Martoons

Cast of characters

Mr Go

Max

Dame

Dame’s senior friends

*

Kwangju    

Fast forward: We return to Max’s pool hall office.

“Brother, brother, wake up, wakeup! Hello?” Max chuckled as he snapped his fingers in front of Go’s glazed and dazed eyes.

Go snapped out of his bittersweet reminiscences.

“Thought I’d lost you there for a second,” Max said.

“Okay, it’s time to make a decision. You have a choice and it is entirely as you wish.

“Either let me in to your business as a shareholder starting now, or this will be your last day of your Englishy school operations in my buildings and I will padlock them.”

* What will Go choose? *

Max had agonized about it for the last few minutes.

Go owed way too much money and having the goons rough him up was out of the question.

* And why is that? *

Max knew Go too well – a soft, kind man whom Max could now see had some kind of mental problem.

Max had gleaned tidbits about Go’s army service from their conversations and could tell that something was amiss.

* What do you think Go witnessed while in the army? *

Max himself had seen horrific things during his tour of duty in Viet Nam – atrocities he never spoke about with others – and he’d seen guys’ minds messed up permanently.

But he was no psychologist and the biggest favour he could do for Go was to put him out to pasture quietly.

A man who’d served his country and paid for it with part of his mind didn’t deserve to be hurt.

It was a sentimental decision yet Max did, after all, have that humane side.

“So,” Max said rubbing his hands together with finality, “unless some kind of miracle happens …”

He didn’t need to say anything further.

“You will have to go out. I’m very very sorry.”

He got up from the couch and lightly scratched his temple in a reflective way.

“Look, I’m going to be busy for the next few days so if you come up with the cash in the next 48 hours go over and leave it with my Coffee Lady down the street at her café. No problem? Try to understand – I have no choice.”

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

Go didn’t say yes or no.

He just got up, walked right past Max in disappointment and disgust, and departed.

*

University village, soju tent.

Dame was motionless and staring into space, his fingers reflexively tapping on the table.

The handful of university seniors who’d joined him tonight looked at each other and squirmed in their benches.

“Sir, something wrong?”

Pause.

Dame’s tapping slowed and stopped.

He snapped to.

“This will probably be my last card game with you guys.”

* How come? *

“Why is that, Sir?” they asked.

“In a couple of days I’m going to leave this God-forsaken country.”

The seniors immediately relaxed somewhat.

“You’ve been saying that ever since we met you, Sir – over a month?”

* Is Dame actually going to leave this time? *

Dame resumed distractedly tapping his fingers again.

“Boys, give me a reason to stay in this cursed country – I’ve been trying to think of one ever since I got off the plane. I discovered a reason along the way but…”

He sunk into a reflection and stared into space.

“… it’s gone now.”

“You mean the Coffee Lady, Sir?”

“You got it. She was perfect for me.”

He seemed to sink deeper into momentary doldrums.

“But Sir, maybe you were not perfect for her. Korean women … they are very – how you say – fickle? In love, it is always the woman who decides.”

Dame didn’t say anything.

“Sir, there are other reasons to stay in Korea. There are many beautiful women…”

Dame waved the seniors off.

“Boys, I am going to give this place one last chance. Anybody got any sightseeing ideas? If this was your last few days in Korea, where would you go? I’d like to leave with a strong memory.”

“How about one of the famous temples in Korea, Sir?”

Dame screwed up his face and shook his head.

“Naw. Been there, done that. Seen one temple, seen ‘em all. They’re marvelous but … I want something I haven’t yet seen.”

“Ah, yeah…”

The other seniors were at a loss for words.

“Okay, let me narrow it down for you,” Dame said.

“I once knew a guy who’d just come back from Indonesia and he said that the most interesting places to visit are those where the authorities have beaten the crap out of the people.”

He scanned across the seniors but they didn’t seem to be getting his point.

“Struggle. Hardship. Misery. You know. All that stuff that builds character.

“Now, don’t play dumb you guys. Koreans have been through a lot of troubles over the years and survived. Thrived, in fact.

“Let’s face it guys, Korea is almost boring now. All the hard times of bygone days have been paved over and built on.

“Where can I see some real history in this country – some true, authentic relics from your country’s brutal, bloodthirsty past? The real Korea?”

* Where will Dame go to see the ‘real’ Korea? *

*

Tomorrow: Dame learns of a dark historical event.