Martoons

Cast of characters

Dame

Miss No

Miss No’s mom

*

This is God’s way of telling me I’m supposed to go out tonight, thought Dame.

* Where will he go? *

Dame got himself together and immediately envisioned Mr Go. Why not visit his good buddy?

Undoubtedly he was home as per curfew and Dame had no intent of enticing him out into the wee hours again like last night.

Instead, he’d trek over to Go’s apartment purely for a house call.

Yeah, this’ll work. I haven’t been for a good long walk for ages and I sure could use some fresh air. 

He fired up yet another smoke.

Meanwhile, way back across the other side of the bridge, Miss No’s third floor Central Institute office lights were burning.

She’d been hidden away there most of the day and was almost ready to make her move to avert the latest crisis.

* What is the latest crisis? *

It had all started when she’d returned from church in the morning.

A legal document had been delivered to the institute and her personally, and it hit her like a ton of cinder blocks.

Go was suing her, claiming she’d stolen his business.

She’d gone home at lunch and discussed the issue with her mother. Would the family support her in a possible legal battle?

* Would they? *

Ma waved her off.

Would the family loan her money to buy-out Mr Go?

Again no.

Englishy schools, Ma explained, were not the type of business the family wanted in to.

They were a fad; a flavour of the week. And all those pesky, unreliable, big-nosed waygooks to deal with!

“I’m not asking this family to get involved in this business,” Miss No told mom. “In fact, I don’t want my brothers involved.

“I know this business! I am now on the threshold of a dream. All I need is an unconditional loan without any strings attached.”

“If you loan me the money and leave me alone, I’ll be rich in five years.”

Mother adopted a serious scowl and asked daughter if she’d eaten rice yet.

“Answer me mother! The loan of money please. What about it?”

Ma waved her off a second time, adding that if daughter showed success with the business, maybe down the road a year or two – the family “might possibly” invest.

Daughter stormed out, hailed a cab, and headed back to the institute. She was livid, yet as her rational mind regained control, what did she expect her mom to say?

Her family had always been this way to her.

They made few demands on her and had very humble expectations – that she, their only daughter (Thank God!) be nothing more or less than a traditional wife.

They’d introduce her to a man from a wealthy family and she was guaranteed a comfortable life. It was the Korean Way.

“Ayeesh!” Miss No muttered under her breath, raising the eyebrows of the cab driver. Her family seemed to be punishing for her association with Go.

They’d never accepted nor respected the man, partly because they’d had no role in introducing him to their daughter.

Miss No had met and courted Go on her own – against her family’s wishes.

Back in her office moments later, with business closed for Christmas day and dead quietude around her, No reviewed the legal document. Hmmm.

She was definitely not going to simply sit back and let the wheels of ‘justice’ slowly roll over her. She was going to push back. Starting now.

* How will Miss No push back? *

Fatefully, her ankle inadvertently brushed against the box below her desk – her séance kit. Idea!

* What is she going to do? *

She looked at her watch, then scooted over to the office photocopier and fired that up. And then out came the scissors and glue.

It was time for some arts and crafts. She was about to cut and paste a solution to her new legal problem.

*

Tomorrow: Go gets an invite to have lunch with his old-flame.