Chapter 59

The Mona Lisa Look:

Many years ago I remember escorting my then girlfriend to a pub to meet some other friends, though we were somewhat delayed by activities which were best carried out in private.
One of my friends kept asking her if she was OK. She was, of course, much more than OK. She was calming down after an all exciting hour or so of pleasure.
But the look was there.

Not so very long ago a very young friend of mine was complaining to me that all her contempories were way ahead of her in their explorations of male/female relationships. I told her to calm down. Life is very long. Not long after she sent me an email talking about nothing in particular but attaching a photo of herself. No comment was necessary. I talked to her a couple of years later and she claimed that she had not realized what a giveaway the picture was.
The look was there.

Again, quite recently, here in Thailand, I met up with a lady who I have known for four years. When I first met her she was beautiful but I did not like her. Her face betrayed her inner thoughts and she was not only not happy but in general behaved in a way which made her associates unhappy. Now she is a different person. She met a young Australian guy with whom she is, as far as I can see, completely compatible. The look on her face reflects her inner happiness.
She is a joy to be with.

Now this look, which I think of as the Mona Lisa look is quite amazingly clear.
It means “I am completely overwhelmed by my emotional state. I am totally happy – I have just had amazing sex and I am madly in love.” Or any two out of those three.

I have observed it on quite a few occasions in my life the most recent being just a few days ago.

Having nothing better to do I was wandering through the Jung Ceylon shopping Mall in Patong thinking about important things, like should I buy another model helicopter when somebody stopped me in my tracks, appearing in front of me and saying “Hi”.

She was young, she was Thai and she was very beautiful. And for a moment I didn’t know who she was.

She was with two Canadian guys who she was clearly chauffeuring around.
She introduced them to me and I made polite conversation whilst trying to gather my wits. I was confused and started talking rubbish. I seemed to have lost control of my words.

Of course the lady was Kuhn Bee. But Kuhn Bee with a difference. Khun Bee has always been a good looking lady, but this Khun Bee was stunningly beautiful.

She left to take her charges to the airport and I just stood there feeling very stupid.
My hands were trembling and my mind in total overload. Why couldn’t I have been witty and urbane, smart and sophisticated or at least not tongue-tied.
Oh how I envy those people who can keep control of their speech faculties even
under duress.
Alas I cannot. I am doomed to make an idiot of myself whenever my emotions override my rationality.

So what was all that about?

Of course the problem for me was that she had the Mona Lisa look.

And it certainly was not gained by her relationship with me.