Doing a little Business With Mama-San

          Our Company's Laundress, was a pleasant somewhat attractive Woman of about 40 years or so, her main purpose on our base was to engage in buying items off the troopers and then reselling them on the "black market". Almost anything could be sold Cigarettes, lux soap, etc, etc. All these products were wanted by the middle class Koreans. U.S. Currency(greenbacks) could not be held by Soldiers (they must use military payment script) and it was a very serious offence for a Korean citizen to be caught with Greenbacks or script in their possession.....But things happen... people take a chance even me, i would receive in the mail a twenty dollar bill from my aunt Edna a Christmas gift. Our Mama-San explained all this stuff to me "you bring me $10. Green, I give you $ 20. in script.... Hell this had real possibility... except I would have to go thru our postmaster to get a money order to send money home, these transactions were monitored very closely, and some folks i am sure got in trouble. So each month i would bring my two cartons of Marlboro hard pack to my mama san, and she would pay me twice what I paid. thats business.

     Now one day she shows me a Sears Roebuck catalogue, and makes me an offer. She wants me to purchase some very fine material, to make Korean dressers. I agree, I will lay-out the money for her.... we strike a deal. with my money order i send for the goods...... Three weeks and it arrives ( i put it in my foot locker and go visit her). She has no Script only Won Korean money after three weeks, I give her the material she gives me Korean Money (half a foot locker full) I end up giving most of it away to guys with Korean girl friends(they will spend it in the market. I guess I got a Royal Screwing... but it did not turn me against the Korean People. They are hard Workers, and i am amazed at their endurance. I believe that soon will come The Re-unification that all Koreans long for....The Americans will close their bases. and Koreans will live, At Last in Peace

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Jess Kern

Korea 1953-54