Martoons

Cast of characters

Fred

Mr Kang

Miss Ping – the secretary at Ulsan Englishy School

*

“How may I help you?” said a fashionable secretary with a wide, strained smile showing huge, bright white teeth.

Fred got the impression she’d been sitting there idle for a while and was eager to finally do something.

“Is the Canadian Thomas here?”

The secretary smiled. “Ah, yeah. He go out for a little while. Wait just a minute please. Would you like coffee?”

* Will Thomas be back soon? *

“Sure.” He wondered how long “a little while” would be.

According to his timings, he had about 45 minutes to visit – for a few pleasantries; to tip Thomas off about the deportation, and then go back.

He didn’t have time to waste but at the same time it is a crucial part of Korean culture to not appear to be rushing in social interaction situations

(pretty much every other time Koreans run around like chickens with their heads cut off!).

Fred sat down on a comfortable chair in the lobby and did his best to look like he had all the time in the world.

The secretary stepped out with the small paper cup of steaming coffee in one hand, stirring in sugar and whitener with the other.

“Cream, sugar okay?”

Fred nodded graciously and she handed his cup to him.

He gracefully received it while sitting, and privately wondered if he should have stood.

“Welcome to our Ulsan city. My name is Miss Ping.” She proffered a handshake.

This time Fred carefully elevated himself out of the chair while adeptly balancing the coffee, and shook hands.

Almost at the exact second their hands touched, a husky, assertive man’s voice called out from an adjacent office.

“Thomas – you come back? You bring my cigarettes?”

“It’s not Thomas,” Miss Ping called out. She lowered her voice and said to Fred, “That’s the manager Mr Kang. I will introduce you.”

Fred had reservations. He didn’t want to get bogged down in a long, ritualistic visit.

Koreans typically roll out the red carpet for guests – particularly foreigners – and mere introductions can quickly lead to being taken out for dinner and eventually to a singing room.

Maybe even a VIP room with ladies – and of course the dreaded soju.

Fred had no problem with that on most occasions but time was of the essence today.

* Do you think that will happen? *

Too late. Miss Ping was already leading him down the hall.

Kang sat behind a huge, stately looking and heavily-adorned desk.

The most prominent ornaments were three oblong polished stones mounted on wooden bases, clustered in one spot.

Their heights ranged from six to eight inches and their strong resemblance to something else made Fred grin.

There was also a small, framed portrait sitting on the desk of an old man – Fred guessed it was Mr Kang’s father.

Above Kang’s desk was a thick cloud of cigarette smoke and on the desk was a large ashtray overflowing with butts.

He wasn’t smoking now but one of the discarded butts was smouldering, its grey trail meandering up to the ceiling.

“Ayeesh!” Miss Ping said and scurried over to extinguish the errant butt.

She started to empty out the ashtray but Kang waved her off and muttered something.

Ping instructed Fred to sit on a dark-coloured, firm couch.

Kang came out from behind his desk and sat on another couch directly across from Fred, with a knee-high, polished glass table between them.

Kang was dressed in suit and tie; he was a short man, maybe 160 cm, but Fred could see that he had an athletic build, with wide shoulders, puffed out chest and a thick neck.

“Miss Ping!” Kang said and motioned her to sit down beside Fred.

* Will this meeting go well? *

*

Tomorrow: Fred endures somewhat of an interrogation.