Chapter 5

5 The Lonesome Neighbor

It was 8 a.m., yet Lina was still in bed, dozing away. Thanked God, it’s Saturday; otherwise, she would have asked her boss to take a day-off from work. With a tipsy feeling like this, was just not in the mood for work; she felt badly sick, like a hangover; right, a hangover where her colleagues made her drink last night at the birthday party. And she was not in the mood to read either. She would not want to drink again; with that hangover it really killed her day. 

An hour later, an old woman living downstairs brought her a pot of traditional herb, which she boiled with the water for Lina. The Chinese-looking old woman drank it everyday instead of jasmine tea, and said the herb was also effective in the remedy of hangover. Lina painfully crawled to answer the door.
“I saw you came home late last night. A little drunk,” the woman made the silliest grin, acting like it was her duty to look after Lina instead of her mother. “And I bring you this magic medicine! Happy?”
Annoyed, yet appreciated for a moment like this, Lina embarrassingly managed to return a smile and let her in. The woman entered the kitchen and poured the herb tea into a glass for Lina. Her behavior was without the least hesitation, would make anyone on earth think she was the mother, or at least the closest relation to Lina, which was actually not.
“A girl should not drink until you get drunk. You should stop working if they make you drink at work,” strongly advised the old lady, “if I was your mother, I would make you quit working there.” She said as if she knew everything about Lina’s work. “Right, the thing is your mother should live here and take care of you,” she said it with eyes largely open as if it was the best idea in world she could ever come up with. Lina took the magic tea with a smile on her lips, but did not say a word. Old people liked to talk, especially a lonesome woman whose son was overseas studying, had to live by herself like her. She must have been missing her son, so let her act as she liked; moreover, in such situation that Lina helplessly suffered from the hangover like this. Her head still hurt.
“Have you had breakfast yet?” the woman started fumbling about the kitchen, “everything’s in its place, which is a good thing, but like this; you must not have had the breakfast yet. I must cook it, or shouldn’t it be lunch instead?” she took a pan while speaking, as to cook rice, “I’ll take my vegetables and meat to prepare for meal here.”
Lina was startled out of headache, and gave a cry in spite of herself, “please, don’t bother yourself. I’ll go out when the pain ebbs away. Thanks for the herb, I feel much better now.”
“It doesn’t bother me a bit. I’ll have to cook for myself, anyhow. Let’s have lunch together today,” The old woman was occupied herself with rise cooking, paid no interest in Lina’s refuse. The girl thought it was undeniable, so she thought she would take a quick, chilly shower. The same old thing, let she did what she liked to. In the shower room, though, there were no shower facilities, but a small reservoir made from concrete, a plastic bowl and a copper bowl. She had her hair gotten wet with a few plastic bowls of water from the reservoir, and washed it off with hair shampoo. She thought the chilly water, or, maybe the herbal remedy had made her headache smart with less pain. She watered herself a few more bowls, and scrubbed softly her body with a nylon washcloth. She thought she would call her parents today, but maybe not today; they might realize she has a hangover. Suddenly her attention was driven by a nosy voice outside. “Is everything okay, Lina? I don’t hear a sound of water dropping.”
“Everything is okay. I’ll be quick.”
"Just take it easy. I’ll love to make it ready before you get dressed.” She poured a few bowls more of water on herself, rubbed her face off, drying herself with a bath towel. She finished the shower with brushing her teeth, and came out with the towel cloaking her body. The hangover seemed to have disappeared.
“Okay, get dressed now ‘coz lunch is ready, though it is a little bit early.” The woman pointed the table loading with food in the living room. How could she cook rice and food in twenty minutes? That she was in the shower about twenty minutes ago must have not been wrong.
“I’ll be ready in five minutes,” the girl mysteriously looked at the old woman, whom she usually called orm-Rie. The lunch was unexpectedly delicious. The pain also disappeared. This time, the girl thought, she really owed the old woman. She should still have been in bed, if not for her annoying, yet helpful offer. After the washing, Lina came to see orm-Rie sitting on a folding chair at the front balcony. Sad and worried she looked.
“Orm-Rie,” she paused, “thanks very much the tasty lunch. I must pay for the food.” Lina sat next to her. The day was hotter than usual, but the gentle breeze eased the heat of the scotching sunlight.
“Lina?” orm-Rie said firmly without looking at her, “do you miss your mom?”
Lina looked at her and firmly said, “Of course I do. I call her once every two weeks, and usually visit Battambong four times a year.” Lina softly put her hand on hers, “your son misses you too.”Orm-Rie did not answer, but continued looking down at the crowded street with students and others rushing home for lunches and businesses respectively.
“You know...I want him here during his summer vacation, but he said he wanted to travel in Europe.” She said it sadly. Lina, somewhat, could understand the lonesome mother’s shadow for she used to undergo the same things with her mother when she left home. Her mother seriously thought she did not miss her because she had not had many chances to visit home during the first two years in university as used to be.
“I could not say for your son, but he thinks about you all the time if you ask me,” she thought she had to do something to encourage the old woman. Annoying though she was; she was only lonely.
“Now tell me, does he call you often?” she sounded with a cheering voice.
“Once a week,” said orm-Rie.
“Wow, he misses you more than I miss my mom. See?” the girl managed to laugh cheerily.
“But, you see your mom, at least, four times a year.” The woman made a wry face, longing for warm comfort.
“It’s because we live in the same country. If I am abroad, I don’t know if I could visit her, even once a year.” Lina softened her voice. The old woman took a deep breath, and turned to Lina.
“Do you think he cares for me?” And without hesitation, Lina replied, “Absolutely yes! He thinks a great deal of you, and he’s worked hard to study abroad because he wants to make you proud. He decided to travel to Europe, probably, because he thought he had no other chances to do it when he left England.” She smiled at the woman gently, and continued, “It’s by no means because he doesn’t want to see you.
”Suddenly it made orm-Rie smile spontaneously. She put her other hand on Lina’s. Lina, however, knew that orm-Rie only needed someone to talk to when she was lonesome and badly wished her only son back home. Orm-Rie had her husband pass away more then 10 years now, and what she had left was her only son, the treasure of her life, but her 25 year-old son left her about one year ago to do postgraduate in England. Låina did not know where in England he was studying, and apparently she had never seen him before because she had moved in after he was gone. The old woman retired from being a school teacher, and was now so lonely after the absence of her son. She was the first person who rushed into Lina’s new apartment before receiving Lina’s greeting. It was unfortunate that Phnom Penh city was not a place for an old woman to live by herself any longer. She did not know her neighbors well as she used to ten years ago. Lina, though not the person she was well aware of, was not the least person she called upon at the weekend. The girl, suddenly, stuck upon a bright idea; the woman needed relaxing.
“Do you swim?”
“I don’t swim, but I don’t dislike being in the water. Why do you ask?”
“Okay, prepare your swimsuit and wait for me. I’ll come to take you at 3 p.m.,”
“To where?” the old woman asked with doubt.
“You’ll know by the time I take you there.” the woman was wrapped with mystery. Lina took a book to read after the old woman took her leave. She opened the book and pretended to read while her mind was wondering why she bothered to do this for the old woman, who was not the most favorable sort she felt comfortable to be around. She wanted her to leave her alone, but now she was likely the one who drew their relationship closer. Liked it or not was no longer under her decision now.

At three, Lina went down to the second floor; she saw the woman waiting in front of the door for her with a big bag carrying in her arms. It was at that time, that Lina knew she did the right thing. She took the bag from her arms, stepping down to where she put her motorbike, and started it ready waiting for the woman.
“Are you sure you could still drive with me on it?” the woman felt a little ill at ease. The woman knew she was a little heavy for the skinny girl to drive her. Lina was uncertain either and told the woman to get on it. Thanked God, Lina’s motorbike was Honda Cub 90, which was strong enough not to become out of balance. Lina made sure to keep its speed low. Her motorbike took two of them on Kampuchea Krom Street, turned right once, then left to Russian Boulevard, heading for Water Park, a few hundred meters from Royal University of Phnom Penh. Orm-Rie was surprised to see the views along the boulevard where she had not seen since sending off her son at Phnom PenhInternational Airport. Lina made her put on her swimsuit and took her in the water with her in many sorts of pools, and on the open tube where they slid down the water slope and drank lots of water. First orm-Rie was shy and refused not to get wet, but after a few times in the pools, she got into the water without Lina’s invitation. Lina managed to get some food every time they came out of the water, and lay down on the collapsible chairs, watching children and others playing in the pools with pleasure. It was almost seven o’clock by the time they got home. The woman stopped Lina walking at her door, and said goodbye with the brightest thankful countenance. With a tired, yet honest smile, Lina walked up home.