Fortunate Sons

Chapter 47: Seoul Man Seoul, South Korea

The bright lights and tall skyscrapers that formed the budding Seoul skyline enthralled Taylor, bringing back memories of when he and Miss Etta had taken an excursion to New York City. Seoul was a fast growing city, booming in the wake of the recent events of the war some eighteen years before. Who would have ever thought that such a small city could slip from the grasp of communism and become a city where people could prosper and thrive?

The flight finally touched down at Incheon Airport and let off the passengers who were shuttled right to the terminal. Taylor and Sonwha gathered up their suitcases and other belongings before they were shuttled right in with the other passengers. The place was as crowded as ever with people coming and going from one end or the other. Flight attendants and crew embarked and disembarked while many more passengers were rushing to either go home or leave.

The evening was still hot and heavy when Taylor and Sonwha had caught a cab that would take them back to the Park home. As they drove along the streets of Seoul, Taylor was enthralled with the city's transformation. Bill would have been too if he could have been there to see it.

It wasn't long before they reached the home belonging to the Parks. It wasn't a brand new high rise apartment but it wasn't a run down project either. It was a decent sized townhouse with a pleasant brick façade and a magnolia growing out of a small plot on the streetcorner. On the front of the house was a tangle of creeping ivy that climbed right up the bricks towards the window and above the bright red door at the top of the front steps.

Sonwha led Taylor inside where he immediately removed his shoes and stuck them by the door. The place was just like the outside, old but still a remnant of the older days with the dark wood paneling on the walls, the stairs and on the floors. Evening sun and cool air filled every space in the house, relieving him of the heat and putting him more at ease in such an unfamiliar place.

"Park will be down in a few minutes," Sonwha informed him. "I apologize if anything is disorganized."

"No, no I've seen worse," Taylor replied. "Not a bad looking place."

"My father had this place built after he had traveled to Singapore on a business excursion," Sonwha explained. "I grew up in this place after the rest of my family escaped the north during the war."

A few minutes later, Park came hobbling downstairs with a noticeable limp in his step but looking much better than he had the day he had been rescued. "Ah-ha! I knew you'd find him Sonwha!" Park proudly declared as he hobbled down the last few steps. "I tell you, you ought to work for Mossad or the CIA."

"Oh that would go over well," Sonwha chuckled.

"Anything could happen," Park remarked. "You must be Taylor?"

"Yes sir," Taylor answered.

"Might I say thank you," Park said, shaking Taylor's hand. "For saving my life. What you did means the world to my family."

"I appreciate that," Taylor replied. "We were just trying to do our jobs."

"And a job well done if I might say so," Park told him. "If you hadn't done what you did the kids would be growing up without a father."

Taylor was deeply touched by Park's gratitude. If it had meant that one more man could go home to his wife and children, his girlfriend, fiancé or his parents, then he was sure that his purpose had been fulfilled.

"Oh Taylor," Sonwha said. "I forgot to tell you, there's a guest room upstairs if you'd like. It isn't much I'm afraid."

"It's perfectly fine," Taylor told her. "I've slept in worse places."