Shameful Dishonor

                                                                                        By Soo Yong Kim

   About half a century ago, I used to watch a TV drama series ‘The Fugitive’. It was very popular at that time. It was a drama full of suspense and thrills.

   Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen) starred a physician who was wrongfully convicted of his wife’s murder and sentenced to receive the death penalty. En route to death row, Dr. Richard Kimble’s train derails over a switch, allowing him to escape and begin a cross-country search for the real killer, a ‘one-armed man’. At the same time, Dr. Kimble is hounded by the authorities, most notably by Police Lieutenant, Philip Gerard (Barry Morse).

   After all, if Dr. Kimble captured the murderer, ‘the one armed man’. He would be proven innocent.

   I would like to tell you about a Korean man who had worked in the meat section at Dong Yang Super Market as an employee of this market. When I bought beef, he always said hello with a smile. He was very friendly.

   Almost thirty years ago, I used to go shopping to this market. The owner of this market is a Chinese Korean immigrant. As soon as he was out of the market business, he opened a Chinese restaurant, ‘Dong Bo Sung’ in Garden Grove.

   At that time, there was no “Arirang Super Market” in Garden Grove. One day, my husband and I went shopping to Dong Yang Market. When we came back home and unpacked several packages of groceries, I found one package we didn’t buy. With curiosity, we opened that package. To our surprise, there were several bundles of cash and many checks in it. We thought this belonged to the owner of the market and these must be a total income from a day’s business.

   When we made a call to the market, they already closed the market. Early the next morning, we called the owner and explained everything in detail about what happened. He was so pleased to hear from us and find his lost cash and checks. He confessed that he suspected the Korean guy working in the meat section. The owner was very pleased and grateful and apologized for accusing him of the theft.

   The employee was so thankful for recovering his honor and appreciated us deeply. He told us that he couldn’t forget our good deeds. Since then, we have become very close friends.

   Due to the bad memory of that incident, he left America and returned to Korea. He joined his family and has been living a happy life. From time to time, he makes calls to say hello to us from Korea and expresses ‘many thanks again, again”.

   I understand how much Dr. Kimble and Korean employee suffered from dishonor and was furious about it until their false charges were cleared.

   I want to tell you my episode that happened on New Year’s eve. I went shopping to Arirang super market. After I came back home, I found a rice cake I didn’t buy. Right away, I called the market to return it. But the manager of the market told me that a rice cake was a gift of New Year from the market.

   I was so happy to prove I didn’t steal it. On New Year’ Day, I cooked rice cake stew and my family enjoyed it a lot. I wished ‘A happy New Year’ to my family.

   I remember “Honesty is the best policy” all the time. I think that we should be honest according to the Bible and conscience as well.