Dear Hillary,
How many of the people who write to you are genuine? Many of them are amusing, but rather unbelievable. Just how dumb can these people be expecting that a bar girl is going to repay any money “loaned” from the unsuspecting bar fly. For one they haven’t got any money to repay the loan and even when they do get some money it is spent on a party for the other ladies in the bar. The other amazing thing is the tourist who sends money back to a bar girl whom he had as a companion for two weeks, so he sends several thousand baht each month, so she doesn’t need to work in the bar any more until next Xmas when the sucker comes over to the arms of his girlfriend who has been patiently waiting just for him (and a couple of blokes from Germany and one from Sweden). If these are true, how do you keep a straight face?
Jello
Dear Jello,
I kept a straight face while reading yours my Petal. I don’t think you are trying to join the Save the Sucker campaign, I think you are recounting your own follies with the ladies of the night. What must never be forgotten, is that many of these girls (some are grandmothers) join the bar scene because they want to, they are not under pressure. What would you rather do? Bring in the rice under the hot sun, or bring in the IOU’s which will never be paid. And of course, better than a loan is the monthly “salary” where she doesn’t have to do anything other than write a short thank you email. (It was so much harder and expensive in the days of stamped envelopes.) This is where the Mamasan’s are so important. It is they who give sparkling references for their staff and help the newbie tourist “select” his companion for the duration of the holidays. To then promise to send a monthly salary. How much did you send, Khun Jello?
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