July 17, 1994 – Penang – Journal

Rod called and said that he had wired the money to Thomas Cook in Bangkok. But that he had to rewire it to the Hong Kong bank in Penang. I went there. Nothing. I have serious doubts you ever sent it, but I’m not mad. By having money is my responsibility. And I’ve known Rob is a little sketchy sometimes and have since 1990 when since we first me in Paris.

Someone once said, “Never trust anyone further than the point at which they can fuck up. After that the blame is all on you.”

I did and I’m stranded on this island city. Finances aside not such a bad place to be stranded. Across the Malacca Straits is Medan. Hot and humid Indonesian City surrounded by a Sumatra swamp. Penang is Paradise in comparison.

The Cabbage Doll backpackers every place whoring soldiers and sailors of the Royal Navy. No prostitutes Hong Kong bar dream of there being young and are happy when I buy the beer. Tonight I’ll go down there and drink to my heart’s content.

Penang is a crossroad of cultures from around the world. Chinese temples, Malay mosques, the muzzeiens calling out the prayer five times a day from dusk to dawn. Tamil Rickshaw drivers offering ‘massage women and dadah, dopw’. Indian Muslims serve plates a black curry over white rice. Cats snuggle against the alley walls. Tuak drunks huddle under the shelter of an Indian Temple. From the cinema whit -skinned Chinese girls exit like vampire beauty into the night, the transvestites on Leith Street, star fruit juice at night. My money well past the point of no return. I sold my typewriter to get enough money to living money a flight. I only have myself to blame for destitution. Could have taken this safe route and just gone to Central America.

Too late for that option

I read a story about two men scamming an Indian woman to strip naked in front of their grandmother. Have a ruse of their telling their suckers saying they needed her breast measurements to get a free apartment.

Just shows the truth of PT Barnum’s adage, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” has lost nothing during the. Population explosion

In the article the reporter rights that the girl was normal but very naive. Quite an understanding. The second time they tried it where the money changer.

The team, a Chinese man and a Hindu. They had real balls to go up to someone’s daughter to be measured.

They got away with it twice and hope they do because the veniality and genius of the ploy. I’ve never heard of it before.

Dirty men.