By Joo Han Kang

SAN FRANCISCO—Jimmy was a starter at the golf course where I play once or twice a week.

He is a tall, handsome man in his mid-thirties with a near reddish brown mustache. He is a quiet man and he appeared to have his life under control.

Once in a while, Jimmy came to our store for cold drinks. When he did, we had brief conversations. He told me he shot 70 on par 68, which means he is almost a zero handicapper.

I told him that I have yet to break 80, even though I’ve been playing golf for decades. He told me unless I aim at 75 and try hard to break it, I can never break 80. I intend to break 80 one of these days.

Having Jimmy at the golf course was a real asset. He was so helpful that I hoped he would stay there for a long time.

One evening, Jimmy came to our store and bought a bottle of mixed cocktails. As he was leaving the store, he told me his wife had left him the day before. No wonder he had such a sad face! Even before he said anything I had guessed that something undesirable must have happened to him. But, I never anticipated his trouble was that serious...

I tried to comfort him. "Never mind, Jim. She will come back in a few days. Even now, when you get home, she might be waiting for you," I said quietly.

"No," he said. "She left for good and she’ll never come back." His voice was so sad, I could hardly stand it.

"Don’t worry, Jim," I tried to cheer him up again. "There are a lot of other beautiful girls who will be only too happy to be courted by a handsome and kind-hearted sportsman like you." I said.

"Easier said than done," was Jim’s reply. Still, he thanked me for my encouragement and left the store and drove into the dark.

After he left, I felt a tinge of anger. By nature, it disturbs me to see healthy, able-bodied, people who lack confidence. So, I thought to myself, in spite of his good looks and gentle nature, Jimmy was living without any confidence. This is not a world where one can live easily if one lacks determination and confidence.

In the next several days, I thought about him quite a bit.

One evening Jim§—§À returned to the store. This time he bought a can of Country Time. I inquired if his wife had returned.

"No," he replied. But, as he was leaving the store, Jimmy said, "I’m going to see my child tonight." He again drove away into the dark.

For more than a week after that night, I did not see Jimmy. So, I inquired about him at the golf course. One of his associates told me that he had been fired. I could hardly believe my ears.

"How can that be?" I exclaimed. “He was such a good man. Why, why was he fired?"

One of his associates told me quietly. He drank on the job.

I felt sad for Jimmy. As a saying goes, "A misfortune doesn’t come alone." The departure of his wife must have been a great shock to him and under his depressed situation, he must have made mistakes, I thought to myself.

I suppose work regulations must be respected, but I can’t help feeling sympathetic toward that young man, who was all of a sudden, confronted with the brutal double-punches of misfortune.

I hope and pray God will take care of him and see him through these difficult days. There must be other Jimmys in this world.

Joo Han Kang, who ran a business in San Francisco, previously taught English at the Seoul National University and German in other institutions in Korea. He passed away in May 1998.