Martoons

Cast of characters

Thomas

Fred

Max

Mr E

Coffee Lady

*

Fred couldn’t imagine more hours of drinking and talking. He’d already been sitting here for centuries it seemed and he was talked-out and soju’d out.

Nevertheless, the Koreans and Thomas were getting up.

* Will Fred still enjoy the rest of his night? *

Max and E were jostling each other over who would pay the tab for the soju and that huge pile of greasy pork snacks.

* Who will end up paying? *

The plate for it now sat completely empty with a few blotches of grease on it, and a smattering of chopsticks laying at conflicting angles to each other.

One chopstick was completely submerged in a grease puddle.

Thomas turned to Fred: “These guys always pay. They’re so generous. And I know a lot of waygooks who take that for granted, but not me. Watch this…”

Max and E still wouldn’t let each other pay. One would dig deep in his pocket, start withdrawing cash, but the other would push his hand back

. Then the other guy would reach in his pocket, and be similarly restrained.

Amidst the fuss, Thomas harmlessly announced, “Excuse me folks, I’ll be right back. I must wash my hands.” 

Max and E viewed him suspiciously but Thomas got away from the table and headed in the direction of the men’s room.

He inconspicuously stopped at the cashier and looked back. Max and E were now slapping each other playfully.

Thomas quickly produced a wad of cash and paid the whole bill – well over one hundred dollars.

Just as the cashier was handing over the change, Max spotted it and rushed toward the cashier.

“Thomas! What are you doing! Why? Why?”

“Everything’s under control,” Thomas said waving him down. “My turn to pay.”

A struggle ensued as Max practically reached into the cash register to remove Thomas’ cash and replace it with his own.

Thomas grabbed his arm and pulled it back, and then stuck his hand in Max’s and forced a handshake.

“Mr Max, I appreciate your kind offer but today it’s my treat.”

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if you and Coffee Lady hadn’t helped me out so many times over the last few months. Koreans – Number One.”

“Thanks and Merry Christmas.”

Max was touched by the foreigner’s gratefulness but deep down inside was bothered that he’d been upstaged at the till.

It was a severe loss of face. He now felt indebted and had to redeem himself.

“Mr Fred and Thomas! Let’s now go singing room. I pay, okay? Full service, okay? Ladies too, okay?”

Thomas immediately flicked a thumbs-up.

“Singing room? What the hell!” Fred exclaimed, “It’s Christmas! My first in Korea…” and my last!

* Will it be Fred’s last Christmas there? *

*

Army Song   

Out in the streets of Chinju as Christmas evening set in, Fred found the damp coldness bone-chilling.

“Mr Max! I hope this singing joint is at least a few blocks away. I could use a bit of a walk to stretch out the legs and warm up.”

Max waved him off. “We go now to my friend’s singing room. Maybe it is very close to here.”

His eyes were darting around the multitude of neon signs mounted on nearby buildings. “Mr Fred, can you sing Korean song?”

Fred chuckled. “I will try.”

“There are many many Korean songs at singing room. Most are sad.”

Fred had noticed that before. “Why is that Max? Are Koreans always sad?”

Max sighed and reflected. “It is our culture. Life for Koreans is often very difficult.

“In your country, maybe you can be individual and you are free. In Korea we must always respect someone else. And also, for a long time, we were very poor.”

“Many Koreans were hungry.”

“Max, I really feel like singing a Korean song tonight.”

“Are you sad Mr Fred?” The question was genuine.

Fred reflected on his situation but kept it inside.

“I’m melancholy but…” (Fred chose that word because he’d heard Koreans use it.) “…everything is okay.”

“Cheer up Mr Fred. Today is Christmas. Singing room also has many sappy love songs too. Koreans are very romantic and corny.”

“Why don’t you sing a love song?”

Fred chuckled. “I don’t have a lover Max.”

“Oh Mr Fred! Do you want to meet lover … tonight?” Max’s eyes lit up and again his sentiment was genuine.

Fred found the question kind of odd and didn’t know what to make of it. All that mattered to Max was that Fred didn’t explicitly refuse.

* Will Fred meet a special someone? *

*

Tomorrow: The group gets led to their private singing room and belt out some tunes!