Eleven Orphan Daughters

What am I doing here John thought as the Cathay Pacific jet screamed down the runway at Brisbane airport on its way to Hong Kong and then on to Hanoi. He shook his head as he thought back over the rapid changes to his life over the past few months. A tear ran down his cheek as he recalled how he had lost the urge to work when Mary his wife of 20 years died suddenly.

He had sold their dairy farm, their grazing property and the three apartments they owned on the Gold Coast. With no family and much more money than he would ever need, he had virtually drifted into retirement. His mates from the bush had become worried. They realized he needed something to fill the void created by the loss of Mary and his farming lifestyle.

They had invited him to a briefing on the emerging Vietnamese market in tropical dairy cattle. When he expressed an interest, they talked him into joining their Cattleman's mission to Vietnam.

He settled back in his business class seat and ordered a scotch. He wondered what he would do for the next three weeks. His colleagues had assured him that he would be busy while they tried to sell Dairy Cattle to their Vietnamese counterparts.

He need not have worried. Charlie and Glen was sitting two seats away planning to set John up with what they jokingly called a little Vietnamese filly. "After he has, one of those hot little bodies sit on his face he will forget the past and concentrate on things in hand." Glen said as they laughed and sipped their scotch.

They left the airport in Ho Chi Minh at midnight. "You have all been booked into apartments so you can entertain a guest overnight. Most Hotels want you to kick a guest out of your room by 10 pm," Charlie explained with a broad wink when they asked why apartments. "There's a curfew but I know the woman in charge of the green bar if you want a drink before you turn in for the night come with me."

Ten minutes later John looked around the bar at his mates. They all had one or two very scantily clad young Vietnamese women sitting on their lap. Two beautiful girls had collared him as soon as he entered. They immediately asked him to buy them a drink and proceeded to open his shirt and his fly.

"I'm Betty," one whispered, "This is Melody," pointing to her colleague. Melody had moved at surprising speed. She already had her hand in side his pants. "You want massage?" she whispered.

"Wait a minute, how old are you?" he asked. "We are both 24," she whispered as she kissed his ear. "You want to pay bar fine and take us home." "How much?" John asked out of curiosity. "50 US dollars each for bar. You pay us what you like when we finish."

John felt tired and a little overwhelmed. "Not tonight love," he whispered. He was surprised that his rejection only seemed to stir them to greater efforts. They worked his body from every angle.

He was surprised when he found it necessary to take hold of Melody's hands. He rarely had an erection these days and had had to resort to Viagra in the past. "Careful," he groaned. "I'll come in a minute if you keep that up. Let me buy you another drink." John became relaxed as the pace slowed. Charlie was playing pool with one of the girls. Others from the delegation had disappeared into a back room.

"Blow job," Van said when she saw him watching a pair move into the room. She produced a cool moist cloth and commenced wiping his face. Melody wrapped her arms around him and stood between his legs rubbing her body against his erection.

John was enjoying the feel of their small bodies. He listened as they answered his questions about their family and why they were working in a bar. As he listened and watched the antics of his colleagues, he became sorry for bar girls.

Economic circumstances forced them to sell their bodies he rationalized. If money is the short answer maybe I can give their lives a bit of cheer he thought as he reached for his wallet.

He had some US twenty-dollar bills and 100 thousand dong notes. One hundred thousand dong was less than ten dollars Australian. It was big money for them but small change to him.

He looked around. There were two girls sitting alone. One of them was very beautiful. He called them over and gave them 20 dollars each. Then giving his two companions 50 dollars each he told them, "I don't want anything, I'm off to bed." Immediately Four tiny Vietnamese bodies mobbed him. They were all talking at once hugging and kissing him. Begging him to take them home now.

The next day the delegation flew to Hanoi. Charlie briefed them as they drove into town. "We will be here for a week or two. We will use it as a base to visit the nearby provinces."

That night after a hard day's meetings John and his two mates headed off to a bar. Inside the door, a line up of smiling hostesses rose from their seats to greet them. John was embarrassed. He could not bring himself to inspect each girl like Charlie and Glen was doing.

He looked around. One hostess seemed to be hanging back as though she too felt the process demeaning. She was about his height with a pretty face. He caught her eye but was loath to push through the others to her side.

She noticed his hesitation and pushed through to take his hand drawing him away from the crowded door. She wiped his forehead with a cool cloth and poured his beer. "My name is Anh. I speak English," she whispered as she moved his legs apart and pushed her body against his thigh. John shook his head, "the boys back in Western Queensland will never believe me," he groaned.

"What you mean?" asked Anh. "Sweetheart I live in the country where the women are a lot bigger than you. My mates will never believe that pretty little Vietnamese girls would have anything to do with an old bloke like me."

"I wish I had my camera here to take your photo, "He said as he ran his hands over her tiny body. "No take photo here," she warned, "mamma won't let. Take me home and you can take photo. I pose for you."

As the night wore on, he drank more beer. They talked about Australia and about Vietnam. The more they talked the more he liked her. She not only had a pretty face she had a figure that he had only dreamed of in the past.

John eventually made up his mind that he wanted photographs to show to the boys back home. After some negotiation, he paid the bar fine and waited for Anh to change into street clothes.

He whistled to himself when she returned. Without the white face make-up, she was a different girl. She wore tight fitting jeans and a long sleeved silk top. She no longer looked like a bargirl.

In the apartment, Anh asked if she could shower first. While she was in the shower, John started to panic. What the hell am I doing, he thought. My second day in Vietnam and I've bought a prostitute home to my apartment. He started to recall all the warnings he had read about HIV/AIDS and started to think of how he could get rid of her.

Things changed when Anh shyly peeked around the door. She was nude. Her firm breasts were small and hard. Her waist slim, her legs perfectly formed. He had never seen anything like her before in his life.

She moved over to him and sat on his lap, "You want to make love first?" she asked, "or take photo now and make love later." Still in a funk about the possibility of catching something, he opted for the photos. Anh was a delight. She posed in every possible way. "Let's lie down," she urged when John ran out of ideas for more poses.

On the bed, she ran her hands over his body kissing his face and neck. He would not let her kiss his lips pulling away whenever she tried. She didn't seem to take any notice. Her lips kept returning to his face and chest. Her mouth and tongue nibbling licking and kissing wherever he would allow.

Before long, he was kissing her breasts, nibbling her nipples and kissing down her body to her hips and pussy. "You want to kiss me there?" she asked with a smile.

"I would sweetheart if I knew you were safe." "Anh clean girl," she responded. "Me give you blow job. Not dirty Anh clean." "I have no doubt you are, but I'm not taking any risks," he whispered as he took her back in his arms and lay fingering her moist pussy. "Just sleep with me sweetie. I want to hold your horny body in my arms as I drift off to sleep."

She startled him when she struggled out of his arms. "I can't stay all night I must go back to bar." She became so agitated that John finally agreed she should go. "I will give you US$50 for yourself and here is some Dong for the taxi." "You tell mamma I want to keep you out all night tomorrow," He whispered as he took her down to the ground floor to see she was not harassed by security.

It was not hard to negotiate a fee with mamma. Every night since that first night, Anh had arrived early and stayed until dawn. John found the exploration of her young slim body exciting. He could hardly wait for each day's negotiations to end so he could return to his apartment where Anh waited patiently.

As soon as possible, they went to bed. Each night John went through hours of frustrating hell but his fear of disease held him back.

It was becoming more difficult every night not to kiss her mouth or pussy. Especially when she begged and cried, "kiss me, let me give you blow job." Tonight when he refused, she lay back and fingered her pussy. She was smiling and licking her lips inviting him to make love.

He could stand it no more. "I want you to go to the French hospital and have some tests," he told her as he took her in his arms. "I have to know." Anh became upset. "You think I'm dirty," she cried. "You won't let me kiss you. You will not make love. You do not want blowjob. You think Anh diseased."

He held her close caressing her body and whispering how much he wanted her. He had learnt that she loved him to pinch the end of her nipples and pull them hard. She could not stay angry when he did that. He took more photos of her body in poses he had seen in playboy.

His obvious admiration for her body made Anh forget the insult of his asking for health tests. That night before they went to sleep she agreed. Before she did, she forced him to promise that he would not go with other girls if she took the tests and was clean.

John was running late. He hurried over to the hotel cashiers desk trying to change some Vietnamese Dong into smaller amounts for tips. The cashier was busy and the guys were calling so he decided to leave it until they returned from dinner.

It was mid summer and the Street was hot and dark. They made their way down into the gloom from the bright lights of their five star Hotel. Immediately they hit the street they were confronted by a horde of people offering taxis motorbike rides and all sorts of paraphernalia.

Gradually the crowd thinned and they made their way down the street looking for a local coffee shop or restaurant. John was lagging behind still holding the100 thousand-dong note in his hand.

In the gloom, he noticed what appeared to be an old Vietnamese woman carrying baskets of fruit on a pole over her shoulder. As he studied her tall thin frame, she tripped over a hole in the pavement and went down.

John moved quickly. He bent down and grabbed her arm to help her regain her feet. He was startled when his efforts brought a squeal of fear. He tried to explain but she didn't understand and he knew no Vietnamese. Fortunately, the delegation's interpreter had seen what happened.

She rushed over to assure the old woman that John meant no harm. John embarrassed by the commotion he had caused, did the first thing that came to mind and offered her the 100 thousand Dong still in his hand. The old woman protested but he insisted and with the interpreters, help made her accept.

John woke early the next morning. It was 5 am as he set out for his early morning walk. He made his way down the street where a group of Vietnamese selling fruit confronted him.

One woman jumped up and headed over to greet him. It was the old woman he had seen fall the night before. She welcomed him with a warm smile and a torrent of apparently friendly words.

John studied her closely as she tried to communicate with him in Vietnamese. She was a lot taller than he had though. My god she looks thin he thought as he studied her closely. Her eyes looked tired clearly showing the effects of long hours of hard work. She was speaking softly her hands moving excitedly. The women who had been selling food nearby joined her. All trying to help. It was bedlam.

John signaled her to settle down, "take it easy," he said as he tried to sit her down. Gradually a little order was restored. Her body language gave him an inkling of what she was trying to tell him. If he read it right, she was saying thanks. She was calling him a friend.

He did not know what to do. He did not want to insult her by walking away but it seemed the only alternative. In desperation, he looked at her baskets. They held bunches of very small bananas. He picked up a bunch and asked the price.

When she replied He could not understand the answer. He still had not changed his money for smaller notes so he gave her 100,000 Dong. She indicated it was too much and tried to give him more bananas.

He signaled her to be quiet, and folded her hand shut over the note finally making her realize he wanted her to keep it. Each morning and each afternoon as he left the Hotel for his walk he would meet the old woman. Each day they went through the same ritual. Each time John's only answer was to give her 50 or 100 thousand dong.

"Hey John your old girl friend is waiting for you outside," Charlie called as John joined them for a mid afternoon drink. Harry laughed, "What have you done to her? She is here every day from early morning until late at night." They ordered beers then gathered around laughing and joking.

"Look guys I've probably given her over 100 bucks Australian that's a little more than a million dong. I have given Anh much more over the past few nights. I can afford it. It makes me feel good to see them so happy."

The group's Vietnamese interpreter had been listening. "You gave her a million dong?" she asked incredulously. "Yep, may be a little more." "That's more than she would earn selling bananas in a year. No wonder she is always waiting for you."

Charlie broke in, "There is a pretty young girl with her today. You can introduce her to me if you like." "Forget it," John said with a smile. "You are only interested in the girls from the bar and what they have between their legs." Outside he wandered over to the footpath. The young girl was very tall for a Vietnamese. Her long black hair moved with the breeze hanging down over her white schoolgirl's uniform.

"My name is Mai. This is my mother. You have been giving her money. What do you want?" "Hi," John said as he took her hand and shook it, "I don't want anything. Your mother and I meet every day in the morning and again in the evening. I would love to talk to her and the other ladies but I don't know how."

Mai studied him closely. "She has told me about you. You have given her a lot of money. Our family was worried. We decided I should accompany her and meet you." She stopped talking when her mother pulled her away and spoke to her in Vietnamese. "I'm sorry mum wants me to ask. Would you like to sit here with her friends and have a cup tea or coffee?"

They sat on the footpath under the tree as Mai explained. "I am an orphan. Mrs. Nguyen has a family of seven daughters we are all orphans. Her husband was killed in the American war. He was a successful farmer. They grew fruit and vegetables. One month after their wedding the American bombers killed him."

"Mrs. Nguyen saw the number of families destroyed by the war and offered a home to children who were orphans or those whose mothers had lost a husband and could not afford to raise a child."

"She is a wonderful woman. She works day and night to provide for us. We love her. We all call her mother. My sisters were worried when she told us about you. They want to know why you are giving her so much money. She says you will not take her fruit. What do you want?"

She stopped to explain to her mother and the other Vietnamese women what she had been saying to John. Turning back to him, she looked him straight in the eye.

"Please answer my questions Mother says you are kind and have not molested or hurt her, please explain." John sipped the Vietnamese green tea and told her everything that had happened. When he completed the story of his meetings with her mother, he concluded by saying, "I'm an Australian. I have no family. I am here with a delegation. I am an old farmer. I meant her no harm." She interpreted for her mother and the others. John could see and feel them relaxing as she spoke.

"I don't know anyone in Vietnam. I only meet Vietnamese people at meetings or in bars. Finding your mother waiting for me each night and morning has become one of the highlights of my day. Do not worry about the money. I was not trying to bribe her. I would like to be friends."

Mai interpreted his words for her mother and her friends. Listening to her reply, they discussed it together. She turned to John, "Mum asked would you like to visit our farm and meet our family."

"Will it be all right?" John asked anxiously? "I cannot speak Vietnamese. I think I am too old to learn. I don't want to cause any trouble."

Mai whispered. "You will be the first foreigner to set foot in her house. We are poor but she is very proud. She honors you by inviting you home." They talked together while her mother waited. Then Mai told her mother. "He would love to visit our home on the weekend."

Anh was waiting in his apartment. She greeted him eagerly. "Doctor says ok," she said as she hugged him close. "We can spend weekend in bed." John kissed her on the lips for the first time. Her tiny tongue entered his mouth her hands holding him tenderly. Only me," she whispered. "You promised."

"Yes sweetie, only you. You must do the same. No more bar work." Anh stepped back and dropped her shift to the floor. He gasped, "You shaved." She did not answer. She slowly turned so he could study her tiny body. He wet his lips as her hands reached for his belt.

John ran his hands over her flat stomach. He grinned as he felt where she had shaved. "Beautiful," he whispered, "very beautiful." She was wet and his finger slid in easily. He moved the finger slowly using his thumb to uncover her clit. Remembering how she liked to pinch his nipples. He moved his other hand and pinched hard. She squealed.

He was pleased at her reaction. He moved his head up so he could bite a nipple between his teeth. Suddenly Anh pulled back and looked at him in mock anger, "why?" she asked. He knew what she meant his prick lay soft between his legs.

"I don't know," he cried. "I'm an old man it's not as good as it used to be." Her hands worked his prick to no avail. It responded a little but nowhere near hard enough to be of any use.

He thought if he kept fondling Anh, his prick would respond. She came twice from his fingers but his prick showed no interest. Things got worse when he told her he was visiting a Vietnamese family for the weekend. "You promised," she cried. "You promised only me if I had tests. Now you do not want me. You have other girl."

Early next morning he packed a small carry bag and waited outside his hotel for Mai. "I don't have to be back until Monday lunch time," he told her as they waited for the bus. "That's great; Mum will have the whole weekend to show you our village. She wants you to meet her friends."

The bus took more than three hours to reach her village. The narrow roads were badly potholed and crowded with every type of vehicle. On the bus, Mai introduced him to some school pals. They told him they were learning English.