Before the k-pop era hit the whole world, I knew one of the ahjussi who worked as a contractor in the factory I was working with. Most of us called him mister. Yes, all expatriates are called with the term mister. Of many contractors who frequently visit our near-finished factory, only this ahjussi attracts attention. Because the right hand starting from his shoulder does not exist. Truly a one-armed ahjussi.
His face is also not very friendly. Mister is also quite fierce in managing workers who do not follow his instructions. Gradually, various stories began to appear about this one-handed ahjussi. First, there is an innate version. There is a fishy story that mister is a former gangster who fled to Indonesia. But who dares to ask the truth? So the truth becomes a mystery among the office staff at the factory.
One time the finance department contacted me. There seems to be a misunderstanding regarding the contract work at the factory, and this mister has a hard time explaining it in stammering English. So I became an impromptu translator. Long story short, there is a supplement to a bill that he doesn’t know about. So the problem becomes apparent, and everyone is relieved. Mister seems to be quite good, although his English is not fluent. It was the first time I spoke and saw him smiling because the bill was acceptable.
A few weeks later, when I was about to leave the factory in the afternoon, I met mister again. Mister is waiting for his pick-up car to come. He is also a heavy smoker. Because smoking is not allowed in the factory area, said the security guard, this mister often hangs out here. He smiled when I greeted him. Slowly, I asked where he lived and other projects he was working on. He seemed happy to have someone talking to him. Because after those questions, he didn’t stop telling stories.
Somehow mister suddenly started talking about his hand. Mister used to spend his time drinking a lot, so he became drunk. He said it was a habit in Korea and carried over to Indonesia. Once intoxicated, still driving home at high speed on the highway. The left hand holds the steering wheel, and the right hand is outside the car because he is still smoking. In a drunk and semi-conscious state, mister had a single accident. When he woke up, the mister was already in the hospital, and his right arm was gone. The doctor said that his right arm was crushed in an accident. At that time, his right arm caught in the car door. So inevitably have to be amputated.
Mister’s face became sad. I was silent and could not say anything. Mister is not a gangster and not a runaway like in the movies. Since the accident, mister has not touched booze again. But there’s still one bad habit that hasn’t gone away. Smoke.
Moral: The mystery level will get higher due to limited curiosity. And sometimes, the mystery is just a tragedy that can happen to anyone.