‘Time’s passing so quickly,’ I said quietly. ‘I wish I were Hanuman.’
‘So you could stop the sun?’
‘But it’s just impossible. I don’t suppose you’d object,’ I continued earnestly, ‘if I were to ask Chao Khun to extend your stay for a bit?’
‘I follow the orbit of the sun. It’s not for me to choose, it’s up to the sun,’ she replied in jest. ‘But don’t forget your university term begins soon.’
‘I haven’t forgotten. But I can always come to you for my education outside university hours.’
After that, Mom Ratchawong Kirati asked me about my studies. When she spoke about real matters, her manner appeared serious, and I was like a small child rather than her friend. We walked on for a while and came to a crowded area where people were selling things and an endless stream of traffic flowed back and forth. It was not conducive to a quiet, relaxing walk, so we decided to turn back. In no time, we had returned to the beauty and tranquillity of nature.
4
The sun was going down as we made our way back. Small children were playing in the gardens of their homes. We passed one house set in magnificent grounds. Two attractive young girls were laughing as they led a toddler from the house, and were half walking, half running down the narrow path which led to the main road we were walking along. The two girls reached the edge of the road just as we were going by.
‘What lovely happy faces they had, the pair of them,’ Mom Ratchawong Kirati said, as soon as they had passed. ‘What do you think of Japanese girls, Nopporn?’
‘I have to confess that I find their demeanour most attractive.’
‘More so than Thai girls’?’
‘Generally speaking, I think so.’
‘You don’t think they’re a bit too submissive for a man’s taste, then?’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘In that case you’re not like other men. I understood that most men like bold women, or at least those with a touch of boldness. They want some kind of wild streak, or something distinctive in a woman’s manner to prevent life from becoming boring.’
‘You may be right. But I think there are many ways of making life interesting. I may be in a minority in seeing gentleness in a woman as one of life’s pleasures.’
‘You’ve been away from Thai girls for a long time. Japanese girls have really got to you.’ Mom Ratchawong Kirati laughed. ‘To tell you the truth, I think you’re right and I admire your opinion, even though I haven’t the least expertise in such matters.’
When she had finished, I thanked her.
‘I can’t help thinking about the happy expressions on the faces of those two girls a moment ago,’ she continued, almost wistfully. ‘They were like well-nourished plants, bursting forth into bud, ripe with life and the freshness of youth. Such radiance makes me shudder a little when I think of myself.’
‘I don’t understand,’ I said, genuinely curious, ‘why the youth and freshness of those two girls should make you shudder. You yourself have those qualities in abundance. Perhaps the radiance you possess is worth even more than that of those two girls.’
‘Where did you learn to speak like that?’
‘My feelings inspired me,’ I replied at once. ‘Nor do I believe I’m the only one who is convinced of this.’
‘But you don’t know the reason for my anxiety. My freshness – if it actually exists, as you seem to think it does – can’t be compared with that of those two girls. They are, as I said, like buds opening into flower. Theirs is the freshness of dawn; mine, if it still exists, belongs to the early evening, and will soon disappear. Now, surely, you can see why I have reason to say I shudder.’
‘No, I still don’t see,’ I replied with interest. ‘I don’t even agree with your comparison, when you say that your freshness is like that of the setting sun. To me, yours is still that of the morning, and even if you won’t call it of the dawn, it still has a long time to shine.’
‘Ah, you really have such faith in me.’ Even though Mom Ratchawong Kirati would not accept what I had said, her delight at my words was apparent in her voice. ‘And that’s why youdon’t realize your eyes are deceiving you. Don’t you realize I’m too old to call myself a young woman?’
‘I think everyone would regard a woman under thirty as being young, especially in your case.’
She stared at me with a triumphant look in her eyes. ‘You probably don’t know I’m thirty-five.’
I was stunned by her words and stared at her quite inconsiderately. Then I laughed. ‘You’re pulling my leg. I know you’re teasing me.’
‘What do you mean? Tell me, how old do you think I am, then? Come on, quickly, tell me how old you’d guess I am.’
‘I’d say there’s no way you could be more than twenty-eight. In fact, you’re probably only about twenty-six or twenty-seven.’
