Chapter 57 - Psychological Anthropology of Romance

November 8, 2011 – Wednesday 6am – Tayaw's Hotel Suite, New York City

*Ding Dong* Tayaw's head snapped to the direction of his hotel suite's door. "Hm? Room service at this hour?" Tayaw said confusedly as he walked to the door and looked through the peek hole to actually see Chala's friendly face looking at the door.

Tayaw then opened the door to let Chala in. "Sup Chala? How was your flight?" Tayaw greeted, not bringing up the fact that Chala is a week earlier than what Chala told him he'd come. "Man, my back is still stiff, my butt sore. While I appreciate flying 9000 meters in the sky, 17 hours of it is just tedious." Chala responded as he settled himself on the sofa. Tayaw chuckled, relating to the experience. "What's your poison?" Tayaw asked Chala as he walked towards the liquor cabinet.

"I've had enough on the plane. Anything warm would do. Thanks." Chala requested. Tayaw who was just watching the windy city through his window earlier, was also thirsting for a warm cup of tea. "Would tea do?" Tayaw asked. "Tea is great. Nice room by the way. You have a pool too? You're really doing great." Chala said in jest. "Hey. Just like what you said the other day. What's the use of money if I don't spend it?" Tayaw replied.

"Still. A pool? At this weather? That's quite a waste, if you ask me." Chala said, finding the unnecessary amenities of the room a waste. "That's true. Well, someone booked it for me and I liked the view so - " Tayaw replied as he prepared tea.

Chala stood up and headed to one of the windows and took a look. "Hmm. Fancy huh? You don't get orange and yellow leaves back home." Chala said and could not help but also appreciate the view from Tayaw's window. "I'd love to see the snow too, but I probably wouldn't like the cold. By the way, you said you'd join me next week, it's only been, what, a week since our talk over the phone." Tayaw said, finally curious about Chala's early arrival.

"I realized I had nothing to do. Might as well play around here for a while. Who knows, I might even find a lady." Chala just shrugged his shoulders, as he spotted a trenchcoat-clad couple walking, holding hands. "Sigh. You'd better find yourself a girl too, Tayaw. Trust me, finding a good woman is difficult. I've been grinding for years for a good career, and I thought having enough money would make things easier. You will not find the love of your life immediately, but it's better if you try again and again than not trying at all." Chala said sincerely. Tayaw could only imagine Chala's face as he said that.

It's not like Tayaw also does not understand. He too built a respectable career in his previous life but finding someone to spend the rest of their life with is almost impossibility. Tayaw also mistook Arianne, the most recent girlfriend he had in his previous life, to be the one. But just like his previous girlfriends, he felt miserable and could not imagine raising a family with them. Tayaw was also curious what could have been had he not come back in time. Would he have found a good woman for him? Eventually, yes. But he might also end up like Chala.

Tayaw was distracted from his thoughts when the kettle whistled, saying the water is ready. "Hey Chala. What do you want with your tea?" Tayaw asked as he pulled out the tea bags and tea cups. "A teaspoon of sugar is good." Chala replied, who seemed to also have been awoken from his own thoughts.

Seconds later, Tayaw invited Chala outside by the balcony pool where a small table for two is set up.

"Ever been married?" Tayaw asked Chala. "Yes. When I was in my early 20's to an American lady." Chala replied, smiling bitterly. "May I know what happened?" Tayaw asked cautiously. "Oh. It's just… Let's say we both fell out of love. I had my own career, she has her own. Due to the gradually lessening time we spent together, it could not be helped." Chala said, subconsciously stirring his cup with the tea bag and continued "We would have been perfect.", as he took a sip.

"Despite that, aren't you glad though? That you're financially stable?" Tayaw asked. "Oh. I'm thankful, don't get me wrong. I'm even more thankful after I dated a few more women after my marriage." Chala said, to Tayaw's confusion. "How do you mean?" Tayaw asked. "The women I've dated after my marriage would demand time that I don't have. What they don't realize is that I had to work hard to not turn out to be a loser by my 30s. American women, especially do not understand this. They want a suburban house with the white picket fence, but they don't like thinking about the work to be done to have that." Chala explained.

"They do that? Don't they have their own jobs?" Tayaw asked despite having enough experience himself. "They do. Oh. By the way, I'm not talking about every woman of course, but still, I'm talking about it because these women are common enough. They do have their own jobs but they spend it on themselves and they don't expect to put their two cents in the relationship or marriage." Chala said.

"So, the traditional stuff? The man goes to work; the wife stays home with the kids?" Tayaw asked. "Oh. It would be fine if that's how it is. But I'm talking about couples with no kids here. Some of my previous lovers for example; after we moved in together, they demanded to spend more time together, but they don't pay their share of the rent. What's worse is that some of them even have their own job. That's just not doable in the long run." Chala explained.

"Let me guess, they could have offered to pay what they can afford but they didn't? They also want to be taken out on a date often and when you do, they're never satisfied?" Tayaw responded after taking a sip of his tea.

"Exactly. When I asked other women why some of them do that, they say 'They want the date to be about them'. So I was like 'What about me? I deserve this break too.'" Chala said while shaking his head.

"It's not like you're having fun with your nose on the grindstone." Tayaw concurred, to Chala just grunted at. Chala took a sip once again after talking that much and they both went silent. They entered a comfortable silence as they felt the breeze of the New York's early morning autumn.

After a while, Tayaw suddenly said "Hmm. I guess getting married is quite easy." Chala raised his brows at that. "But what people don't talk about is how difficult it is to maintain a good married life." Tayaw clarified. Chala chuckled at his words until he found something strange. "You really are strange, buddy. I almost thought you were married once when you said that." Chala shook his head. He wasn't, but from his experiences in dating alone, he could relate. If a relationship is difficult to maintain, a marriage would be many times grueling if one is not with the right person.

"I'm a student of human character. Observe people enough and I could not help but put myself in their shoes." Tayaw replied. "Easier said than done. Still, you're right. If my ex-wife and I didn't understand each other, then we would have had a terrible marriage." Chala said.

"By the way. How long have you been staying in this hotel?" Chala asked, suddenly switching topics. "I've been here for… Well, I spent the 20th to the 26th here. I came back last 30th and I've been staying here since then." Tayaw replied. "So.. what. Three weeks? How much do you pay each night?" Chala asked curious to how much Tayaw would spend or have spent. He never stayed in an expensive hotel room for as long as Tayaw did.

"$1300 a night, I think?" Tayaw answered. "What the - I know you're rich but this is basically burning money. 13 times 21 is 273… Good lord, you spent 27,300 on lodging alone. US dollars at that." Chala said dumbfounded.

"Okay. It's true; I admit it was a waste. HOWEVER - In my defense, I could have left a week ago, but something happened that gave me the inspiration to write three songs." Tayaw replied. In a way, it was true. After he hired the CEOs for his two companies, he was going to look for lodging in the outskirts of New York, away from the pollution and noise. That plan was scrapped when that situation in the elevator happened.

"Alright. Whatever. Your money." Chala just gave up and down the last of his tea. Tayaw also did the same. "Want another cup?" Tayaw offered. "Can you mix milk with in it this time?" Chala said. "I'd like to have that as well." Tayaw replied. As Tayaw went back inside to make the tea, Chala stood up and leaned on the railing of the balcony to look below. Despite his age, being in a high place like this with such a great view of a big city makes Chala feel powerful.

A few minutes later, Tayaw came back with fresh cups of tea. Chala also returned to his seat and looked to be mulling over something. "Oh! You have businesses here. Why not just buy yourself an apartment? Or a house? You can have a passive investment in the property you buy while living in it." Chala said what was on his mind.

Tayaw raised his brow at this. It is a good idea. Maybe because he wants to go back to Teungeb immediately that buying a house did not cross his mind. "Oh. Okay. Why not? I need your help though." Tayaw said. "Sure. I recommend buying one in Jersey. I know a place that's just 40 km from here. That's a 45 minute drive. And. It's not like you're coming to New York every day." Chala suggested.

"Alright. You came from there?" Tayaw asked, finally finding a possible explanation as to why Chala is not carrying any luggage. "Yep. I slept over with a friend there." Chala replied. "Hey. I still could not get over how much you're spending on this room. It's a nice room, but still. How good could the songs you wrote here be?" Chala brought up Tayaw's spending again.

Tayaw was actually offended a little at that. "Tell you what. I'll play for you. You're the first one to listen to them." Tayaw said as he went to the bathroom to retrieve his guitar from the white void without Chala seeing. Chala is actually excited to hear that. "Where are you going?" He asked. "My guitar's here. The bathroom has great acoustics so I've been practicing here! Just you wait!" Tayaw yelled back.