Because of the huge time difference between North
America and Thailand, I usually start my mornings with some form of
communication with PP. The time when I’m starting my first morning coffee is
often, depending on what time zone I’m in, about the same time that they start winding
down for the night at the spa.
The book keeping/receipts often need clarification
On this particular morning, I turn my phone on to
find an explosion of messages from Ajay and PP. PP is mad at Ajay for managing
from a distance and for telling him what to do. Ajay is mad at PP for not
communicating or dropping off reports/receipts on a daily basis. Or at least
this is what I can glean from the group conversation because some of it is in
Thai and some of it is in PP’s badly translated English. Example: “I feel tired
and discouraged incident that often, I’m doing my best. You’re looking at that
I’m a bad person.”
The whole thing feels like an argument between siblings, and I have no choice but to play the parent. PP refuses to talk to Ajay and cuts him out of our group
chat on the app we use for texting, and Ajay is pissed because PP won’t do as
he’s told. They both have some valid points to their arguments, but they are
also both very stubborn. I decide to stand with PP on this one since Ajay’s
communication with me is as bad as ever, and his interest in having a hand in
running Sairoong seems non-existent. I assume that giving PP more responsibility will soothe his ego and keep him busy. However, I make a point of reminding PP
that he is an employee and, present or not, Ajay is legally a co-owner of the
spa and is therefore still a big boss.
Empty streets means too much time to think about arguing
Even the bar next door is quiet
By the time this shift in power begins, it has been
over six months since I bought the spa and returned to work in America. The
current situation is the confirmation I need to finally accept that there can
be no real change, growth or resolution until I return and see for myself what
is really going on. I arrange one week off and book flights to return to Samui to knock some heads together.
PP continues to ask me when I am coming back to
Samui, but I evade him because I want to make a surprise inspection. Over time,
my non-answers seem to really be getting to him and he pushes harder each time
he asks. When my arrival date is only a few weeks away, he loses his shit and
demands that I tell him the dates because he wants to take some time off to go
home and doesn’t want to miss me. I relent and give him the info.
A short time after that, I get a text from PP
telling me that he wants to fire one of the staff, Mr. Nut. He suspects that
Mr. Nut is using drugs, also he does not help clean the spa and pressures
customers for tips. PP says that he has given Nut many warnings but “he does
not update himself”. I tell PP that if Nut has drugs at the spa, then he must
be fired because I will not tolerate another police incident, but I stress that
PP must be absolutely certain before taking action.
Two days later, PP tells me that he is feeling a
great sense of relief because Mr. Nut is gone. He no longer feels that he has
to worry about police coming to the spa.
In a way, I am also relieved because we had too many staff anyway since business is so slow, but in the back of my mind, red lights are flashing, and the clanging of alarm bells is growing louder.
In a way, I am also relieved because we had too many staff anyway since business is so slow, but in the back of my mind, red lights are flashing, and the clanging of alarm bells is growing louder.
Next chapter: SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY
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