The Merit Birds by Kelley Powell Page B

be able to find a girlfriend.”
    â€œDon’t be so sure of that,” he said, and gave my arm a playful shove.
    My body felt a lot better by the next night, but lying in bed doing nothing was making me replay the scene with Nok and the drunk guy over again. Would she still want me to go to the Lao New Year party with her? I remembered the night she’d clutched my hand underneath the table of the riverside café. If only we could hit rewind and start again from there.
    I needed some air. Somchai held on to me as I tried to get used to the crutches.
    â€œLet’s go for a walk,” I said.
    Somchai laughed. “Not yet, brother. Take it easy.”
    The next day I tried the crutches again.
    â€œCome on, let’s go,” I said. “I’m going mental just lying here.”
    Somchai laughed. “Sitting still gives you falangs a nervous tic, doesn’t it?”
    â€œI can’t stop thinking about her.” I was beginning to hate the word falang .
    â€œOkay, come on then,” Somchai said, giving in.
    We hobbled out to the main road. I could barely open my eyes in the bright sun. My body was stiff and ached everywhere, but it felt good to be outside. We walked some more and I paused to catch my breath. Three sweaty, shirtless guys walked past with Canadian flags sewn onto their backpacks. The flags caught my eye. I made eye contact with one of them.
    â€œWhere are you from?” I asked, leaning forward on the crutches and pointing my chin towards the flag.
    â€œEdmonton. You?”
    â€œOttawa.”
    â€œBeen in Vang Vieng long?”
    â€œA couple days. This is my friend, Somchai. We live in Vientiane.”
    â€œYou live there? That’s cool, man. I’m Jake. We’re going to get something to eat. Want to come?”
    Somchai looked at me with a grin. I knew he’d think it would be a great chance to practise his English.
    â€œDo you want to eat here or there?” Jake pointed at two nearby restaurants. Nudee Restaurant sat right beside Give Pizza a Chance. I noticed a sign out front with the painted words: NEED TO GET DRUNK? GET DRUNK LAO STYLE! Something about it made me feel depressed, although the beer went down really nicely. The inside of the restaurant was dim and shadowy compared to the garish sun outside. Before I knew it a parade of empty bottles stood in front of me and I was bragging about my fight with the Thai basketball guard. Somchai sat silent beside me, obviously not understanding the slang and the quick pace of the conversation. I didn’t bother slowing things down or explaining to him. I don’t know if it was the beer, or because I was so hungry for easy, English conversation with someone who understood my culture. Whatever it was, I needed this. Besides, now he knew how I felt in Vientiane.
    â€œYou smoke? I’ve got some good stuff I bought from an old lady on the way here,” Jake said.
    Normally I wasn’t into weed. It turned the next day’s basketball game into crap. But I was still suspended and couldn’t play ball for weeks. And I really wanted to get away from everything — just for tonight. Besides, the throbbing in my ankle and ribs was making me crazy.
    â€œYeah. Pass it over,” I slurred.
    Somchai looked at me blankly. Then he leaned over and whispered, “Do you think that’s a good idea, brother? I mean after the concussion and all.”
    I shrugged and took a swig of beer.
    â€œIs that your mother?” one of the guys asked, gesturing toward Somchai.
    I didn’t say anything. The other guys laughed. Somchai sat there for a while, his massive smile fading like the setting sun, and watched us pass the joint around the thick, wooden table.
    â€œI take it you don’t want any?” Jake said when it came time to pass it to Somchai.
    Somchai turned to me. “Cam, I’m tired. I’m going back to the guesthouse.”
    â€œSuit