Tendrils of Life: A story of love, loss, and survival in the turmoil of the Korean War by Choi Owen

Author:Choi, Owen [Choi, Owen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Princeton Falcon Press
Published: 2012-07-26T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 47

November 1950

The sun started to dull the sharpness of the morning chill. With his long shadow gliding ahead of him, Jimin walked down the main street of Hadong, looking for shops where he might be able to find work. As he trudged along, the police chief’s jeep, driven by the chauffer, came toward him and then passed by, raising brown dust in its wake. The police chief was wearing a sardonic smile, probably because another pillar of the Barks had fallen down. Since his grandmother’s death two weeks earlier, the man seemed to be going around smiling all the time. Jimin pumped his fist toward the disappearing jeep.

Turning around to continue his walk, he saw Unhee coming toward him, squinting in the sun. Her baby was on her back, wrapped in podaegi, a baby-quilt.

“Where’re you going, Jimin?” she asked.

“Just walking around.”

“I wanted to come see you and Misern more often, but you know how it is.”

“You shouldn’t worry about us.” After a short trip to Yosu, she had been to his home twice, bringing rice, kimchi, and other things. “You have your own worries and you’ve helped us a lot already. And I’m sorry I couldn’t help you finish the work on your fields.”

“How could you? Anyway, everything is done now. And I’m leaving for Yosu again. Today.”

He nodded. “How long are you going to stay there?”

“I don’t know. I have to take care of my mother and they are starting to harass me here. It would be better for me to stay away for a while.”

“Why do they harass you?”

“Because I was in the Women’s League.” She forced a smile.

“Many women were in that league, weren’t they?”

“Yes. But they look at me differently. My husband’s involvement in the insurrection two years ago . . .”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ll be okay, Jimin. You are the one I’m worried about.”

“I can handle things by myself. Someone watching your house?”

“There’s nothing valuable there. I sold all the rice, the pig, and the chickens. I’m taking the dog with me. And I was coming to see you to say goodbye.”

She took out a roll of bills from her jumoney dangling inside her skirt. “Here,” she said. “I wanted to give it to you earlier. But I didn’t have it until last night.”

“Why? You’ll need all the money you have to care for your mother. I don’t need it.”

“Please take it. Don’t make a scene here.”

“What would I do with this money?”

“You and Misern will need it. I know you used all your money for the funeral. It’s not much, but you could get by for a while.”

“The owner said I don’t have to pay the rent. And I’ll get a job soon. I came out to look for a job.”

“You know how difficult it is to get a job. Take this. Don’t make a scene, please!”

“I don’t know when I can pay you back.”

“I’m not asking you to pay me back.”

“How can I take money then?”

“Then pay me back whenever you can.”

He took the bundle and put it into his pocket without looking at it.

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