Martoons

Today: Fred finally responds to Donna

Cast of characters

Fred

Master Lee

Donna

*

Now it was Fred’s turn to play the visa waiting game.

It was excruciating as days ticked by second by second.

To make it more torturous, Donna kept calling him.

She was demanding to know why the Korea job wasn’t going through.

“I don’t care what happened,” she said in her message.

“And you don’t have to mention any names. I just want a response. I don’t like being ignored.”

And the most recent message: “Stop treating me like an animal! The worst thing you can do is ignore someone.”

* Can Fred save Donna’s job in Korea? *

Fred kept meaning to call her back but delayed, hoping the proper way to break the news would somehow – eventually – come into his head.

How could he let Donna down easily?

Or could he?

What careful choice of words would he make?

He rehearsed dozens of statements and speeches in his mind, but they all sounded lame.

Finally he decided to bite the bullet and meet her.

At least that was better than calling.

He could see her face-to-face.

He’d be more accountable and that was his style.

Before he headed off to the meeting – at the local library – he called Master Lee one more time to see if there was any hope in hell that the owner over in Korea would change his mind.

“I am sorry Fred,” Master said. “Maybe impossible.”

It’s that Korean thing at work again. But now it’s time for a Canadian thing.

“Master Lee, I need more information. I have to tell Donna something – an actual reason why she can’t go to Korea.”

“Maybe some problem with that owner,” Master confided with concern in his voice.

“Miss No and her fiancé own that business. These days they are fighting. Maybe their relationship is – how you say – on rocks?”

He chuckled. “Korean couples can be very dramatic. Like a TV soap opera. Don’t worry – when you go Korea maybe you will see. Maybe it is … Korean style.”

* Does Master Lee downplay Korean interpersonal drama? *

Fred instantly had doubts about going to Korea but was a man of his word and didn’t believe in pulling the plug.

“I like TV drama,” Fred said. “I think I will like Korea!”

Both Fred and Master Lee laughed wholeheartedly.

“Maybe this problem will not affect you Fred,” Master added. “And maybe it is good that Donna cannot go.”

*

Fred’s Waiting Game

“It’s the waiting in silence that was killing me,” Donna said as they found a table in the library.

“I have a theory that way-back-when in Korea, I was neglected or abandoned as a baby – left in an alley or something like that.”

“When I get ignored it just triggers something … rage.”

Fred opened his backpack.

He’d brought a thermos full of hot water to the library with him and two bags of green tea, as well as an extra paper cup for Donna.

He felt she was the kind of person who could appreciate such a simple gesture, and he was right.

She was pleased when he offered to pour her a cup as he relayed what Master Lee had told him about her prospective boss’s family drama over in Korea.

“I know Korean families are very complicated,” she said, seemingly unconcerned. “And very emotional.”

* Did Master Lee exaggerate how emotional Koreans are? *

Fred was a bit taken aback by her nonchalant response.

“As Master Lee pointed out, maybe this is a blessing rather than a curse that they didn’t hire you.

“I get the impression the owner and his spouse are at war. You wouldn’t want to get caught in the middle of that crap.”

She sighed and sipped her tea again. “I’d still go.”

She reached out and gently grabbed Fred’s arm.

“I was really looking forward to this. I was counting on you! You had single-handedly jumpstarted my career.”

“Our meeting that night in the parkade over my smashed-up window – it just seemed so fateful.”

Fred recoiled and felt truly bad.

“I could have dealt with the situation over there,” she added. “I deal with people’s problems all the time in my stupid phone job.”

She sighed. “And after all, I’d just be working there. I’m not partof that family.”

“You know, as long as you don’t interfere in people’s business – family or otherwise – they still need you to do the job. That’s why they pay you!”

She sighed and shook her head, and Fred really felt stupid.

But Donna wasn’t finished. “I don’t know – this seems like bullshit to me. I really doubt things are as bad as the way it was described to you.

“I know what Koreans are like – I am one. More often than not, as long as you’re not a complete screw up, sometimes they actually absorb you into their family!”

Fred shook his head.

There was no way around it.

He’d let Donna down and she wasn’t going to forgive him.

From that moment on, he felt indebted to her.

*

Tomorrow: Fred struggles with disappointment – in his meeting with Donna and in himself.