Martoons

Cast of characters

Donna

Damion

Rose

*

COFFEE SHOP MAX.

Donna sat all fidgety in her booth.

She’d tried to break the ice with the Coffee Lady but got only cursory answers or groans so she gave up.

And anyway, despite Donna’s fluency in Korean, she had trouble understanding the southern, twangy accent of the Coffee Lady.

Donna had ordered a traditional tea, which was soothing and delicious (it better be, at five bucks a pop!) but it was almost done.

* Will Donna give up on Damion showing up? *

Dame, meanwhile, sprung off Rosie-O’s room bed as his mental alarm clock sounded.

“Why didn’t you wake me!” he scolded.

Rose had slinked half-guiltily into the corner of the room in front of a big mirror and was primping her hair.

“I tried! Hey, if you still need wake-up calls at your age, there’s no hope for you. Anyway, you were passed out.”

He scampered into the washroom and quickly rubbed his hands over his chest and triceps to warm himself up.

Splashing some ice-cold tap water on his face, he swung the door closed, pissed like a racehorse, then rushed out and retrieved his shirt. Rose had neatly folded it for him.

“Thanks Rosie-O,” he said and extended his arms out for a hug.

“Ayeesh!” she said and raised her hand to slap him again so he backed-off quickly. “Where do think you are?

“This is the Hollywood Inn in Chinju, Korea, not Hollywood USA. Now go off to your meeting.

“I’ve got clients coming in a few minutes. I want to tidy the place up. This is my place of business you know.”

Dame blew her a mushy kiss and rushed down to the street, felt some bills in his pocket for a cab and hailed one.

Moments later he was rushing up the stairs to COFFEE SHOP MAX.

On the landing, he slowed down and collected himself to make entry look graceful and purposeful, not late and amateurish.

Through the opaque glass door he went.

“Hi Sis!” he exclaimed, cruising in with a swagger. “Long time no see. I missed the hell out of you.”

Donna barely made eye contact. “How nice of you to show up. I was just about to leave.”

He hastily joined her in the booth, sitting across the table. “Good thing you got here early, eh, to save us some seats.” He chuckled.

“Yeah,” she said sarcastically, looking around at the rest of the completely empty café. “Geez, if I hadn’t been here she might have closed the place early.”

“Not a chance,” Dame rebutted. “These places get busy at night. The night is young.”

“Maybe for you, but I’ve got to go home and get my beauty sleep. I’m up at five tomorrow morning – every morning in fact.

“I stretch, jog, meditate, eat a proper meal, and then head off to work. I want to accomplish something in this country. I’m not on … vacation.”

She fished in her purse, dug out the cash-stuffed envelope, and slapped it down decisively. “Well there it is. A cash advance from my boss.

“I haven’t even been paid yet so I hope you appreciate that and don’t party it away. It’s for your trip back – as we agreed.”

She took her last sip of tea and started to shuffle out of the booth…

Dame played dumb and didn’t touch the envelope.

“Wait a minute – who says I’m going back? Things change, you know. And why are you leaving so soon? I just got here.”

“Yeah, but you were supposed to be here 30 minutes ago. I’ve been sitting here twiddling my thumbs.”

“There’s something I want to do tonight so I’ve got to get going.”

* What is Donna heading off to go do? *

She stood up and straightened herself out, glancing at the envelope still sitting there unacknowledged. “A thank you would be nice.”

Dame raised his open hands calmly to eye-level like a guru. “Donna, relax! Let the control impulse slide out of you.

“You know, you don’t seem to have changed a bit since you came to Korea. I have.

“I’ve used this change of scenery to turn over a new leaf and think I’m doing a pretty damn good job of it so far.”

“If you made the time to talk to me for a few minutes, you’d see.”

“Thanks for the opportunity for spiritual enlightenment but I think I’ll pass.”

He pushed back the envelope. “Thanks anyway ‘sis but I don’t need your money. I ain’t leavin’ yet anyway.

“I still have to help my people. I’ll leave this God-forsaken peninsula when I’m damn well ready.”

Before Donna could say anything else, Dame was gone.

*

Tomorrow: Fred is a little discouraged over his lack of social plans.