Martoons

Cast of characters

Fred

Mrs Won

Mrs Park

Fortune Teller

Scene: Leaving the mountain and hiking trail.

*

The apple-slicing housewife turned to him: “My name is Mrs Park.”

“Maybe my daughter is one of your students. Do you know Caffeine? By the way, did you know Thomas?”

“Yeah, of course. I actually introduced him to Korea…”

“We were so sad when he left.”

“Especially you Mrs Park!”one of the other housewives piped up.

Some of the others giggled but Park remained silent.

“What’s so funny?” Fred wondered.

The other housewife explained. “Maybe she was very interested in Thomas.

“Fred can you keep a secret? She is married but there was a rumour that Thomas was her enjoy partner.”

Fred couldn’t believe their frankness.

“Do you believe every rumour you hear sister?” Park retorted, with a tinge of disdain both in her voice and her facial expression, but also an element of fun.

“Oh, Mr Fred…” she said excitedly, “I heard another rumour. Is it true? Are you leaving Chinju too?”

Fred hadn’t thought about the rumour for a while and immediately the inert innuendo was instantly raised from the dead.

He sank into a sullen reflection, mainly about Damion’s supposedly imminent hearing.

The ensuing several seconds’ silence made some of the other housewives uncomfortable and they began lifting themselves off the mat and packing up. It was time to go.

Five to ten minutes later they were all back on the trail.

“Fred,” Mrs Won said, “we have one more stop. We will visit a Fortune Teller. Do you have time?”

* Will Fred join them and get his fortune told? *

Fortune Teller’s place of business was just off the trail near the bottom, in a traditional, faded and tattered old house.

It had a porch with big brown vats on it, various vegetables hanging and drying, and wooden-framed sliding rice paper entrance doors.

The housewives entered individually or in pairs. Won wanted Fred to accompany her, so he did, more out of curiosity and politeness than anything.

Fortune Teller was dressed as would be expected – a robe-like uniform and a wizard-style hat, but they too were weathered.

He also smoked a long pipe and periodically filled the room with a stifling cloud of combusted tobacco – or something.

He proceeded to reveal to Mrs Won that Hot Sauce would do well on her exam, get into a good university, and land a lucrative job eventually.

And to top it all off, she would marry a strong, successful man and have several healthy, brilliant sons as children.

“Your family tree will blossom for generations to come,” Fortune Teller declared.

Won was very gracious and handed him a money envelope, much like the ones Fred received on payday – about a half inch thick and containing $1000 worth of Korean currency.

“Fred,” Won asked, “do you want Fortune Teller to predict your future?”

He reflexively and vehemently waved off the suggestion and chuckled.

It was getting late and … “Actually I’m not superstitious Mrs Won. But, thanks anyway.”

Now it was Won’s turn to wave him off. “No problem, everything’s okay. I paid him a lot of money. Fortune Teller says he’d be glad to reveal your future.”

Fred actually took a few seconds to think about it. Heck, why not?

He decided to be a good sport and capitalize on the opportunity.

Besides, Mrs Won might be offended if he turned her down, and who knows what power these old Fortune Tellers had?

“Okay!”

“You must think of question for him Fred,” Won prompted enthusiastically.

It came instantly. “Okay, I’ve got one. Ask him if I will soon leave Korea.”

*

Tomorrow: The Fortune Teller responds to Fred’s question over whether he will soon leave Korea.