End of the Line Page 2

closed their curtains and bid each other goodnight.

  The train continued its journey on through the night to Phitsanulok and onward to Lamphun.

  Both Percy and Sarah were awoken by the carriage attendant who had come to dismantle the bunks. Percy looked out of the window and saw the dawn over Doi Khun Than National Park at Lampang. He raised his hand to scratch his head and found the piece of string ...... dangling.....

  He leapt up only to find that the small case was missing. In a panic he called to Sarah “Do you have the mini-case?”

  “”No…why?”

  “It’s not here!”

  Sarah rapidly leapt down from the upper berth.

  “What do you mean – not here?”

  Percy showed her the length of string tied to his wrist.

  “Someone cut the string and stole the case!”

  Sarah started to panic.“Have you looked everywhere?”

  “Sarah… it’s not here… it’s been stolen.”

  They both looked around. Opposite them both of the seats, where Jo and the Monk had sat, were empty.

  “Thank goodness we had the money, tickets and passports in a ruck-sack.”

  Percy looked distraught. She asked -

  “You did put them in your ruck-sack before we went to sleep?”

  Sarah stared at Percy “Oh no Percy…please don’t tell me that you left them in the mini-case?”

  Percy shook his head and started running to the back of the train. “I’m going to get the conductor.”

  Sarah sat down and put her head in her hands.

  Percy quickly returned with the conductor following him. Although the conductor could speak little English and Percy and Sarah no Thai language at all, they managed to explain that their case had been stolen and the description of the case and that the colour was black.

  The conductor wrote down the number 60 on a piece of paper and showed it to them. He said “Chiang Mai – Police” and pointed to the number 60.

  Percy said “I think that he is trying to tell us that we will be in Chiang Mai in 60 minutes and that the Railway Police would be waiting for us.”

  The conductor disappeared to his rear cabin, presumably to call ahead to Chiang Mai.

  “I bet it was that shifty character Jo! Funny that there is no sign of him.”

  “Don’t know” said Percy. There was no sign of the Monk either.

  As the train pulled into Chiang Mai Station the conductor returned and indicated that Percy and Sarah should stay on the train when stopped.

  He said “Police.....”.

  The train clattered over the many points on the rails leading through the various sidings and on into the main station finally making an abrupt halt.

  The police must have been alerted to which carriage they were travelling in as within a minute the conductor returned with a Thai Railways Police Officer.

  Percy was curious and inspected the policeman’s appearance. The shirt and pants looked as if they had been sprayed on as they fit so tight. In addition to the usual collection of medals, badges and service ribbons the policeman wore braid around his shoulder.

  “Good morning. The conductor tells me that you have had a bag stolen.”

  “You speak English. Fantastic!” Percy replied.

  “Can you please describe the bag, where you kept it and when was the last time that you saw it.” He pulled a small notebook and pen from his pocket and started writing as Percy answered.

  “Who was sitting around you?

  Percy described Jo and the Monk from the teaching Temple.

  “Did they see you tie the bag to your wrist?

  ‘No, it was very late when we returned from the dining car and both of their curtains were closed. There was no one else around.” replied Percy.

  The officer returned the notebook and pen to his pocket and explained that he would take them to the police office at the railways station to complete a form and report of loss.

  “I am sorry to have to tell you that this does happen sometimes. Thieves wait until all of the passengers are asleep and then take and steal what they can find and throw it out of the window, of the moving train to their friends.”

  Sarah became agitated. “Oh no – you don’t understand all of our money, credit cards and tickets were in that bag!”

  “You did not keep these close to you?”

  Sarah gave Percy a look which could kill. “No there was a mistake.”

  “Well there is a British Consulate in Chiang Mai and I am sure that they will be able to help you.” He turned to lead them off from the train and down the platform.

  Half way down the platform Percy and Sarah suddenly stopped. They pulled the arm of the policeman to get his attention and pointed to a bench on the platform. Sitting there in shock was Jo with the black mini-case in front of him.

  “That’s the case and that is the man that was sitting by us!”

  The policeman rushed over to him, “Hey you… what’s going on? Is this your case?

  Jo slowly looked at the policeman. His eyes were glazed and he could barely mumble. On the side of his face was a bruise. The policeman turned to Percy and Sarah.

  “Please to look at the bag and make sure that it is yours. Then check to see if anything is missing.”

  Sarah started to open the bag and a small amulet fell onto the floor. On one side was an engraving of The Buddha and on the other one of the Wat Phra Sing. She turned to the policeman.

  “The Monk – he said that he came from a beautiful Temple where there was a school. He spoke excellent English.”

  The policeman inspected the amulet. “Yes this is a very famous and beautiful Temple with many student Monks. The teaching Monks are all very kind, good teacher . I think that The Monk that you described is Samer Jaipinter – The Buddhist Monk with a cowboy heart."

  "Before he became a Monk he was a very famous Muai Thai Boxer. Now he only teaches… or perhaps not....” and looked at the dazed Thai.

  All of the valuables were still in the case.

  Percy and Sarah looked at each other.

  For sure the Wat Pradhert Phra Sing would be the first place that they would visit in Chiang Mai.