The next day, I went to the community hall hoping to meet her again. She was not there and I sat on the piano. I looked at the keys and played Mary Had A Little Lamb with one finger.
“Waiting for me?” asked Boon as she stood behind me.
I was startled a little but soon forgot my fright when I saw her beautiful face. I kept forgetting that she was not a teenager although she looked like one. It must be the Asian gene or something. Or, maybe it was because she was short.
We talked for a while and then she said, “Move over.”
I moved to the right of the piano stool. She sat down and asked, “What shall I play?”
“That song you played yesterday.”
“Flying Free?” she asked and she put her fingers on the ivory keys and played the beautiful song.
This time, she sang along softly. I only caught a few of the lines.
“There is a place I call my own where I can stand by the sea… I wish that all my life I’d be without a care and flying free…”
When she finished, I told her, “The words are beautiful, Boon.”
“Call me Sri,” she told me, “My full name is Boonsri. Only the people I like call me Sri. Everybody else calls me Boon. Call me Sri.”
“Sri,” I repeated.
“It means shining,” she said.
Then I heard the sound of my aunt and uncle entering the hall.
“Hello!” my aunt said loudly.
Boon got up and left without saying a word.
We watched as she left and I said, “There goes your pianist.”
Instead of replying me, my aunt chided me, “Have you forgotten that you are engaged to be married soon?”
I had not forgotten but after being with Boon, I wish I had not gotten engaged. Before my aunt could scold me more, the other choir members strolled in and choir rehearsals began.
That night, after dinner, I ran to the community hall. Boon was there playing the piano.
She must have heard me come in because she said, “My mother-in-law would not let me move the piano down from the attic. I asked her again this afternoon,” she said without greeting me.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s okay. This is my karma.”
I felt like telling her, “Let’s change our karma and run away together!” but I didn’t.
Instead, I just kissed her. And she kissed me back. We kissed in the brightly lit hall and did not care if anyone saw us. My arms embarrassed her and she caressed me with her hands lovingly.
They say everybody gets a second chance at love. Was this my second chance?
Boon led me out the backdoor and I followed her up a road to her house. I hesitated when she opened the front door.
“Don’t worry. I put sleeping powder into her drink!” she told me and took my hand and led me to her room.
That night, we made love.
When we finished, we lay in each other’s arms. Her head was under my chin. I wanted to tell her that I was going back to the city in the morning but I decided not to. What could I do? Could I really run away with her? Where would we go?
In a few minutes, she was asleep. I got up and put my clothes on. I kissed her cheek and left.
I could not sleep the rest of the night. I tossed and turned. Is this my chance to change my karma, I wondered.
In the morning, I packed my bag and went to sit at the breakfast table. My aunt, uncle and I sat and had our breakfast in silence. My usually chatty aunt ate in silence. Did she know what I did last night?
After breakfast, I bade my aunt and uncle goodbye. They smiled and waved as I drove off. I drove past the community hall and looked in. There was no one there. My heart sank a little. I was hoping Boon would be at the piano but she wasn’t.
I drove past the grocery shop where we met. I drove to the end of the main street and out of One-Stop Town. I looked in the mirror and watched the town as it moved further and further away.
Then I saw her. I saw Sri in the mirror. I jammed the brakes and stopped the car by the side of the road and looked back. But she was not there any more. She was gone.
Pepper's World. Notes to myself. 