Martoons

Cast of characters

Dame

Mr Go

Miss No

*

“So much for ‘everything happens fast in Korea’, eh?” said Dame. 

“If the wheels of justice turned quickly, none of those lawyer types would be driving imported cars and living in mansions on those gated streets, with their weekend cabins in the mountains.”

“Seriously though, the whole litigation thing is Mr Kang’s idea so I’ll just ride it out. He’s my best friend and his heart is in the right place.”

“It’s not costing me anything, just the anguish of these mailings.”

“Seriously, if it was up to me, I wouldn’t be wasting my time on pursuing a court action. Nobody adheres to the law in this country anyway.”

“I certainly try my best not to!” He chuckled dryly.

* Doesn’t Go want control of his business back though? *

Dame chuckled and nodded his head mildly.

They were now down to the corner store. It was a comfortably mild winter evening.

Dame nipped in and scraped up enough pocket coinage to pick up two colas. Go stayed outside and sat down at one of the cheap, plastic tables.

He disinterestedly peeled open the envelope, more out of fidgety boredom than any desire to read the contents.

He was now thinking he should call Mr Kang and scrap the whole case.

* Will he? *

*

Miss No was burning the candle down. She’d already given her head office at Central the once over.

There were no clues lying around that police could link her to Mr Go’s demise.

Poor man. Died in a fire. Lots of people do regularly. Surprising that it hadn’t happened sooner, given his deadly habit of smoking in bed.

* When will she find out that he’s not actually dead? *

One thing – however – was truly disturbing Miss No about this fiery fiasco: How little she felt about the horrifying death.

The thought of it was macabre but for some reason she just didn’t feel anything.

That was unsettling.

She rehearsed the story she’d tell police: Mr Go was a disgruntled ex who’d drank himself out of the business picture some time ago; no doubt he died a shamed and dejected man.

He’d lost a potentially lucrative business due to panoply of addictions that controlled him.

It was a common problem in today’s society, and an especially acute problem amongst military veterans.

She’d offered him numerous opportunities to attend church with her and be saved by the Lord, but he’d shown little interest. Too bad for him.

She’d also paid for an expensive addictions counselor; Go had made progress but still had a long way to go.

His parents had been farmers and he’d mostly grown up in the country, where ghosts and ancestors’ spirits had more influence than The Word or Western-style psychologists.

He was a farm boy, displaced in the city. Disengaged. Alienated. Now deceased. Perhaps it was inevitable?

She sighed then got up to leave – her cabbie was patiently waiting downstairs – but there was one more thing she had to do before checking out: Look quickly at her day planner for tomorrow.

The only thing written on there was Meeting with Fred. Game over!

She’d forgotten all about Fred for the moment, having been caught up in today’s flurry of events: The legal document; the fire.

But events are all tied together and tonight’s happenings did, she realized, affect little Freddykins.

After all, his troubles with her had all started with his campaign to bring Mr Go back into the business. Now Go was gone.

I still don’t want Freddy around anymore but I don’t have to get rid of him quite yet. Soon though.

I’ll probably just keep him here in Chinju for now until I can get another white face.

I need a white face.

* Will she not fire Fred then? *

She chuckled smugly. Any white face is a good white face!

She’d have to keep him on a tight leash though; didn’t want him getting any silly, adventurous ideas – like bolting to Ulsan! Ayeesh Ulsan!

And Ayeesh! Thomas!

She loathed thinking about that whole dismal place. Out of sight out of mind, and she could tolerate it that way.

‘Ulsan’ meant basically only one thing to her: That she-bal(prick) Mr Kang! Memories of her first visit there came flooding back and made her shudder.

* What happened during her first visit?… *

*

Tomorrow: Flashback to No’s first time visiting Ulsan and meeting with Mr Kang.