Gawi

- "Yuh-boh-seh-yo?" (Hello?)
- "Yobo? Yong-Ji een-deh-yo. Chal ji-nae-shŏ-ssŏ-yo?" (Darling? It's Yong-Ji. How are you?)
- "Ah! Yobo! So good to hear from you!"
- "And you as well. I trust Jangin Eoreun is well?"
- "He...does well as can be expected." A pause. "I fear I may be here only few more weeks."
- "I am sorry for you. But the children will be glad to see you."
- "How are they? Have they coped well with move?"
- "Admirably. Our Na-Ri has been a gift from the gods. She has helped very much with the younger ones. Yong-Sook is willing to be responsible for himself, and Soo-Min is very good about keeping an eye on the twins while Na-Ri is unpacking her room or busy with Sam-Hee."
- "And little ones? They are well?"
- "Very. Jin-Ae asks often when you will come home and give her a good-night kiss."
- "Please give her one from me tonight...no, they are all in bed, are they not?"
- "Yes. I have decided that I will permit Na-Ri an extra hour before her curfew if her behavior remains satisfactory for a week, but for the moment, I have retained her nine o'clock bedtime."
- "I agree, she should be permitted to stay awake until ten, but will she still have to be in at least half-hour beforehand?"
- "Absolutely. There is a curfew here on the island. All children under the age of eighteen must be inside by ten o'clock. And I shall be enforcing the curfew very strictly."
- "Of course. You are Assistant to Mayor. You cannot have our children disobey, no?"
- "No. Well, yes, that is true, but there is more to it."
- "Tell me, yobo."
- "It's been a nightmare."
- "Night...mare? What do horses...?"
- "No, no...not horse. Akmong."
- "Oh! How so?"
- "You know of the mental hospital here? St. Christina's?"
- "You have told me, yes."
- "Well, some of the patients are given the privilege of walking the island at specified times. Only two days after we arrived, the newspaper reported the murder of a resident."
- A loud gasp. "Who?"
- "They did not identify the woman. I know, of course, the whole office knows, but for obvious reasons..."
- "Of course, of course. Oh, poor woman..."
- "Yes. The curfew is being strictly enforced to protect the children. And not too long after the incident, a young patient from St. Christina's was napping in the park and accidentally slept shortly past curfew. One of the security guards shot her."
- "Shot her? How young?"
- "Fifteen, I believe. Perhaps sixteen. I'm not quite sure. The problem, of course, is that she was innocent, minding her own business, and unarmed. From what I have learned, she was a patient in Ward C..."
- "Please, what that means?"
- "It means she is very little danger to herself or the public, and needs only the slightest bit of correction to be fit for release. In fact, from what I have heard, this particular girl is not actually mentally ill."
- "Then why...?"
- "Yobo, you know I can't tell you that."
- "Yes. I remember. I am sorry."
- "It is of no consequence. At any rate, she is harmless, and certainly the guard had little cause to shoot her. I can divine no purpose in shooting the doctor who came to her aid."
- "This guard is mentally ill, yes?"
- "Well, nothing is proven."
- "I see."
- "Anyway, I merely wanted to call and catch up with you. The children are doing fine. Na-Ri sends her love and asked me to assure you that she and Yong-Sook have the situation well in hand."
- "I trust Na-Ri."
- "As do I, which is why I asked her opinion on the matter we discussed."
- "Education?"
- "Yes. That is, of course, your decision--not mine, and certainly not Na-Ri's. But Na-Ri feels the younger ones will benefit more from traditional schooling than from being homeschooled."
- A long pause. "If only I could know what they learn is good."
- "I will inspect their homework each night and provide a weekly report for you."
- "Na-Ri, also."
- "Of course."
- "And if I am not satisfied, you will remove?"
- "As soon as you give the word."
- An even longer pause. "Then I agree. Yong-Sook and Soo-Min may enroll. The twins also. Not Sam-Hee."
- "No. He is too young, even for pre-kindergarten. The twins will be able to attend in the fall."
- "Please, what will you do for him during day?"
- "Until you return, he will come to work with me. I can instruct him in rudiments. Then when you come home, he will be ready for you to educate him."
- "This is good. I miss you, yobo."
- "And I you. Give Jangin Eoreun my love when he awakes."
- "I will. Good afternoon, Yong-Ji."
- "Good night, yobo."