Martoons

Cast of characters

Fred

Mr Go

*

They continued trudging.

Nearing the top, Fred couldn’t take his mind off food. He took a few more steps but something suddenly came into view.

“Mr Go – another mountain!”

Perspiring profusely, the ex-boss looked up briefly. “Ah, beautiful!”

Right beside them was a small food kiosk and a beckoning ajumma.

“Mr Go…” Fred exclaimed.

Go waved him off and pointed to the peak of the oncoming mountain, a good 30 minutes away.

“Up there, Mr Fred. It is traditional in Korea. We eat at the top of the mountain. Look – many people.”

Several dozen coloured dots were buzzing around the peak.

Undoubtedly Go was perfectly poised to put off the hunger pangs a little longer. It was just another little sacrifice in the average Korean life.

Meanwhile, Fred’s legs were wobbling and he stumbled every couple of steps.

Twenty grueling minutes later the final peak was in sight but they suddenly came upon a small makeshift concession run by a hearty, jovial old ajumma.

“Sticky, sticky weather,” she said to Go, who stopped in front of her little operation.

“Sir, stop for a drink. You look very tired and pale. Oh and look!” She pointed to his chest. His button-up shirt was drenched with sweat.

The proud Mr Go would likely have dragged himself to the top of the mountain, but this was a chance to take a break without losing face.

He turned to Fred while catching his breath.

“This woman is selling Korean rice wine. Very delicious and next day – no hangover.” It sounded like a medical endorsement.

“Let me be the judge of that – next day!” Fred quipped.

Go paid for a large bowl of the creamy, milky substance. Alcohol in Korea always goes with a side dish.

The concession lady adeptly chop-sticked some kimchi out of a huge brown ceramic vat into a small white dish.

“Two thousand won,” she said (about $2 Canadian).

“So expensive!” Go replied, always driving the hard bargain.

The old lady had undoubtedly heard the complaint often and was hardened to it.

She emphatically waved Mr Go off and said firmly “I carried all this stuff up the mountain.”

She put an extra dollop of kimchi in the dish.

Around the concession other families seated on picnic mats were vigorously chowing-down. A few inadvertently glanced up as Fred walked by.

“Oh, way-gook, way-gook!” they uttered.

Fred wondered why many Koreans felt the need to continually point out when a foreigner was in their midst.

* Why do you think they do that? *

Go glanced around for a place to sit.

There was a bench and some rock outcroppings but one extended family with their white-bearded grandfather offered up a spare mat beside them.

Go at first refused, thinking that sitting with strangers would make Fred uncomfortable.

Fred waved him off. “No problem Mr Go. I’m okay if you are.”

Go noticed that the father of the family strongly resembled his best buddy Mr Kang.

That brought a smile to his face and made him less bashful about borrowing the mat.

Exhausted, he removed his shoes and took a seat. “Sit down Mr Fred.”

Fred slid his shoes off and joined Go on the mat.

Getting comfortable, Fred found himself looking at the family grandfather’s long and stringy white beard.

Sitting with his legs crossed, the beard extended right down between his legs where it conveniently ended. He must have been growing that thing for decades. 

As Fred devoured some kimchi, Go poured the rice wine into two smaller bowls.

“Cheers!” Go exclaimed.

*

Tomorrow: A wise old man suddenly appears on the scene…