25 Years Ago Part XXIII
GIs wore custom caps they had made in the ville. I had been thinking of getting one made but could never think of what I wanted written upon it until that morning. I went in and requested white letters on a black cap. My cap read Miss Lee Inc. which seemed appropriate since every girl I had been with since returning to Korea had the name of Lee.
I went to another shop two doors down and purchased two pairs of tennis shoes for US$7.00. Walking back to the hotel I spotted a pair of honeys wearing blue jeans standing on the sidewalk. They both had pleasant Korean faces with prominent cheek bones. Their hair fell down there backs, black and glossy. One of them approached me. She had very straight hair and cute flirting eyes.
“Hey GI,” she addressed me. “I think you have my cap.”
I stopped and looked her in the eyes, “Excuse me?”
“I’m Miss Lee and that is my cap.”
I laughed and she chuckled too. Then she grabbed my cap and put it on her head.
“See. It fit me numbah hanna.”
A sheepish grin covered my face and I felt the blood rush across my cheeks.
“He blushing,” her friend spoke.
The cap snatcher smiled more, “You got pretty eyes. You cherry boy?”
I laughed at the remark and shook my head to indicate that I was not.
“I think you cherry boy,” her friend circled me placing me in a comfortable trap.
“No ladies. I assure you I am not a cherry boy.”
“You need a friend,’ asked cheeky Miss Lee?
“I got a yobo. I don’t need a friend.”
“You got a yobo,” they both cried out aloud in an incredulous harmony.
As they pondered that fact, I snatched my cap and walked. Miss Lee gasped at the suddenness of my action. I wasted enough time on them already. If they had met me a day earlier I might have tried to barter for both of them. Now I just wanted to get back to the hotel.
“You fucking numbah ten GI,” Miss Lee yelled after me.
I could care less what she thought. They laughed and chattered loudly in Korean. Bored girls, looking for some fun and twenty bucks. I had no desire to give them either.
Upon entering the hotel I went downstairs to the hair salon. Little Miss Lee saw me when I entered and I knew the night before was a mistake. Once she spotted me she looked away and made a noticeable effort to ignore me. Taking her to my room must have been too much for her. Lee’s associate pointed me out to her, but she did not acknowledge me.
So I went upstairs and called JB on the house phone. No answer, so I left a message for him. Told him I would see him next week. I bid Mr. Lee farewell and went outside. I flagged a taxi and returned to Camp Humphreys.
Once there I returned to the barracks where I sat around and read. I walked to the ville as evening rolled around. I wore the Miss Lee Inc. hat and Little Bit greeted me outside the club. She stopped dancing and I could see her eyes stop on each syllable as she read my cap. Then her face beamed with the smile and she clapped her hands together twice. She stared right into my eyes for a few heart beats before laughing and skipping away through the club’s entrance.
I followed her inside and saw Miss Lee sitting with another girl. She had her back to me, so I strolled over to the table and stood besides her. Her eyes widened when she saw me. Lee rose to her feet and smiled when she read my cap. I put it on her head and ordered beers for the table. And being my totally inconsistent self I took Lee back. Course she has been paid for in advance and I had another week.
Soon I returned to the same old routine. Work all day, party at the club, and play house at Lee’s hooch. I wondered if anything of interest might occur each day, but nothing interesting happened until Thursday. I went to the latrine after lunch and when I pissed it burned.
