Martoons

Today: The foreigner follows up with Mr Go… or at least tries to.

Cast of characters

Mr Go

“A foreigner”

Scene: Mr Go’s office at Central Institute

*

Next day. 

“I said what?” Mr Go was in a state of total disbelief as the foreigner recounted what was said outside the soju tent last night.

The foreigner tried to prod Go’s memory. “We were looking across at all the neon signs, remember?”

Go waved him off decisively. “I’m sorry; I have no memory of that conversation. Sometimes soju make my mind go … crazy.”

* This has happened before? *

He lit a cigarette, feeling relaxed and determined not to let the foreigner disturb that. “Could you close the door please? Cigarette smell – not good for children.”

The foreigner moved from his shadowy position in the back corner of the office.

He closed the door and then tentatively stood near it.

“Please sit down,” Go said.

“I can’t stay,” the foreigner said waving him off.

“I’m very busy. Look, I need to know what your decision about Thomas is. I just want to make sure I heard you correctly last night.”

Go staunchly waved him off and declared definitively, “Sorry, no remember.”

The foreigner was in a grouchy mood.

Go had been right about one thing – that food last night in the soju tent was no good.

The foreigner’s gut had been doing flips for the rest of last night and he’d been afflicted by the runs when he got back to his motel.

He’d also run into Coffee Lady by chance near his motel (she was making a delivery);

they made eye contact, but it seemed she’d purposely turned in the other direction and walked away from him.

* Coffee Lady really doesn’t like him much, does she? *

“Thomas-lover!” he’d muttered under his breath.

He’d gone home and lay with his gnarly stomach for hours on his comforter at the motel.

He’d been half awake and muttering gibberish about women, Korea, his own sister and the Golden God.

* Who, or what, is the Golden God? *

He’d gotten up to force some water down the hatch and that seemed to help him cast off the despair.

After a moment or two, he got himself together.

Life was a war, and the battle continued.

He was going to nail Go’s butt to the wall and hold him to what he said last night – that he’d fire Thomas.

Say what you mean and do what you say momma always said.

“Please sit down,” Go beckoned again.

The foreigner waved him off, which subconsciously put Go on edge and he took a long drag on his ciggy and placed it on the edge of his desk ashtray.

He’d been in this situation many times before – apparently making some outrageous statement while out drinking, and it would later come back to haunt him.

He couldn’t remember this thing about Thomas but a hunch deep down inside was filling him with doubt.

* Mr Go’s gotten himself into trouble, hasn’t he? *

*

Tomorrow: The blackmailing isn’t over.