her upkeep last month. Soon, she will have no income at all, and you will be left to pick up the burden,’ I said.
Mum tried changing the subject. She’s no good at confrontation. Being an outspoken farang, I thrive on it.
I turned to question Jay, who did not hear our exchange.
‘Is this true, you want to quit?’
She refused to answer.
‘If an adult asks you a question, you should respond!’ I told her.
Silence, and I was able to prise few details from Ball either.
‘You’re hopeless...no one can talk to you,’ I told Jay, leaving the room in disgust.
-
Ball looks oblivious when I criticise him before his mother, and even appears to like it.
He chats away to his girlfriend, happy for me to carry on.
It's as if he knows the adults of the household are busy taking care of business, so he doesn't need to bother, even when the topic of conversation concerns him.
Ball, and even his silly girlfriend, appear to enjoy getting direction from us.
After telling off girlfiend Jay, I bought two beers. I poured a glass for Ball. He looked hesitant at first, but soon warmed to the fact that I was there.
I care for him, even though I criticise.
‘What time did you go to bed?’
‘When will you let me to take you to see a doctor about your sinus problem?’
He answered my questions patiently, until I was sick of asking.
-
Today we are visiting Ball’s maternal grandmother’s place in Onnut, Bangkok to help her celebrate her birthday.
Ball's Mum invited me, and Granny wants me to go too, apparently.
‘I want to make her something special to eat. It’s hard for an old woman to look after herself,’ said Mum.
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