Chapter 6
Receiving a phone call from a Capital representative was a real downer. They never forgot to call to demand the interest overdue.
"After paying my loan interest out of the salary 180, nothing much will be left in my hands. I will probably have to work an additional night s.h.i.+ft just like those foreign workers. The night s.h.i.+ft is paid 1.5 times more… So that's what I have to do. I have messed up my life, big time."
The image of government employees working in a big city hall or county office flashed through Gun-Ho's mind along with his friend, Won-Chul working in a big firm wearing a white s.h.i.+rt and tie.
"Won-Chul is making 5,000 per year, isn't he?"
Gun-Ho's face was distorted by frustration.
"I am and will be living in poverty just like my father has been. F*ck!"
Gun-Ho was heading to Gw.a.n.gjeok Town ("Gw.a.n.gjeok") in his old shabby car, making a clunking noise when the name of the philosophy hall his aunt talked about hit him.
"That's right! It was Jinyeo Philosophy Hall!"
Gun-Ho felt better once he successfully recalled the name.
"I don't believe in fate but I can try, don't I? I am wondering where my life went wrong? And if I will stay as a factory worker for the rest of my life. If the head of the philosophy hall is that good, he must have something to tell me about my life, doesn't he?"
Gun-Ho shook his head.
"Nah, they don't know anything. If they do, why are they just running the philosophy hall?"
Gun-Ho indeed disbelieved fortune tellers because he had a bad experience with them. When he was 21 years old right before he joined the military, he went to a fortune-reading cafe in Insa Town. Anything he was told there was not true and he just wasted money paying for it. Consequently, he considered them all con artists.
"Nevertheless, because of all the fuss my aunt made, I am curious about it."
Gun-Ho finally arrived at Gw.a.n.gjeok Towns.h.i.+p Office area. He didn't expect to see this many commercial stores and restaurants. There were a hospital, pharmacy, bank and supermarket that you don't often see in a small town. Several new villas were there; he could see lots of ads for rent. Some of them didn't require a security deposit.
"It's only 4 o'clock. I will have time to look around."
Gun-Ho at first visited the rental home without a security deposit requirement. It didn't come with kitchen appliances. The one asking one month's rent for a security deposit provided essential kitchen appliances. Gun-Ho liked it; the room was clean since it was in a new building.
"Oooh, this is a palace comparing to those rooms in Noryanjin!"
Those OneRooms in Noryangjin were asking higher rent and they didn't even have windows; they were in poor condition as well.
"I don't have many stuff. I can move in tomorrow."
Gun-Ho left for his current place to Sohol Town in Pocheon. He was listening
"Bro, what are you doing? Did you find a job?"
"I just had an interview. I am on my way home now."
"Really? That's good. What kind of company?"
"Plastic Injection Molding Company, of course since I have work experience with it. I will start this coming Monday."
"Where is it?"
"Gyeongsin Town in Yangju."
"Geyongsin Town? Where is that?"
"It is in Yangju."
"Yangju City? Not Namyangju City?"
"No. It is Yangju located above Uijeongbu City."
"Let's go fis.h.i.+ng to the same place. You start on Monday so you can go fis.h.i.+ng tomorrow."
"I have to move tomorrow."
"Haha, bro, you have nothing to move. You only have a few clothes and a laptop. You can move them the day after tomorrow, and let's go fis.h.i.+ng tomorrow. I read online that someone caught a 30cm ba.s.s and a 50cm catfish there."
"You are so into fis.h.i.+ng."
"You are the one who introduced me to fis.h.i.+ng in the first place."
"Ok. Let's go."
"Since tomorrow is not Sunday, there won't be many people fis.h.i.+ng."
"Come to pick me up by 10 AM to my place."
"Okie."
Gun-Ho thought that since he got the job, it was ok to have some fun fis.h.i.+ng with Jong-Suk tomorrow.
Thinking of having soju with a roasted chicken whet his appet.i.te already.
The next day, Gun-Ho went to the reservoir in Pocheon with Jong-Suk.
"I love this reservoir. Not many people know about here and it's not crowdy."
"Right. Not many people coming here; no reservoir custodian who is asking for fees. Bro, once you start your new job at Yangju, let's come here sometimes when you are off."
"It's too far. I have to save gas."
"Then you find a good fis.h.i.+ng site in Yangju."
"Huh? I didn't expect anyone here. That Genesis limousine is here today again."
"d.a.m.n. They took our lucky spot again."
"Look, they are the same folks, one in his 40s and the other in his 60s."
Those two men turned their heads to look at Gun-Ho and Jong-Suk; they must have heard them talking.
"They must think that why do young men come fis.h.i.+ng on weekdays, not going to work."
"Don't worry about them. They are here on weekdays as well. They must be a bankrupt business owner or a crook on the run."
"Their car looks good. It's new"
"Crooks drive nice cars."
"Bro, what year is your car?"
"It's 10 years old. Why?"
"It's still going? How many km is on your car?"
"200,000. It still works fine. I can cross the entire U.S. nation from the east coast to the west with this car."
"Aren't you gonna repair peeling paint on your rear b.u.mper?"
"I don't have time for that."
"You don't have money for that."
"You, f*cker!"
"Haha. I take it back, take it back."
Responding to their loud talk, the man in his 40s turned his head looking at them with a scowl.
"He doesn't look nice at all."
"He is evil-looking."
"Shhh, he can hear you. Keep it down."
Gun-Ho went to the fis.h.i.+ng spot where those two men, in his 40s and 60s, were fis.h.i.+ng.
"Did you catch any?"
The man in his 60s shook his head side to side with a smile in his eyes.
"Is he a mute?"
Gun-Ho moved to another spot. He put down his bag and fis.h.i.+ng rod under the chestnut tree across the reservoir.
"Huh! It's Gimbap (cooked rice and other ingredients rolled in dried seaweed), not a roasted chicken!"
"I thought you would bring a roasted chicken."
"I thought you would, bro."
"I have to save money, until my next payday."
"Eek! Look over there. A fish the size of a forearm just jumped out of the water. I have a good feeling about fis.h.i.+ng today."
"None for you. Lots of fish for me though."
"F*ck you."
That day, Gun-Ho actually caught a ba.s.s. He got a job and caught a fish; it was a good day for him. When he was about to release the fish, Jong-Suk ran to him."
"Wow. It's huge. It's a little smaller than the one I just missed, but it is huge."
"The fish that slipped away always seems bigger."
"No, it was really huge."
"Jong-Suk, let's have Gimbap. If you are not going to take the ba.s.s, maybe I should give it to those two men?"
"Them? They are no longer here."
Gun-Ho looked at the spot where those two men were fis.h.i.+ng; they are gone already.