Catering with Benefits (1) - 22. Anish and Juanito

A few days later Romel spoke to Raj and was surprised to hear that he had a cousin from India here on a study visa. He did not have a phone number for him but gave his name to Romel so he could contact him through the student union at the University of Technology. Romel passed this information onto Edward and let him take it from there.

Edward emailed the student union and asked them to pass on a message to Anish Gupta. He gave them his name, reason for contact and phone number. But, instead of getting a reply from Anish he got a reply from the student union saying that there was no student by that name enrolled at the university. He was confused by the reply and asked Raj if he could get a phone number for his cousin. He did not tell Raj the real reason but told him the student union could not give him any information about students for privacy reasons. Raj offered to ask his parents to contact Anish’s family in India for a phone number. About a week later Raj texted his cousin’s number to Edward who immediately called Anish and told him why he was calling. Anish said he had been speaking to Raj and understood what Edward wanted. He was initially reticent about being involved but after some persuasion from Edward agreed to meet.

Edward had studied at the same university many years before and thought it would be a nice thing to do if he met Anish there. But when Edward suggested they meet at the university for coffee, Anish hesitated and said he would rather meet somewhere in the city. They met a few days later at a cafe in the Queen Victoria Building. Before getting onto the subject of student bashings, Edward wanted to get to know Anish a little better so started the conversation by asking about his studies. Anish struggled with this and seemed to know very little about his study of computer sciences. When Edward became suspicious he asked Anish some simple questions about the university campus. When Anish could not answer these questions, Edward said “Are you sure you study at that university?”

“Of course I do, why do you ask in that way?”

“Because, Anish, you seem to know nothing about the university layout or computer sciences”.

“My goodness, you are inquisitive, I thought you wanted to speak to me about student bashings”.

“I do, but I thought it might help you relax and feel comfortable talking to me if we just chatted about yourself first”.

“Mr. Edward is everything I tell you here confidential, like talking to a reporter off the record and you won’t use my real name?”

“Sure.”

“And you won’t tell Raj or my family?”

“If that’s how you want it.”

“Well, the truth is I’m not studying computer science.”

“What are you doing and why does Raj think you are studying?”

“That was the only way I could get a visa to Australia.”

“So, let me get this straight. You’re here on a study visa, but you’re not studying?”

“Yes sir, that is it.”

“Why did you drop out, could you not keep up with the course?”

“Actually, I never started. I never intended to study, I just wanted to come to Australia and I couldn’t get a visa to migrate”.

“Anish, are you aware that you can’t stay here when you are not studying, if that’s the terms of your visa?”

“I know that, can you help me?”

“How can I help you?”

“I’ve heard there is a deportation order issued on me, how do I avoid being sent back?”

“I guess you do what I suspect you have been doing, keep a low profile.”

“What else can I do?”

“Anish, you are playing a dangerous game here. If you get caught they will not only send you back to India but you could be banned from ever returning.”

“But I like it here, I want to stay.”

“I’m not an expert on immigration but there is one other thing I can think of and that is to get an immigration lawyer. But it will cost, are you aware of that?”

“I don’t have that sort of money, I only work for cash in hand jobs and they don’t pay much”.

“What about your family, could they help?”

“They will disown me if they find out. You won’t tell them will you, or tell the authorities”.

“No, of course I won’t, but there is nothing I can do to help you other than to tell you to keep your head low, which I suspect you have been doing”.

“Thanks for that much Mr Edward.”

“Anish, instead of doing an interview about student bashings, would you be prepared to do an interview about your life as an illegal migrant?”

“If I could stay completely anonymous, but I doubt that can be.”

“Why do you say that, we will use a false name and we can even disguise your voice if you want.”

“You must have got my phone number from someone you know and I assume they know why you wanted it, so it would not take much for your contact to work out who I am.”

“That’s true. Raj got your number from your mother through his mother.”

“See what I’m meaning.”

“OK, what we’ll do is this. I’ll abandon the idea of an interview, I won’t tell anyone about your troubles and we can leave it at that. But now Raj has your number, what do you tell him if he calls and wants to meet you?”

“I will have to be evasive and meet him if he insists, otherwise he might become suspicious.”

“What do you want me to tell Raj, if he asks about our meeting?”

“You sound like a clever guy, I trust you will think of something appropriate.”

“Thanks Anish, I will, and be assured I won’t tell Raj the truth. Call me if I can help, but I doubt there is anything I can do. If you just need to talk to someone you can call me anyway, just be careful and make sure it is me that you are speaking to”.

“Thanks Edward, you’re a good guy”.

Back home when Romel asked how the meeting went, Edward replied “He was not a suitable subject for interview. As he said, all those bashings were in Melbourne and students in Sydney are not as afraid as in Melbourne. At least that’s how he feels and I agree; if it’s not a problem here, there is no need to beat up a story.”

The next week, Edward went to the radio to do some interview editing. By chance, Charles was also at the studio and the two got chatting over a coffee. During their conversation Charles said “Remember you asked about finding a rent-boy to interview?”

“Yes, have you found someone?”

“Not exactly, but I’ve had an idea. The wall is just a few blocks from here; so on your way home you could stop by and check it out. Mid-week is probably a quiet night, so they might not take it too badly if you stop for a chat”.

“Yes, why didn’t I think of that; some of those guys down there owe me. I spent plenty in the past, but those guys are probably all dead by now or those that survived have settled down in suburbia like the rest of us”.

‘The wall’ is a long high very old sandstone wall that now surrounds an arts school, but was originally built to keep prisoners in one of Sydney’s first jails. It is located in Darlinghurst Rd. opposite Green Park, which fronts St. Vincent’s Hospital where Romel and Craig work.

Edward parked along Green Park and walked through the park so that he could get a view of the boys at the wall, without being noticed. They were mostly gathered in small groups, but he noticed one boy on his own in the dark, sheltered from the street lights by an overhanging tree. Edward decided it would be safer to approach the lone boy. As he walked up to him, Edward was asked “Top or bottom, hand or blow job. All catered for?”

“None of the above.” replied Edward, trying to sound light hearted.

“You’re damned fussy Mister, what’s your fetish?”

“I just want to chat to you.”

“I’ve heard that one before. It’ll still cost you the same.”

“Please hear me out sweetie. I’m from 2GAYfm, the radio station. Have you listened to it?”

“Sure, sometimes; they have great music.”

“Yes, but I have a new program where I interview interesting people with a story to tell.”

“I’m not interesting and don’t have a story to tell.”

“Everyone has a story. But most people just don’t realise it. What seems ordinary to them, because it is their everyday life, is interesting to someone else”.

“OK, I’d like to hear more, but I’m working now.”

“No problem, maybe we could have a drink or lunch sometime.”

“Are you paying?”

“If that’s what it takes.”

“OK, here’s my number, give me a call.” he handed Edward a crumpled business card that just had ‘Wonder Boy’ and a phone number on it. Edward looked at it and said, “Thanks Wonder Boy, I’ll be in contact. Good luck tonight. Make a million.”

“Thanks mister.”

“Oh, by the way, I’m Edward.”

Edward called Wonder Boy a few days later and they agreed to meet at an Oxford St bar for drinks at 6.00pm. When Edward told Romel he would be home later because he was meeting a possible interviewee, Romel wanted to accompany him. He said, “My shift finishes at 5.00pm, I can meet you there”.

“No, that‘s not a good idea. He will be a bit nervous about revealing himself and another stranger might be a bit off putting for him. It’s difficult to get these people to agree to be interviewed so I don’t want any distractions”. A dejected Romel reluctantly agreed.

The two met at the bar and got on well. Wonder Boy seemed more relaxed than when he was at the wall. Edward asked “Do you have a name I can call you now. We won’t use it for the interview if want to be anonymous”.

“My name is Juanito”.

“Can I call you that?”

“Sure, now what about this interview; do I get paid?”

“Juanito, I’m from a community radio station, we operate on donations and member fundraising. We’re not a commercial station with rich sponsors; so in short no, but I can give you a free membership and that entitles you to attend our member functions from time to time. I know it’s not monetary compensation but our members do have a lot of fun at these functions and you will meet new friends”.

“No problem, I wasn’t really expecting money, but hey a guys got to ask. Every dollar counts”.

“I understand that Juanito, sorry I can’t offer you more”.

“Are we doing the interview now?”

“No this is just for us to get to know each other so I can make some notes and formulate the questions for the interview. We can do the interview in the studio but I usually like to do it somewhere that you feel comfortable and somewhere appropriate to your story”.

“Where do you think that would be?”

“Your place where you take your clients.”

“No, I just rent a room by the hour for that and I don’t want to use my own home”.

“Well the wall would be atmospheric but probably a bit public; how about Green Park, just opposite?”

“OK with me, when?”

“Tonight, just after dark, then we’ll be finished before you start work.”

“Sounds good, I think I’m getting excited about it now”.

Edward went straight to the studio and spent the next few hours frantically scribbling notes and getting his recording equipment ready. As he was about to leave he ran into Chris who had been cataloguing music at the studio and asked Edward what he was up to. When he told him, Chris suggested that Edward should have another person nearby to observe, as Green Park can be dangerous after dark. Chris offered to do it for Edward and sat on a nearby park bench but showed no outward interest in Edward or his interviewee. He kept an eye on them and the passing parade of drug dealers and clients. The interview went well and Edward had another in the can.

The Wall https://gayauthors.org/gallery/image/16584-the-wall2jpg/