Ticket to ride
I saw her daughter downstairs, but I have no designs on the kid. I have no idea how old the kid is. I was trying to freak ‘mom’ out. It doesn’t work. So much for maternal instinct.
I’m not going to touch the kid but, it goes to show you what you can expect, when folks are looking for a way out and up. I am not sure I know what the fuck to do with the woman.
You really want my daughter? You fuck her? Sir, she too young. It not right.
Ah, interesting. She didn’t mean it. She just wanted to get off.
Look I am not going to fuck your daughter. So don’t even think it is a possibility. I am not sure what to do with you. I don’t need another mistress. I don’t need another maid. I don’t need your kid here. … You were good in bed and I am sure you would be a good and loyal partner. But tell me, how many females does one man need?
She is looking at me, totally frozen. I am sure she has not a single idea of what to say. I get that pretty clearly. I grab my cellphone and text Myra, who I suspect is downstairs, singing. The text asks her to come up to my bedroom immediately. Putting the phone down, I get up, go to the door and unlock it. I pull up my slacks but tell this woman to stay as she is.
It doesn’t take long for Myra to appear. As she walks into the room, I get behind her and lock the door again. There on the bed, is her naked sister, with clear evidence that she has been well fucked.
I turn Myra to me, holding her shoulders, as I speak to her. You sent your sister up here to seduce me. Well, I fucked her. Now, Myra, what do you expect me to do with her? I don’t need a fourth mistress. I don’t need a maid. I don’t need a seriously underage teenage girl running around here as I fuck two sixteen-year-old girls. Just why did you send her up here and what did you expect to happen?
She good to you?
Yes.
So?
So… what? What do you expect to happen?
Keep her.
You going to eat her pussy like you ate Jezryl’s?
Silence.
You expect her to eat Jezryl’s pussy?
Silence.
What happens when Jezryl teaches her daughter how to do a girl and maybe a guy?
Silence.
Well, Myra?
Silence.
Myra you know who came up here a little before your sister?
Who?
Vieve. You know who and what she is?
No.
She is a prostitute who wants to live here. Jezryl wants her to live here. She likes girls too. Do you understand that, Myra?
Silence.
Take your sister downstairs. Take her out to the terrace and sit with her. Talk to her about what you and she think you are asking for. When you are done, if you are still asking me for something, I need answers to all the questions I asked just now.
You going to allow Vieve to stay?
I haven’t decided what to do with Vieve. I will have a conversation with Jezryl and Jelou tomorrow. I doubt that Vieve will be welcome here for the same reason that I don’t want to even consider your sister. There are enough here already. But added to that, this is no place for your niece. Remember that Jelou will be here too and that is already complicated. She will likely stay, but this is not a hotel. This is not a free ride on a Jeepney1. This is my home. I have to have a reason for you to be here to stay. Are we clear on this?
Yes, Rolie.
OK, get her dressed and out of here now.
They do leave. I am an asshole. I know it and I don’t care.
I go back to my book. Thirty minutes later there is a knock on my door. Once again I open it, to find Jecim’s mom standing there.
Hi, are you leaving? I am sorry you have to come up here because I am not with everyone else.
Oh! No, no! Not that. I want to thank you for taking Jecim as yours.
I am not sure you should be thanking me. Yes, I have bedded your child and will be happy to call her mine until the end of my days. But she is one of three that I can say that about. Jezryl and Myra have the same claim on me. I have bedded them as well. I will never lie to you, and allow you to think I am a good man. I am not.
Yes, my daughter tells me the truth. Maybe she learn to do that from you. I know this. It OK. It what you say when we first meet. Nothing new, I think. I glad you respect me to say the truth.
OK, so why did you knock on my door.
If you ever have a problem with my daughter, come to me. I will fix it. I promise. Don’t send her away, if she stupid. I will fix it, I promise.
Madam, of the three visits I have had here in my room tonight, yours alone is appreciated and welcome. I promise you that if there is a problem I will come to you.
Ah, you have had visits from ones who want to join you?
Which ones are you thinking about?
Vieve and Alida.
Alida, Myra’s sister?
Yes.
Well, you are correct. Both have been here.
What will you do?
Madam, what do you think I should do?
Why you ask me?
Because I trust you to tell me the truth as best you know it. I trust that you are looking out for your daughter’s interest, and hers includes my interest.
Oh! You honor me again.
Well, what do you think?
Vieve is a prostitute. To this day she still is. I am not sure if it is because she likes this or must do it to live. If the first, you must reject her. If the second maybe you should allow it.
And Alida?
Yes, that one is difficult. She has a young girl. This girl should not be here. The child should not be close to two girls who were prostitutes, even if they say they not that any more. I think it will be a problem. I think maybe Alida is good and good for my daughter. I not sure about how that is with Jezryl. But the child. This is a problem. I am sure this does not help you. Sorry.
No, it does help. It is close to my thinking and lets me know that the things I am thinking have value. You are seeing things much as I do. Please share this with your brother. I very much will appreciate his view on all this.
Certainly! I will do this. Thank you very much.
And she excuses herself.
It has been quite a night. Myra and her sister, Alida, have not reappeared. That might mean they are still talking. It might mean that Alida took her kid home. It might mean that they decided it was a bad idea and are just not coming up. I don’t know and at the moment I don’t really care. It is getting late. The gals can party as late as they want. I am going to bed.
I am getting out of the shower, only to be handed my towel by Myra.
As I start toweling off, I ask, OK, what’s the question?
What if her girl stays with our mom? Then it not a problem if she stays.
Who said it isn’t a problem? Besides the fact that a mother should never leave her daughter, do you really believe your sister is ready for Jezryl or Vieve?
Silence.
Myra, I understand that you miss being with your sister. I understand that your sister is lonely. I get it that Filipino men don’t want a woman with a teenage child. I get all of it. But I didn’t create your sister’s problems and I am not the solution to them. You need to decide whether you need to return to them there or stay separate from them and have a life here. … My home is not the place for all, or just anyone who wants to stay. It is a place for a few. Those few must fit my needs and this place. … Now, I admit I may allow Jezryl to bring Jelou here. I have not agreed to do that yet, and in the end, I may not allow it. But the cultural issues regarding a younger underage sister with no other family are very different from that of you and your sister. … And if I don’t allow Jelou to stay, it will be for the same reason I am saying ‘no’ to you now. Alida is sweet, probably good, and I like her. But there is no way I want her kid here. Her abandoning her kid is far worse than you separating from her. Clear?
Her head is down. I think she is crying, Yes. … Through sobs, Maybe you will like her girl?
Oh Jesus, Myra. Really? Exactly how do you mean that?
Sorry, sorry! She runs out of the bathroom, but as she steps into the bedroom, I hear her exclaim, ‘Oh!’ followed by a sentence or two in Cebuano from Myra, before the door closes.
Into the bathroom walks Jecim. I gather my privacy is of no concern these days.
I am done toweling off and I hang up the towel, while ignoring her presence until she speaks. You have had a busy night!
True enough. What brings you to me now?
I talk to my mother about her visit with you.
And?
You will not need to complain to her. Not ever.
Good.
She tell me about Vieve and Alida. So I decide to see you. But I see Myra go into the bedroom. I wait until I hear the water is turned off and come in to the bedroom. I am lucky, Myra not know I am here.
So you heard everything?
Yes.
And?
You right. You very right. I am happy.
I see. What did Myra say to you when she walk out and find you?
She ask if I hear everything. I say yes.
I didn’t hear you speak.
Oh! I say yes like this. Her eyebrows go up twice. It is a quiet way of speaking they have. I would not hear it, but it was most assuredly seen and understood.
OK, but she said something else.
Yes, she say she miss her sister very much.
She may need to leave us.
Yes. I think she will think about that now. She want to stay here, but she also miss Alida. She try to have both. It not possible.
OK, so is there anything you need to add to that?
No, you do right. What you do tomorrow for Jelou? What you do about Vieve?
Your mother had a good question about Vieve. I will use what she wondered when I talk to Jezryl about her. When it comes to Jelou, I need to meet the girl and talk to the couple who are caring for her now.
My mother help?
I have to laugh. The concept that her mother was a help to me seems somewhat impossible to her. And yet she did. She asked the core question I need to resolve before I decide anything else. Why do children devalue the knowledge of parents?
Yes, she was a great help. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to bed.
OK, give me a few minutes. I will shower and join you.
No sex.
I know. It doesn’t matter. Just be close, OK?
OK.
And so, five minutes later my bed companion slides in under the sheets and pulls my body to hers. We sleep.
I know coffee contains caffeine. I know caffeine is an addictive drug. I guess I don’t care. I want it in the morning. The rest of the day I don’t give it a second thought, but in the morning I want it.
This morning is no different, other than Jezryl and Vieve are waiting for me as I descend the stairs. They want to talk, now. I want my coffee, now. They will have to wait a couple of minutes. Until I have taken a few good sips, I am not going to talk to anyone about anything. So they need to let me be.
Jezryl is not getting the clue, but Vieve does. She grabs her friend and pulls my companion back rather briskly.
Finally I have settled a bit with my cup and I nod, giving them an indication that I am ready. Holding each other’s hand, they join me at the table.
Jezryl, explain two things to me, why did you invite Vieve to come here yesterday, and then, why you had Vieve come to my bedroom last night.
She text me, she is hungry. She ask, can I give her any food? I know we need help with the party, so I say come help and you can eat. No problem. That wrong?
No that is fine. And the rest?
She see what happen here and she say she want to stay too. She ask, how she do that? I tell her it up to you. She not see you and ask where you now? I tell her you upstairs.
Did you encourage her to ask to stay here?
Silence.
Vieve, did Jezryl say it will be good if you can stay here?
Yes, she say that.
Vieve, if you have enough to eat and a good place to sleep, do you enjoy your life?
Yes.
You enjoy having sex with the men you meet?
Yes. She giggles.
It is fun to you to see what they want and how you can make the most money from it?
Yes! Very much. It a game I think.
So, if you have the best possible way to be, it would be eat good, sleep safe and still do the work you do?
Yes, this true.
Vieve, do you think that when you knew Jezryl before, that she was like you in that way?
How you mean?
Did she really like the game as much as you? I bet you are really good at the game and like it a lot.
It true, she not happy with it the same as me.
I turn straight to Jezryl. I look her in the eyes. I take a few sips of my coffee, before putting the cup down on the hardwood table. Jezryl, do I have to explain this to you?
No, Rolie. I see why my friend cannot stay. I not want that life. I think maybe she do. Maybe she need it. She turns to her friend. If you get food here and good sleep here, you will be unhappy, because you cannot do the game anymore, or maybe you go out and do things Rolie not want you to do. You not right for this house. I sorry. If you very hungry again, come, I feed you, but this not a good place for you.
Vieve has a stoic expression. She is a kid who clearly has had a number of hard turns in her life. I never assumed otherwise. I am not insensitive to such things. But she is not right for me and this house.
So far, of the last two who have tried to get onboard, neither has been given a ticket to ride. There is one more passenger waiting at the station. She is more likely to get permission to climb aboard, but there are no guarantees with that one either.
I take a bit more coffee before addressing Vieve. You are welcome to spend the day, eat a couple more meals here before you leave for your work tonight. You may come and visit once or twice a week, during the day, have a meal or two each time. I am not angry with you. I do not dislike you. You just are not someone I can add to my life here. Do not offer me sex and do not have sex with anyone here. That is the rule. Break it and you may never come back here again. Do you understand and are we clear?
Yes. I understand. You are very clear.
Jezryl, anything else?
Nothing about this. My sister comes for supper tonight with the others.
OK.
The two leave the table. I have a small breakfast, and finish my coffee before exiting out to the terrace.
I retrieve the wood I am working with, settle in, remove my knife from the pocket and prepare to start my efforts for the day when my cellphone rings. Putting my knife down, I pick up the phone from a table where I had placed it. The screen tells me the call is from Jomar.
Good morning, how are you?
Very good! Thank you for your hospitality last night.
You are welcome. May I ask the purpose of your call this fine morning?
It relate to the conversation you have with my sister.
Yes, Yes. Good. I am seeking your view on all this?
May I ask what has transpired?
As of now, I have refused both requests.
And your reasons, Roland?
With Alida, I do not want her child here and I do not want her to separate from her child. With Vieve, she may have difficult times, but she enjoys the prostitution. She would not be a good fit.
Roland, you do not need my advice. Your judgement is good and I agree with you fully. Yes, this Vieve is a sad one, but as you say, if she likes the thing there is no option for her.
I gave permission for her to stop by once or twice a week for a meal, but not to stay and no sex.
That is a generous offer. It is charity and shows a good heart. Our savior will smile on you.
Oh Jomar, considering the three females who live with me, I suspect it would take a mountain of charity to balance the scales.
No, you do good to those three. Nothing to repent for in that, I think.
From your mouth to God’s ear.
Excuse me?
Nothing, just something my mother used to say.
Oh, OK, well, talk to you another time. I must go now.
Yes, thank you for the call. Bye now.
The wood has been patient. But patience is wearing thin. My knife and the wood meet. I suspect this will be a productive day as slivers of fine wood fall to the floor and more is exposed.
It’s odd, but a good blade works with you to discover that which beckons. A bad blade fights you. Its resistance to your hand and will makes finding what is hiding within quite impossible.
There are far too many bad blades in the world. This blade is good. It obeys my needs and does not push back. It and my hand become one, a single instrument. The result is that I can hear the wood as it calls out to me. I figure myself a very lucky man. Yes there are times I have to wait on the wood to call out and so there are times when I must just stop and wait for word. But it always eventually comes. Then it is just a matter of following along. A sort of follow the dots. It is set out waiting for me, no thinking involved. I am just transcribing from the whispered instructions to the knife and the knife, back to the wood. It is a virtuous circle.
If only life was so simple.
1 - Public bus-like conveyance ubiquitous in the Philippines.