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Su
'You speak as if we were in politics,' said Su
'Do you not think that we are? You and I both value the future. We are rivals, yes. But we certainly do not want the TVs destroyed. Both of us are intelligent women from the same village, and we do not want our village to fall behind.'
'That is true,' agreed Su
'There is something else,' said Mae. 'Something I did not know until today.'
'And what might that be?' Su
'There are telephone charges for using that thing.' Mae pointed into the courtyard.
From the courtyard, breathless commentary in a piping female voice continued: 'Again we see a new trend towards colour. Modern women have found time for joyful expression.'
'I know,' said Su
'Do you know how much?'
Su
'They are always on the lookout for special touches, something new which makes even the simplest dress different, expressing a new facet of their personality.'
'After a year, it could be as much as six hundred riels.' Mae paused, waited.
Su
'For example, this dress expresses the model's interest in Third World issues.'
Mae took the plunge. 'Mr Wing can ensure that you do not have to pay them. He can arrange things so that they go to his account and the government will pay them.'
Su
'In exchange he wants the warfare between us to stop.'
'There is no warfare.'
'Su
'No, there is none.'
Mae quoted Su
'I will remind you of a certain incident on your screen,' said Su
'Indeed. I have not forgotten. That is part of the war. It must stop, Su
'I will demand a full public apology,' said Su
'I will demand that we both apologize to each other in public. At the same time. That way everyone knows: The TV people are united.'
'And I will need individual assessment of what you say about charges.'
Mae nodded. 'I can bring the government man here. No, Su
More crumb-sweeping. There was hurt behind Su
'There is one more thing, Su
And this was something Mae was keeping from Kwan. She did not want to be beholden to Kwan.
Su
'You can perhaps talk to your husband.'
'I will see.'
'Just remember, Su
Su
Su
'Oh!' groaned Mae, in utter weariness. 'I am talking about an alliance that will benefit everyone. And you threaten me! Su
Su
'You said you would tell the Central Man, Su
She was silent.
'Su
All Su
Curiously enough, that was sufficient revenge.
'Talk to your husband, Su
It was all a bit of pretence. Mae was being clear, not for Su
Su
Su
Mae pondered this for a moment. 'I think you are probably right, Su
Su
To be jealous is futile; we are all human, we all live in pain, and Su
That does not give her the right to steal my shoes or stand on my toes.
'Su
Since you will not want to visit my hovel, or risk coming to Mrs Wing's.
'Is it really as much money as you say?' Su
'Yes, Su
They exchanged polite greetings and Mae left.
Outside in the street, Mae felt a wild joy swing out of her, like when she had been a schoolgirl and flung her bag of books into the air. She was free of the interest on that loan! They would pay back twenty-five riels a year, and use the money as capital! She could use it to buy cloth or Joe could invest in the farm. Joe would bring back more money; they would be comfortable and happy.
She thought again that she must put distance between herself and Mr Ken. Otherwise the fabric of her life would be torn. She would tell Kuei that she would always love him, but that it was impossible to continue. She would hold the memory of him always to her, like pressed flowers hidden in schoolbooks, like clever old Mrs Tung and her secret love. And she would teach the TV and she would pick the brains of the Central Man.