17. Timothy Hallinan, The Queen of Patpong (2010) (3/24/21)
The story is relatively simple: in an early chapter, Rafferty's wife, the Isaan-Thai former bar girl Rose, is shocked to encounter a man she had thought was dead. This man, Howard Horner, faintly military, proceeds to send menacing messages her way, and Rose is plainly rattled. Poke doesn't know what's going on, and so Rose must explain a part of her past that she has kept hidden: the story of how she came to Bangkok and became a hostess in the "leisure district" of Patpong—and how she came to be mixed up in such trouble. That revelation is sandwiched within the suspense of tracking down and dealing with the bad guy.
Throughout this, too, Rafferty and Rose's adopted daughter, Miaow (or Mia, as she now wishes to be called), is rehearsing her role as Ariel in a school production of The Tempest—which provides a diversion from the tension and allows for some metaphorical riffs.
In this scene from that subplot, the play's director, the Korean Mrs. Shin, explains:
"From a Korean perspective the Thais are a little . . . haphazard."
"We are?" Miaow says.
"From a Korean perspective." Mrs. Shin emphasizes the words. "Koreans tend to be highly organized. We're planners and list makers. Not particularly spontaneous. The Thais, on the other hand, sort of flow." She sees the confusion in Miao's face and laughs. "Don't worry, I'm not saying anything bad about Thais. It's actually about me, and it has to do with the play. . . . As a Korean, I didn't think that the Thais measured up to me," she says, sitting down on her heels in a posture Rafferty has never been able to attain. "And now here I am, twelve years later, slowly turning Thai and delighted about it. And it makes me think about Caliban."
Rafferty says, "Ah," and Miaow says, "Why?"
"We don't like Caliban. We're not supposed to. Shakespeare doesn't like him. Caliban is the only non-European on the island, except for Ariel, who's clearly an upper-class spirit, almost English. But Caliban . . . well, Caliban is definitely not English, and Prospero treats him like a dog."
Miaow says, "And he's . . . " She falters and puts both hands on the table.
"He's what?" Mrs. Shin asks.
Miaow shakes her head. "I'm not smart like you."
"You're one of the smartest children I've ever known," Mrs. Shin says.
Miaow's mouth opens at the praise and stays open. She looks as if she's just been hit on the head.
"So what is it?" Mrs. Shin prompts. "What else is Caliban?"
Miaow grabs a breath and plunges in. "He's the only one who doesn't get off."
Rafferty says, "By 'get off,' you mean—"
"Nobody forgives him. Prospero forgives everybody, even after they tried to kill him and his daughter. He sets Ariel free. But nobody forgives Caliban."
Rafferty and Mrs. Shin sit there looking at Miaow. Then Mrs. Shin says, "Miaow, I am so happy you're in this play."
Miaow says, "Really?" She's blushing.
"Really, totally, completely, one hundred percent, absolutely. But why doesn't Prospero forgive Caliban?"
"He tried to fool around with Miranda," Miaow answers. "She says so herself." . . .
" . . . You figured out, all by yourself, what the play is really about." Mrs. Shin sits back on her heels, looking pleased.
"What?" Miaow asks, as though she suspects a quiz. "What's it about?"
"Forgiveness. It's about the healing power of forgiveness. And do you know why I think Prospero doesn't forgive Caliban at the end of the play? Because Prospero doesn't understand Caliban."
Howard Horner's face flashes into Rafferty's mind. "That's a very liberal attitude."
"Well, I believe it. I believe it's impossible to hate anyone you understand. Don't you feel the same way?"
Rafferty's pause is all the cue Mrs. Shin needs. "Well, perhaps not. But I'm the director and you're the condenser [of the written play to make it shorter], so you have to help me make this work."
1 comment:
New to me. Noted. But I'll try some restraint and not rush out and buy it! #somanybooks
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