Thank you very much for the interest in my book and for the number of letters I had received from you.
Also, please be advised that the full version of my book "The Kingdom of" will be exclusively posted on the site of Cambodia Business Network at: http://www.cambodiabusinessnetwork.com/ Blog of Gregory Shukhman
The Kingdom ofAlso, please be advised that the full version of my book "The Kingdom of" will be exclusively posted on the site of Cambodia Business Network at: http://www.
By Gregory Shukhman
Part Six: Brothers
Read part 6 "brothers" fragment I here.
fragment II
The seventh day of our visit was coming to a close, and we had accomplished a lot with respect to our business. We were able to gain a lot of insight by visiting business sites and meeting people. To maximize our efforts, I was constantly in touch with my business colleagues around the world and quickly received all of the latest information regarding available products, which I immediately passed to my partners. Unfortunately, these relationships decide not result in any offers for bargain prices that would allow us to compete with the world’s other suppliers who were more competitive in the global market.
Our only option remaining was to wait for a draft by V. Rabinovich on a possible project to discharge land mines. During our earlier conversations, he had offered the opportunity to purchasing goods for the project at the discount price of forty percent below retail.
The current difficulties we faced stemmed from the fact that the main direction of our company, which was the sales of heavy machinery to the public sector, was problematic because the government had no money and wanted to postpone our payments. This delay, of course, does not suit us. By the time of my departure, though, I remained positive because the trip put me in contact with excellent people with whom I developed friendships.
Based on these new relationships, I wanted to believe that the government would come through with their contractual promises. Brother Bunnaroeun insisted that all members of the government and those associated with the Cambodian People’s Party are with us and that we are all brothers, just as I had experienced in my former Soviet Union. In my homeland the government elite formed a lever with which you can turn the world upside down and the best an individual could do was just find a foothold.
In the last days of our trip, everybody was pretty tired. Alex’s chronic gout started worsening and he felt simply awful. Mikhail’s high blood pressure had been bothering bother him a lot. These health problems threatened to turn our trip into a negative event.
I had tried to bring cheer and support to everyone, even though although I was suffer from the high acidity of food brought from our host’s kitchen. The only solution I found to beat all of that growing negativity was to remember the funniest moments of our trip, which gave us a chance to relive those feelings of joy. And, we certainly had plenty of wonderful moments from which I could choose to be our point of focus. I held onto these memories because, if I may share some advice, I believe you should never lose a key from the door of positivity because it might never be found.
The most remarkable story, which also proved the most successful in relieving the pain of Alex and Mikhail, is as follows:
On the third day of our stay in Cambodia, after yet another walk through rice fields, our entire group was quite tired. Brother Bunnaroeun organized for us one hour of Thai massage, which came with a price tag of only ten dollars, which was much different than the average costs of eighty dollars in New York. With such a deal, most people can enjoy a massage from morning until night.
As usual, the massage was very nice and brought us that “born again” feeling. After this quiet time of relaxation, Brother Bunnaroeun took us to a club, the name of which is not so important to remember. At the club, we were immediately pounced on by hundreds of girls, which I did not consider a surprise. Still being in the post-massage state, our interest in what the girls were offering would have to come later. Instead, we proceeded to the table to have dinner. A woman who was obviously known by Bunnaroeun came over to our table and he introduced her to us as Mama-san, as she was in charge all of the girls at the restaurant. She looked to me to around forty years old, although I might be wrong; it’s hard sometimes to determine the correct age for Asian women as they mostly look young until much later than other women. And, besides that, I’m not an expert on female aging.
It was some fun to have her sitting with us while we observed the whole “dark business” operation. She kept a nice atmosphere at the table. Eventually she attempted to have a conversation with Mikhail and I acted as the translator because neither Mikhail nor Mama-san spoke English well. I was in a good mood, as usual, and eager to have fun so I happily took that third place between them.
I began by translating to Mikhail that the woman liked him very much and that she didn’t want any money from him. Alex, who understood English, was about to correct me, but he kept quiet on my signal. Mikhail was suspicious that the length of her comments did not match my translation, but he did not allow his doubts to stop him. For the rest of the evening, he periodically tried to give her money and she replied that money did not matter. Instead, the real feeling of love prevailed over making a profit, which actually is true. Little by little they started to understand one another and communicate perfectly. I realized that they no longer needed my service and I was receded from my duty.
The next day I saw Mikhail for breakfast, at the hotel restaurant, and he had sparkling eyes and a happy mood. He asked me to translate a letter in which our female table guest protected his blissful dream of happiness by writing and thanking him for the whole night. The entire letter was a cry of happiness.
I developed a sense of admiration, which was supported by others, for Mikhail, as he was the only one who could find love so far away from the motherland. He was very impressive, maintaining a sense of courage and self-affirmation which, over the years, is lost by most of us.
Later in the day, we went to Sorya’s Shopping Center to buy some gifts. One woman, who was obviously lame as her one leg was shorter than the other, and who somehow looked familiar, said hello as she passed us. Bunnaroeun shared with us that this was Mama-san, Mikhail’s latest love!
Mikhail was shocked and embarrassed for a moment by what he saw. I noticed on his face a mark of sympathy for that woman of her disfiguration. I felt guilt for myself, as a second, I thought that I was the instigator all of this, providing my translation to them. I was thinking that something has to save the moment and correct the situation; otherwise if the moment might be loosed, future dislike or hatred may prevail in his feelings to that moment of life.
Meanwhile I said, "Wow, what a love! That was such amazing sex that a person got an injured spine as a result. You’re a giant, Mikhail!"
After, I saw his face was filled with radiance and a smile. I realized that the situation was saved. Hopefully, among his future recollections of that event, he will have only good things to remember, but not a mistake of a drunken evening. So, I thought, I was able to get this done.
This turn of events was completely unexpected and as soon as Mikhail approached any girl, we joked that she may comprehend the same unpleasant fate.
This tool of humor was really needed to keep my friends feeling enthusiastic. I saw that my colleagues were beginning to fade and had no desire to work, as they realized there was no business opportunity.
When we went to Phsar Thmey (Central Market), we observed an endless number of beggars who followed those who passed by., They were living unsanitary, smelly conditions and most of them were only children, I realized that I had a desire to make the situation better for this country and its people, This new found calling surpassed any commercial interest, since I now realized the danger of not being in the civilized world.
When I asked my brother Bunnaroeun if he had ever been in America, he said never but that it has always been his dream. I let him know then that America was the model for what I wanted to build for people around the world, particularly here in Cambodia.
The next day we headed to the airport after seven days of travel through Cambodia. No escorts with sirens were needed, with just the brothers—Bunnaroeun, Murat and Volodya—joining us at the airport. Although I had enjoyed many wonderful moments during our trip, and developed a great love for Mikhail, I already was counting the hours until I could see my family and my New York, as I missed them both so much.
Part Seven: New York
To be continued:
Our only option remaining was to wait for a draft by V. Rabinovich on a possible project to discharge land mines. During our earlier conversations, he had offered the opportunity to purchasing goods for the project at the discount price of forty percent below retail.
The current difficulties we faced stemmed from the fact that the main direction of our company, which was the sales of heavy machinery to the public sector, was problematic because the government had no money and wanted to postpone our payments. This delay, of course, does not suit us. By the time of my departure, though, I remained positive because the trip put me in contact with excellent people with whom I developed friendships.
Based on these new relationships, I wanted to believe that the government would come through with their contractual promises. Brother Bunnaroeun insisted that all members of the government and those associated with the Cambodian People’s Party are with us and that we are all brothers, just as I had experienced in my former Soviet Union. In my homeland the government elite formed a lever with which you can turn the world upside down and the best an individual could do was just find a foothold.
In the last days of our trip, everybody was pretty tired. Alex’s chronic gout started worsening and he felt simply awful. Mikhail’s high blood pressure had been bothering bother him a lot. These health problems threatened to turn our trip into a negative event.
I had tried to bring cheer and support to everyone, even though although I was suffer from the high acidity of food brought from our host’s kitchen. The only solution I found to beat all of that growing negativity was to remember the funniest moments of our trip, which gave us a chance to relive those feelings of joy. And, we certainly had plenty of wonderful moments from which I could choose to be our point of focus. I held onto these memories because, if I may share some advice, I believe you should never lose a key from the door of positivity because it might never be found.
The most remarkable story, which also proved the most successful in relieving the pain of Alex and Mikhail, is as follows:
On the third day of our stay in Cambodia, after yet another walk through rice fields, our entire group was quite tired. Brother Bunnaroeun organized for us one hour of Thai massage, which came with a price tag of only ten dollars, which was much different than the average costs of eighty dollars in New York. With such a deal, most people can enjoy a massage from morning until night.
As usual, the massage was very nice and brought us that “born again” feeling. After this quiet time of relaxation, Brother Bunnaroeun took us to a club, the name of which is not so important to remember. At the club, we were immediately pounced on by hundreds of girls, which I did not consider a surprise. Still being in the post-massage state, our interest in what the girls were offering would have to come later. Instead, we proceeded to the table to have dinner. A woman who was obviously known by Bunnaroeun came over to our table and he introduced her to us as Mama-san, as she was in charge all of the girls at the restaurant. She looked to me to around forty years old, although I might be wrong; it’s hard sometimes to determine the correct age for Asian women as they mostly look young until much later than other women. And, besides that, I’m not an expert on female aging.
It was some fun to have her sitting with us while we observed the whole “dark business” operation. She kept a nice atmosphere at the table. Eventually she attempted to have a conversation with Mikhail and I acted as the translator because neither Mikhail nor Mama-san spoke English well. I was in a good mood, as usual, and eager to have fun so I happily took that third place between them.
I began by translating to Mikhail that the woman liked him very much and that she didn’t want any money from him. Alex, who understood English, was about to correct me, but he kept quiet on my signal. Mikhail was suspicious that the length of her comments did not match my translation, but he did not allow his doubts to stop him. For the rest of the evening, he periodically tried to give her money and she replied that money did not matter. Instead, the real feeling of love prevailed over making a profit, which actually is true. Little by little they started to understand one another and communicate perfectly. I realized that they no longer needed my service and I was receded from my duty.
The next day I saw Mikhail for breakfast, at the hotel restaurant, and he had sparkling eyes and a happy mood. He asked me to translate a letter in which our female table guest protected his blissful dream of happiness by writing and thanking him for the whole night. The entire letter was a cry of happiness.
I developed a sense of admiration, which was supported by others, for Mikhail, as he was the only one who could find love so far away from the motherland. He was very impressive, maintaining a sense of courage and self-affirmation which, over the years, is lost by most of us.
Later in the day, we went to Sorya’s Shopping Center to buy some gifts. One woman, who was obviously lame as her one leg was shorter than the other, and who somehow looked familiar, said hello as she passed us. Bunnaroeun shared with us that this was Mama-san, Mikhail’s latest love!
Mikhail was shocked and embarrassed for a moment by what he saw. I noticed on his face a mark of sympathy for that woman of her disfiguration. I felt guilt for myself, as a second, I thought that I was the instigator all of this, providing my translation to them. I was thinking that something has to save the moment and correct the situation; otherwise if the moment might be loosed, future dislike or hatred may prevail in his feelings to that moment of life.
Meanwhile I said, "Wow, what a love! That was such amazing sex that a person got an injured spine as a result. You’re a giant, Mikhail!"
After, I saw his face was filled with radiance and a smile. I realized that the situation was saved. Hopefully, among his future recollections of that event, he will have only good things to remember, but not a mistake of a drunken evening. So, I thought, I was able to get this done.
This turn of events was completely unexpected and as soon as Mikhail approached any girl, we joked that she may comprehend the same unpleasant fate.
This tool of humor was really needed to keep my friends feeling enthusiastic. I saw that my colleagues were beginning to fade and had no desire to work, as they realized there was no business opportunity.
When we went to Phsar Thmey (Central Market), we observed an endless number of beggars who followed those who passed by., They were living unsanitary, smelly conditions and most of them were only children, I realized that I had a desire to make the situation better for this country and its people, This new found calling surpassed any commercial interest, since I now realized the danger of not being in the civilized world.
When I asked my brother Bunnaroeun if he had ever been in America, he said never but that it has always been his dream. I let him know then that America was the model for what I wanted to build for people around the world, particularly here in Cambodia.
The next day we headed to the airport after seven days of travel through Cambodia. No escorts with sirens were needed, with just the brothers—Bunnaroeun, Murat and Volodya—joining us at the airport. Although I had enjoyed many wonderful moments during our trip, and developed a great love for Mikhail, I already was counting the hours until I could see my family and my New York, as I missed them both so much.
Part Seven: New York
To be continued:
1 comment:
This is the best story, Thank you "Khmerization" to publish stories like this one, highly intellectual.
Thank you,
Richard
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