Martoons

Today: Fred worries over whether anyone will show up for him. . .

Cast of characters

Fred

Miss No

Mr Go

*

*Pine Needle Beverage*

Fred wasn’t worried so much as mildly agitated – and that was more from fatigue than anything.

He was accumulating a sense of meaninglessness and experiencing mild flashbacks to some of his encounters with Koreans back home – like that first time he’d rode his bike up to Master Lee’s office.

Another few minutes went by and Freddy was now the only person milling around this part of the terminal besides a blue-uniformed cleaner lackadaisically pushing a broom – and periodically stealing glances at the waygook.

Fred got to thinking: Did I somehow get on the wrong flight? Did that feisty old Korean man who took me to the front of the line steer me in the wrong direction?

But he couldn’t see how.

He checked his crumpled-up ticket again and compared it to the display above the luggage carousel.

Everything checked out.

* Initial impression: Alienation *

He wandered around, now fighting off embarrassment.

He wiped his brow several times as if erasing the words, “Dumb Foreigner” off his forehead.

He was also hungry yet wanted to get this ride business sorted out first before disappearing into any more steely cafeterias.

The airport lobby was silent.

He unthinkingly looked through his pockets to see if he had Master Lee’s phone number back in Edmonton, but … what good would that do?

The sound of clicking high heels broke the silence from the other end of the lobby but Fred only half noticed it.

His eyes had been drawn to the glass exit door where the sun was beaming in.

* Fred gets claustrophobic *

Craving fresh air again, he wanted to go outside and wait, having been in stale airplanes for almost a day now.

He hoisted the bulking hockey bag over his shoulder and headed for the door.

“Ah, the simple little pleasures of life! Good old fresh air. And it’s absolutely free.”

And the grass and trees outside sure were lush and green.

The high heel noise got louder, however, and seemed to follow him out the door.

He inadvertently glanced around and saw a young, business-attired woman approaching in a hurried fashion, waving her arms frantically.

“Excuse me! Hello! Meesta Pineridgey? Meesta Pineridgey?”

She ran right up to him and stopped about six inches in front of his face, blatantly and completely violating his personal headspace. “Are you Fled?”

He instantly recognized her from his original interview back at Master Lee’s club.

Or was it her? There was something … different…

“Are you … Miss No? You’ve changed your hairstyle!”

“Yes, thank you. I’m so happy to meet you again.” She held out her hand for a handshake and Fred shook.

“Welcome to Korea!”

Fred instantly felt grounded.

All his doubts about Korea were washed away.

This thing was going to work after all.

If Master Lee was here he would have given him a big hug.

* Fred gets his bearings *

They walked out on to a wide sidewalk and Fred could see a small car idling nearby and it looked like someone was in the driver’s seat.

“We must go quickly,” No said. “Our car is parked illegally.”

As they got closer to the car the driver disembarked and stood by the car somewhat stiffly.

“He is your Director,” No said.

Mr Go was a short individual of about five feet four inches, slightly chubby, but well-dressed and balding.

He was attired in a clean, immaculate suit and tie and apparently spoke little English.

He looked to be about 40.

Miss No introduced him to Fred and they shook hands while a lit cigarette dangled from his lips.

No issued him a muttered order and then he efficiently crammed Fred’s stuff into the tiny trunk of his economy-sized Korean car.

Somehow it all fit in with room to spare.

Go called out something to No and then he scooted back in the terminal.

“He will be right back,” she said.

*

Tomorrow: Mr Go acts strangely and they finally leave the airport.