Aug 16, 2010

How interesting that as I turn away from Seattle women — and begin getting my Thailand Visa Application in order — I should hear from my old Thai girlfriend Oiy! (Maybe girlfriend is too strong a word — we were together a couple weeks, if that.) It had been over fifteen months since she’d last emailed me a greeting, telling me what a nice guy I was. This time the message was a bit longer, the gist of it being that she is living at home, has no boyfriend, and wants me to call her if I come to Thailand. What this really means is that whatever support she’d wrangled from the latest Westerner to fall for her has dried up.

Oiy had been my first experience with a Thai bargirl. Back in 2008, when I was a womanizing neophyte fresh off the airplane, awestruck by the tropical “scenery”, I fell for her during my second week in the country. Looking back, it was a case of encountering a lady who had an alluring body and could make me laugh. And the fact that she would happily be my lover without my having to pass any boyfriend auditions left me almost giddy with anticipation.

It didn’t last of course. Having only a tourist visa, I had to depart when my thirty days were up and once back in the U.S., the thought of supporting a Thai lady with daughter lost what little appeal it might have had. (In fact, I was never comfortable with the idea. It was too much, too soon.) I did, however, wire her the remaining money I’d promised, then a goodbye when she tried to wheedle more out of me.

But I was not forgotten. To my surprise, I got that email from her last year. As I said, it was a pleasant hello laced with a compliment or two. When I sent an equally friendly response, that opened the gates. Her next message was another plea for money, which I did not bother to respond to.

Now it’s undoubtedly the same old story: Oiy is looking for a way to remain at home without working in the bars and is once again going to try and tap me for support. She knows I’m a soft touch. In fact, if she had not been so quick off the bat asking for help last year, I most certainly would have offered it on my own.

At least I now understand what’s going on: I’m being offered a business proposition. In return for my support, I will have a girlfriend patiently awaiting whenever I visit. (And by the way, she knows nothing about my plans to relocate to her country. Please don’t tell her!)

Nice body notwithstanding, I think I’m going to wait until I get moved over there and settled in before I risk another entanglement. I’ve got too much going on right now to be dealing with her.

• Moving To Siam
• Preparations