An Immovable Object

“APPA, APPA, APPA THEY ARE COMING” yelled the young boys he ran up the hill. Squatting between the cabbages he looked up to the see the boy. The boy kept running until he arrived in the field with the old man. When he got to him he grabbed his sleeve, and while shaking violently said “Appa, are you not hearing they are coming from the South.” Gently grabbing his arm and removing it from his sleeve he held his hand between his. “Adeul, why do you run so fast and speak to franticly”? Giving a puzzled look he did not understand. “Appa I was just in the town, when a man arrived shouting to warn the town that the Japanese are coming. We need to run and run fast to see if we can escape them”. Still holding his hand in a calm tone he answered “Adeul, we knew that the Japanese were building a fleet to come here. In all that time why do you think we remained here”? Pulling his hand away he stepped back, thinking hard for an answer, “Well, because, well because we were not ready”. Bending down and attending to some weeds around his cabbages, carefully hovering his hands before plucking them out. “Adeul, if I were to throw you into the Imjin you could swim with all your strength and at most you would only slow the progress as you flowed downstream. Sometimes in life we are thrown into a river, not by choice, and the powers are beyond our strength. When this happens we ought to turn our heads from where we were to where we will go. In these moments you must turn on your back, face our legs downstream and watch for the dangers ahead”. He thought hard on what his Appa had just told him but was not ready to accept the words.

Running into the house he went to search for bags to gather the essentials for survival on the road. As the boy got inside the hut and out of sight the old man turned towards the village to see if he could see anything. Narrowing his eyes he could see a number of families, bags over their shoulders heading out of town in the opposite direction of the Japanese towards the Eastern coast of the country. He watched for a moment, wondering what the future would hold. As the clash of pots sounded from behind him he turned to see how the boy was making out. He could not see him yet but heard him searching through the hut. He went back to the field to continue to tend to the crops. After a time he heard the boy approaching holding as much as he could carry. “Appa, come I have packed all we need for a weeks journey we need to leave now before it is too late. I know you said about the river but I don’t understand”. Without saying a word he got up, walking past the boy he went into the hut, returning after a moment with two small clay cups and a bottle. “Adeul, come take a seat with me. Today the universe has deemed it necessary you become a man, so today you will taste makgeolli”.

The boy turned to look at the village, and with reluctance turned and walked to take a seat with him. As he sat both cups were poured, both grabbed their cups and jointly said “Geonbae”. As the liquid hit the back of the boys throat he coughed hard, spitting some out while he did. Embarrassed he wiped his face and drank another sip slowly. “Haha Adeul, do not stress every boy is shocked when he first tries makgeolli. Now, look at the village”. He pointed to the village while he sipped more drink. “Now can you tell me where all our neighbours are fleeing to”? The boy watching the villagers and the road they were on, “They head towards the coast”. Nodding proudly, “Yes you are correct, and if they head that way they will be trapped between the sea and the Japanese who will chase them all down. I cannot tell you what the Japanese will do to the civilians but I know that they will all be stuck at the sea, no boat and without all the possessions they abandoned. The government has failed us, no Korean army will stop this invasion. If you cannot stop a force you must prepare to endure it”. It began to sink, why his Appa had not run when hearing this news, instead he acted as if he knew this the entire time.

Pouring another glass for himself the old man could now see smoke off in the distance. “Adeul, I must tell you the lessons of our people. At the end of our hardships comes happiness. We have suffered under different rulers and faced many hardships as a people but Koreans stand strong, and have a heart to endure that which few can”. As the boy watched he could see the stout strength begin to fade as the old man had tears fill his eyes. “Oh my Adeul, I have suffered many days. You know that Eomma, after your birth got very sick. I tended to all her all day and night for a cycle of the moon until her strength was failing. She made me swear to care for this farm, to feed you well and teach you all I knew. Today son I can say I fulfilled all her wishes”. Looking out at the growing billows of smoke he boy grew the courage to ask “Appa, why did you never talk to me of Eomma”? Wiping his eyes, “I knew your mother her whole life, she lived two huts down in that village. I grew up seeking any time or attention from her, and one day I heard her family saying they had no food. I walked to the river and fished all night and once I had a few fish and hung them in front of their hut secretly or so I thought. She later told me that she saw me, and when later that day I went back out to fishing she decided to tag along. From that day we were inseperable. When fate took her I could muster the strength to care for you but never face that loss”.

Although he did not like the taste the boy poured more drink. As they watched they could see that the Japanese had began to burn the village down in the valley. “Appa, I am scared. The Japanese, I have heard many stories of the bloodthirsty soldiers and what they do to people”. He could tell by watching the face of the boy the fear was genuine. “Would you like to know what your Eomma told me in her last moment”? Turning keenly towards his Appa, “Yes, please tell me what she said”. Once again he grabbed the boys hand and held them between his. “She told me that she loved me, that she did not know why fate wrote this ending but you are Korean. We have faced a thousand years of hardships and from this you will find happiness, someway, somehow. Where do you think I got my wisdom Aduel. Now it is my turn, Aduel I love you, and I do not know why fate has written this but you are Korean, and more importantly a Kim. Our lineage has survived wars, droughts, storms and more. The Japanese will soon arrive, are you ready to find your happiness through this hardship”? The boy got up quickly and grabbed the old man for a hug. Squeezing each other he answered, “I am ready Appa”.