Experiencing Local Culture Ch. 01

"He might not be available when needed," the spa owner stated.

"Yes, I know. Or she may never call again," Dr. Pat replied.

"What did you tell him?" Sonchai's wife demanded.

She had sent an attendant to find him and now he stood before the two women looking uncomfortable. It was one thing to talk to his wife but quite another to explain things to her friend. It took him some time to describe it all, but in the end, the two women were pleased that he had conveyed the sequence he followed and where he had made his moves.

Since meeting Lucy and the other girls at the hotel bar, Audrey had been constantly pestered to do it again. Collectively and individually they told her she should have gone to the club with them as they had danced all night, and one girl had actually met a nice boy. While the girls were sincere about her joining them at the club, they were more than pleased for the opportunity to meet for drinks, as it allowed them to visit a nice place without being subjected to the high prices. Audrey suspected it was part of the reason for her presence, but she didn't mind. She was happy to be around their energy and it got her out and about. So, she agreed to the same scenario for the upcoming Saturday and suggested to the girls they pick the spot.

"Some bad news," Ploy said after exchanging pleasantries with Dr. Pat.

"What?" she asked.

"Udom is not a good man. I did some checking and he has been in jail," she explained.

"Oh no! What did he do?" Dr. Pat asked.

"Theft from a hotel room," she replied.

"Oh...how long ago?" she asked.

"I think seven years," her friend answered.

"That's a long time. Maybe he has changed," Dr. Pat suggested, leaving her friend with the feeling that she wanted to rationalize the information away.

"Yes, or maybe not..." Ploy offered.

"I think it's okay. Nothing more, right?" she asked.

"No, nothing more that I have found," the spa owner responded.

"Then, I think it must be okay," she said.

Audrey met the girls at a rooftop restaurant and bar that provided a fantastic view of the city. They elected to sit outside and were serenaded to the sounds of jazz wafting from inside. When the server arrived, the young lawyer was delighted to see that Lucy selected the same cocktail as she, and was surprised when one of the other girls did, too. She laughed to herself thinking her lasting impact on the country might be her corruption of the local single girls. It wouldn't be her compliance work, as, despite her hard efforts, she was getting little engagement.

Just as the drinks arrived, a group of four drunken Australians took the table next to theirs and almost immediately tried to start a conversation. They were relatively good looking and in less inebriated circumstances, it might have been fun to engage in some give and take. However, they were just too far gone to waste the energy. Evidently, thinking Audrey was the only one in the group that spoke English, they directed most of their attempts towards her, which brought giggles from the others.

"I think you have admirers," Lucy whispered.

"Yes, the story of my life. I only attract the hammered ones," she laughed.

"You've been here a long time, have you found a...boyfriend?" the Thai girl asked.

It was by far the most forward any of the group had been and it caught her off guard. Lucy, realizing she had been too bold, looked away in embarrassment.

Not wanting to have her feeling bad, Audrey patted her shoulder and with a wink, replied, "No."

The brief exchange made the American woman wonder about the sex lives of young Thai girls. They were so bubbly and fresh that she assumed they were not active. However, as she contemplated her view, she realized she could be completely wrong, and it made her consider if any of them would hook-up that night. Just for a moment, she considered tagging along, but she knew it wasn't her scene.

The Australian quartet was so boisterous that they were asked to leave, which they did without causing a scene. This left the girls alone to chat and enjoy each other's company before it came time for them to depart. It was earlier than before as they wanted to swing by a hot pub first, but despite their pleadings, Audrey headed back to her hotel. It was nine-thirty when she entered the cab, and because of the early time, she debated whether to get another drink at the hotel bar or call Sonchai. She hadn't quite reached the interval she had set with herself since his last visit, but since she was already feeling the liquor from her three drinks, she elected to make the call.

"Uh...I'm trying to reach Sonchai," she said when a female voice answered on the eighth ring.

The middle-aged masseur had been counseled repeatedly by his wife to hand the phone over if he received a call from the American woman. He had been at the opposite end of the house when the call came and had to race to give it to her.

"Sonchai busy tonight, but other masseur available," the woman replied.

"Oh, I see...uhhh...never mind," she said and hung up.

Now, feeling sorry for herself due to her bad luck, she resigned herself to a quick bath and maybe some TV. However, as the cab moved through the busy street, the idea became so unappealing that it felt like punishment.

"Yes, may I help you?" Sonchai's wife asked in her best soothing voice when Audrey called back minutes later.

"Hi, yes...do you have another massage therapist available to come to my hotel?" she asked.

"Male only right now," she replied.

"Okay, that's fine," she answered and gave the Thai woman her room number.

The spa owner immediately called Udom hoping he would answer and be available. Amazingly, he answered on the second ring and confirmed that he was free. Ploy got his commitment to arrive at the hotel within thirty minutes and then reiterated their understanding he was to accept only the money Audrey gave him and get the rest from the spa before ending the call.

"She called. Udom's on the way," she told Dr. Pat seconds later.

"Ahhh...it's so exciting," she replied, and then added, "Call me as soon as you hear from him."

By the time Audrey reached the hotel, she had talked herself out of the massage, so she called Sonchai's number to cancel. However, no one answered and when it quit ringing the Thai instructions that followed left her unsure about what to do. Ploy had seen the incoming call but decided not to answer, correctly guessing it would be a cancelation request. She thought about phoning Udom to inform him but decided to just let things play out.

Sonchai had always been so prompt that when thirty minutes had passed, she assumed her cancellation request had been received. After scanning through the TV channels for the umpteenth time, she decided to take a bath before going to bed and turned the TV to a traditional Thai music station. Down to her panties, she was just about to enter the bathroom when she heard a distinct knock on her door and looking through the peephole, she saw a local man she knew was her masseur.

"I'm sorry, I canceled the massage," she said, opening the door enough to speak while keeping the security device in place.

Her words caught Udom off guard, but he was clever enough not to give up.

"Oh, too bad. But I've come all this way and I'm here, so why not," he replied using his best smile.

"Uh, I don't know," she said, pondering his words.

The man standing before her was so different than Sonchai. Younger and much more fit, he had a relaxed and confident posture that was a complete opposite of the diminutive man that had twice rocked her world.

"I am quite good," he added as he saw the wheels spinning in her head.

"Just a minute," she finally replied after another pause.

Quickly, she found her robe and went back to the door. Opening it, the young Thai man walked in confidently while eyeing her up and down as he passed. He had been intrigued by Sonchai's descriptions of her arousal and hoped before the night was over to have her begging as she took his cock.

Udom was wearing a sports coat over a quality t-shirt with dress slacks. He looked more like a young man out on the town than a masseur, having purposefully selected the attire as a counter to Sonchai. Following the directions the older man had provided, he set up the bed in the same way and then disappeared into the bathroom to give Audrey time to get ready. After several minutes, he returned and found her face down with a towel covering her body. The twitching of her foot informed him she was nervous, so he knew he needed to be cautious to start.

In his time working the airport hotels, Udom had experienced many foreign women. Most were middle-aged or older and in poor shape, although sometimes he would get lucky with an attractive, younger girl. He had learned that the younger ones were the most difficult to fuck. Even though they had consciously decided to step across the line by calling him, they were usually still reluctant when the moment of truth arrived. So, despite Sonchai's description, he wondered as he turned down the fabric from Audrey's back just how far the pretty American girl would go.

For the next twenty minutes, the massage proceeded without incident. Purposefully playing things slowly, while following the process Sonchai had described, he was pleased to see her body relax. Hopefully, he could establish the trust that would allow her erotic needs to emerge. He wanted to see her get excited, for the challenge and because she was a very attractive woman, however, he was being paid well for his time, so it didn't really matter.

Although the massage felt good, Audrey struggled to give herself completely over to the man's hands. Sonchai's touch had always been non-threatening even when sensual, but with Udom something was different. Even with the liquor she had consumed, her instincts were telling her to be careful, and there was something suspicious about the man. Those same thoughts had earlier told her to keep her panties on and now she cringed as the masseur's fingers traced the top of the thin garment.

"Are you okay?" Udom asked, feeling her body stiffen.

"Yes, it's just been a long day," she answered, and forced herself to relax.

"Don't worry...I make you feel good," he whispered.

Udom pushed his fingers beneath the edge of her panties and worked the top of her ass. Once more, she forced herself to remain still, but when he tried to push the material over her rear, she reached back and stopped him.

"No...no, please leave them on," she said.

At that moment, Udom knew that either she wasn't comfortable with him or Sonchai had been lying. Deciding to give her more time, he proceeded with the massage making no further sensual moves. When it was time for her to turn, he wondered how she would react and was pleased when she didn't try to cover her breasts. With the towel draped across her hips, he kneaded on her shoulders but his eyes were drawn to her creamy, firm mounds, perfectly proportioned with little pink nipples. He hoped he would get to feel them and slowly worked lower. He took his time, and when he received no warnings, he let his hands slide down her ribs and then up and over her breasts. Slathering her with oil, he worked them as the minutes ticked by, while occasionally rolling her nipples gently. He marveled at their firmness and decided they were some of the best breasts he had ever touched.

Audrey knew it was coming so she was prepared and made no outward response. She had thought about telling him to skip that part but decided the path of least resistance was to just get it over. He had built no trust with her, and even though she wasn't sure it was all his fault, any playfulness she may have harbored had been extinguished.

Udom knew from long experience she wasn't progressing, so he went for broke. Slyly, he undid his loose-fitting pants while maintaining a hand on her body and let them drop to the floor. Then, breaking their connection for a few seconds, he slipped his shirt over his head leaving him standing in just his thong. The young lawyer's eyes were closed as she drifted, and minutes ticked by as he massaged her body before she learned of the man's state. He was standing to her side, with his finger tracing the inside of her thigh coming close to her covered crotch when she finally looked up. This time, she couldn't hide her reaction and her body gave a start as she saw the man's bulge.

"Relax..." Udom whispered.

Audrey remained silent, but seconds later when the back of the man's hand contacted her vagina, she used hers to push it away and then pulled the towel further down. The message she delivered was clear and Udom decided nothing more was to be done, so he quickly finished. She was thankful that he disappeared into the bathroom to dress which gave her space to put on her robe, and when he returned, she handed him the money and directed him out of the room.

Typically, after a massage from Sonchai, she was shattered and barely had the strength to rinse off before collapsing onto the bed. However, this time she felt anxious and made for the minibar where she fashioned a gin and tonic. She opened the curtains and fell into a leather chair while staring across the teeming city, trying to understand what had just occurred. Letting several thoughts trade across her mind, soon, she decided that she must have established a reputation at the spa. His aggressive approach and his disrobing could only mean they were trying to give her what they thought she wanted. The realization made her feel deeply ashamed and knowing that Dr. Pat was close with the owner, she wondered if her activities had been shared. It was distressing and she knew that she could never call on their services again.

"So disappointing. I was hoping for more," Dr. Pat said to her friend the next day over tea.

"I think you watch too much TV," Ploy said, giggling openly.

The whole situation had made the woman nervous and she was happy that nothing crazy had occurred. Now, her friend would calm down and things could return to normal.

"Oh, don't pretend you weren't interested," Dr. Pat replied, and then added, "My husband will be disappointed, too."

She had noticed that he had seemed to get more interested in the plotting, and when she informed him that Udom was on his way to meet Audrey it looked to her that the wheels were spinning in his head. It made her think he had something in mind, although it had probably died along with the Thai gigolo's failure.

"No more of this nonsense. It's not good anyway," the spa owner blurted out, letting her feelings be known.

"Hah! What about your husband? What about Sonchai? She prefers him! Will you let him go to her?" Dr. Pat laughed, which brought an irritated look from her friend.

Audrey stayed true to the commitment she made and didn't call the spa again, nor did she use the hotel services. She was too flustered by what had occurred and for the next week, she lived in fear she would get a visit from the CEO's wife. Plus, she was mortified about the information getting back to the states. If it did, she knew that resigning would be her only real option as she could not face her co-workers.

A month later, it was time for her to leave and the day before her flight, there was a farewell party held in the conference room with Dr. Pat in attendance. She had bumped into the woman several times since the fateful night and even once turned down an invitation for lunch, but she still felt awkward every time they were together.

"Audrey, we'll miss you," the older woman said while patting her on the arm.

"Yes, we miss you," Lucy declared with several of the other girls joining in.

"You've made quite the impression!" Dr. Pat laughed and gave the young lawyer an odd stare before looking towards the girls.

It made her wonder if there was a hidden message in the statement and she was silent for a moment before saying, "Thanks, it was fun."

"When you back?" one girl asked.

"Three months. Then, I'll be here for a month," she explained.

"Oh, not too long. We'll be ready for you," Dr. Pat said.

Audrey's return home was greatly needed. She had been away from friends and family too long and during the latter stages of her time in Bangkok, her hotel room had felt very small. She was given a week off by her boss to get her feet under her and took another week of vacation time. Fortunately, the company had done an outstanding job keeping up with her bills and mail, so after a check-up with her doctor and trip to the dentist, she was free. Friends inundated her with calls and invitations, keeping her social calendar busy, and a month after returning, she even met an interesting guy. A relationship blossomed but suddenly fizzled when she discovered he was occasionally seeing a woman with whom he had a child. It was very disappointing for her as she wanted the stability and to top it off, he had been a very good lover.

"Might as well go back to Thailand," she commiserated with her best friend over a cocktail.

"There are other guys, and damn girl, you're so beautiful," the young woman responded.

"I don't know..." Audrey started, and then said, "I need the time to get my head clear. It will be good and it's only a month."

"I wish I could visit," her friend whined.

"Why don't you?" the young lawyer asked.

"I'm broke," she answered which made them both laugh.

Audrey landed on a Sunday and when she arrived at the office the following morning, she was met with smiles by everyone she encountered. Especially elated were the young girls who immediately asked her to go out with them the following weekend.

Since her departure, the permanent team, including the man that would take over as CEO had arrived, which made her feel more stable. Later that morning, she met with the leadership team, and after finalizing her program, she moved to her office to work on the details.

"Audrey, I heard you had come back to us," Dr. Pat said from the doorway with her husband at her side.

"Yes, so good to have you back," Sakda added with a big smile.

"How long will you stay?" the Thai woman asked.

"About a month, I think," she replied.

"Good! We will have time to get together," she responded.

Later, several expats asked if she was up for a drink, but she begged off due to the jet lag. The rest of the week flew by and she had mostly acclimated when Friday arrived. For the past few days, her younger colleagues had been begging her to go out with them and she had just finished another conversation with them when one of her older expat colleagues walked up.

"You want in on this?" Audrey asked, already knowing the answer.

"Are you kidding? No freaking way! That's your job as a single person," he laughed.

"I can only last for a while and then I leave," she told him.

"Good plan," he responded and wandered off.

Audrey went to the hotel for a nap and to clean up before meeting at nine. Like before, they had agreed to gather at a trendy bar for a drink before the local girls headed for the clubs. They were a lively bunch, five in all, and one girl joined Audrey in a cocktail while the others sipped sodas. The young lawyer was feeling energized, despite her recent arrival, and over the course of an hour, downed two drinks.

"What happened to Lucy?" Audrey asked the crew.

She had noticed her absence when she arrived, but none of the expats knew the reason and the locals all deftly deflected her questions.

"She left for new job," a girl named Sopa said who seemed to have taken Lucy's place as the ringleader.

"Oh, I miss her," the young lawyer said and the quick glances between the others made her think there was a story.

She made a mental note to investigate further but not wanting to cause distress on their night out, she dropped the subject.