'Tony' a short story by Wau Chula

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The basket of plaited jasmine flowers rose and fell with the rhythm of the little boy's steps. Night fell around Bangkok, dampening the sounds. But those sounds crept unnoticed into the young jasmine seller's body, and his eyes searched confusedly for a little compassion perhaps coming his way.

When he was tired he sat down until he had strength to go on; further down the street, where laughing and crying go shoulder to shoulder incessantly. When he was tired of fussing with his basket, he settled for a small place to crouch and forget about fatigue and hunger.

War Bastards

Have you recovered from an evening full of lust and you come out of the nightclub then you meet these young creatures. If you had a little heart left in your body, you searched your pockets for a few coins to throw in his flower basket. It would be more than enough for him tonight.

This child orphan is the product of the Vietnam War; one of the gifts for Thailand as the nightclubs and hotels that blossom all over the map.

On almost every piece of land, from north to south, we now have a James from Takhli, a Mary from Udon, a Jim from Khorat or a Bob from Lopburi and so on. The product of horniness is crouched in that corner, surrounded by moisture and cold shortly before dawn. A faint glare from the advertisement that invites you to enter the place where your lust and passion are put in order, falls on his light brown hair and his large nose. Were the sound of his breathing not audible, you would not know whether this product of desire is asleep or dead.

Like Tony. Nationality: 100 percent Thai. When the chief of "population" asked about the father, Tony's mother had only muttered. “I call him Jim from day one I love him. Let me go now, Jim has to go to Vietnam tonight.' That was all it took to report the birth of one Tony. 

If Tony could ever remember anything it would be the sound of 'farang' language from a man. If Tony could translate that, it would be as follows. 'If I don't come back before Christmas, this money is yours. I love you very much and thank you for making me happy. Take very good care of Tony. I hope to God he will protect you and our child.'

From that day on, Tony never heard this man's mumbling again. Instead, all he heard was the trembling voice of an old woman whom he later called "Grandma." Grandmother, the person who, frail as she was, lovingly raised Tony. Grandmother used to call Tony 'little mouse'. This name also seemed to suit the child better because it gave him the feeling that his light brown hair color was darker and his nose flatter. Yes, Muisje wanted to look like grandmother because he loved grandma more than anyone else on earth.

Tony was a sturdy lad, talkative and thoughtful. His house was in the middle of a fruit orchard. A canal ran in front of the house. Tony liked to sit by the canal and watch the stream and the ferry. Right next to Tony's house was the home of Om and Eu, two playmates of the same age. Further down the orchard was the temple.

Grandmother took Tony to the temple in the morning. Grandma went for religious reasons, Tony to play with Mong, a dog who was running around there. Tony loved to romp and he played every afternoon in the temple garden with Om and Eu. The monks liked Tony because of his eloquence and because he had blue eyes that contrasted with those of Om and Eu. Sometimes a monk spoke a word of English with Tony.

Behind the temple was a pond. On the bank he liked to watch fish snap at dragonflies. Water lilies bloomed in the middle of the pond that Tony wanted. It sometimes happened that he went so far into the water that he disappeared under water, but luckily there were the monks who taught him Pali and took him out of the water.

Mother or grandmother?

Tony was raised by grandma alone. His mother had only brought him into the world. And further? She didn't glance at her son. Grandmother acts like the hen who is constantly busy with the child. Grandma was tireless to him. She never tired of taking care of her 'Little Mouse'. He became an indispensable element in her life, although she grew weaker and weaker.

But despite that, Tony loved his mother more and wanted to be near her. Because Tony had seen Om and Eu snuggle up against their mother. Tony wanted that too. But as soon as he saw his mother's look, he was shocked.

When they were tired of playing Om asked Tony 'Where is your father?' Tony just shook his head. His eyes filled with tears. Not infrequently he surprised grandma with that question: 'Where is my father?' But his mother interrupted him every time he asked, "There, that's where your father lives." Then she pointed her finger at the chompoo tree next to the house and spat at the window in contempt. Tony looked in the direction of her finger and stared at the tree for a long time. He only saw the birds on the branches and heard the wind through the leaves moving.

Then Grandmother pulled him close, took him in her arms and stroked his hair. Tears of pity flowed from her cloudy, aged eyes. Tony would crawl onto her lap and mumble all the time 'Mommy doesn't love me. Mama doesn't love me' and then he cried until he fell asleep. Tony knew Grandma loved him and he loved Grandma back.

Still, Tony caused extra work for Grandma. Because he liked to drink iced drinks. And that caused him to wet his bed all the time. Grandmother had therefore taught Tony to invoke Mother Earth before he went to sleep so that his bed would stay dry. He had to pray 'Mother Earth, please help me. Close it at night. And open again tomorrow!'

When Tony asked who that Mother Earth is, Grandma replied 'The ruler of the Earth to whom people owe a lot. The people live on water and on rice from the earth. She gives people food to live on. People need the earth to come into the world. They wage war with each other precisely around that earth, and when people die they rest in that earth.'

"Does Mother Earth look like my mother?" the little one wanted to know. "I know your mother as much as you do, and probably even less well," Grandma said to herself. But Tony wanted his mom to be like Mother Earth. He prayed silently, “Please, Mother Earth, help me. Close it at night. And open again tomorrow!' and then fell asleep. And the next morning grandma could carry his mattress outside again, in the sun….

When Tony had to go to school, Grandma went to talk to the abbot and requested that Tony be allowed to attend the free temple school. There he was loved to be cuddled by the young teachers because they thought he was cute. But his classmates made fun of him. A boy with a big mouth shouted loudly 'Hey, that farang child has a nice red head of hair!'

Grandma was increasingly worried that other people wouldn't understand her Mouse. He just looked different from normal boys. She was afraid that pensive Tony would become the buffoon of the class. Her fear was justified. 

On that day, the teacher asked that question. The question Tony couldn't answer for six years. "I don't know," Tony answered her. "But Mother once told me that my father lives in a tree." The class burst into laughter at that answer, and the students clapped their thighs in delight. The teacher giggled and turned her face away. She had to pinch herself to stay serious.

Tony turned bright red. His face then went from red to green. He clenched his tiny hands into fists and began to sweat. Finally he turned white, began to cry and ran home. With every step he saw the faces of his comrades dancing before him. Laughter still echoed in his ears. The pain went deep to his heart.

When grandmother found him, he was lying on his stomach under the chompoo tree next to the house. It was already dusk. Granny's wrinkled body bent over him. Grandmother lifted up her Mouse with trembling hands. Tony spoke very softly through his bloody teeth. He looked gray as rust.

“I wanted to go to father… see father… here in the tree. I'm in pain… right here…” Tony moved his right leg. Tears clung to his cheeks. Grandma pulled him tight as if to take over his pain in her shriveled body. Crying she muttered 'Your father is not in that tree. Your father is in America.'

Source: Kurzgeschichten aus Thailand. Translation and editing Erik Kuijpers. The story has been shortened.

Author Wau Chula. Little is known about him except that he graduated from Chulalongkorn University and was awarded the first prize by the university's writers' association in 1967 for his work Tony. 

In 1967, American troops came to Thailand to fight against communism. There was also fighting against communists in Thailand. US troops were stationed all over the country. The story 'Tony' is about those soldiers.