Martoons

Cast of characters

Miss No

Mr Go

Dame

*

No’s Toast         

Fast forward to Christmas Day.

Miss No pushed out of her mind the bitter memory of that failed first Ulsan visit. Outside Central in the back alley, her cab sat idle.

She was a regular customer and tipped well so the cabby didn’t mind waiting.

On this occasion she’d instructed him to stand by for thirty minutes – which had just passed – yet he’d now dozed-off with the vehicle idling.

Up on Central’s second floor, No stepped out on Go’s old smoking balcony and peered down to make sure her ride was still there.

“Ah good!” She turned to go back inside. “That cabby is a good man. Not many like him left in our fair Chinju city.”

All she had to do now was close up and leave.

*

Dame and Go were halfway through their colas back at the corner store. Go belched then Dame one-upped him with a louder, raunchier outburst and then started giggling.

“Why you laugh?” Go asked.

“Sorry sir. It’s just that you look out of place sitting here like this.

I mean …” He made a frame with his fingers and thumbs and held it up to Go as if filming. “Something’s missing. Hmmm…”

* What’s missing? *

Go lit up a smoke and patted his stomach with his free hand, shaking his head. “I don’t like cola. Gives me – how you say – stomach gas?”

He burped again but it was subdued.

“That’s what’s wrong with this picture!” Dame exclaimed.

“The cola. How about we tie one on and bring this Christmas evening to a close with an ice cold bottle of our favorite beverage?”

He got up from the table to head back in the store but then realized he had no cash on him.

He sat back down and noticed Go’s legal envelope sitting on the table only partially torn open. “Not going to read your mail?”

“Oh yeah…” Go reluctantly and apathetically picked the envelope back up and slowly resumed tearing the top edge.

“I got halfway through opening this a minute ago and lost interest already! Lawyers – Ayeesh!” He slid a document out and perused it nonchalantly.

Dame fished in his pockets for loose change and found none; he patted loudly on them hoping that Go would pick up the cue and cough up a few dollars.

Yet the ex-boss didn’t respond, now getting absorbed in the legal document.

* What do you think it says? *

“Blew my last two dollars on those colas,” Dame rambled on. “Could have scored two bottles of soju. Life’s full of tough choices and that was a bad one.”

Go was now immersed in the document and oblivious to his waygook sidekick.

“So?” Dame wondered. “What’s it say?”

Go held his hand and forefinger up to shush Dame. The ex-boss’ mind had illuminated.

It was one of those profound moments where you’re proven all wrong about something – and in this case it was the justice system.

He couldn’t believe the legal document he was reading.

Slowly but surely he poured over every word, muttering, “This is … unbereavable…”

*

Tomorrow: Miss No thinks back on her past with Mr Go and her climb up the ranks.