Martoons

Cast of characters

Mr Go

Miss No

Restaurant owner

*

“Give me a moment!” No quickly cleared the table of all her séance stuff.

“Let us dine first Comrade Go.” It occurred to her that the food would sober him up and then she could get her paper stamped.

The next 30 minutes were excruciating for Go.

He loved raw fish and had always eaten it – as most Koreans do – with lightning speed, washed down with soju.

Still in acting mode though, he ate slowly and methodically, interspersed with shots of the disgusting syrupy wine.

It was making his stomach do flips and giving him a pre-hangover headache.

He was mentally exhausted and on the verge of throwing up after finishing the meal.

* Will he be able to keep the act up? *

“How was it Comrade Go – was it delicious?”

“Yes, delicious. The wine was a pleasant touch.” And I deserve an award for that performance. Just ask Shakespeare.  

Satisfied and ruthlessly suppressing her impatience, No whipped out her document again.

With coolness and collectedness, Go waved her off in super slow motion as if he was on the verge of freezing up.

“I am sorry Comrade No. My impairment has now extended from my head down through my whole body.”

“I am worse than before dinner. Before I saw two documents in front of me. Now I see four.”

Comrade No was furious but kept it inside. This is so ironic – all the time I’ve know this man, he’s signed all kinds of fake documents.

And he’s often done it after or even while drinking. Sometimes he was so drunk that I had to guide his hand!

“Okay, Comrade Go. Thank you for your honesty. Carry on. I will leave first.”

She collected her things and fled the booth, quickly sliding the rice paper door closed.

Kicking off the slippers and putting her shoes back on, she stormed down the hallway to the front counter.

Swallowing her anger, she cranked up the widest, most pasted smile possible.

Telling the owner, “Everything was delicious,” she handed over the $100 for the meal.

The owner wished her good luck with her new business. Avoiding eye contact and saying nothing further, she exited.

* Will No get another chance to try and get Go to sign those documents? *

*

No Say No

Back in the booth, Go was pleased that he’d resisted Miss No completely and totally – and without her catching on.

He chuckled smugly.

For once, it felt like old times when he used to be in charge – that sensation of being a king.

Glowing with long-lost pride, he lit up a smoke and called the owner in for a chat. They’d only known each since Go had been in Chinju.

“You really do know how to run a business,” a radiant Go told the owner, who was standing at the slid-open door.

“I really admire you. You’ve always had the best raw fish. Quality is number one for you.”

“Ah yeah, yeah.” The owner paused abashedly. “But you’re no slouch yourself.”

“You came into this city as a newbie and with a radical, risky and progressive idea. You completely went against the grain and made it work.”

“My colleagues in the Chamber of Commerce thought you were nuts. So, I wonder why – according to your lady there – you are getting out?”

* Will Go reveal the truth over what has occurred with Miss No? *

Go gestured for the owner to sit down a minute. He did, on the edge of the booth’s platform; that way he wouldn’t have to take his shoes off.

Go slowly inhaled his cigarette.

“Miss No started as a lowly staffer – what, a year ago? – and I nurtured her rise in my company.”

But wherever I gave her an inch, she took a mile. She won’t stop until she’s got it all.”

“

He shook his head. “But today I stopped her.”  

The owner leaned a bit closer and lowered his voice, confiding: “I’ve known her family for years and you my friend are in for a hell of a fight.”

“That family always gets what they want.”

Go waved him off mildly. “The one thing left of mine that she’s not going to get is my signature on her document.”

*

Tomorrow: Mr Go and the RAW FISH owner have a talk over the changing of hands and the changing of time.