to go absolutely ape shit, but I
couldn’t leave. I was here now. I had to deal with this.
The sight I was greeted with next was almost too pathetic for
words. My Dad was propped up in a worn armchair with his feet tied together and
his arms tied behind his back. His shirt was wet with sweat and his forehead
was pouring, too. I only had to look at his eyes to know he was totally blacked
out.
“Jack!” he slurred.
I didn’t answer him. Instead I turned to Sammy. “Was all this
really necessary?”
She shrugged. Her eyes were sad but not apologetic. “He said he
paid Noi when he didn’t, and then he started screaming at her.”
I shook my head. Raising your voice in Thailand was considered
extremely disrespectful and set people on edge faster than just about anything.
My Dad had been out here long enough to know better.
“Then he got physical, and that’s when Jimmy snapped.”
I nodded.
“I’m sorry. I thought if you came it would be better for everyone.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad you called.” I knew these places didn’t
like to involve the cops unless it was absolutely necessary. If the city
started to get the impression they couldn’t handle their own customers, they
could get shut down. What I didn’t understand was why the fuck they kept
letting my Dad inside in the first place?
I sighed. “Well, he looks calmer now.” I tilted my head at him,
dying a little inside to see my Dad so fucked up by his own hand.
Sammy tried to smile.
“Can I just leave him here?” I asked. “Get him some water and
let him sleep it off?” I knew the answer, but I wanted to pretend for just a
second that I could walk away, that I had options and wasn’t completely stuck.
“No, Jack. He needs to go. He can’t be here. He upset Noi.”
I pursed my lips. “I came on my bike.”
“I can get a tuk-tuk for you.”
“Do you know anyone with a cab, Sammy? Or a car?” I asked. “I’m
afraid he’ll fall out of a tuk-tuk in this condition.”
Her lips formed a straight line. “Yes. I think I know someone.”
“Maybe someone who can be discreet?”
She touched my arm gently. “I’ll be right back.”
I turned and looked at my Dad.
“Well don’t just stand there,” he said. “Help me out of this.”
I didn’t move. His feet would have to be untied, but it might be
a good idea to leave his hands bound. It would make it easier to lead him out
and shove him in a cab. Plus, that was the only way I could be sure he’d keep
his hands to himself on the way out.
And it’s not like he would even fucking remember this tomorrow
anyway. He never did.
Every time he got like this, it was my night that got ruined,
not his. I was the one who was embarrassed, the one who was so desperate the
next morning for things to change. But he’d always wake up in the afternoon,
ready for a good time and unable to think of any reason he shouldn’t treat
himself to a cold beer.
“Why should I, Dad?” I asked, looking for a place to sit and
deciding against it. “I’m starting to think we’d both be better off if you were
tied up all the time.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said. “Untie me now.”
“No.”
“Untie me damnit!” he yelled, his face turning as red as the
walls.
“Dad, if you don’t calm down, I’m going to leave you here. I
swear to god I’ll walk out and let the cops take you away.”
“Come on, Jacky,” he said softly. “You wouldn’t do that to your
old man.”
I shifted my weight and stared at him.
“Please untie me.” His addict’s eyes were vacant and full of
lies. “I’ll buy you a drink?”
Chapter
2: Audrey
I collapsed on the bed and let out a long sigh.
There was no contest. Jack was hands down the best male company
I’d enjoyed in a long time and that was by far the best date I’d ever been on.
Shame about
the way it ended though.
I knew it was
too late to change the way we parted ways, but I wish I’d been thinking more
clearly
couldn’t leave. I was here now. I had to deal with this.
The sight I was greeted with next was almost too pathetic for
words. My Dad was propped up in a worn armchair with his feet tied together and
his arms tied behind his back. His shirt was wet with sweat and his forehead
was pouring, too. I only had to look at his eyes to know he was totally blacked
out.
“Jack!” he slurred.
I didn’t answer him. Instead I turned to Sammy. “Was all this
really necessary?”
She shrugged. Her eyes were sad but not apologetic. “He said he
paid Noi when he didn’t, and then he started screaming at her.”
I shook my head. Raising your voice in Thailand was considered
extremely disrespectful and set people on edge faster than just about anything.
My Dad had been out here long enough to know better.
“Then he got physical, and that’s when Jimmy snapped.”
I nodded.
“I’m sorry. I thought if you came it would be better for everyone.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad you called.” I knew these places didn’t
like to involve the cops unless it was absolutely necessary. If the city
started to get the impression they couldn’t handle their own customers, they
could get shut down. What I didn’t understand was why the fuck they kept
letting my Dad inside in the first place?
I sighed. “Well, he looks calmer now.” I tilted my head at him,
dying a little inside to see my Dad so fucked up by his own hand.
Sammy tried to smile.
“Can I just leave him here?” I asked. “Get him some water and
let him sleep it off?” I knew the answer, but I wanted to pretend for just a
second that I could walk away, that I had options and wasn’t completely stuck.
“No, Jack. He needs to go. He can’t be here. He upset Noi.”
I pursed my lips. “I came on my bike.”
“I can get a tuk-tuk for you.”
“Do you know anyone with a cab, Sammy? Or a car?” I asked. “I’m
afraid he’ll fall out of a tuk-tuk in this condition.”
Her lips formed a straight line. “Yes. I think I know someone.”
“Maybe someone who can be discreet?”
She touched my arm gently. “I’ll be right back.”
I turned and looked at my Dad.
“Well don’t just stand there,” he said. “Help me out of this.”
I didn’t move. His feet would have to be untied, but it might be
a good idea to leave his hands bound. It would make it easier to lead him out
and shove him in a cab. Plus, that was the only way I could be sure he’d keep
his hands to himself on the way out.
And it’s not like he would even fucking remember this tomorrow
anyway. He never did.
Every time he got like this, it was my night that got ruined,
not his. I was the one who was embarrassed, the one who was so desperate the
next morning for things to change. But he’d always wake up in the afternoon,
ready for a good time and unable to think of any reason he shouldn’t treat
himself to a cold beer.
“Why should I, Dad?” I asked, looking for a place to sit and
deciding against it. “I’m starting to think we’d both be better off if you were
tied up all the time.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said. “Untie me now.”
“No.”
“Untie me damnit!” he yelled, his face turning as red as the
walls.
“Dad, if you don’t calm down, I’m going to leave you here. I
swear to god I’ll walk out and let the cops take you away.”
“Come on, Jacky,” he said softly. “You wouldn’t do that to your
old man.”
I shifted my weight and stared at him.
“Please untie me.” His addict’s eyes were vacant and full of
lies. “I’ll buy you a drink?”
Chapter
2: Audrey
I collapsed on the bed and let out a long sigh.
There was no contest. Jack was hands down the best male company
I’d enjoyed in a long time and that was by far the best date I’d ever been on.
Shame about
the way it ended though.
I knew it was
too late to change the way we parted ways, but I wish I’d been thinking more
clearly
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