Martoons

Today: Wide Eyes scurries off.

Cast of characters

Fred

Wide Eyes

*

“Yeah,” Fred said, “just about time for me to head to work.”

Wide Eyes scoffed and in a mocking voice asked, “You teachy Englishy?”

“Yep. And I’m trying to track downa Canadian buddy of mine. He also teaches here – or did! I’m getting a sense that he got royally screwed over …”

“What’s your buddy’s name? Maybe…”

“Thomas. Thomas Mapletree. He’s from Edmonton; came over here about a month ago – from the bits and pieces I’ve picked up, he got the shaft and was given the bum’s rush out of this place.

“The whole thing is shrouded in mystery. But I’ll get to the bottom of it…”

“Thomas, eh?”

Wide Eyes suddenly launched into a fit of coughing, so violent it made Fred uncomfortable to witness it.

Oddly, while the cacophony of coughs ran its course, Fred again had the notion that he knew Wide Eyes from somewhere – he recognized that cough!

He almost chuckled but bit his lip, not wanting to make it look like he was laughing at someone’s suffering.

Finally, Wide Eyes got control of himself and discarded his cigarette, mashing it on the sidewalk.

“That’s very noble of you to help your buddy … Thomas is it? … but don’t get caught up in it. To survive this place as a waygook – you gotta just worry about yourself.”

Wide Eyes started to get fidgety.

* What’s got Wide Eyes so nervous? *

He looked over Fred’s shoulder into Cleaning Lady’s neighborhood.

“Say, you got any idea of the time? I was just headin’ into that little village you came out of.”

“I met a little lady from there and I’d really like to get to know her better. Was told by her boss that she lives in there.”

He fished around in his pocket. “I’ve got directions here somewhere…”

“Time? I don’t know – around noon maybe? Say, have you heard that this village is supposedly haunted?” Fred chuckled but Wide Eyes seemed preoccupied.

“Well, if it’s that late, the haunted village and my little cutie will have to wait. I gotta get to the university village to tutor. Need some cash for tonight!”

Wide Eyes was walking away but cocked his head back. “Hey, come on down to the university village some night – any night – and play poker.”

“I play every night, all night with students and businessmen. We drink soju until sun-up.”

He fished for a matchbook in his pocket, tore off the top cover and gave it to Fred.

“That’s my motel. Call or drop by if you’re in the area. I’ll warn you though that I’m not there very often.”

He started walking away again. “Yeah, all us foreigners here – we gotta stick together.”

A few steps later he called back, “I’ve got some great porno too in my room from Japan. The Korean stuff’s a joke.”

“Thanks!” Fred said rather listlessly, looking absently at the matchbook cover and then – for some reason – crumpling it up and flicking it away when Wide Eyes wasn’t looking.

There was something unsettling about Wide Eyes but Fred couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

Something fishy.

Like the guy was up to something.

He seemed pretty evasive about Thomas.

“Taxi! Taxi!” Wide Eyes was almost at the road and a cab coming the opposite way spotted him and immediately U-turned, pulling up right at the curb.

Wide Eyes got in beside the driver and slammed the door shut.

The mind works often at its own speed, uncaring of our schedules or needs.

Suddenly, Fred’s mind flashed back to that dingy parkade in Edmonton and the guy who put the dummy in his car, which had made Fred shit his pants.

“Hey!” He called toward the taxi. “You wouldn’t happen to be…”

* Has Fred figured out how he knows Wide Eyes? *

Wide Eyes’ cab vanished, leaving a puff of blue smoke in its wake.

Fred watched it evaporate.

Why did it seem like that guy was just trying to get the hell away from me?”

“Where you go?” the taxi driver asked Wide Eyes as they pulled away from Cleaning Lady’s village. “Me smoking, okay?”

Wide Eyes not only gave him a thumbs-up but quickly produced his own pack of cigarettes and offered the cabby one.

“Ah, yeah, yeah, sank you sank you,” Cabby said.

“Where me go?” Wide Eyes asked.

“Just get me the hell away from here. As far away from that waygook I was just talking to. I’ve got a really strong sense now that my days are numbered here.”

* How come Wide Eyes doesn’t want anyone to recognize him? *

He had his matches ready, absent the top cover, and ignited one.

He quickly held it up so the cabby could turn his head and have his cigarette lit and then Wide Eyes fired up his own.

There was a pause in the interior of the cab.

All you could hear was the sound of Wide Eyes taking a huge inhale on his cigarette, and then he brought the window down to let out some of the smoke and stave-off another coughing fit. “

Where me go? Me go University Village. And make it quick. Pali, pali!”

*

Tomorrow: Fred and Donna meet up for dinner.