The sky grew dark over Pattaya Bay. The monsoon wind swirled up Soi 6 like a snake. Its force knocked over chairs and tables. Farangs ran for cover. Most of the girls retreated into the bars. The strong odor of ozone promised that the rain would fall soon and fall hard. One bar girl stood her ground in the face of the storm. Ping was no scared of the wind. She was not frightened by the rain. The lithe 20 year-old was eying the older farang on the motorcycle across the street. He and the little dog in the basket of his bwerikee regulars on Soi 6. He spoke Thai and never went with any of the girls.

Today would be nice if he changed his mind.

Ping needed 6000 baht by sunset or else her boyfriend or ‘fen’ would be beaten by the taxi mafia who had lent him the money to fix her motorcycle. Nai had tried to pay off a debt by playing cards. Hi-lo was his game. He was not any good at it and the 2000 baht tripled without any repairs to Ping’s motorcycle.

Ping was angry at Nai, but she wasn’t angry enough to let him take a beating. The karaoke singer had a pretty face and she loved him. There was no one else in her life. She smiled across the street at the farang with the dog. He didn’t noticed her at all.

She had 4500 in her pocketbook. Two more short-times would add 1500 to her stash. Her hitting that goal looked slim as the first drops of rain struck the street. She said a quick prayer to Mazu the sea goddess protecting her village to the south. The deity answered her within seconds. Two farang men appeared from another bar. they studied the sky, then scanned the street. Their eyes fell on Ping. She was wearing a see-through shirt, a mini-skirt, and towering stiletto heels. The two men glanced at each other and crossed the street. The farang on the bike turned his head and looked at her for the first time. His eyes were blue. The other two men walked between them. He drove away two seconds later.

“Hey, sexy man.” The standard greeting was expected by visitors to the short-time street. Ping spread her legs and arched her back. Her long hair whipped in the wind and a stiff gust lifted her skirt. The two men gaped between her thighs. They belonged to Ping. Body and soul. She wasn’t wearing any underwear. The last customer had bought them for 500 baht.

“You come inside. Buy drink. Have good time. Good time for me. Good time for you.” Ping looked up at the sky. The clouds were a roiling black. The first drops were dotted the street. “You not get wet from rain. Only from me.”

Ping pushed the door open with her hip. The two men scurried inside the bar. The narrow room was dark. The other bargirls were sharing a bottle of Pipers 100 with the owner, Frank. Only her young cousin Oom had a customer. The 18 year-old was the flavor of the month and Ping sensed her two ‘kaks’ studying the newcomer with interest. Another few seconds and they would be in love. Ping was having none of that. She was #1 girl at the Chic Bar.

“What you drink?” She switched on her seductive power and pulled the two men to the bar. “I want tequila. Drink tequila. Can do everything.”

“Everything?” The younger man leaned closer to the bar. His hand snaked down her back. “With two men?”

“Everything with one man. Two man. All same. Only more money.” Ping touched his face with a feathery palm and turned her head to gaze into the other farang’s eyes. They were not old. Maybe 30. Young men were stronger than old men, but they were still only men and the Chic Bar had a time limit for short-time. One hour. Nothing more. Not unless the kak paid for more. “You pay bar fine. Only one. We go room. Pay two men for one lady. I make you finish good.”

The two men agreed to her proposition. 1500 baht was hers. The mama-san smiled at her star. Ping gloated over the other girls and winked at her cousin Oom. Her customer followed Ping’s path to the stairs. She winked at him to say ‘wait’. Oom pouted like a schoolgirl whose milk was stolen by a bully. Ping thought ‘som num nah’, “Serve you right. I best girl here.”

Upstairs Ping led the two men through the short-time ritual with tender professionalism; undress and shower, although their hands never touched her body, as she soaped them down and their ‘ham’ never got erect. Fear struck her soul. Maybe she was losing her touch and she vowed to really do everything back in the room. She really needed 1500 baht.

“What you mean everything?” Ping lay on the bed. The sheet smelled of sex. The chic Bar only changed the sheets once a day. The mama-san thought the smell of sex was good for the farangs, but not these two. “What wrong? You no like me?”

“We like you fine.” The smaller one sat on the bed and reached out to the other. “But we don’t really like ladies.”

“Not like ladies? You want lady-boy?” The 1500 was burning in a fire.

“No, we want you to watch us have sex.” The taller man pulled his friend’s head back by the hair.

“And we want you to touch yourself too.” The friend licked the other man’s thigh.

“And you call our names. I’m Steve and he’s Barry.” Steve pushed Barry onto the bed and pointed to the chair. “That is our everything.”

“And you pay me same you boomsi me?” Ping was used to strange requests.

“Yes.” Barry moaned from beneath Steve.

“Then I do everything to tell me.” Ping hopped off the bed and sat on the chair. she was so happy that she would do a good show. Maybe they would give her a tip. 500 baht. Maybe 1000. She was only 500 baht short from saving Nai. He was such a lucky boy.