It’s Sunday evening in Chanthaburi, Thailand. Today was Jim’s last day of gem buying before heading back to America, but I’ll stay on for another few weeks to continue the search for more gems.
Although we seem to go out to dinner with friends almost every day, this evening’s dinner was a particular celebration of Jim’s initial success as a gem buyer. The location was a newly opened restaurant on the riverfront at the edge of town.
After several bottles of Chang beer and toward the end of our wonderful meal, Jim commented on a waiter walking by with a birthday cake mentioning how delicious it looked. The candles were lit and a door opened as the waiter slipped into a room surrounded by glass walls where there were about 25 or 30 people having a birthday celebration. We could witness the celebration and singing of “happy birthday” from the table where we were seated.
Jim said “I wonder if I could get a piece of that cake?” Knowing Jim to be slightly mischievous and of fun-loving nature, I slapped 100 baht down on the table and said “If you can crash that party and return to our table with a piece of their birthday cake, the hundred baht is yours” Jim was up for the challenge! Our Thai friends coached Jim on how to beg for a piece of cake in Thai language. We could hear diners at tables near us chuckling as they realized what Jim was planning.
Proficient at his lines, Jim arose from the table and marched right into the middle of the birthday party and asked for a piece of their birthday cake. The attendants of the party found Jim quite entertaining and even invited him to dance with them a little before bestowing a piece of the coveted birthday cake upon him. Jim returned to our table among the laughter and rejoicing of the birthday party goers and fellow diners alike.
Jim shared his cake with the rest of us and collected his well earned hundred baht. I suspect that the one-hundred-baht bill will be displayed in a prominent place at Jim’s home or office as a reminder of this hilarious evening. Our friends were still laughing about it when they dropped us off at our hotel an hour later.
Scotch Whiskey
Honey-Gold Citrine & Diamond Necklace
From Cross’s Clipper Ship Trade Wind Collection
X4076
Our Latest Gem Expedition 