Martoons

Cast of characters

Dame

Mr Go

Miss No

Miss No’s mother

*

No Wakes Up

Sleep often sorts out disorganized facts in our heads and synthesizes sublime interpretations.

At home, Miss No climbed into her bed and fell asleep instantly. Upon waking in the morning she’d come to the cold realization that Mr Go – the real skin and bones human being – must have actually been in the Central building last night.

And that meant he couldn’t be dead.

Mentally she backtracked: What had made her think he had really died anyway? What hard, direct indication did she have?

* She didn’t really have any, did she? *

Only that smell from outside his apartment. And, strangely, it was the exact same smell that unmistakably filled her room and nostrils right now: Korean bacon.

Her mother was cooking breakfast.

“Something was delivered here for you last night from a courier,” ma said. The busy, unconcerned aging and determined woman handed over a manila legal-sized envelope.

“I think it is something to do with your business.” Ma looked up from a pot she was stirring and smirked. “Meesta Go not paying tax again?”

* What could it be? *

Daughter scoffed. “There’s no election coming up so why should he?” She snatched the envelope away and swiftly tore it open.

“You know I run the business now. I will pay all taxes…” She broke eye contact with her mother. “…eventually.”

Ma went back to tending the stew. The pungent, burning-human-flesh aroma overpowered daughter’s nostrils and she retreated to her room with the document and carefully read it with detached interest.

It was the court decision in Mr Go’s favour.

* How will Miss No react to this news? *

Miss No had a much different view of the law than Mr Go: For him it was like a clenched fist clamping down on you; for her wealthy family, it was a hand that could carefully shape justice after having a gift slipped into its palm.

As she read through the brief judgment, word for word, she huffed at each of its key points.

She then scampered over to her dresser and fished around in her handbag for her family lawyer’s business card.

This ludicrous court decision had to be appealed immediately.

* Will her appeal hold up in court? *

*

Across town at Central, the big TV in the third floor office had been on all night. After their java at Coffee Lady’s, Go and Dame returned here for a nightcap.

Go now lay all curled-up on the couch but hadn’t slept well. All through the night he’d instinctively awakened hourly to listen for street sounds.

He didn’t want to keep getting up to look at the wall clock so instead he relied on outside road rumblings.

He knew from past experience that as soon as cabs began whizzing by with some regularity, it was 5:30 or 6.

Seconds ago he’d heard a couple go by. Then another few.

It was time to get up. He and Dame had to be out of here before Miss No arrived to open.

* Will they be? *

The office was freezing cold. Go rolled over on the couch and peered over at Dame.

The waygook was asleep in No’s big desk chair and had his feet up on her desk. He had his arms crossed and his head down.

A handful of empty soju bottles also sat on the desktop; one was half-filled with cigarette butts.

With Dame snoring solidly, Go elevated himself from the wicker couch and went over to the window and lifted the blind.

The purple-blue dawn hue was a further hint of daybreak.

*

Tomorrow: Fred thinks about the day ahead of him and Go urges Dame to get up and get moving.