In Between the Lines | Completed

Chapter Twenty-Nine | Mistakes Record

Lee Young-Min

"You want to me to do what?"

"Muck the stall."

"Muck the stall," I repeat, staring at the shovel the ranch hand was holding.

"Yes. Exactly."

I take the shovel and look at the empty wheelbarrow sitting outside the horse stall. A tall stallion watches me from across the barn with an expression I can only describe as a mixture of derision and curiosity.

"That's a weird way to thank the guy cleaning up your sh—"

"Kar Jin-Ho, how's your first day going so far?"

At the mention of my name, I turn around and see the smiling face of an older woman staring at me. Her hair was faded, her skin full of wrinkles from years of laughter, but even still I recognize that this woman must have been a great beauty back in her day.

She must be the manager of the sanctuary U So-Yong mentioned.

"It's been an experience. I haven't really done anything like this before." I admit.

She looks me up and down, "You'll get the hang of it. After a couple of weeks building up some calluses, you'll fit right in."

That's the second time calluses have been mentioned in the last hour. That must be a farm thing.

"I'm sure you're right, Ma'am."

"Can I give you a piece of advice for your second day tomorrow?"

"Of course."

"Rubber boots over leather when you're mucking," she looks down at my new work boots, the fresh leather not yet tarnished or scuffed. "The smell won't stick around once you rinse off your shoes."

I nod, grimacing at the thought of horse manure following me around the rest of the day, but I don't complain, opting to turn back to my first task and get going.

She watches quietly as I shovel feces and hay into the wheelbarrow and push it over to the compost bin a farm hand pointed out to me. Ten minutes in, the older woman disappears, leaving me to my task and thoughts.

I finish my job in an hour and start to look around the barn for someone to direct me to my next task. My hands and back ache from the work, but I ignore the pain.

"President Kar, ready to move on?" The same farm hand comes up to me and I blank on his name."

"Whatever you need."

"Park Su, leave him to me. I need a hand getting the goats herded back into the barn."

The sanctuary manager returns, her weathered face watching me with keen eyes.

"Yes, Halmeoni."

"You're his grandmother?"

"It's just what everyone calls me. You are welcome to as well."

"Thank you, Halmeoni." I comply, bowing my head to her.

"We've got two troublemakers in the goat herd who like to stir the pot and rile the others up so they're hard to corral. Your job will be to contain them and keep them occupied while I wrangle the other dozen."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather me get the others and you get the two? A dozen seems like a lot for you to handle at once."

Halmeoni send me a playful smile and a memory nags at my brain.