18

There are moments when our bodies refuse to agree to the lie our mouths are spouting.

That was a dirty trick they pulled on me. But I do have real qualms about it. It doesn't make any sense and so I will tell Jana, it was a nice sexual fantasy, but, no, I'll take a pass. It just doesn't pass the smell test to me.

However, I now have to attend to business. I am sure Cynthia will want some of my time. So at midnight I am sitting at my computer reading a news portal when my Skype comes alive.

Hi! OK I'm coming to see you!

Yeh, I figured that would be your response. When should we expect you?

I'm going to see if I can fly out standby today. Where do I want to fly to?

Ah, OK. Well, you can either fly to Manila or Cebu. You will need a connecting flight on the domestic side to get here but, if you are flying standby, you will need to purchase the domestic ticket once you land. And... standbys aren't round trips. You must have a ticket to leave to be allowed to enter into the country, so you buy a round trip fare for a later flight with the a return flight far in the future, and then try to get in standby. You don't save money, you just fly sooner if they have a seat.

Is the domestic flight pricey?

No. It will be under one hundred dollars for a one way fare.

Suggestions on best airlines?

Yeh, stay away from any flight that takes you to mainland China such as Air China.

Duh.

No, I am serious. It will likely have seats available and be the least expensive but, do avoid it.

OK, others?

Well, I don't like United and Delta is marginal. Korean Air is good but it makes for a longer flight. Philippine Airlines will be the most direct, and I like the service but, it is the most expensive. Either of the airlines that go through Taiwan, China Air or EVA, are good and it's a short hop from Taipei to Manila. Manila is a longer flight to here than is Cebu but, you may take longer getting to Cebu, routing wise.

I'm confused, didn't you just say to stay away from one of them?

Yeh, it is confusing. Air China is a PRC operation and takes you to Beijing. China Air is Taiwanese. See?

Damn, yes, OK.

Look I just checked from SFO to CEB, the layovers are murder. Go SFO to MNL via Philippine Airlines. It's non-stop.

OK. It's hot right?

Yeh, dress as if you are going to be in Phoenix, or better yet, Austin in July.

O,..K. Got it. Leave the hose at home.

Pretty much. There are air conditioned malls and businesses but, yeh. But Cynthia, the women do wear dresses here unless they are going to be out in the sun. When in the sun, they tend to wear leggings, long sleeved shirts and jackets, to keep from getting dark.

Jackets? I thought it was hot!

It is. It can be broiling and yet you will see folk in hooded fleece lined sweatshirts, and stocking caps, to keep the sun off. It makes no sense to me, and you will die if you try it.

I've gotta see that!

You will.

Food OK?

Are you a picky eater?

No, not really. I like Thai. Is it like that?

Yes and no. In my opinion, Thai is bland, not savory, and frequently hot. Filipino, can be hot but is usually not. It will mostly be savory, or sweet but, there are some sour dishes. Visually the food isn't as pretty as some other cuisines but, the flavors are very good. The biggest issue is that they chop right through bones leaving little pieces in the meat at times. It's not a problem at restaurants or here at the house but, eating home cooked meals elsewhere will present this as a challenge. There isn't much beef here. Fish, chicken and pork is what you will see as far as protein. Rice and noodle dishes abound. Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisine is available. In general, the food here is very good. But if you are a US junk food addict, there is Mckie'D's, KFC, and Pizza Hut.

Montezuma's revenge problems?

Probably not so long as you stay with bottled water when not at our house. But it doesn't hurt to carry some loperamide just in case. When you are not sure about the water, drink beer. When at the airports, you will find food you recognize. We will pick you up at the airport here, when you arrive. You will eat with us at least to start, so don't worry about it.

Uh-uh, I am staying at a hotel. I don't want to get crosswise with Jana.

No, you are staying here, at least for one day, and you will not get crosswise with her. I promise. If you still want a hotel after that, OK. You are coming from GMT -8 to GMT +8, so there is an eight hour time difference for you except that it is now Daylight savings in San Jose and so you are really GMT -7 and the difference is nine hours. It's not too hard but it is going to take a bit to adjust.

You don't do the daylight savings stuff?

No, when you are seven degrees north of the equator, there is no earthly reason to do so.

Ouch. Bad pun! OK, what do I do for transportation?

We drive you.

Sorry, no! I need a car!

You've been to Mumbai right?

Yes, and?

Imagine the same traffic patterns, with all the same type of improvised vehicles and bicycles, and pedestrians and animals on two lane roads with nowhere to pull off. Plus thousands of drivers of pickups and SUV's who have never had a driver's lesson, drive like they are threading through traffic on a motorcycle, and for toppers, there are no traffic laws nor enforcement. Half the vehicles at night have no lights and operate at all sorts of slow speeds on unlit roads. Promise me, you won't kill yourself or someone else.

Really?

Really.

So how do you do it?

Carefully and it took me a while, plus I got here before the traffic got this bad. It has incrementally gotten worse over the years since I first arrived. If you need it, we will rent a car with a driver for you. How long do you expect to stay?

I can't afford a driver!

You can't afford $300 a month salary?

That's all? Shit! OK, maybe. As far as how long, I don't know. Management tells me to stay until I can figure out what's it like and what else we need to be doing. I will have to handle my stateside business from there just as you are doing. By the way, I got the messages about the things that need adjustment and have forwarded them on. You should hear back on that in about two days. Look, I am going to pack and get to the airport. See you soon.

Damn she could get here about the same time that Sha arrives. But now, it's time for bed and rest. I'm truly tired.

§ § §

This morning I get to meet Joo's other cousin, Amzkie. As it happens I am finishing my breakfast when Raya comes in with Raya? Huh? Ah! Amzkie! These two could be twins. Yes there are small differences but, if they are not standing right next to each other, and you don't know them well, which I don't, well, good luck! You won't know which is which.

Raya tells me that her sister arrived last night. Amzkie says nothing. She stands mute by her older sister. Good morning, Amzkie.

She says nothing. Raya whispers in her ear. Looking at the floor, Amzkie shakes her head. I turn to Raya. Your sister may stay but she is not to come to my bed.

No!

Yes. If she can't say 'good morning' to me because she is too shy, she is not to come to my bed, and that, Raya, is final.

But, Sir...

No, Raya. No.

Amzkie is just standing there, looking down at the floor. I get up from the table and climb the stairs to my office as I hear Maria entering from the kitchen. I ignore the commotion.

I have emails to review. One is a note from Cynthia. She is on her way, as I read this, somewhere over the pacific. She could not get on a Philippines Airlines flight but, she is on her way. There is no reason to answer her right now as she can't get email in the air. But I do email her as when she lands she will find a free wifi somewhere and she should use that to let me know when she will arrive here.

I have just clicked on send and look up to see Maria waiting patiently for me to be done with my task. Are you going to tell me I should reconsider?

No.

Good.

You did right. I am happy you tell her she can stay.

Good, now explain that to Jana.

She knows. She agree too.

Really?

Yes, we talk to the girl. You are right.

Well, praised be! OK, finally a little sanity around here. On a separate note, we are getting a visitor.

Is this Cynthia? Jana say that she think we will see her soon.

Jana is right. She will be here soon. Probably tomorrow morning.

She stay with us?

Yes, for a day at least.

OK I get things ready for her. Jana say you will take her. That correct?

Maybe, but, she will need her own room.

Ah, OK. I see. You will put Amzkie with Raya in an apartment for good?

Yes. They can share with Renelyn.

Very good. I will take care of this. Gordon, Sha, she comes today. If she wants, you will take her? Yes?

Maybe. Do not push her. If she doesn't ask today, she is not denied the right to ask later. Wait. If she really wants to, then we will see. But, Maria, for her there is no reason to want to be with me. She is yours and you are mine forever. There is no problem.

I think that not right. But I will not push.

Good. What is Jana doing?

She outside with the flowers.

I would like to speak with the two of you together about something else. When she comes back in, will you both come back here?

It bad?

No. Nothing bad.

Sige-sige, I will get her. And with that, Maria leaves the office.

This is one of the things I find so challenging.

I asked Maria to wait until Jana finishes what she is doing so that I can speak to both of them together. She takes that and announces, she will get Jana now. That is not what I wanted. The courtesy to my wife gets transmuted into an order to my wife.

This is not an isolated event. It is how things tend to roll here. I think they see it as being respectful to me. I suspect it's a cultural thing. Never-the-less it is not how I prefer things to be. It appears that I have no choice. And that's the bizarre thing. They do what they do because I am the great and powerful Oz, and yet by ignoring what I have actually said, just exactly how much power does this Oz have?

There is an email that has just come in that is both a surprise to me and a problem for Zelle. It is from Alona, but not from a company email account. I have not seen the girl since she left here the day we sent her off and she was paired with Jonathan. I have not seen him since even before that day. In the months since Alona has become a buyer, Zelle thinks she has done a very good job. Of course most of the buying has been Jonathan's work. We have been happy for how things have worked out. However, this letter is clear proof that we may have been overly optimistic.

I send Alona a note on a clean new email, not a 'reply.' My message simply says,

Got your note.

I do not know if Jonathan might see any mail I send and don't want to tip my hand if the basis of what Alona says is true. Next, I text Zelle.

Have an email you need to see. I want to talk with you about it when you see it. When is a good time?

Give me an hour. I will text you when I am free.

Never a quiet moment! I feel like I am bouncing from one pillar to a new post as Jana and Maria enter the office. OK, Gordon, what is this about?

Last night. The things you said about Joy and Rose and those other two women? I don't think that's a good idea. So don't do that.

Why?

Oh, Jana, you know why.

You like it. I know you do.

Even if that is true, I don't want to do it.

Gordon, there is no way you can do the build out you want if you don't do this.

I will find a way to do it.

Gordon, you are just being difficult. First you refuse Amzkie and then you tell Maria to not put Sha in your bed and now this. Why?

Because it's not right.

And it is right with Raya and Renelyn? Really?

No, it is not right but, that does not make it less wrong with the others.

What follows is a long, and colorful, Visayan discussion of my various inadequacies as a human. There is no reason to memorialize the list of my reputed failings. I offer nothing in return as nothing is called for and the two leave, with the parting shot of, 'Ha, no, nothing bad!'

I am reviewing the status of module integration on the servers and the size of the data set we are generating when Jana returns with a glass of buko juice and a request. Would I please take a small trip with her across town? It will take about three hours.

I show her the email I got from Alona and the texts I have from Zelle. When this is over I can go but, this needs to happen now. Will that work for you?

The email shocks Jana and she tells me, yes of course. She can wait.

About ninety minutes later I get the text from Zelle, she is free. I send the email that she can read on her tablet while we talk. I call her.

You reading it?

Yes, but, I can't believe it. Do you really think he would do that?

I don't know him. How can we know?

OK, I think I need to find out. He has just left Thailand for Malaysia. I have the contact info for the Thai manufacturer he has been using. I think I know how to find out. I'll wait until I know he is with the company in Malaysia before I make the call. I'll let you know. I hope it's not true!

Yeh, I know. And with that the call ends. I shut down the laptop and go downstairs to find Jana.

§ § §

I don't know what to say.

I am sitting here, having just come back from a place that I had no idea existed. We were gone for five hours. I have seen things that were and in many ways are still beyond my understanding. Jana is sitting here with me, at the dining room table. She is being really decent and just giving me room to absorb what I have seen and have been told.

What can I say? I saw a school. A school that by all rights, ought not to exist. A school with only one grade. A school were every student and her mother lives in a dormitory even though the student and the student's mother do not have two pesos to rub together. A school filled with students who are impossibly bright. Beyond bright. A school where every student and her mother are beyond lovely. They are incredibly beautiful.

All that, in and of itself is enough to blow my mind. But the reason the school exists and what happens at the school and where the students and the mothers go after the school year, is simply and completely beyond my feeble ability to process.

This is the world of this Jake, and yet Jake has little to do with it. It is run by women for women and girls. I gather Jake does have a role but, that is all. I met women today. I never met Jake. I met two teachers, Jun and Cherise. I met Joy and Rose. These four seem to be the ones who are in control. I spoke with students and their mothers.

I was given over two hundred folders, dossiers of young girls and mothers who do not fit into the school's format or are simply over the limit of twenty per year that the school can handle.

Jun and Cherise are amazing. Joy and Rose implored me to reconsider my refusal to consider their offer. But it is what the students and their mothers said to me that has me so completely weirded out. These truncated families begged me to give others a chance in life. I asked them why they would suggest that I take their daughters as my own. Why did they not say to me, don't touch the daughters and just give the mother's a job?

Separately, two looked at me and each essentially said, 'a job? How long that last? How long before some supervisor does not like them? Who protects the daughter? Who makes sure she has a future? If you take the daughter, then you commit to them. You make sure they have a future they can trust. This they will understand.'

I was sitting with a student and a mother. I look at this twelve year-old student and in front of her own mother, I ask, You really like to have sex?

I get back a, Yes, Sir! Very much yes. Mother and I will make our man very happy!

This is not how the world is supposed to work. I am not intellectually or emotionally prepared to hear such a thing. I feel disoriented, almost sick.

And here, now, on the floor by the table, are two boxes of folders. Each containing a story that will probably rip my heart out. I have not put my hand on either box. I have not looked inside any folder. I am scared to do so.

If Jake is a sick weird fuck, then if I put my hand in there, what does that make me? Am I supposed to reevaluate my assessment of Jake? How? He is bedding so many underage girls, far younger than the ones I have bedded. How can I give him a pass? How can I allow myself to do as he does?

Is there justification in that it is for a good cause and the participants are willing? Does that claim carry any weight? How can that be? But then I have the echo, in my head, of the mother who said to me, I think you will say, no it is not moral and leave these poor mothers and daughters to suffer, so your conscience can be clean! I think maybe you are one of those.

Jana sees my distress. Gordon, I will ask Maria to put the boxes away for a day. I have asked Maricar, Imee and their guy, Lawrence, to come for supper. Maybe you will talk to Lawrence?

Jeezus Jana. Really? What am I supposed to say, 'So, Larry, how do you like fucking little girls?'

Gordon, don't be makulit¹! They have gone through this and maybe Lawrence can share his feelings with you.

Jana, my head hurts already. I am not sure I am ready for this.

I will get you some paracetimol. Lie down until dinner.

§ § §

The lights have been turned on and I am being roused from what must have been a pretty effective nap. I am a bit disoriented. I look up and see Renelyn.

Sir! Get up. We have a whole house of people downstairs.

What do you mean, a 'whole house,' child?

Renelyn leans in, gives me a kiss, before answering. I like the kiss and pull her in for a bit more which elicits a giggle, Sir! Sir, there are nine very pretty guests and one Kano² here! Really, please get up!

Well, by that description, I gather it's not the pulis. With Renelyn watching over me, I get up, straighten my clothing, run a brush through my hair and follow her out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs I run into a crowd. A guy close to my age, reaches his hand out to shake mime. I gather you are Gordon. The name's Lawrence. The females tell me that you are getting pushed to add some of Jake's overflow.

Who admitted it was a push and not an interest? I want to give that person a medal!

Ha! You can give it to your wife. She says she is pushing but you are pushing back. Gordon, no matter what else happens, I have to tell you, you are as lucky as I am with my wife, Maricar. Through everything that has happened, she has been the very best wife, closest friend and trusted mate a man can ask for. Your wife has not tried to sugar coat your concerns, or your deep upset. She asked us to come to discuss this with you but, not push you.

I look over to see Jana looking at me, with a little trepidation in her eyes. I smile at her. She comes over and I give her a hug. Lawrence, would you be so kind as to introduce those who you have brought?

Of course! He reaches out not more than a few inches away and pulls a woman to him. This is my wife, Maricar. I know Jana met with her and Imee. Imee is not here tonight. But this is her daughter Jovelyn who is the mother of five of my children. And this is Ikay who is also a mother of some of my kids. This lovely lady is Gloria. Next to Maricar, Gloria is just about as protective and powerful in our home. Rosa here and Jessica are two I simply can't live without. And these two, Cheri, and Nicca, both of whom came to me, impossibly young, will never leave my side, and for that I am eternally grateful. These are some of my girls but, not all of them. I am surrounded by the love of women for whom I have no reason to claim other than blind luck and the odd fate that can befall us in life. Now you have some females here. Will you introduce them to us?

Ha! I am a piker! This is, as you know, my wife Jana. Over here, and I reach out to her, is my mistress Maria. Here Lawrence interrupts, Maria told me she is the maid!

That is how we originally brought her in but, no, Maria is a love of mine and a mistress. I think Jana will agree with that. Jana is sending her eyebrows way up twice. Over here is Renelyn. She joined us as an employee and as my lover. Next to her is Raya, who just came to me yesterday. She will be an employee and is a lover now. Clinging to her side, and hiding her face, is her sister Amzkie. She is not a lover but she will work for us. There are others but, they are out of the house at work assignments today.

Sir?

I look at Maria, Yes?

Sir, you have not met her but, this is my daughter Sha. She arrive today. She will live with me and I hope Gordon will take her to his bed but, so far he say I am not to push her.

Like you just did? Maria, really!

It's OK, Sir. She does not need to push me. I want this. I am not shy like Amzkie.

Oh Jeezus. Who has sandbagged me?

There is a bunch of giggling and Lawrence is laughing.

Gordon, you, Jake and I inhabit a weird world. A few others do too. Come, let's eat. My girls made lots of food that we have brought. After supper we can talk.

§ § §

§ § §

Chapter 19