Martoons

Today: The Housewives Mafia shut their mouths.

Cast of characters

Miss No

Max

Fred

Scene: Miss No’s office at Riverside Institute

*

No scowled. “I have absolutely no interest in what he did in his off time, or what my adult students do in their private lives.”

(Actually she did, if the housewives had been doing with Thomas what she was now suspecting).

No was quickly calculating a way she could use Max’s disclosure for her own ends.

The housewives were a neurotic, aggressive bunch, trapped in their little apartments all day.

When they heard about Thomas’ arrival at the institute it was like letting penned animals out of a zoo cage.

When Thomas left Chinju, they were all upset like spoiled children and had threatened to ruin her business.

It was time to neuter them.

“I had no idea about this,” she said to Max, “and I feel sorry for Thomas. Those housewives took advantage of my foreigner.”

“Which housewives are you talking about? I need solid evidence to act. Can you oblige?”

“So, you will not use this info against Thomas in any way?”

She waved him off.

* Do you think Miss No might blackmail Thomas? *

Max removed a piece of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and handed it over with both hands in Korean formal style.

It was a guest register from the Hollywood Inn.

A number of entries was circled and the dates coincided to Thomas’ first few weeks in Chinju.

Without exception, the rooms in question had been booked for one hour in the middle of the day by a recurring trio of Miss No’s housewife students.

This triad was – coincidentally – the same three dominating the Housewives’ Mafia who were now ring-leading the damaging boycott.

As No scanned down the register, she cracked a smile.

* What do you think Miss No is going to do? *

Fast forward to now – this morning at Riverside Institute.

Miss No’s office – her meeting with Housewives’ Mafia. 

“Thank Thomas for the memories,” No said as the mafia passed the list around, each of their three faces becoming cyanotic and their jaws dropping.

“But your trophy waygook has moved on and is not coming back.

That registry list, which is currently making your eyeballs pop out, will remain locked up in my institute vault and your husbands will never see it.

“I certainly would not want any of you to be divorced and end up in the street with nothing, since most of you are dependent on your hubbies for everything.”

“As long as you end your boycott there won’t be any trouble.”

They did.

Without a peep.

*

Back at work over the next couple of days Fred observed that Mr Go seemed to live in terror of Miss No.

At first the Canadian chuckled to himself; he couldn’t believe a woman could have such a hold over a man; moreover, that such an anachronistic dictator could exist anywhere in the free world, even Korea.

No was a novelty; and a nasty one at that.

Inwardly, Fred dreaded her crosshairs turning on him.

He was under no illusions, though: With his non-conformist attitude, it was just a matter of time.

Thankfully No didn’t visit Central Institute – Fred’s workplace – often.

She had lately become totally absorbed in battling for control over Mr Go’s out-of-town institute.

* Will Miss No eventually turn on Fred? *

“My friend there is doing good job for me running that place,” Go told Fred.

“He is lucky too. Miss No cannot visit there very often because it is far. She has to take bus because she does not drive. Anyway, someday I will introduce you to my … friend.”

He said the name of his friend’s town but it was an odd pronunciation and slipped Fred’s mind.

Fred suspected Thomas was there and wanted to ask, but felt the timing wasn’t quite right.

To prepare for his own eventual battle with No, Fred got back in shape.

He started frequenting the Chinju boxing club to shadow box in front of the mirror and hit the sandbag.

The boxing coach (Rocko Kim) pushed him hard and there was little reward.

Even the post-workout shower offered Fred no solace.

It consisted of dipping a small pot into a plastic barrel of cold water and pouring it over his head.

Then he soaped-up and repeated the chilling routine.

Several months later as fall came and the weather cooled off, the water in that barrel got colder and colder.

By December Fred could see ice forming on top.

He looked forward less and less to his shower.

Actually he hated it, but swallowed the bitter pill of Korean culture.

*

Tomorrow: Cleaning Lady’s fascinating background.