Far East

Hi, man, do you wanna buy-

No, go away little boy. Beat it.

Come on.

Not interested.

Very cheap for you.

- No. - Please, sir.

Get lost, will you?

Get lost.

Look, man.

Morning.

- You'd be a bludger. It's just about night.

- Yeah, I wish I could sleep in. What happened to blonde?

It was a wig.

Yeah? What'd she have underneath?

He didn't.

The new girl's waiting in the kitchen.

Okay.

Hair of the dog?

Breakfast.

How are you, Nene?

Good. How are you, Tony?

All right. Give us another of the same.

Having a liquid lunch. Are you?

Yeah. Glass of steak.

Don't forget, she's nervous.

Right.

Julia, this is Morgan Keefe.

Hello. Where you from?

Provinces, Cebu.

Why'd you come to the city?

For work.

What do you think of it?

I like.

So you wanna be a dancer?

Yeah, I dance okay. Very sexy.

You wanna see me?

No. I'm sure you'll be okay.

Nene will talk to you about it.

You're on your own (indistinct).

Where's the new girl?

She's on Nick.

You introduce her to me later, okay?

- I think she's just dancing, that one.

You underestimate the power of charm.

True.

You wanna have a bet with me?

How much?

- 100 Pesos that she comes with me tonight.

All right.

When are you gonna have someone

training the girls dancing?

I think you're a racist.

1,000 Peso. Okay?

Yeah, okay.

Here he is, the boss.

Morgan, meet Peter Reeves and his wife, Jo. Morgan Keefe.

- Hi. - Good day.

- Morgan runs his terrible place, but we keep on coming back

for some strange reason, don't we?

- Yeah, to keep me in business. Jo, is that right?

That's right.

Morgan's the resident Australian.

How long have you been here?

Since '72.

Must like it.

- It's not at this moment. You been here before?

- On my third time. First time in the Koala Klub, though.

- They demonstrate their tolerance for this one.

Anyone protests about freedom of the press,

they can say they let people like you roam around.

What are you writing about?

Economics.

That's your job on the multinationals.

Your first time, Mrs. Reeves?

Yes it is.

And how are you finding it?

- It's strange coming back to Southeast Asia

after all this time.

Where have you been before?

Saigon.

Really?

For 20 years. I was born there.

- I spent some time in Fatoi. I knew Saigon well.

I suppose it's very different now, eh?

I had said so.

What were you French doing there?

- My father was French. He was a black marketeer.

Hmm.

- Had as many changes since the end of martial law?

- I just stay inside with the air conditioning.

Almost forgotten what it's like outside.

16, I'd say.

Child fame.

Come here, mate, come here.

Where do your employees come from?

- Provinces, mainly. Not much work in the country.

- Good thing we Westerners can provide some alternative.

Beats starving.

- Jo is short for Josephine, is it? Not tonight, Josephine.

It's a nickname.

Oh, I had some nicknames.

Just as well I didn't stick to them.

Mm. How'd you get yours?

I used to sing it in nightclub.

One of the requests from the GIs was always "Surfer Joe."

Not much surf in Saigon, hey?

Mm-mm, not much, Tony. Beers?

And a Singapore Sling, Mrs. Reeves?

Thanks.

That bloke I interviewed yesterday

is doing all right for himself.

Director of 16 companies.

Hmm.

- Being the president's cousin probably helps.

Ha, yes.

I knew that guy in Saigon. From the Koala Klub.

I gathered that.

He used to drink at the Dixie.

He was wounded once, got some medal.

- He never went back to Australia when the war ended?

Guess not.

Yes?

Hello? Is Rosita Constanza there please?

She's not here.

- Look, I rang yesterday. My name's Peter Reeves.

I'm a journalist.

There is no one of that name here.

Dead end.

Who is she?

Oh, she used to run a small paper

critical of the government.

They closed it down last year.

I've heard she started up again.

- Are you still doing that article on tourists?

Yeah. I'll get some shots tomorrow.

The floral shirts brigade.

You going to talk about the Koala Klub?

Oh, maybe.

I could take some pictures there.

Yeah.

- In the distance is the island where the Americans

made their last stand against the Japanese

in the World War II.

In the words of the great general,

"They, of course, returned."

As have the Japanese in more recent times.

- Excuse me. Would you mind taking our picture for us?

Oh. Sure.

- I hope we not driving past those slums again.

Did you see those slums?

There you go.

- Oh, that'll be the best one of the whole trip.

- Pleasure. - Thanks so much.

- Okay. - Ciao.

Tourists taking pictures of tourists.

I'm Rosita Constanza.

Oh hi. Great to see you.

How'd you find me here?

I followed you from the hotel.

I'm sorry to be melodramatic.

That telephone number you were ringing is tapped.

I see-

- They like to keep an eye on us. Who gave you my name?

Oh, well actually it was someone

from a church organisation.