Martoons

Cast of characters

Mr Go

Max

*

Pool Hall Max – several minutes later.

“Sorry I’m late,” Max said to Mr Go, who’d arrived about ten minutes before and was waiting in the office.

“There was a lot of traffic between my mom’s game room and here. Ayeesh! There’s no end to the increase in cars on the streets of our fair city.”

Go waved him off, unconcerned.

“Why don’t we get right down to business then, and skip all the small talk?”

* What is their ‘business’? *

“Yes! You know me well. I am not big on small talk.”

Max got on the blower and ordered some coffee for the both of them.

“Okay, so your account with me is long overdue. The space you are renting in my buildings for your business is prime real estate.

“The education industry is booming these days and our fair Chinju is the education city. Rental rates are skyrocketing. I’ve got a long list of potential clients for space.

“I get calls daily and can’t keep putting them off. They’ve got money and they want to get going on their businesses. Remember what you were like back in the beginning? How every day’s delay drove you crazy?”

Go acted unfazed.

“Yeah, yeah, I understand.”

“Try to fit yourself in my shoes,” Max continued.

“I’m just a little guy. I’ve got people above coming down on me for their payments, and I really don’t like that feeling.

“I strongly dislike pressure. My constitution doesn’t handle it well – leads to graying of the temples, doesn’t it?” He chuckled a dry chuckle.

“I’m still single and way past marrying age. If I go prematurely grey I won’t stand a chance.”

Go shrugged and forced a smile.

“You are a wealthy man and could marry anyone of your choosing.”

Now it was his turn to chuckle.

“And if you’re worried about grey, why don’t you just dye your hair?”

“Good idea,” Max responded genuinely.

Both of their diminishing smiles evaporated.

Go’s mind was slowly wrapping itself around the matter at hand:

Money for Max.

In the year or so that he’d known and spoken with Max at his nightclubs and singing rooms, he’d heard about many of the gangster’s war stories; clients who paid late and what happened to them at the hands of Max’s ‘boys’.

One reassurance for Go was that Max never evicted a client without sufficient notice – ‘notice’ being his ‘boys’ administering a variety of corporal punishments to the delinquent debtor.

‘Love taps’ Max called them.

* Will Go be getting a ‘love tap’ soon? *

“I’m fair and humane,” Max said presently, and Go tended to agree.

“If my boys wail on you, you might be sore the next day, but you’ll still have your business. There has to be some punishment for not paying.

“And you know what, Mr Go?”

Max raised his forefinger like a wise old man.

“After a little ‘care’ and ‘attention’ from my boys, my clients seem to miraculously come up with their payments. Funny that.”

Go remained stone-faced, and looked down to avoid eye contact with the gangster.

“I’m sorry – at this time no money.”

* Seems like Go may be getting himself into some more trouble… *

Max waved him off.

“No, I’m sorry – for letting this go on so long. I guess I mixed friendship and business.

“When you’re friends with someone – as you and I are – it’s hard to hit them up for cash.

“I know you well and am familiar with your situation so I am more lenient with you. Look – I fully understand that times are tough for you – with Miss No and all that.”

Go shrugged him off.

If there was one thing he abhorred it was false sympathy.

“Ah, business is very, very hard these days but it’s always like that. You know that, I know that. 

“And you know me Mr Max – if I get extra cash it’s not as if I pamper myself. Just last week, I got lucky at the slots and used my little bonus winnings to make a secret payment to Thomas.… If Miss No knew, she would be very angry.”

Max cut in.

“Ah, Thomas!”

The gangster looked down, shook his head, and then re-established eye contact.

“Brother, frankly speaking, after my very own Coffee Lady related Thomas’ story to me, I was very disappointed in you. Thomas is a visitor to this country and he’s a very good guy!

“That was quite the ordeal you and your Miss No put him through!”

He threw his arms up.

“How could you treat a decent, good-natured man that way? He had no money!”

Max’s earnestness and concern infected Go and he dropped his head again.

“I am truly ashamed. Thomas was treated poorly. But we are getting off topic…”

* Will Go be able to come up with the money for Max? *

*

Tomorrow: Max makes Go an offer.