Martoons

Cast of characters

Fred

Mr Go

*

“Mr Go?! Hello – is that you?”

* Is it? *

The man stopped and glanced back.

“It is you!”

“Oh!” Go replied. “Anyong hasseyo!”

Fred was pleasantly surprised and they approached each other. He shook Go’s hand robustly, feeling as if he had new life.

“Fred, why did you arrive at Central this morning but leave right away? It was very surprising – a little strange. Are you okay?”

Fred waved him off and took a big breath of fresh air and exhaled lusciously. “Today, my feeling is good. I am so glad I came to this temple.”

“I’ve passed so many times on the way home but never actually come in. Today I was just … drawn here.”

His optimism didn’t spill over to Go, who remained rather solemn.

“Ah yeah. These days I visit here frequently. I am seeking peace of mind for the many problems with my life.” He sunk into a momentary daze.

Fred wondered if he should outright tell Go he was leaving Korea, but hesitated. There was an uncomfortable pause and Go filled the gap:

“Oh, Mr Fred! I heard that you tried to help me get back into my business.”

Fred looked flummoxed.

Go: “I saw your written statement – the one Miss No found by accident.” He patted Fred on the back.

“Thank you very much my friend. Anyway, you need not have done that. It is not your concern. It is very dangerous for you to oppose Miss No.”

His hand was resting on Fred’s shoulder. “You are brave Mr Fred – very brave!”

He chuckled warmly again. “I saw English war movie and they said ‘Fortune favours the brave.’ Maybe Fred you will have good fortune!”

* Do you think some good fortune will fall upon Fred? *

Fred replied: “There’s another wartime expression, Mr Go: Loose lips sink ships. I think that applies here!

“That statement caused more damage than it was worth. It didn’t help you and basically got me fired!” He shrugged, cleared his throat and straightened up.

“By the way Mr Go, I just wanted to tell you that I’m going back to Ca …” But he cut himself off. He didn’t know why.

* Will Fred tell Mr Go that he’s leaving? *

Go was fishing around for smokes and Fred tried again to tell him: “Sorry Mr Go. I cannot stay in Ko …”

It wasn’t clear if Fred actually finished his sentence or if Go didn’t hear him or what. But nothing was cleared up.

Foreigners come and go all the time from Korea; for a Korean, it’s indeed part of a foreigner’s nature.

Yet a Korean seldom understands why a waygook goes back to their home country, and the Korean often takes their departure as a personal insult.

* Will Go take Fred’s departure that way? *

Fred: “Anyway Mr Go, it was nice to see you here. Good luck. I really should get back to the apartment. I have things to do.”

“Ah, yeah…” Go realized he’d left his smokes in his car, but before he turned down the walkway to the parking lot, he saw that the waygook was uneasy.

“Fred, please be patient. Things are going to change. The worst is over and this will be a good year for you.”

The court document flashed through Go’s mind. “Fred, who knows, maybe I will return to my business some day.”

Yet the words sounded hollow so he said nothing further.

* Do you think Go will get his business back? *

*

Tomorrow: Go realizes that he might be losing Fred… and that he kind of already had.