Martoons

Cast of characters

Fred

Mr Go

Max

*

“Fred thank you for saving my life,” said Mr Go. He dabbed his own forehead with a cold cloth.

Fred was going to mention that more credit should go to Max and his buddy but held back, content that Go was back to normal.

Figuring sauna time was over; Fred stopped near his locker.

Go kept walking around for a bit. A few moments later Fred looked around and saw Go back on the slatted bench again getting his bearings.

Max had also reappeared and was there.

From their body language it appeared they were strictly on formal terms, not friendly ones; it looked as if Max had the upper hand.

Go looked uncomfortable. Even so, Max helped him to his locker so he could change.

Max then nipped over to Fred.

“See you next time,” and he returned to the sauna area. Go and Max didn’t exchange any farewell greetings.

Go pulled Fred aside near his locker and said in a low voice, “Fred you should never meet that man. He is … gangster!”

Fred tried to convince Go to wait until tomorrow to make his road trip but the dutiful ex-boss was feeling refreshed.

He invited Fred out to eat rice but the Canadian felt he was taking too much of his ex-boss’s time.

 “Rice maybe next time, Mr Go – and it will be on me okay?”

Fred was still at the towel-wrapped-around-the-waste stage whereas Go was already changed and ready to depart.

“You are right; I should begin my journey right away.”

He insisted that Fred didn’t have to see him off.

“I think you like the sauna Mr Fred. Stay here and enjoy. It is the long weekend and maybe you don’t have anything to do.”

They bowed to each other. Go turned and headed to the exit to return his locker key.

A thought suddenly hit Fred: When would he see Mr Go again?

* Could this be the last time Fred sees Mr Go? *

Panged with sentiment he called out, “Yah! Mr Go!”

The ex-boss was handing his key in and turned his head back.

Fred welled-up with emotion but was at a loss for words. “Thanks,” was all he could come up with, accompanied with a somewhat lame thumbs-up.

“Thanks for the hiking and this bathhouse. I really enjoyed it.”

“No problem Mr Fred.”

“I’ll do everything I can to help you, okay?”

He waved Fred off. “Everything’s fine Mr Fred. Everything’s fine.”

* Will things turn out okay for Mr Go? *

1-1-9 had just arrived in the lobby but Go waved them off and departed. Back inside, Fred decided on another round of dips into the tubs.

Indeed, he didn’t have anything planned for the rest of the evening – or the weekend for that matter –

and was thoroughly enjoying unwinding in the warm, steamy environment. He was also curious to talk to Max more if he got the chance.

He spotted the gregarious gangster and his bulky buddy in one of the water tanks but they were embroiled in a discussion, so Fred just slipped into the tank and relaxed.

Moments later Max and his cohort noticed him.

*

Tomorrow: Fred accompanies Max, his assistant, and another familiar face out for rice.