A DAUGHTER FOR SALE

Chapter 3

The 2,500 baht he had received as an advance from Yai Phloy was barely enough to pay for Paa Saeng's hospital expenses. And when Paa Saeng returned home and learned that her daughter had gone off with Yai Phloy, she fainted instantly. When she recovered, she began sobbing and sobbing. She wouldn't talk to or even look Lung Maa in face, let alone any of her other five children who were standing around her. Lung Maa could think of nothing to say, so he sought silent refuge in making bamboo ties. (Note: About 2 feet long ties made of bamboo are to be used in binding the harvested rice stalks together)

Late that night, when all their children were asleep, Paa Saeng's voice, muffled with the sounds of weeping, whispered, "Phii Maa, didn't you know what Ee Phloy took our daughter to do?"

"Mother, I knew, but it was necessary. You know as well as I that we had no choice. When you were in hospital, if we didn't have the money to pay for the cost of medicine, the blood, the saline, and other expenses, the doctor wouldn't have been willing to treat you. They wouldn't let us go to the destitute ward. Are you angry with me?"

"No, I'm not angry. But I feel so sad. Ever since I was born, there's been nothing but suffering."

"Do you know Yai Phloy well?"

"Oh, the people in the market place know her only too well. She's taken several of their daughters to sell already. She gets paid 500 baht a head for some, 2-300 baht for others. She takes whatever she can get. She's been a prostitute herself, ever since she was young. When she was not longer able to sell herself, she began selling young girls instead. Her parents had a lot of debts then. Now things seem to be going better for them, but they still owe money."

"I worry about our daughter. I feel so sorry for her. Ever since she left, I don't sleep at night."

"Phii Maa, the matter has happened and nothing can be done, so we might as well let it pass. We'll help each other to share the burden of our demerit. It's just as if she has gone off and gotten a husband, only that she doesn't have a real husband...By the time she can earn the money to help her parents, I wonder how many husbands she will have to have..."