Richard Fanshawe & The Bracelets Of Kali

It was still quite warm and humid in Singapore as Fanshawe of Harris, Burton and Fanshawe got out of the taxi at the Raffles Hotel. It had been a long haul from the airport, not because of the distance, but the amount of traffic on the roads of such a relatively small island.

He was expected, thank God and as he registered the Indian receptionist handed him an envelope. He glanced at her, by god she was attractive, her black hair neatly plaited and coiled and her green sari flowed and gave a hint of a well proportioned figure. She smiled with her eyes as well as her mouth. Richard opened the envelope, it was a telegram from Tan Sung Mi, the man he was supposed to meet that very evening to discuss the requirements for the next twelve months.

"Richard, please excuse this circumstance. I have been delayed in Kuala Lumpur, Please reschedule our meeting for tomorrow afternoon at 3.00 p.m. I cannot apologise enough for the face losing dilemma over which I have no control. Please be assured that all will go well on the morrow. Your company shall have all the silks and silver it desires.

It will be most appreciated if you will allow Tan Export to take care of your hotel bill in its entirety. Please - your good friend - Mi..."

Richard looked up the Indian receptionist was regarding him with her large soft brown eyes.

"I hope all is well sir, may I please point out that your hotel bill is to be forwarded to the Tan Export Corporation, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Is there? I can think of several things." Richard thought to himself, but speaking aloud he asked if there was anything he should see around the town, previously he had only visited over a weekend.

"There is a Pasar Malum, the night market, it is always interesting to our visitors sir, that is in Orange Grove Road this evening, just off Orchard Road, any taxi or even Trishaw (Bicycle rickshaw) will take you there. Also if the gentleman is looking for interesting artefacts may I suggest Narinder Singh in Ben Coolan Street, he has many interesting pieces."

"Worth a visit is it, not a tourist trap?" Richard asked.

"Oh no sir, I can assure you, the shop of Narinder Singh is well worth a visit to the discerning and as you are well known to Mr. Tan I have taken the liberty. I know Mr. Tan very well indeed and Narinder Singh is my uncle."

'Mm wonder how well Tan knows you - in the biblical sense? He is a horny old goat Tan so it would not surprise me' Richard thought.

"Well, Thank you Miss er ah...?"

"Leilah sir, I am very pleased to be of service"

"So, Leilah, thank you so much, I shall go to my room if you can arrange for my luggage to be taken up, have a shower, then perhaps visit your uncles shop before dinner. I assume I shall be able to eat up until ten?"

"The restaurant is open until midnight sir."

"That is marvellous Leilah, my body clock has not assimilated the time change yet so I would prefer to eat later. May I ask what time you vacate the desk?"

It will be my pleasure to await any instructions on your return, sir. I do not finish until midnight. AS the restaurant will satisfy your hunger I am here to satisfy the whims of the guests"

"Hmmm the whims of the guests eh! What does that cover?"

Leilah smiled at him. "I use my discretion sir, of course. Enjoy your evening and perhaps on your return you will allow me to enquire if your evening has been satisfactory?"

Richard smiles in return and turned towards the lifts (elevators)...

** Chapter 2: The Raffles Hotel and Narinder Singhs Emporium **

As Richard prepared to take a shower there was a knock at the door, it was the Chinese chambermaid who asked if he wished to have his luggage unpacked. "Yes, please," he said, nodding at the girl. It gave him time to think over the situation he now found himself in.

Tan had caused quite a problem with the delay. Richard was supposed to be in Cape Town inside 48 hrs and the delay of 24 hrs was now a situation he could well do without. he knew damn well that his wife and her aunt would not believe his explanation for the delay, they would probably accuse him of finding some sexual deviation that had delayed him. He smiled to himself. Well, he may yet have that pleasure but meanwhile he would have to send a fax explaining just what had happened.

Amelia Burton, Richard's wife, who had insisted on keeping her maiden name for business reasons, and her Aunt, Emily Harris, were a right pair of viragos. If only Richard had realised that the young woman to whom he was attracted at university had such a hard masculine streak. he had indeed respected her plea that their courtship should be platonic. Her maiden aunt who had been responsible for her upbringing since her parents died certainly helped with that decision.

What Richard had not expected after the marriage that the sexual situation would continue much as before. They had indeed consummated the marriage but Amelia found the whole thing quite distasteful and when he had suggested the idea that perhaps a little oral stimulation might improve her feelings he found himself sleeping in the bathroom for the rest of the so-called honeymoon. Still there were compensations. He was on the board of the company, albeit the junior member, with the title of Sales Director. It allowed him, indeed it was expected of him, to travel and get the necessary business for the company. neither Amelia or Emily wanted to visit - 'those disgusting foreign places, full of perverts who preyed on women' - That suited Richard to the ground. It enabled him to experience the delights of several young, and not so young women. Indeed in Cape Town the wife of the Director of South Africa Exports, Alison Schwartz, an elegant woman of 52, was an absolute tiger in bed.

The Chinese maid brought Richard's thoughts back to the present as she left the room. Throwing his clothes in the direction of the laundry bag Richard was amused to note that the thoughts of Alison had caused a reaction in his lower regions. His penis had reacted to the thoughts.

'Hmm hopefully you will react a little more later on - I wonder if Leilah practices the arts of the Kama Sutra?' and with that happy thought Richard entered the shower.

After dressing he composed a fax to be sent to the office, explaining the problem with Tan being detained in Kuala Lumpur. Checking his watch he saw that it was already 8.00pm which meant that it would be 10.30 a.m. in the office back home. Right, send fax and out on town.

Taking a trishaw from the front of Raffles, they passed the padang and St Andrews cathedral before turning into Orchard Road. It was quite a drag up to Orange Grove Road up by the old British Army base of Tanglin**(see note). Richard felt that he should have taken a taxi but the evening was much cooler the humidity was down and besides he was enjoying the spicy smells from the small food stalls that abounded. Unlike some places in the far east he knew that the food was excellent and very little fear of getting an upset stomach. He was aware that he was near to Orange Grove Road so stopped the trishaw and bought himself a half dozen sticks of Satay to enjoy as he walked around the night market.

After spending an hour Richard decided to find the Indian shop mentioned by Leilah.

Learning that Ben Coolan Street was down by Stephen Square not far from the Raffles Hotel, Richard took a taxi and as the driver had never heard of such a shop he found himself dropped at the top of the street. Although it was 9.30 the street was very busy and many local shops were open.

After about 20 minutes he found himself standing outside a shop proclaiming to be the NARINDER SINGH EMPORIUM; Purveyor of fine silks, Antique Jewellery, Cedarwood Chests and all manner of finery to the Australian and British Forces of the Imperial Crown, founded 1900 - God Bless Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V which rather surprised Richard, as the taxi driver had never heard of it. The other strange point being that there was no mention of George VI and Elizabeth II although Singapore had still been a Crown Colony when she came to the throne back in 1953, over forty years before.

On entering the store Richard's nostrils were assailed by the not unpleasant smell of burning joss sticks and other perfumes he could not put a name to. Suddenly a voice took him quite by surprise, he had not seen or heard the approach of the man who accosted him A large man, turbanned, with a fierce beard of a pepper and salt appearance. The hooded eyes were, however, friendly and welcoming.

"Good evening Sahib, may I introduce myself, I am Narinder Singh, the proprietor of this poor establishment you do me the great honour of visiting. Please take a chair, may I get you a drink, a fresh lime juice, or an ice cold beer, or on such an evening, perhaps both may satisfy your thirst.

Richard sat down on the chair and accepted the offer of the fresh lime juice, he remembered from previous visits to Malaya the thirst quenching properties of the proffered drink.

"Now Sahib", Richard half smiled to himself the use of the old Indian term of respect seemed out of place in the Singapore of the 1990's, but he was aware that many Indians of the old school still used the outdated term, the Sikhs next words seemed to confirm it.

"Now Sahib, are you here to buy for yourself or the Memsahib, I have attractive items, silverware, gold bracelets and rings, some fine old jewelry?"

Richard decided that he had better look for something for Amelia and he supposed Emily. He knew they would be not too pleased at the delay, so he asked to see the jewelry.

Taken to the rear of the store lit, surprisingly by oil lamps, Richard could see many items of silver, gold and what appeared to be precious stones. After a few moments Richard noticed a sandalwood box it seemed quite dusty but almost irresistibly his hand was drawn towards it. It did not seem to have any value or real attraction, it held four bracelets the silver appeared tarnished and the stones had to be glass, he ignored it but a seemingly magnetic urge attracted him to it once more. In desperation to look and put it out of his mind seized him. He picked up the box...

** The Bracelets **

Richard thought that Singh had moved away but no sooner had his fingers closed on the box than he heard the Sikhs soft sibilant voice.."Oh yes, sahib, a wonderful choice, but I am afraid a very expensive one..."

"Expensive, this? Surely not, they are only poor grade silver, enamel and paste stones, even glass...? Aren't they?"

"Please look more closely, in the poor light of my miserable store I think you were mistaken, but, dear me, no sir, they are not poor quality, indeed they are not; be pleased to look a little more closely I implore you sahib."

Richard took the box to the front of the shop and indeed he could see that the bracelets were exquisite. Finely worked silver, top class enamel and set with rubies, emeralds, sapphires. The bracelets were settled on a fine bed of purple silk nestling in the sandalwood box that he could now see had been fashioned by a fine carpenter. One look in the better light and immediately he was aware that the bracelets were not tawdry but indeed, he doubted very much if he could afford a single bracelet never mind the set.

"How...ahem...er.. Tell me, how much is it?" he whispered, prepared as always to haggle as was the custom but still expected it to be way out of his reach.

The Sikh looked at him, now the eyes were like lasers, he felt them looking inside his head. "Tell me Sahib, what brought you to my miserable store? How did you come to find it in a city full of fine emporiums and exotic salesrooms, how strange that you should pick out Narinder Singh"

"Well," croaked Richard, there was really something odd with his voice, almost as if someone was very lightly strangling him! "To be frank Mr. Singh it was a receptionist at the hotel who advised me to look at your shop."

"Would that have been Leilah?" Richard nodded. "Then somehow you must have impressed her, she does not treat the proposition of introducing a visitor to my store lightly, indeed no, Leilah must have seen a depth in you sahib and I perceive her to have been right. There is great depth to you. Please forgive my introspection, but I perceive that all is not well in the marital home. You do not make great anger with your wife, the Memsahib, indeed you try to please her by following her wishes, but I also perceive a side of you that enjoys the fruits of the erotic.

"Alas, there is another Memsahib, cold, unloved, miserable, it is she who has impressed sexual repression on your own dear lady. You are a man of grace. In spite of the load these women place on you, you have arrived this evening to buy them presents - Sir, not only have you come to the right magic cave as my emporium is to you today but you have picked the perfect gift. Do you know what you have? No, you will not. Dear friend, may I call you friend? Those are the bracelets of Kali, a goddess of great sexual favour, not just of love but love and sexual desire. Kali, the wife of Siva. He who knows Kali knows the absolute joy of unfettered, unexpurgated sexual congress. The Lingum of the male and the yoni of the female find absolute satisfaction in the arms of Kali. Those are her Amulets of absolute Sexual Desire. Give them to your wife, give two to her and two to her aunt. they will be transformed. Just the wearing of one bracelet will have them searching for sexual relief in all quarters. In fact with all four my friend you can give two to other females of your acquaintance and you will be immediately assaulted by them. yes, take them."

"Oh come on now, they are beautiful, but although the story is wonderful I cannot believe they give complete sexual freedom. My God you are right about my wife but she is so frozen nothing will melt her heart, or should I say yoni? In any case, surely Kali is the Goddess of death - she was the goddess of Thuggee, the name that has come to mean vicious gangster. A Thug. Really Mr. Singh I could never afford them."

"Have I given you a price, have I? Not yet. let us say $7000 Singapore. About £1250 Sterling"

"I agree, I would not haggle with such a price, but frankly I could never afford it, I came in looking for something about £50 for each of them. About $800 Singapore total."

Narinder Singh smiled at Richard. "Tell me, were you attracted to the box, or did it attract itself to you. Did you feel a tightness around your throat as if a piece of silk was caressing you but at any moment you could be strangled!?

Richard could only stare at the Sikh, this was madness but he could not say that it had not happened.

Singh did not wait for an answer. "You came here to spend $800, give me the money, the bracelets are yours, but first let me present you with a small gift. Never be without it, wear it always. - It contains a liquid distilled from the testes of the tiger and the Lingum of the Bull elephant. It radiates the strength you will need when in the arms of the women who wear the amulet. be assured dear man, you WILL be in the arms of those women and without you they will be insatiable, except, and be not dismayed, in the arms of each other. Now begone."

Suddenly Richard found himself at the corner of Ben Coolan Street having no idea how he got there. The parcel in his hands obviously contained a box and he was surprised to find around his neck a thin gold chain holding a glass phial containing a liquid.

Crossing the floor to the reception desk he was pleased to see Leilah still on duty. She smiled and handed him a fax. It was from the office.

'WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING OF. YOU KNOW YOU WERE EXPECTED IN CAPE TOWN BY FRIDAY - THIS BLOODY EXCUSE ABOUT TAN IS UNACCEPTABLE. - IF YOU HAVE FOUND YOURSELF SOME CHINESE TART TO WHILE AWAY THE EVENING I SHALL HAVE YOU DOCTORED LIKE THE BLOODY TOM CAT YOU ARE - I HAVE HAD TO CANCEL CAPETOWN - YOU ARE EXPECTED THERE IN TWO WEEKS TIME. - ON THE WAY HOME, STOP OFF IN PARIS AND SEE LATOUCHE - IMPORTANT SO DO NOT MESS UP THIS ONE. AMELIA

'Oh dear', Richard thought to himself, 'god what a bloody bitch she is, how wonderful if all that crap old Singh told me was only true. I should just love to f**k the ass off her when I got home.'

Leilah was speaking. "Sorry Mr. Fanshawe, I have seen the fax, it was not preceded by a cover requesting confidentiality. Is there any point in the hotel assuring your company that your delay was unavoidable?"

"No, Leilah, its all right, it doesn't matter. Look I am just going in for dinner, would you care to have a drink with me afterwards?"

"Yes, I would love to but it is not allowed for hotel staff to have drinks with guests, but..well...ah ... if you like. Well,..."

"Go on, what is it Leilah, look you did me a great service this evening send me to you uncle's shop I should like to show my appreciation - look to hell with me having dinner in the hotel, if you were going to suggest somewhere for a drink why don't we both eat there after you finish?"

"If you are sure I should love tom there is a street called Bugis Street. It can be somewhat salacious but fun, if you do not mind. Somehow I do not believe you are too narrow minded are you? "

"Then its a date, thank goodness Singapore is city where restaurants stay open for longer than in the UK. See you, where, out the front of the hotel, just after midnight?"

Leilah nodded her assent.

Richard hummed to himself as he went up in the lift, he mused that if Singh was her uncle then she too might believe in Kali, the Kali who believed in Lingums and yonis always being ready for each other. Hmm, Lingums and Yonis that's cocks and pussies in English he thought to himself and that thought stirred his loins. ...'Oh yes' Richard thought, I am already getting a H**d On. Wonder if she calls it her yoni or in the throes of passion something much more Anglo-Saxon...!!

** RICHARD RISES TO THE OCCASION **

Just before the lift doors closed Richard spotted the hurrying form of the middle aged lady he had heard named as Miss Crawford, she too was English.

"Oh Thank you - so kind, so kind," Miss Crawford said, sounding quite out of breath. "One does not expect, with all the rushing around these days, for people to actually wait for one. Thank you"

Richard noticed that she was carrying a small leather shopping bag, not plastic for this lady. She certainly looked and spoke like an anachronism from a bygone age, from her clothes she looked as if she had just stepped out of a film of the 1920's or 1930's.

"Have you been shopping, the Night market perhaps he ventured.

"Yes, the Passer Malum, I do so enjoy such excursions and you to it would seem. Do I perceive a lovely sandalwood case in that so inadequately wrapped parcel?" She asked in her quaint old fashioned address.

Richard unwrapped the parcel and showed her the box, allowing her so slip the catch and open it up.

Miss Crawford caught her breath as the contents were revealed.

"Oh how exquisite, my goodness so absolutely enchanting, oh dear me, I have never seen such superb workmanship. They are Indian I believe."

The lift had reached the second floor and it appeared they were both had rooms there.

"My dear sir, would you permit an old lady to just try one of the bracelets, or more correctly I suppose an amulet or bangle?" she asked.

Richard smiled and allowed her to choose one. As she fastened it around her wrist she seemed to come more alive. She appeared to bloom before Richard's eyes.

"Oh my, Oh my goodness, dear me, It is an impossibility I know Mr, er Mr...?" she said looking at him.

"Fanshawe, Richard Fanshawe." He supplied.

"Well, Mr. Richard Fanshawe, I am absolutely indebted to you, the feel of the bracelet, impossible I know seems to send electrical energy, through my arms, through my boss. er - ah, my chest, down through my - ah my lower, actually my whole body seems to have come alive. Thank you Thank you so very very much. Oh my look at the time. I ought to have been in bed hours ago. Good night Mr. Fanshawe. Thank you for letting me try on the bracelet I shall never ever forget the experience. Dear me it is with me still" she said as she replaced the bracelet in the case. With a smile and a wave she disappeared down the open corridor.