Chapter 3
By the time two weeks had passed and the friendship between the two of us had grown, I saw a completely different Mom Ratchawong Kirati.
She was not particularly quiet with me. Latterly, she appeared to be a rather good conversationalist, someone who wanted to enjoy herself in her own way.
She could converse on both serious and non-serious topics.
When she spoke on serious matters, I had the impression that she had thought about things much more deeply than I.
It surprised me that Chao Khun Atthikanbodi should think that his wife knew little about life and the outside world.
When she was enjoying herself, chatting alone with me, she would laugh out loud, her laugh full of vitality and a bright, child-like innocence, which lingered in the listener’s mind long afterwards.
At such moments I felt that Mom Ratchawong Kirati was my closest friend. I felt the deepest loyalty towards her.
However, two weeks had gone by and I was still unable to provide an answer to those who came asking me about Mom Ratchawong Kirati’s life before her marriage, and why it was that she had married Chao Khun.
It remained a mystery to me. No one thought she had married for love.
It is not unusual to see a beautiful woman like her wedded to a man in his fifties, it is true, but for such a beauty and a man in his fifties to love each other is unusual, for love and marriage are two entirely different matters.
Most people tended towards the opinion that the power of the god Money had played some considerable part in this instance, just as in other cases, where a woman, unable to resist the pressure, which might come from various directions, ends up entering into a marriage.
But in the case of Mom Ratchawong Kirati’s marriage, no one dared express such an opinion with any certainty, because as far as anyone knew, she seemed very happy with her husband.
To my mind, Mom Ratchawong Kirati was enjoying her stay in Tokyo very much.
Whenever there was a chance to go out, no matter where it was, I noticed that she would take a close interest in everything around her, and that her eyes would sparkle with pleasure.
Such curiosity, however, was unusual for someone of her age and made her appear serious-minded.
As a result, it was difficult for those who had no chance to get to know her to feel close to her.
I learned something new about our relationship while we were out walking alone together one evening during the third week.
That evening Chao Khun had gone out to play golf while his wife had been shopping on the Ginza.
After she had returned and rested, she invited me out for a walk.
The road we walked along was not far from the back of the house.
It was a quiet road, shaded by trees on either side and hilly in parts.
The fields below were lush green from the different kinds of vegetables growing there.
It was quiet and peaceful, with only the occasional lorry passing.
Mom Ratchawong Kirati had been out for a walk near the grounds of the house a few times and she had expressed the intention of one day walking down this road to look at the surrounding scenery.
This was the first time she had put the plan into action.
We walked for a long time that evening. By that time we knew each other well enough for neither of us to waste time in silence, as we had when we first met.
When we were alone together, we had plenty of things to talk about, and when one subject was exhausted, there was another to take its place.
Some things we talked about at length, others only a little.
Two boys of about twelve or thirteen rode past on small bicycles, staring at us and grinning cheerfully. Mom Ratchawong Kirati smiled at them.
‘I feel so happy today,’ she said, breathing the air in deeply, a soft smile still on her face.
‘Why’s that?’ I asked. ‘I was afraid you might be bored because there’s nothing to see.’
‘“There’s nothing to see.” How can you say that?
’ she said, pointing to the fields of green lettuces stretching out before us, just off to the right of our path.
‘Can’t you see how lovely the fresh green colour of the leaves is in the pale sunlight?
They’re like velvet. And all those young chocolate-coloured aubergines.
Don’t they make you feel like they’re friends, of your own age?
And beyond those, don’t the tall vegetables with slender leaves blowing in the gentle breeze make your spirits soar with them? ’
‘You sound like a poet,’ I said, laughing.
‘Don’t mock me. People say poets are old-fashioned.
I’m no poet, but if you mean I’m a poet simply because I have old-fashioned ideas, then I admit it.
’ She smiled sweetly as she looked at me.
‘It’s true, you know, Nopporn, these things really are what make me happy.
You must have noticed the chubby pink cheeks on those two little boys a moment ago and their lovely smiles and sparkling eyes.
Ah, what else could be lovelier than that? ’
‘I’ve just realized you’re a philosopher.’ When I said this, I did not think I was joking.
‘I’m saying no more, because you’re piling on the flattery,’ she said, and walked on in silence, without another word.
‘I was speaking in all honesty,’ I said hurriedly in my defence.
‘Then that’s all the more reason to say no more.’
I stifled a smile and we walked on in silence for a while before she turned to me and spoke.
‘I’m quite serious now. Wouldn’t you agree with me, how full of wonder all of those things I mentioned are?’
‘I wouldn’t for one moment contradict you. I agree with everything you said. The reason I asked was out of concern, because, generally, women aren’t interested in such matters. But you’re exceptional.’
‘First, I’m a poet, then a philosopher, and now I’m exceptional. You’re really persistent today, Nopporn. I’m just going to have to be firm.’
‘What, in expressing your opinion that I’m persistent?’
‘Yes, that too. But I meant that I’m not going to talk about such matters any more.’
In her calm bearing, which had something of a young child about it, I saw the incomparable charm and beauty of Mom Ratchawong Kirati. I could only admire her and praise her in my heart.
As we approached a village, we came to a junction where there was a shabby-looking coffee house.
Just as we were walking past, a car drew up and two girls got out.
Their faces were a deep-pink colour and they were unsteady on their feet.
Two men got out after them. They had taken their jackets off because of the heat and were carrying them.
One of them had half-closed eyes, while the other’s eyes were wide open and blazing.
The two men put their arms around the girls, and together they staggered towards the coffee house, veering first to the left and then to the right before disappearing inside.
‘A young man like you must enjoy such a spectacle,’ Mom Ratchawong Kirati remarked when we had passed the junction. I knew that she did not mean it and was just being sarcastic, but I replied quite straightforwardly.
‘On the contrary, I really despise it.’
‘You see people enjoying themselves in a disgusting way everywhere, Nopporn, in every country. Why can’t they behave a bit better?
It’s not even dark yet. And why do they have to act that way in the middle of the street?
Couldn’t they wait until they were out of sight?
Or perhaps they think they’re acting really smart. ’
‘I don’t think most people would think it was being smart. Surely only a few people behave that way. I’ve heard that in Thailand, since they opened up beer halls all over the capital, this kind of thing goes on a lot. Is that true?
‘So I’ve heard. But I’ve never seen it, and I’ve no idea on what sort of scale it happens. I’d never have guessed that what we just saw goes on regularly.’
‘But the truth is, it seems to be fairly normal for coffee houses everywhere.’
‘Nopporn, you’re my Columbus! You’ve brought me to a new world.’
‘Are you sorry, Khunying, at being brought up against such sordidness?’
‘I like art. I’m as happy looking at millipedes and earthworms as I am looking at stars in the sky.
No, I’m not at all sorry, Nopporn. I’m grateful to you, even.
But when you remove art, witnessing such a scene disturbs me a little.
But then, from an artistic point of view, it’s good to be disturbed. ’
‘You’re an artist, too. Maybe both a painter and a writer,’ I cried in astonishment, genuine astonishment.
‘Nopporn, please be careful with your words. Remember that in the space of less than half an hour, you’ve given me four different jobs already!’
‘I think I’d be much cleverer, amazingly clever in fact, if I were to be close to you for a year.’ I did not listen to her protests, so sure was I that I had spoken the truth.
She looked sharply at me out of the corner of her eye, as if to see if there were any other meaning in those words. ‘Your persistence is sweet,’ she said with a smile. ‘So all you want is one year, then?’
‘I meant at least one year,’ I said quickly. ‘But if I had the choice, there would be no limit.’
Mom Ratchawong Kirati laughed. But her laugh lacked something of its usual sparkle. ‘But I’m only here for eight weeks and it’s already the third week.’
‘Time’s passing so quickly,’ I said quietly. ‘I wish I were Hanuman.’
‘So you could stop the sun?’
‘But it’s just impossible. I don’t suppose you’d object,’ I continued earnestly, ‘if I were to ask Chao Khun to extend your stay for a bit?’
‘I follow the orbit of the sun. It’s not for me to choose, it’s up to the sun,’ she replied in jest. ‘But don’t forget your university term begins soon.’
‘I haven’t forgotten. But I can always come to you for my education outside university hours.’
After that, Mom Ratchawong Kirati asked me about my studies.
When she spoke about real matters, her manner appeared serious, and I was like a small child rather than her friend.
We walked on for a while and came to a crowded area where people were selling things and an endless stream of traffic flowed back and forth.
It was not conducive to a quiet, relaxing walk, so we decided to turn back.
In no time, we had returned to the beauty and tranquillity of nature.